THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL WONDERS OF NORWAY & ICELAND

Explore Australia, seductive and energetic, a country whose ancient culture is shaping its future. Your adventure begins in glorious Sydney. Cruise through the harbor, take an intimate, backstage look at the Sydney Opera House, and climb to the top of Sydney Harbor Bridge. Next are the Blue Mountains—legendary for waterfalls, kangaroos, wombats, and wine—before heading to the fabled Northern Territory. 

Uluru. The Outback. Fall under the spell of Aboriginal creation stories. The Dreamtime, it’s called. When the sun sets, immerse yourself in the Field of Light and enjoy a bush tucker dinner, the voice of a single didgeridoo, and a local Indigenous performance. What dreams you will have in this nurturing land.

You’re off to discover Queensland, gateway to Australia’s natural wonders. Spend a full day in the paradise of Daintree, one of the world’s oldest rainforests. Traditional Kuku Yalanji guides welcome you inside their culture with a walk-and-talk, techniques of foraging and fishing, and a ceremony to protect you on your journey. Perhaps dip into a private swimming hole.

A cruise to the Great Barrier Reef is a treasure. Glide above coral beds or snorkel with a marine biologist. (Imagine turtles, clam gardens, and black coral.) Savor the delights of a tropical lunch, soak up the sun playing off turquoise waters, and let it all go. Leave Australia renewed in spirit and body, a feeling understood well by the authentic traveler.

PLAN AND BOOK

Included Unique Activities

  • Take in the sights and enjoy morning tea or coffee on the morning cruise of Sydney harbour
  • Explore the iconic Sydney Opera House and bring to life the saga surrounding this modern masterpiece 
  • Be thrilled by a guided journey to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 134 metres above Sydney Harbour!
  • Journey into the heart of the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to enjoy lunch and magnificent views
  • With Uluru as your backdrop, enjoy canapés and sparkling wine while you view the critically acclaimed Field of Light art exhibition, an enourmous fantasy garden created from 50,000 spindles of light
  • Travel to a special location to enjoy a picnic breakfast as you watch the sun rise over Uluru, then visit Mutijulu Waterhole on the Kuniya Walk and hear stories of the local lore.
  • Journey to the mystical 36 domes of Kata Tjuta, and hear how they have evolved over millions of years
  • Full Day Daintree Dreaming Tour - Including interpretive rainforest walk, morning or afternoon tea, lunch, 2-hour Coastal Walk with Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours, & Welcome to Country Ceremony
  • Cruise to the Great Barrier Reef for either a guided snorkel tour with a qualified marine biologist offering reef interpretation, or coral touring via a glass-bottom boat. A tropical buffet lunch, morning and afternoon, teas & coffee provided.
Sydney Airport Private Transfer

Sydney Airport Private Transfer

Morning Tea Cruise on Sydney Harbor

Morning Tea Cruise on Sydney Harbor

Sydney Opera House Tour

Sydney Opera House Tour

Early Twilight BridgeClimb

Early Twilight BridgeClimb

Transfer from Ayers Rock Airport to Hotel

Transfer from Ayers Rock Airport to Hotel

A Night at Field of Light

A Night at Field of Light

Afternoon Kata Tjuta Domes Tour

Afternoon Kata Tjuta Domes Tour

Morning Uluru Highlights Tour

Morning Uluru Highlights Tour

Accommodations

3 Nights

4-Star Harbor View Hotel

2 Nights

Magnificent View Hotel

3 Nights

Luxury Boutique Hotel

Transportation and Guides

  • Private Transfers to/from Airport to your Hotel
  • Private Transportation between activities included throughout

Points of Interest

  • Sydney Harbor Bridge
  • The Rocks
  • Sydney Opera House
  • Darling Harbor
  • Uluru
  • Kata Tjuta
  • Port Douglas
  • Cairns
  • Daintree Rainforest
  • Outer Great Barrier Reef

George Street, Australia

Chinatown, Australia

Darling Harbour, Australia

Sydney, New South Wales

Blue Mountains National Park, Australia

Daintree National Park, Australia

Port Douglas, Queensland

UNESCO World Heritage sites

Blue Mountains National Park

Blue Mountains National Park

Dining Options Included (inclusions)

  • Breakfast each morning after your stay
  • 3 Lunches, & 2 Dinners Included

2025

Available Dates

Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec

From $4,513 per person

 

Your Price Includes:

ACCOMMODATION

  • 8 Nights in Superior 4-Star City Centre Hotels

TRANSPORTATION

  • Private Transfers to/from Airport to your Hotel
  • Private Transportation between activities included throughout

DINING OPTIONS INCLUDED (Inclusions)

  • Breakfast each morning after your stay
  • 3 Lunches, & 2 Dinners Included

INCLUDED UNIQUE EXPERIENCES

  • Take in the sights and enjoy morning tea or coffee on the morning cruise of Sydney harbour
  • Explore the iconic Sydney Opera House and bring to life the saga surrounding this modern masterpiece 
  • Be thrilled by a guided journey to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, 134 metres above Sydney Harbour!
  • Journey into the heart of the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to enjoy lunch and magnificent views
  • With Uluru as your backdrop, enjoy canapés and sparkling wine while you view the critically acclaimed Field of Light art exhibition, an enourmous fantasy garden created from 50,000 spindles of light
  • Travel to a special location to enjoy a picnic breakfast as you watch the sun rise over Uluru, then visit Mutijulu Waterhole on the Kuniya Walk and hear stories of the local lore.
  • Journey to the mystical 36 domes of Kata Tjuta, and hear how they have evolved over millions of years
  • Full Day Daintree Dreaming Tour - Including interpretive rainforest walk, morning or afternoon tea, lunch, 2-hour Coastal Walk with Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours, & Welcome to Country Ceremony
  • Cruise to the Great Barrier Reef for either a guided snorkel tour with a qualified marine biologist offering reef interpretation, or coral touring via a glass bottom boat. A tropical buffet lunch, morning and afternoon
  • teas & coffee provided.

