October 2012

DAY 1: Arrive in Sydney, Australia. Sydney Beaches Tour
DAY 2: Full day tour to The Blue Mountains
DAY 3: Northern Beaches Tour at Sunrise. Fly to Kangaroo Island
DAY 4: Full day tour of Kangaroo Island
DAY 5: Full day tour of Kangaroo Island. Fly to Adelaide
DAY 6-8: 3 day Flinders Ranges journey
DAY 9: Travel to Rawnsley Park in Wilpena Pound
DAY 10: Explore gorges of Wilpena Pound
DAY 11: Return to Adelaide
DAY 12: Fly to USA

Thirteen times in the past 14 years readers of Conde Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure magazines have voted Sydney the World’s Best City. You will enjoy this cosmopolitan city with its impressive harbor foreshores, glamorous homes and coastlines dotted with jagged sandstone cliffs and golden beaches. With its Mediterranean climate, arcade shopping, restaurants, parks, gardens, museums, the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge - you’ll find Sydney a gem.

DAY 1: OCT 17 Arrive in Sydney, Australia. Sydney Beaches Tour L
You will arrive in Sydney early this morning and clear customs. After you have completed the Australia Immigration formalities a representative of Australia 2000 Travel will meet you and accompany you as you transfer via chauffeur driven car to your hotel in downtown Sydney. While traveling to your hotel our agent will deliver your additional Australia travel documents and answer any questions you might have relating to the adventure awaiting you. Your rooms will have been prebooked to ensure immediate access on your early morning arrival

After you have had a chance to relax and freshen up you will join your tour guide for a delightful day discovering the Southern and Northern Beaches of Sydney and its best sights. You will enjoy an exclusive inside look at this cosmopolitan city with its impressive harbor foreshores, glamorous homes and coastlines dotted with jagged sandstone cliffs and golden beaches. You’ll stop for lunch at a waterfront café at famous Bondi Beach where you’ll see some of Sydney’s Beautiful People AND the famed bronzed Aussie lifesavers. Following lunch you’ll travel across Sydney Harbour Bridge to explore and photograph Sydney’s gorgeous Northern Beaches.

DAY 2: OCT 18 Full day tour to The Blue Mountains B L
You’ll meet your specialist guide to travel to the beautiful Blue Mountains early this morning. During your day your guide will ensure that your group just off the beaten path to visit the tranquil lookouts and see a vibrant array of Australian wildlife in its natural surroundings in Sydney Blue Mountains located 2 ½ hours west of Sydney.

You’ll enjoy lunch at a bistro in the beautiful Blue Mountains.

DAY 3: Oct 19 Northern Beaches at Sunrise. Fly to Kangaroo Island via Adelaide B D
Rise early to meet your specialist tour guide to be in THE BEST spot to photograph sunrise in Sydney.

You’ll return to Sydney and enjoy the remainder of the morning at leisure to explore Sydney. This afternoon you’ll be transferred to Sydney Airport in time to board your onward flight to Adelaide. When you arrive in Adelaide Airport you will stow your excess luggage before boarding your Rex Airlines flight to Kangaroo Island, one of the world’s few remaining unspoiled natural wonders.

After dinner, you will participate in a night spotting tour to see little blue penguins come ashore after their full day of swimming feeding in the ocean.

Widely regarded as Australia's Galapagos and brimming with diverse wildlife and natural beauty, Kangaroo Island is a place of extraordinary contrasts. With a rich heritage and a world-class food and wine culture, Australia's third largest Island offers endless opportunities for exploration and adventure.

DAY 4: Oct 20 Full day tour of the Island including Seal Bay Conservation Park B L

Following breakfast with your fellow guests you will travel to Seal Bay Conservation Park to walk among the bulls, cows and pups of the Australian sea-lion colony and to learn how the sea lions survive the rigors of the Southern Ocean. You will witness the spectacular and vast sand dunes at Little Sahara before traveling from the South Coast to the middle of the island via Parndana Wildlife Park en route to Cygnet River Valley where you will find the koala in its own natural habitat. There a home-baked lunch, including good South Australian beers and wines, tea and freshly ground coffee will be served. After lunch, the North Coast beaches, Snellings and Stokes, provide a perfect environment for taking a leisurely stroll, with the sound of waves breaking on the pristine, sandy coast. There will be opportunities to take unique nature walks in search of kangaroos, wallabies, the rare glossy black cockatoo and the elusive echidna before returning to at your accommodation.

