Introducing our new tour! Go down under on our Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef program. This tour will have students discovering Australia’s unique plants and animals and all the complex and colorful life underwater along the Great Barrier Reef. Ready to head above ground? Explore Sydney and all its top attractions as you take on the incredible waterfront city.
Day 1: Start tour
Day 2: Time travel! (just kidding) Lose a day as you cross the International Date Line
Day 3: G’day, Sydney! Get to know the city on foot as you explore The Rocks, the Royal Botanic Gardens, and Mrs. Macquarie’s Point, a nature-formed sandstone rock bench from which there is a breathtaking view of both the Sydney Opera House and the Sydney Harbor Bridge. Visitors have been frequenting Mrs. Macquarie’s Chair since its origin in 1810, and legend has it if you make a wish while sitting on the bench, there’s a good chance it will come true.
Day 4: Your guided sightseeing tour of Sydney will feature the Darling Harbour, Sydney Harbor Bridge, the Gap, and the world-famous Sydney Opera House, which grandly hovers above the harbor like a giant flying clam shell. You know, if clam shells featured the best of the best, world-renowned musical performances. End the day with a Sydney Harbor cruise, on which you’ll feel part of the bustling harbor, view the impressive city from the water, and even spot a few opulent homes that dot the waterfront.
Day 5: Get outside for a full-day excursion at the Blue Mountains & Wildlife Sanctuary. Koalas, kangaroos, and Tasmanian devils await you at the Featherdale Wildlife Park, but not before you hike through rainforests and enjoy the many lookout points in the scenic Blue Mountain National Park.
Day 6: Beach day! Historical Bondi Beach is rightly recognized as one of the best beaches in the world. Upon arrival, learn about what makes this beach so unique. From there you can enjoy the sand and surf on your own. That’s right, surf – participate in an optional surfing lesson, and you will really be feeling like a local.
Day 7: Fly to Cairns and take part in a guiding sightseeing tour of this small, tropical village. Explore Esplanade, the focal point of the city and where the city began as a gold and tin mining port back in 1876. Stroll along Wharf Street where big-game fishing is the major industry. The walk will lead you to City Place, the quaint town square area featuring a pedestrian mall. Cairns is the gateway into Australia’s natural wonders, with the vast rain forest and the Great Barrier Reef just minutes away.
Day 8: Speaking of the Great Barrier Reef, today is the day to fully immerse yourself in this natural wonder. Fun fact – the Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living organism, and the richest marine resource known to man! It goes without saying this UNESCO World Heritage Site is chock-full of uniquely dazzling plants, fish, and coral. Students will set sail on a luxury 10-foot catamaran journey to Michaelmas Cay, an ideal spot for beginners to snorkel and discover the world below. Next, take a semi-submersible coral reef tour and walk to Cay for the most unique bird watching experience ever! Truly a day of science, art, and nature your group will never forget.
Day 9: From the sea to the sky. Just outside Cairns, the Skyrail Rain Forest Cableway offers a birds-eye view of the surrounding forests. Travel five miles over the canopy to the tiny village of Kuranda, where you’ll discover different aspects of local life that will help students get an authentic look at Aboriginal culture. Overseen by village elders, the visit will include lessons on fire-making, playing the didgeridoo, preparing bush food and medicines, and enjoying a traditional performance at the Tjapakai Aboriginal Dance Theatre.
Day 10: Travel along one of Australia’s most scenic roads, the Coral Sea coast, to Daintree National Park for a full-day excursion. A guided nature walk and a crocodile and wildlife cruise will have you feeling like the Crocodile Dundee himself. End the day at Cape Tribulation beach, where the rainforest meets the coral reef.
Day 11: End tour
Feeling like a trip down under? Check out our Sydney & the Great Barrier Reef itinerary to learn more and start planning your trip!