Island and Rainforest with Sailing (Start Cairns - until Sept 2012)

Island and Rainforest with Sailing (Start Cairns - until Sept 2012)

Get the most of Australia's East Coast with this tour to explore and relax. Take in the crystal clear waters and the lush tropical settings of this magnificent island. Ride the Captain Cook Highway with rainforest on one side and the Great Barrier Reef on the other, it's not your typical road trip. You'll make friends for life as you explore Down Under with this Contiki Australia travel package.


Length: 12 days
Accommodations: Resort, Yacht
as per itinerary
Meals: Dinner, Breakfast, Lunch
as per itinerary
Sightseeing: East Coast & Rainforest, including The Whitsundays, Cairns & Cape Tribulation
Transportation: Modern Coach

Return to Tour

Itinerary

  1. Day Icon-day1 Icon-day2 Depart for Australia

    Fly over the international date line on your way to Australia.

  2. Day Icon-day3 Arrive Cairns

    Check into the Rydges Esplanade and the rest of the afternoon is free for you to explore.

  3. Day Icon-day4 Cairns to Cape Tribulation

    Meet up with the other Contiki travellers and your Tour Manager in Cairns. Then we hit the road and travel north to Port Douglas. Known for its idyllic white sands and palms trees, this resort town attracts both the rich & famous and travellers. You’ll soon see why. Sticking to the coast, we follow the Coral Sea past remote beaches and gorgeous scenery to the lush, tropical Daintree Rainforest. Get back to nature as we walk through this UNESCO World Heritage listed site and head to a stunningly clear swimming-hole in Mossman Gorge, where you can cool off in the waters. Tonight, get to know your group and Tour Manager over dinner at the resort in Cape Tribulation.

  4. Day Icon-day5 Cape Tribulation

    Discover Daintree National Park and its ancient rainforests today. Explore the lush greenery and incredibly colourful wildlife on an interpretive walk with your Local Guide, who’ll tell you about the plants and animals unique to this area. You’ll also learn about the Aboriginals’ beliefs and why this area is important to them. Enjoy another swim in these fabulous outdoor surrounds at a swimming hole, before heading back to Cape Tribulation, where thick forests grow all the way down to the water’s edge. Keep your camera handy!

  5. Day Icon-day6 Cape Tribulation to Cairns

    After breakfast, we return to the popular traveller’s hub of Cairns where you can use your free time to explore the coastal town and local markets. With a colourful tropical setting, vibrant restaurant scene and happening nightlife, this gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and rainforests is one of Australia’s hottest destinations.

  6. Day Icon-day7 Icon-day8 Cairns

    Wake up to the warm waters of Cairns. For those who are keen for a fun and thrilling ride on the rapids of the Tully River, join our optional white-water rafting adventure activity with our professional Local Guides. There are loads more activities available in Cairns like hot air ballooning, sky diving and bungy jumping – just ask your Tour Manager for some more info. In your free time in the evening, walk around the buzzing night markets. It’s the perfect place for shopping and with everything from fun, kitsch treasures to local crafts like boomerangs and didgeridoos. There’s something for everyone. There's another chance to experience the Great Barrier Reef on an optional day trip. Put on your snorkel gear and check out colourful fish, turtles, vivid coral and the incredible clear waters. Later, hit the seaside esplanade back in Cairns, sit down with a coffee and people watch. For your last night with the group in this city, there’s a chance to head down to a local hot-spot for dinner if you’re up for it.

  7. Day Icon-day9 Icon-day10 Icon-day11 Cairns to Sailing Whitsundays Option

    Today we drive to Airlie Beach, gateway to the Whitsundays Islands and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to board our sailing yacht. Enjoy two days and nights sailing the stunning Whitsunday islands with your friends. Swim, snorkel, or laze your way around the 74 islands of this tropical paradise, where you will past the lush tropical islands, snorkel or dive the many spectacular coral reefs, laze on the world's best beaches and personally meet an extravagant array of sea life. You can help the crew & learn how to grind the winches & hoist the sails, and try your hand at or just relax and top up your tan in the sun. Your third night in the Whitsundays will be spent relaxing and toasting the sunset on Daydream Island. Please note: There's no twin or single share available onboard the boat.

  8. Day Icon-day12 Finish The Whitsundays

    The tour ends after breakfast and it’s time to say farewell to your new friends.

Tour Map

Tour Map

Highlights

All these highlights along with city sightseeing are included in your tour price!

Included
  • Port Douglas: Visit this luxury holiday resort town
  • Daintree National Park: Enjoy a swim in Emmagen Creek
  • Cairns: Cairns city orientation
  • Airlie Beach: Visit the vibrant seaside town of Airlie Beach
Accomodations
  • 9 nights multi-share accommodation: 7 nights in resorts, 2 nights on a yacht
  • 14 meals: 8 breakfasts, 2 lunches & 4 dinners
  • An experienced and professional Tour Manager & Driver team
  • Modern, air-conditioned coach with power outlets for charging
  • Rainforest adventure on days 4, 5 & 6
  • Sightseeing tours of all major cities
  • National Park fees, local taxes & service charges
Contiki Difference

Optional Excursions

Cape Tribulation: Cable Zip Lines Through the Rainforest (A$80)
Get ready for action above ground on this unique activity – you’ll get a really different angle on the rainforest! Attach yourself to a series of 'zip lines' & flying foxes as you move from the forest floor to high in the canopy above the rainforest on th
Cairns: Rainforestation nature park (A$65 )
Rainforestation Nature Park is set on 100 acres of World Heritage Rainforest, and you have the opportunity to explore the best it has to offer on the ‘Big Nature Package’. Experience the tropical rainforest from a totally unique perspective – aboard an am