DAY 5: Oct 21 Full day tour on Kangaroo Island. Fly to Adelaide B L
After breakfast with your fellow guests our guide from Kangaroo Island Wilderness Tours will meet you at your accommodation for your full day Wilderness Wildscapes tour. Your first stop is Rocky River, headquarters of the Flinders Chase National Park. Here, kangaroos laze and Barren geese graze. The Chase is home to all our varieties of native animals and birds. You’ll continue on to Admirals Arch, an ancient limestone formation close to the ocean, a perfect haul-out area for an active colony of the New Zealand fur seal. From there you’ll travel to the Remarkable Rocks, via the spectacular coastline of Cape du Couedic, where the forces of nature have carved modern sculptures out of the granite. Lunch is an enjoyable repast of home baked fare, good South Australian beers and wines, tea and freshly ground coffee. Take a short bush walk in search of the echidna (spiny anteater) and observing the colorful Kangaroo Island endemic crimson rosella, and koalas. Your tour goes on to Grassdale Historic Farm where you can observe kangaroos in their wild and natural habitat. Soak in the spectacular scenery along the South Coast to Vivonne Bay where the crystal clear water supports a colony of the little blue penguin. Before returning to your accommodation your guide will take you to Point Ellen for a little beachcombing and a chance to possibly spot a penguin resting in its rookery.

Remember nature has her own agenda and for this reason your itinerary is only a guide as to the delights you will experience on this wildlife sanctuary island.

DAY 6: Oct 22 Day one of your 3-day journey to the Flinders Ranges B D

The Flinders Rangers region was once an ancient seabed and now carries some of the most important early fossils some from 600 million years ago, a time span that defies understanding. It is home to a vast number of native animals and birds that abound amongst the gum trees and on the steep, ragged slopes of the gorges. The vibrant colors of the rock faces, change through the day with the passage of the sun.

Join your specialist guide, Hayden on a 6 day adventure to capture the spectacular color of the Australian Outback. During that time you’ll escape to the spectacular Flinders Ranges for a memorable experience incorporating unique Aboriginal culture and knowledge. You will be enchanted not only by the vast spaces, the rugged landscape and the mesmerizing color but by Haydn’s passion as he leads you on a trip into his traditional homeland area of the Flinders Ranges. There you’ll listen to Creation stories of the Adnyamathanha people at traditional sites and see Aboriginal rock art with ancient paintings and engravings. You’ll learn the history of the area amid the beautiful Ranges landscape with rugged mountains, scenic gorges, ruins of early settlement and abundant wildlife.

Today you will travel through historic towns and wine growing areas along the way. As the Ranges loom closer you will encounter the habitat of Australia’s well-known wildlife not only kangaroos and emus in abundance but also many species of birds and reptiles. You will travel through vast sheep stations and remote country towns enroute to Parachilna, population seven and home to the famous Prairie Hotel, a place of superlatives. During your 2 nights stay in Parachilna you will be accommodated at Prairie Hotel, an historic outback pub situated along the original Old Ghan Railway Line that has an international reputation for its cuisine, in particular, their two signature dishes ‘The Feral Mixed Grill’ and the ‘Feral Antipasto’ (other meals available). You’ll marvel at the spectacular sunsets and sunrises.

DAY 7: Oct 23 A day on an Outback Cattle Station Ranch B D
After a hearty breakfast at The Prairie Hotel you’ll join Hayden to spend a day on a 100.000 acre Australian cattle station, ranch. There you’ll become engrossed in the cattle station activities, romp on a red sand dune as you experience the desert landscape and Australia wildlife. You’ll enjoy a bushman’s lunch around a campfire where you’ll watch the billy boil and share the yarns of the stockmen.

