Australia

Upon arrival in Melbourne, transfer to the hotel and join fellow travelers for lunch before embarking on a guided walking tour of Melbourne. Gather this evening for a welcome reception and dinner.

Board a private cruise at Federation Square this morning. Enjoy morning tea as we glide along the Yarra River, taking in the gleaming Docklands precinct, the bustling Southbank precinct, the Melbourne Cricket Ground, and the Royal Botanic Gardens. This afternoon, visit the Justin Art House Museum (JAHM) for a tour conducted by owners Charles and Leah Justin, whose collection of more than 300 contemporary art works showcases a wide range of art practices and artists.

Rise early this morning for a guided walking tour of the iconic Queen Victoria Market. Sample fresh produce and unique ingredients and gather cooking tips. Later this morning, transfer to Melbourne airport for our flight to Tasmania, where wild and stunning landscapes are home to a rich heritage. Check in to our hotel before taking a ferry to the privately-owned Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Owned by eccentric philanthropist David Walsh, the collection includes controversial pieces mixed with antiquities, rare coins, and a spectacular 45-metre-long Sidney Nolan artwork, Snake.

This morning, transfer to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, which operates Tasmania's largest 24/7 wildlife rescue service. Meet a Tasmanian devil and some of the other residents, such as wombats, kookaburras, blue-tongued lizards, and forester kangaroos. After lunch, visit the Cascade Female Factory for a performance of Her Story, which recounts the story of a female convict living in Tasmania during the 1830s. Later, stroll amid the charming cottages and gardens of Battery Point, one of Hobart's oldest areas. This evening, we learn about Australian Aboriginal art, taking in the many styles and stories on display at Art Mob, a gallery of Indigenous art.

We spend today at the famous convict settlement site of Port Arthur, one of the 11 places that together form the UNESCO World Heritage Australian Convict Sites. Explore the vast grounds including the Penitentiary, originally constructed as a flour mill and granary in 1843 and later housing hundreds of convicts; the Convict Church, where authorities sought to reform Port Arthur’s convicts; and the Government Gardens, which have been carefully reconstructed to replicate the original plans complete with topiary and plants collected from across the globe.

Drive up Tasmania's East Coast to Freycinet peninsula, stopping for lunch along the way. Check in to Freycinet Lodge, our jumping off point for exploring this land of wild beauty. Choose from a range of activities—kayaking to secluded coves and isolated beaches, hiking among the pink granite of the Hazards range, or simply relaxing at our lodge on Great Oyster Bay. This evening, embark on an after-dark visit to a penguin colony for a chance to observe this special breed of little penguins up close as they maintain their burrows and build nests.

Cruise the spectacular granite coastline of Freycinet National Park from Coles Bay past sparkling white sand beaches, including Cooks and Bryans beaches, only accessible by water. Explore the inner passage of remote Schouten Island, home to little penguins and short-tailed shearwaters, before heading into the Tasman Sea towards Wineglass Bay. Look out for various hidden sea caves, blowholes, and waterfalls amongst the sheer granite cliffs. Along the way, we learn about the region’s aboriginal heritage and hear stories of early explorers and entrepreneurs.

This morning, we transfer to the Launceston airport for our flight to Adelaide, South Australia's cosmopolitan coastal capital. Enjoy lunch before heading to the South Australian Museum for a tour with an Aboriginal guide. Learn about traditional Aboriginal life, the impact of European settlement and the role Aboriginal people have played in the development of Adelaide and its surrounding areas. Afterwards, check in to our art deco-inspired hotel ideally situated in the center of the city.

Today we have a choice of excursions:

• Barossa Wine Tour: The Barossa Valley is one of Australia's best known wine regions and home to some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. Tour single-estate boutique winery Hentley Farm then taste the wines over lunch. Afterwards, head to Seppeltsfield estate to sample vintage Tawny of your own birth year directly from the barrel.

• Cleland Wildlife Park: Visit Cleland Wildlife Park, 35 hectares of open bushland habitat where we get up close to native Australia animals, including kangaroos, emus, and koala. After lunch, take in the works of famed 20th-century landscape painter Sir Hans Heysen housed in The Cedars, a colonial-style villa.

• Architecture and Heritage Tour: Embark on guided city walking tour with award-winning, mid-century architecture and design enthusiast Stuart Symons. Afterwards, enjoy lunch at Ayers House, a grand stately mansion of Colonial Regency and Victorian opulence which has been beautifully restored to modern vintage style.

This morning, fly to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to see Australia's sacred monolith, rising 1,143 feet with a circumference of nearly five miles. Archaeological evidence suggests that Aboriginal people have lived at Uluru for at least 22,000 years. Learn the sacred Tjukurpa (creation) story of the Mala people and visit the Cultural Centre where exhibits showcase Anangu arts and crafts. Before we depart, have a glass of wine at a viewpoint to take in the changing colors as the sunlight plays with the landscape. Return to the airport for our flight to Broome and upon arrival, check in to our resort, situated on one of Australia's most famous and spectacular beaches. Enjoy dinner at leisure this evening.

This morning, board a seaplane and fly from Broome into the heart of The Kimberley. Land at Talbot Bay and board a fast boat for a thrilling ride through the Horizontal Falls. Enjoy either breakfast or lunch on the floating pontoon before taking a more relaxed cruise through the spectacular untouched surrounding bays and creeks. Return to the seaplane for a scenic return flight, flying low across the Buccaneer Archipelago, Cape Leveque, Willie Creek Pearl Farm, Cable Beach, and Broome township. This afternoon, delve into the fascinating history of Broome's pearling industry. Learn about the impact pearling has had upon Northern Australia and how the melting pot of cultures enticed by the lure of the pearl influenced Broome.

This morning, board a charter flight to Cairns, gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest. On arrival, transfer to our luxury eco-lodge located on the beautiful Mossman River. Gather this evening to hear from a local Aboriginal guide about the history of the area and life in this part of Australia.

Divide into two smaller groups for our excursions today and tomorrow. Spend one day deep in the world’s oldest surviving rainforest exploring the Cooper Creek Wilderness, home to a Gondwanan relic dating back 135 million years. Walk through the ancient landscape among primitive fauna and flora, learning about the land’s evolutionary history and the early European settlements that came in the wake of Captain Cook's arrival at Cape Tribulation. Enjoy lunch nestled amongst the rainforest on the edge of Cooper Creek.

Our other day is spent out on the water, snorkeling along the Great Barrier Reef. Renowned for its crystal-clear waters and surrounded by pure white sane, Mackay Coral Cay offers spectacular coral gardens that are home to a huge variety of marine life including parrot fish, angel fish, butterfly fish, and coral trout. Gaze at giant clam gardens and snorkel among friendly green turtles.

Transfer to Cairns airport for our flight to Sydney. Embark on a private cruise on Sydney Harbor and enjoy lunch as we look out at the spectacular bays and coves, the Sydney Harbor Bridge, and the Sydney Opera House. This evening is free to explore the Sydney dining scene on our own.

This morning, we venture to the Art Gallery of New South Wales to tour the Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander collections before the museum opens. Then, take a guided walking tour of the historic Rocks District with its quaint old cottages, pubs, and churches. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before visiting the Sydney Opera House, one of the world's busiest performing arts centers. During our tour, we hear the story behind the architecture and engineering of this iconic structure. Toast our epic adventure this evening at a special farewell dinner.

Transfer to Sydney airport for flights returning home.