12-Nights Aboriginal Culture & Australian Highlights from $8,765

Trafalgar

OFFER ID 1556165

Aboriginal Culture & Australian Highlights
Awaken your senses discovering the world’s oldest living culture combined with iconic Australian sights on this limited edition, Indigenous focused tour. Experience down under in a new way as you immerse yourself in nature and culture on this two-week tour exploring Aboriginal Australia.

Dining Summary

1 Welcome Reception (WR)
12 Breakfast (B)
2 Lunch (L)
1 Dinner (D)
1 Farewell Dinner (FD)

Must-see Highlights

Explore the National Gallery of Victoria to view Indigenous and non-Indigenous art, and the Rocks District in Sydney to uncover First Nations cultural heritage with a First Nations Guide.
Discover how Aboriginal people in Victoria once practiced their culture and how they continue to keep it alive alive, and the art of Aboriginal Dot painting with a Local Specialist Maruku artist in the Red Center.
Visit the Gallery of Central Australia in Uluru shining a light on emerging artists, and the Sydney Opera House.
View Bruce Munro's Field of Light - 50,000 spheres of light illuminated in the desert in Uluru.
Scenic Cruise on Sydney Harbor to discover this harbor city and on the Great Barrier Reef with First Nations cultural guides.

Whats Included

An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
Porterage where hotels provide this service
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
All land transport shown. All transfers shown
Optional Experiences and free time

12 nights from $8,765 per person

Itinerary

Trafalgar Tours: Aboriginal Culture & Australian Highlights

Day 1 - Welcome to Melbourne
Melbourne extends a friendly welcome and you’re staying in the heart of the action from your hotel close to the city’s Yarra River. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travelers and start your tour with a Welcome Reception with Australian flavors, washed down with your choice of local wines or beers. It’s a delicious introduction to Melbourne’s cosmopolitan vibe to kick off your Australian tour.
Accommodations: InterContinental Melbourne
Meals: Welcome Reception

Day 2 - Discover the Indigenous Side to Melbourne
Unlock the sights of the city with Koorie Heritage Trust on a walking tour along the Yarra River led by an Indigenous guide. Learn how Aboriginal people in the state of Victoria once practiced their culture and how they continue to keep it alive today visiting art installations and hearing the Aboriginal history and stories of Melbourne. You’ve surely worked up an appetite, and lunch at Big Esso by Mabu Mabu, an Indigenous owned restaurant of renowned chef Nornie Bero, is just the place to enjoy local, seasonal cuisine while soaking in the space housing art by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists. Your day of art and culture continues at The Ian Potter Center; National Gallery of Victoria Federation Square, home of Australian art, presenting Indigenous and non-Indigenous art from historical to present day.
Accommodations: InterContinental
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 3 - Explore Melbourne and Beyond
Have one-of-a-kind encounters with your choice of Optional Experiences. Join a Great Ocean Road & Twelve Apostles Day Tour along Australia’s most spectacular coastline. Stop in the seaside towns of Lorne and Apollo Bay before viewing the Twelve Apostles series of limestone stacks rising dramatically from the Southern Ocean. Or, “ooh” and “aah” the incredible Little Penguins on Phillip Island where you’ll watch the tiny, adorable penguins make their daily trek from the sea to burrows on the beach. In the city, head to the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria for an Aboriginal Heritage Walk into the ancestral lands of the local Kulin Nation with an Aboriginal guide. You can also see the city sights from Melbourne Skydeck, Eureka Tower, the highest viewing platform in the Southern Hemisphere.
Accommodations: InterContinental
Meals: Breakfast

Day 4 - Uluru in the Red Center
Fly to Australia's cultural heart, Uluru, and venture into its iconic National Park. At the base of Uluru, learn about the park on a guided walk with your Travel Director to Mutitjulu Waterhole. You’ll love your guide's passion for the area and understanding on the ancient rock art rich with history and lifetimes of stories that have been preserved for hundreds of years. Tonight, over a sundowner of appetizers and sparkling wine, sit back as the surrounding grasses blow and the sky lights up in red and orange illuminating Uluru rising 348 meters high. It’s the best way to experience its true beauty and connect to the land. When Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park closes to other visitors, sip wine or beer with a classic barbecue of beef steak, lamb sausages and skewered chicken matched with native Australian flavors with Uluru as your backdrop. There’s even time for stargazing.
Accommodations: Desert Gardens
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 5 - Aboriginal Art and Kata Tjuta Sunset
Join a Local Specialist for a fun introduction to Western Desert Art at Maruku Arts Dot Art Experiences. Learn the meaning of dot art from Indigenous artists before crafting your story, painting your own piece of art as a memento. Learning from the artists and creating personalized art is a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience that will leave you enriched. Your visit also directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 10 and 11: Reduced Inequalities and Sustainable Cities and Communities, by supporting local Indigenous communities and culture. You then have time for a selection of Optional Experiences including a scenic helicopter or plane flight, or a visit to the Gallery of Central Australia showcasing emerging artists and the stories and culture of the Indigenous community. Head back into the National Park this afternoon to explore the domes of Kata Tjuta. A walk into Walpa Gorge puts you in the perfect spot to watch the sun set while enjoying sparkling wine and nibbles.
Accommodations: Desert Gardens
Meals: Breakfast

Day 6 - Set your Sights on Sydney
Rise early to see the stars shining over the Field of Light art installation by internationally renowned artist Bruce Munro. Arriving in darkness, you’ll watch 50,000 spheres of blue, purple, and white light up the desert before making your way up the hill to the sunrise viewing area. Return to your hotel for breakfast before flying to Sydney for the next leg of your Australian highlights journey. Once you’ve settled into your hotel, you have a free evening to explore the Harbor City.
Accommodations: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Meals: Breakfast

Day 7 - See the Sights of the Harbor City
Kick off your day with a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sydney Opera House. Step inside the sails and behind the curtain to learn all about what it takes to put on the incredible performances at this iconic venue. Further your cultural discoveries on an Aboriginal Dreaming Tour around the Rocks. Unlock the authentic history of Aboriginal people’s heritage in Sydney Harbor, their land and water use and their spiritual connection to the area as your guide shares how this ancient wisdom continues to reveal itself within the English settlement of The Rocks. This afternoon, enjoy a backdrop of the Harbor Bridge and Opera House on an Sydney Harbor cruise.
Accommodations: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Meals: Breakfast

Day 8 - Enjoy Free Time in Sydney
Explore even more of Sydney with today’s tempting Optional Experiences. Take a trip to the World Heritage-Listed Blue Mountains viewing?the famous Three Sisters rock formation up close. Or, stay in the city and scale to the summit of the Sydney Harbor Bridge guided by a First Nations Storyteller. Delve into history on The Rocks Pub Walk treading in the footsteps of the convicts and locals of the past and stop for a drink in four of Sydney's oldest pubs. Get a bird’s eye view of the must-sees of the city on a helicopter flight. Or, take a guided tour of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art at the Art Gallery of New South Wales.
Accommodations: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Meals: Breakfast

Day 9 - Sydney, Yours to Uncover
With another free day in Sydney, explore the world-famous beaches of Bondi, Manly or choose another Optional Experience. On a Sydney HeliTour you will fly over magnificent Sydney Harbor giving you an unforgettable view of icons such as the Sydney Harbor Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Watsons Bay, Rose Bay, and Manly Cove. Or stay down to earth on the Rocks Pub Tour. Share a drink in 4 of Sydney’s oldest pubs and tread in the footsteps of the convicts, larrikin gangs, & locals of the past.
Accommodations: Sofitel Sydney Wentworth
Meals: Breakfast

Day 10 - To Cairns, in the Tropical North
This morning, jet off to Cairns where more incredible nature and culture await. You have the opportunity to join an Optional Mandingalbay Ancient Indigenous Cultural Cruise and tour. Set off from Cairns Harbor before visiting a working Indigenous Ranger base where the Mayi Bugan Rainforest Trail begins, and passionate guides enlighten you with explanations of the native foods and bush medicine, ancient Aboriginal traditions, customs, and artifacts of the Mandingalbay Yidinji People.
Accommodations: Flynn, A Crystalbrook Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast

