Day 1
Sydney
-
Accommodation
Wake Up (or similar)
Highlights

Day Trip to the Blue Mountains
Dramatic scenery. Fresh mountain air filling your lungs. A World Heritage Site. If that’s your thing, prepare to be impressed.
Ahh, the famous East Coast, where you can expect wildlife tours and bushwalks between beaches and sunsets. Kicking things off in Sydney, you’ll sleep at an Eco Camp in the Noosa Everglades, learn to surf at Byron Bay and gaze out over the Whitsundays from Airlie Beach. This is a one way ticket to wanting to live the Aussie lifestyle for good.
Locations Visited
Sydney, Byron Bay, Noosa Everglades, K’Gari (Fraser Island), Airlie Beach, Townsville, Magnetic Island, Cairns
Countries Visited
Australia
Travel Style
Accommodations
15 nights included
Age Requirements
Social travel experiences for 18-35 year olds
Day 1
Accommodation
Wake Up (or similar)
Dramatic scenery. Fresh mountain air filling your lungs. A World Heritage Site. If that’s your thing, prepare to be impressed.
Day 2
Accommodation
Wake Up (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
The Opera House. ANZAC Memorial. Royal Botanic Gardens. It’s all here for you to post on social and make your friends jealous!
Step onto the golden stretch of one of the world’s most famous beaches. The ultimate sandy nirvana for sun worshippers.
Day 3
Accommodation
Wake Up (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Day 4
With satisfaction levels at a high this morning we jump on a plane to Byron Bay where all your hippie dreams can come to life.
Landing in Byron Bay (Cavvanbah), we'll drop off our bags at the accommodation and start as we mean to go on, heading straight to the beach. Here we'll unleash our secret talent for surfing with an included lesson. You'll be a pro in no time!
Accommodation
Wake Up (or similar)
Passports at the ready folks.
You’re booked in for an afternoon surf lesson. Side note: schedule some chillout time afterwards – you might ache from wrestling the tides.
Day 5
Accommodation
Wake Up (or similar)
Day 6
It's time to wave goodbye to Byron Bay and head up the coast to Noosa Everglades. But first, why not opt for early morning yoga?
Relaxed from our time at the beach, we'll head to our next destination, the Noosa Everglades. Here we'll unpack at our Special Stay Eco Lodge home for the next two nights and relax with a group dinner in the bistro & bar area, surrounded by the chatter and rustling of local birds and kangaroos.
Accommodation
Kangarooms Noosa Everglades (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Dinner
We’ll say hey to Scottish cows and English pigs. We’ll explore a unique 80-acre farm, where the farmers share a passion for sustainability. We’ll sample food that’s grown using traditional methods and is 100% chemical-free. What ‘moo’ could you ask for?
The gateway to tree-lined waterways and ancient rainforests of Noosa Everglades. And if that doesn’t tempt you: there’s a micro-brewery onsite.
Our Special Stay Eco Lodges are in the heart of the action. You may even have a jumping joey as a friendly neighbour.
Day 7
Wake up to the sound of birds chirping at our Eco Camp this morning (you might even spot a kangaroo) and grab a quick brekkie before heading out for a day on K'Gari.
Your spirits will be at an all-time high after this day full of sand dunes, scenic lakes and dense rainforests. We'll cruise along the world's longest sand highway before you appease your hunger with a tasty lunch.
It's back to the Eco Camp this evening for our final night here. You have free time to tuck into some food at the bistro, sample the offerings at the CootharaBAR boutique brewery, or just relax and enjoy the lush surroundings of this beautiful protected National Park.
Accommodation
Kangarooms Noosa Everglades (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Sand dunes. Check. Lakes. Check. Rainforest. Check. World’s longest sand highway. Check. Possibly one of the coolest places we know.
Thanks to the white sand and turquoise waters, you’ll think you’re stranded on a paradise island.
Ready for some true tranquillity? Today you’ll have the chance to dine and unwind on the simply stunning island of K’Gari (Fraser Island).
Day 8
What better way to say goodbye to The Glades than with an optional Canoeing Excursion on one of only two Everglades in the world? Afterwards we're on our way to find coastal nirvana at the pristine beaches of the Whitsundays. We'll hop on a plane for a flight to Airlie Beach.