POINTS OF INTEREST

  • Sydney Harbor Bridge
  • The Rocks
  • Sydney Opera House
  • Darling Harbor
  • Uluru
  • Kata Tjuta
  • Port Douglas
  • Cairns
  • Daintree Rainforest
  • Outer Great Barrier Reef

Prices Based On:

  • Prices are Per Person based on 2 people traveling together and sharing a room.
  • All Taxes & Fees Included.

"Great trip in Ireland & Scotland"

Tena

Ireland/Scotland trip was a great trip planned with our group and Jorie. We thoroughly enjoyed each city we visited in both countries. All our hotels were very nice but as older adults, I would advise to pack light which is hard to do if your visit is extended but we had to climb stairs in several places. My favorite thing in both countries are the people. Everyone was so friendly and inviting at hotels, restaurants and local sites. We felt completely safe and comfortable. I would agree with other travelers that driving is stressful for both driver and passengers especially in Ireland where the roads are extremely narrow with rock walls on each side. Next trip will include staying in certain cities with tours out. JerPoint Park in Ireland was a favorite of our group of 4. Authentic Vacations plans, reservations and communications were first rate.

"Wonderful Scottish and Irish adventure"

James

South Carolina

Lauren, thank you for putting together a wonderful Scottish and Irish adventure. In many unexpected ways it indeed was an adventure that we will remember forever. So sincere thanks. Despite a glitch in St Andrews your team's recovery actually made St Andrews the highpoint of our trip. Staying at Rusacks overlooking the first tee and eighteenth green of the old course was awesome. All the Hotels were first rate. Experiences - awesome The Clontarf Castle is an awesome way to the trip. Well done y'all.  Big city stays - We all felt like we could have used an extra day in the larger cities. They all had a story to tell, and we just had enough time to scratch the surface. Self-drive - while less expensive alternative, the person doing the driving misses out on a lot in transit, while the passenger's white knuckle thru the driver's learning process. Also, the roads in Scotland and Ireland are no joke.  Would recommend it is worth it to hire a private chauffer driver or go Small Guided for sure.

"Scotland Birthday Trip"

Michelle

Agency

Adina, I'm following up on my client's train/whiskey tour/ birthday trip to Scotland in October. They had a wonderful time! The whiskey tour day was their favorite, made extra special by their driver Alec who was a superstar. My client's boyfriend is a real train enthusiast. They enjoyed all the train trips, and Nick was like a child on the Jacobite train. Thanks so much for your help with this trip. You clearly know Scotland and planned a very nice route with some unique requirements. I greatly appreciate your expertise and attentive service. I look forward to working with you again in the future. An early Happy Holidays!

"Memorable Trip in Italy"

Loryl

Fort Thomas, KY

Amber, I received this email from my client Mrs. R this morning - I love being able to share these with you all :).

"Loryl, WOW! What a wonderful trip we had in Italy! Thank you for helping make this trip so memorable. We have so many wonderful memories that we will cherish forever. It was a trip of a lifetime. Thank You!  I guess we need to start thinking about our next trip. "

"Trip of a lifetime in Ireland"

Cathryn

Jennifer, I want to thank you for planning and arranging our wonderful vacation in Ireland. Everything was easy Peezy as my granddaughter would say. The hotels were all beautiful, each one was uniquely different and beautiful. We enjoyed each and the food was enjoyable. We enjoyed all the extra goodies. We were not able to take either sea cruise as the weather canceled the trips. The best decision we made was to have a guide /driver. Martin was an absolute wonder. I wanted to bring him home with us. He saw to every detail and was extremely entertaining to boot. His recommendations were spot on to our interests. I think he knows everyone in Ireland. The car was super too. The back seats were massage chairs. How cool can you get? As a great extra the Owner of Screebe House bought two of my paintings and commissioned two more. Again, many thanks for the trip of a lifetime.

"Two-week trip to Ireland and Scotland"

Wanda

Our vacation was wonderful we had a great time on our two-week trip to Ireland and Scotland. Jorie helped us plan our trip, she worked hard to include all the places we wanted to see and selected some great adventures for us to enjoy along the way. We truly loved Ireland, the countryside the beautiful sights and the flowers blooming everywhere made our visit one to remember for sure. 

"Wonderful Anniversary Trip in Ireland"

Tim

Hi Jorie, Rose and I had a wonderful time in Ireland! We couldn’t believe how well everything worked out and the locations selected for our stays were excellent. We really loved the Country House and Abbyglen Castle.  The staff at Abbbyglen Castle were so nice and made our anniversary evening wonderful! We had no idea there was so much aviation and radio history in Clifden! As for the other locations they were all first-rate as well. We went to the “Man O’ War” Pub for dinner our last night in Ireland. It was a great recommendation. The atmosphere, hospitality, and food were awesome. Again, thank you for helping to set up a wonderful trip which we will never forget. 

"All of my clients had only positive feedback"

Kelly

Mesa, AZ

This was my first time using Authentic Vacations. I worked with Ellie, and she knocked it out of the park! Every detail with transfers, trains, boutique hotels, castles, private tours and fantastic client feedback will keep me coming back! I had 5 vacations with varied budgets this past month. All of my clients had only positive feedback. Emails and phone correspondence were quickly answered, which can make or break my decision to partner with someone. If you are looking for a destination expert, AV will not disappoint! Thank you for making me look like a rockstar, Ellie and AV!!

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