Day 11 - The Really Great Barrier Reef
Cairns is the perfect jumping off point for a bucket list exploration of the world’s largest coral reef system in the Great Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Exploring with Dreamtime Dive, delve into this underwater wonderland, gain a deeper cultural understanding of this diverse ecosystem and its Aboriginal heritage. You’ll even hear the Great Barrier Reef creation story, interact with original clap sticks, and fire poles and watch live demonstrations of traditional dances and the enchanting didgeridoo. Accompanied by morning tea and lunch, you’ll love this enriched way to enjoy this iconic Australian sight.
Accommodations: Flynn, A Crystalbrook Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Day 12 - Make the Most of Cairns
On last day in Cairns check out more of the city or venture out of town. You could opt to take the Kuranda Scenic Railway through a lush forests, gorges, ravines, and waterfalls to Kuranda’s 'village in the rainforest.' After an epic train ride, explore this village’s trails, wildlife sanctuaries, shops and markets before soaring above the canopy on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. Or, lean into your artistic side visiting Janbal Gallery for a painting class with Aboriginal artist Brian ‘Binna’ Swindley. You’ll be treated to a traditional smoking ceremony and a stroll into Daintree Rainforest National Park with an Aboriginal guide. Or, join a trip to Mossman Gorge to learn the secrets of one of the world’s oldest rainforests and cruise the Daintree River. Foodies will be tempted by a boutique food and wine tour tasting the best of the Atherton Tablelands, from avocados and mangoes to macadamia nuts and citrus. Meet up with the group for a dinner at Ochre Restaurant with views of the inlet and mountains as you enjoy Australian cuisine featuring the best local produce.
Accommodations: Flynn, A Crystalbrook Collection Resort
Meals: Breakfast, Farewell Dinner

Day 13 - Farewell Cairns
It’s been a glorious trip of Australian highlights, but all good things must come to an end. Fill up on breakfast before your airport transfer.
Meals: Breakfast

Featured Destinations

Uluru

The world's largest monolith, located 280 mi/450 km southwest of Alice Springs, is a truly stunning sight, especially at sunset when its burnt-orange glow seems to set the desert on fire. Called Uluru by the Aborigines, the sandstone rock is huge (1,140 ft/350 m high, 9 mi/13 km around) and reddish brown most of the time, taking its color from iron oxide, or rust. Its presence is made more powerful by the mostly barren plain that surrounds it and disappears into the horizon. In 1985, ownership of the rock was returned to its traditional owners. It is rarely referred to as Ayers Rock anymore.

Considered sacred by the Aborigines for thousands of years, the rock is now part of the expansive Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, one of the country's biggest tourist attractions. The park includes the Olgas/Kata Tjuta, a cluster of 36 giant domelike rock formations about 20 mi/35 km west. If you want to visit both, plan to spend at least one night. You'll want to see Uluru at both sunset and sunrise. The Olgas are equally magnificent at both times of day. (But be prepared to jockey for position at either place; tour buses disgorge hundreds of visitors laden with binoculars, cameras and video equipment.)

Start your visit to the park with a stop at the cultural center. Run by the Anangu (a local Aboriginal clan), the center is a wonderful introduction to the unusual rock formations and to the people who lived in their harsh shadows for centuries. Aboriginal artwork and artifacts are on display. You can also see re-enactments of life in the bush and watch informative videos. Most visitors explore the rock as part of a tour led by park rangers, Anangu guides or private tour companies. But you can also pick up a printed walking guide at the cultural center and set off on your own.

Only one trail leads to the top of the rock, and it's fairly steep—those with heart conditions, high blood pressure, asthma, fear of heights or the like should remain earthbound. The Anangu prefer you walk around—not on—the rock because of its spiritual importance. If you do decide to climb it, allow two to three hours and take along a snack and plenty of water. The view from the top is spectacular, but hiking around the base is more educational and less strenuous. We suggest taking one or more of the shorter walks that pass water holes and rock paintings, allowing you to observe the rock's many faces at a leisurely pace. (Walking around the entire base of the rock takes about three hours.)

Allow at least an afternoon to visit the Olgas/Kata Tjuta. A frequent debate among visitors is whether the Olgas outshine the rock. It's a close call—the Olgas are taller, reaching 1,790 ft/545 m at the highest point. Made of conglomerate (pebbles and boulders cemented together by mud and sand), they are off-limits to climbers, but you can explore some of the valleys and chasms between the rocks.

Most visitors fly to Uluru or drive from Alice Springs. About the only place to stay in the area is the Ayers Rock Resort, or Yulara, whose five hotels and a campground can accommodate visitors in all price ranges. Longitude 131 is a magnificent safari camp with 15 luxury tents. Dozens of tours leave from Ayers Rock Resort, including sunrise camel rides around the rock, sunset champagne dinners in the desert, Aboriginal culture tours and stargazing. You can also rent a car there and explore on your own.

Because of the excessive heat in summer, the best time to visit is April-November (winter in Australia). Always take along plenty of drinking water. If you are flying to the Outback, we suggest going overland one way from Alice Springs (four to five hours) but flying the other way—the desert drive is scenic, but it can be tedious the second time around. http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/uluru.

Cairns

Sydney

Sydney

Soak up Sydney’s gorgeous harbour, seductive outdoor lifestyle and great natural beauty. Kayak under the Sydney Harbour Bridge or wave at the Opera House as you ride a ferry across the harbour to Manly. Learn to surf at Bondi Beach or swim in the calm waters of Coogee. Lose yourself in the cobblestone cul-de-sacs of The Rocks or in the markets, boutiques, cafes and pubs of Paddington. As well as a world-famous harbour and more than 70 sparkling beaches, Sydney offers fabulous food, festivals and 24-7 fun.

Five Sydney Experiences Not to Miss:

1. Explore the historic Rocks

Discover Sydney’s colorful convict history in the harbourside quarter where it all began. Just five minutes from Circular Quay, you can hear stories of hangings and hauntings on a ghost tour, wander the weekend markets or climb the span of the Harbour Bridge. In amongst the maze of sandstone lanes and courtyards, you’ll find historic workman’s cottages and elegant terraces, art galleries, hotels with harbour views and Sydney’s oldest pubs. See people spill out of them onto a party on the cobblestone streets when The Rocks celebrates Australia Day on January 26th, Anzac Day on April 25th and New Years Eve.

2. Hit the world-famous harbour

Sail past the Opera House on a chartered yacht or paddle from Rose Bay in a kayak. Take a scenic cruise from Circular Quay or Darling Harbour, past waterfront mansions, national parks and Shark, Clark, Rodd and Goat islands. Tour historic Fort Denison or learn about the life of Sydney’s first inhabitants, the Gadigal people, on an Aboriginal cultural cruise. Watch the harbour glitter from the green parklands of the Royal Botanic Gardens, which curves around its edge. Or take in the view from a waterfront restaurant in Mosman, on the northern side of the bridge, or Watsons Bay at South Head. Walk from Rose Bay to Vaucluse or Cremorne Point to Mosman Bay, on just some of the 16 spectacular routes hugging the harbour foreshore.

3. Visit Manly on the ferry

Travel across Sydney Harbour on a ferry to Manly, which sits between beaches of ocean surf and tranquil inner harbour. Wander through native bushland on the scenic Manly to Spit Bridge walk, learn to scuba-dive at Cabbage Tree Bay or ride a bike to Fairy Bower. Picnic at Shelly Beach on the ocean and sail or kayak from Manly Wharf round the harbour. Hire a scooter and do a round trip of northern beaches such as Narrabeen and Palm Beach. Explore the shops, bars and cafes along the bustling pine tree-lined Corso and dine at world-class restaurants with water views.

4. Enjoy café culture and top shopping in Paddington

Meander through the Saturday markets, browse fashion boutiques on bustling Oxford Street or discover the antique shops and art galleries in upmarket Woollahra. Visit the 1840s Victoria Barracks Army base, open to the public once a week, and see restored Victorian terraces on wide, leafy streets. Ride or roller-blade in huge Centennial Park, then stop for coffee and lunch on Oxford St or in the mini-village of Five Ways. Catch a movie at an art-house cinema or leaf through a novel at midnight in one of the huge bookstores. Crawl between the lively, historic pubs. They hum even more after a game at the nearby stadium or a race day, when girls and guys arrive in their crumpled trackside finery.

5. Walk from Bondi to Coogee

Take in breathtaking views of the Pacific Ocean as you walk the winding, sea-sculpted sandstone cliffs between Bondi and Coogee. Swim in the famous Bondi Icebergs rock pool or just watch the swimmers with a sunset cocktail from the restaurant above. See wild waves in Tamarama, nicknamed Glamarama for the beautiful people who lie on its golden sand. From mid-October to November, the stretch from here to Bondi is transformed into an outdoor gallery for the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition. You can surf, picnic on the grass or stop for a coffee at family-friendly Bronte. Or swim, snorkel or scuba dive in Clovelly and tranquil Gordon’s Bay. See the graves of poets Henry Lawson, Dorothea Mackellar and aviator Lawrence Hargrave in Waverley Cemetery, on the edge of the cliffs. Finish your tour in the scenic, backpacker haven of Coogee.

Melbourne

Melbourne

Melbourne is a maze of hidden laneways, opulent bars, exclusive restaurants and off-the-beaten-track boutiques. Here you can soak up culture, hit the sporting grounds, taste the dynamic food and wine scene, dance til dawn or wander the parks and leafy boulevards. Visit Federation Square, the city's landmark cultural space, and enjoy a sunset beer on the St Kilda promenade. Shop till you drop on funky Brunswick Street or upmarket Chapel Street. Wander Southbank's cafes, bistros and bars and get a world tour of cuisines in Carlton, Richmond and Fitzroy. Take an Aboriginal Heritage Walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens and cheer with a capacity crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Five Must-Have Melbourne Experiences:

1. Shop till you drop

Bag a bargain at the Rose Street Artist's Market and browse the funky boutiques on Brunswick Street. Buy designer labels such as Akira Isogawa and Zimmerman on Chapel Street in Prahran or in the historic Melbourne General Post Office, which covers an entire city block. For everything from fashion to furnishings at fantastic value, visit Bridge Road in Richmond. Melbourne is a shopper's haven, offering eclectic boutiques, high-end fashion, funky homeware stores and European style piazzas in the city's arcades and hidden laneways.

2. Bar hop and dance till dawn

Sip a cocktail in a converted sea container in Chinatown, enjoy a sunset beer in a St Kilda pub or listen to cabaret in lush retro surroundings in jazz bars in the city. Linger over exquisite tapas and exotic wine in a Little Collins Street bar and mingle in a pink parlour with fake grass in Bourke Street. You can party from dusk in the bars of Brunswick Street. Or dance till dawn in bars in the city's lantern-lit laneways, secret apart from the spill of coloured light under heavy brass doors.

3. Get into the gourmet goodness

Let the aroma of good coffee waft over you in Melbourne's gothic European laneways. The city is famous for its coffee and old-world café culture but there's so much more to explore. Once you've downed a 'short black' or taken an afternoon aperitif, try tea in a nineteenth-century hotel or salivate over your silver spoon in acclaimed restaurants like Nobu, Botanical and Becco. Pick up fresh fruits, vegetables and seafood at the Queen Victoria Market on a Saturday, known for its bustling crowds and buskers. Try out the restaurants, cafes, bistros and bars in Southbank or Federation Square. Make your way around Melbourne's multicultural cosmos of cuisines: Carlton for Italian classics, Richmond for budget-friendly Vietnamese and Fitzroy for Spanish tapas.

4. Fill up on culture

See a performance by the Australian Ballet, which is based here in Australia's cultural capital. Or enjoy a dazzling musical at the Princess Theatre. Browse the Southern Hemisphere's best collection of international art at the National Gallery of Victoria. Or visit the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Federation Square, a landmark cultural 'space' for Melbournians. Challenge yourself with the creative collections in the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art in Southbank. To learn more about Melbourne's Aboriginal cultural heritage, see contemporary and dreamtime art or take an Aboriginal Heritage Walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens.

5. Go sports mad

Cheer for an Australian Rules Football game with a capacity crowd at the Melbourne Cricket Ground over winter. Go cricket mad in summer, when the city hosts the Ashes and one day internationals. Or join the huge crowds watching the Australian Tennis Open at Melbourne Park. Rev heads head to Melbourne in March for the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix in Albert Park. And whether you are a racing fan or just a casual punter, you won't want to miss the Melbourne Cup - the world's richest horse race on the first Tuesday in November.

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

10/08/2026 - 10/20/2026

from $8,765 per person

02/18/2027 - 03/02/2027

from $8,960 per person

03/04/2027 - 03/16/2027

from $8,960 per person

03/18/2027 - 03/30/2027

from $8,960 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $8,765 per person

Length

12 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.

Remarks

Trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discounts. Trip prices and discounts are subject to change. Airfare is additional. Tour prices, dates and itineraries are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Other restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1556165

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North Bay Travel Group

(707) 484-3836