DAY 8: Oct 24 Travel to Nepabunna B D
After another scrumptious breakfast it’s time to bid your hosts a fond farewell as you join Haydyn to travel to Nepabunna Community to meet and learn the stories of the Adnyamathanha people, to visit the community and to see rock paintings. As a rare treat you’ll stay in bunk houses at the community this evening and enjoy a traditional kangaroo cookout and campfire hosted by an elder of the community.

DAY 9: Oct 25 Travel to Rawnsley Park in Wilpena Pound B D

You’ll bid your hosts farewell this morning and travel through the vast landscape.

DAY 10: Oct 26 Explore the gorges of Wilpena Pound B D
You’ll join Haydn to explore Bunyeroo and Brachina Gorges traveling over hills and ridges, in a region that was once an ancient seabed and now carries some of the most important early fossils dating from 600 million years ago, a time span that defies understanding. The Flinders Ranges are home to a vast number of native animals and birds that abound amongst the gum trees and on the steep, ragged slopes of the gorges. The vibrant colors of the rock faces, change through the day with the passage of the sun.

DAY 11: Oct 27 Return to Adelaide B
Today you’ll discover some of the most unforgettable scenery. After your second night at Wilpena Pound your specialist guide will take you through the Moralana Scenic Drive boasting magnificent views as you travel between the southern face of Wilpena Pound and the northern face of the Elder Range. After lunch your journey will take you from Quorn, the home of the Pichi Richi Railway through the Pichi Richi Pass and Devils Peak to high country with views over the Spencer Gulf. See some of the historic seaside townships after leaving the Pass and making your way along the coast. The narrow corridor between sea and mountains gives way to the rich farming land that takes you back to Adelaide. You will arrive in Adelaide at 6.00 P.M.

DAY 12: Oct 28 Fly to USA B
This is this your last day in the Land of Oz. This morning you will be transferred to Adelaide Airport in time to board your onward flight to Los Angeles or San Francisco. During your flight over the Pacific you will cross the International Dateline and arrive in Los Angeles or San Francisco on the same day as your departure. After you have cleared customs in Los Angeles or San Francisco you will board your onward flight to your home city.

You will return to your home in USA after having experienced the kind hospitality of the Aussies and stayed in an eclectic mix of our lodges and hotels. You’ll have visited our cultural, historic and natural icons and explored the usual and the unusual from extreme perspectives. You’ll have seen the sights, found time to share a yarn with the locals and perhaps somewhere along the way you’ll have made a new mate. (That’s Aussie for friend!)

Your Southern Australia Photographic Expedition includes:

• 2 night luxury Sydney hotel accommodation
• 2 night superior accommodation on Kangaroo Island
• 2 night deluxe Adelaide hotel accommodation
• 5 night Outback accommodation
• (Accommodation based 2 persons per room. Private rooms available at additional cost)
• Domestic flights within Australia
• Private Touring with Driver/Guide
• Meals as specified in the itinerary
• Full services of our Australia specialist office while traveling in Australia
• All entry fees where applicable

Tours:

• Afternoon Sydney Beaches Tour
• Full Day Blue Mountains Tour
• Northern Beaches of Sydney Tour
• Two Full Day Tours of Kangaroo Island
• Kangaroo Island Night Spotting Tour
• Three Day Flinders Ranges Tour
• Australian Cattle Station Ranch Tour
• Nepabunna Tour
• Wilpena Pound Tour

Does not include:

• International Airfare
• Use of hotel rooms before /after normal checkout times
• Items of a personal nature
• Tips & gratuities

Please be aware:

• International airfares in coach, premium coach, business or first class may be purchased from Australia 2000 Travel.
• This tour is fully escorted and will run for 15 passengers. Tour will not take place if there are less than 15 participants.
• Please refer to the Australia & New Zealand tabs for a sampling of the customized tours we can design specifially to your travel dreams and desires.
• Australia 2000 Travel retains the right to modify the itinerary or venues due to unforeseen circumstances.

This Southern Australia Photographic Expedition may be perfect for some, but please keep in mind that our specialty lies in Designing Custom Itineraries to suit your personal interests, desires, budget and schedule.