Tailor Made Australia: Uluru, Lizard Island & Beyond

Upon arrival into Melbourne, you are met by an A&K representative and transferred to your accommodations for a morning at leisure. Later, embark on a private walking tour of the city. Continue on via tram, exploring Melbourne’s labyrinth of arcades and alleyways lined with edgy art galleries, trendy cafés and funky boutiques, pausing to tour the iconic Gothic Bank and Block Arcade. After your city tour, enjoy the rest of the evening at your leisure.

Travel southwest from Melbourne to experience one of the world’s most beautiful coastal drives. The Great Ocean Road stretches along the southern coast of Victoria, spanning charming towns, huge cliffs, roaring seas, tranquil coves, magnificent waterfalls and secluded beaches. Next, head inland through towering forests toward Port Campbell National Park, pausing to take in the awe-inspiring Twelve Apostles, a formation of giant limestone columns towering dramatically from the sea. Return to Melbourne and spend the evening at leisure.

Fly to Uluru, where you settle into your luxurious tented accommodations on the edge of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Later, take a sunset tour of mythical Uluru (Ayers Rock), pausing for refreshments as the warm glow of the setting sun washes over the vast face of this red monolith.

Today, enjoy a guided tour of Walpa Gorge, learning how eons of weathering and continental upheaval have shaped this landscape. After breakfast, enjoy an afternoon at leisure. Later in the evening, savor a Sundowner at the western face of Uluru, watching as the sun slowly sets. Cap off your Uluru experience with the Field of Light, a unique art installation that harnesses the beauty of an Uluru sunset. Marvel as the installation’s 50,000 frosted-glass spheres bloom in the ebbing twilight, mirroring the brilliant starlit sky as darkness falls over Australia’s spiritual heartland. Enjoy a special dinner under the night sky, returning to the Dune House for cocktails.

This morning, visit the Mutitjulu Waterhole and learn about its cave paintings. After breakfast and time at leisure, fly to Cairns and transfer to your hotel overlooking the Marlin Marina, Trinity Bay and surrounding mountain ranges. Spend the remainder of the evening enjoying your scenic surrounds.

Fly to Lizard Island, your own secluded oasis in the Coral Sea. Spend the next three luxurious days doing as much — or as little — as you choose.

Explore your island paradise with optional activities such as windsurfing, sailboarding, snorkeling and fishing.

Savor your last day on the island as you view the reefs from the comfort of a glass-bottomed boat or try out that one last hammock you have yet to explore.

Transfer to Cairns and connect with your flight to Sydney. Check in to your luxurious hotel near picturesque Sydney Harbour and the city’s historic Rocks area to enjoy the remainder of the day at your leisure.

This morning, tour the star of every Sydney postcard, the world-renowned Opera House. More than just a pretty picture, the Opera House is a true masterpiece of late modern architecture. Feel the grandeur of its soaring “sails,” taking in the groups of locals that congregate to relax on the welcoming steps of the quayside. Next, embark on a shared-basis lunch cruise of Sydney Harbour. Your captain and host guides the way as you take in the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Opera House and other sights nestled among the harbor’s myriad of coves and bays. Enjoy a three-course barbecue lunch complete with regional wines, local beers and five-star service. After lunch, feel free to fish, kayak, swim, or simply sit back and relax in one of the boat’s inviting sunbeds.

Venture northward to the Blue Mountains National Park, a vast UNESCO World Heritage Site of rugged peaks and cavernous valleys bathed in a slate-colored haze. Pause for morning tea in a peaceful clearing among wild kangaroos and birdlife. Continue on to Wentworth Falls, strolling down a misty path flanked by flora and fauna. After lunch at a local restaurant, continue your cliff-hugging drive toward Katoomba, pausing to take in a scenic overlook of the iconic Three Sisters rock formation and the Jamieson Valley beyond. Next, pass farm markets and orchards en route to Mount Tomah botanical garden. Finally, raise a toast with Champagne and cheese before driving back to Sydney, passing through the historical towns of Windsor and Richmond along the way.

This morning after breakfast, you are transferred to the airport for your international departure.