Landing in Airlie Beach, you'll notice everything starting to look a bit more tropical. Hello Whitsundays! This afternoon is yours for the taking. Head out and enjoy the endless cafes, bars and ocean vistas this backpacker hub has to offer.
Accommodation
Nomads Airlie Beach (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Day 9
Accommodation
Nomads Airlie Beach (or similar)
Meals
Lunch
Grab your new buddies, snorkel round the reef, see ‘the world’s best beach’ and eat lunch on a boat. A proper ‘pinch yourself’ moment.
The Great Barrier Reef is home to nearly 9,000 species of sea creatures. This means it’ll impress even the saltiest ‘sea dogs’.
Day 10
Accommodation
Nomads Airlie Beach (or similar)
Day 11
Is there anything better than the Whitsundays? We think our next destination definitely comes close! We'll board a coach this morning heading for Townsville.
Here we'll board the ferry to our next destination.
Magnetic Island (Yunbenun) is an apt name for this captivating isle, with its coastal walking trails and gum trees teeming with lazy koala bears. We'll have plenty of time to explore, partake in watersports in the bright turqouise waters or meet some of the local marsupials. But this evening, we'll enjoy the sunset over the bay.
Accommodation
Nomads Magnetic Island (or similar)
Meals
Dinner
Catch a boat from the mainland to Magnetic Island.
Pack some comfy shoes and climb up to Hawking's Point for sundown. Yoga poses for Insta: optional.
Day 12
Accommodation
Nomads Magnetic Island (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Go koala-spotting, see WWII fortifications, or just have a beer in the sun. There’s something for everyone on this trail.
Mingle with Magnetic Island's resident Rock Wallabies at dusk. Just watch these cheeky little guys don’t steal your wallet!
Day 13
Accommodation
Gilligans (or similar)
Meals
Dinner
Catch a boat from Magnetic Island to the mainland. Wave goodbye to your new BFF Reggie the Koala and promise you’ll write.
Things heat up as the landscape gets even more tropical. Soak up the scenery on this train trip from Townsville to Cairns.
Eat like a local with this chef-guided bush food tutorial and dinner (thankfully, not a witchetty grub in sight!)
Day 14
Rise and shine, our entire day today is an unforgettable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience, packed with history, heritage and natural beauty, as we enjoy a spectacular a day trip to the oldest tropical rainforest in the world: Daintree. With its ancient ferns and vibrant canopies, this place will take our breath away. There's a reason David Attenborough called it 'the most extraordinary place on earth.' As well as admiring the lush rainforest, we'll also meet the local Kuku Yalanji people and learn about their rich Aboriginal culture and history. We'll get the chance to view a smoking ceremony and take an art class with an Aboriginal artist. We'll also learn about ancient Dreamtime stories, local history and how these are shared through art. Then, we'll get to create our own unique souvenir to take home in the form of a canvas that tells our own stories. What a day; and we're not done yet.
Accommodation
Gilligans (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Lunch
Check out the oldest rainforest in the world, home to frogs, butterflies, bats and more.
Tour the world’s oldest rainforest with an expert. Sir David Attenborough called Daintree: ‘the most extraordinary place on earth’.
Learn how ancient ‘Dreamtime’ stories were shared through art. Then unleash your inner Banksy and create a masterpiece at the Janbal Gallery.
Day 15
Accommodation
Gilligans (or similar)
Meals
Breakfast
Day 16
Meals
Breakfast
Title
Contiki acknowledges the Traditional and Torres Strait Island owners of the land, sea and waters of the spectacular Australian continent. Dual-naming reflects that, as we explore this remarkable land, we recognise and respect Indigenous custodianship of a unique, ancient culture and country.
A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
It’s best to wait at least 24 hours after your last dive before flying.
During your 2-night stay in Magnetic Island, you’ll stay in multi-share rooms with the same sex even (if you’ve booked single or twin room for the trip duration). But if you’d like some privacy, you can request a paid upgrade to a single or twin room, but the confirmation would depend on availability.
Please note that this is a modular trip. That means you’ll be joining a trip that started 1 week earlier – if you wish to do the full version, please refer to the Ultimate Australia trip.
Pretty darn epic, if you ask us. It’s a converted racing yacht that sleeps up to 20 people with all the basic amenities. It’s snazzy – perfect if you’re all about fun adventures out on the sea.
Trip Notes:
Terms & Conditions: