Australia Private Tour

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Why You Should Go

As the largest country in Oceania, Australia offers sweeping geographical contrasts ranging from rainforests to deserts to The Great Barrier Reef. Among our favorite private tour stopovers are picturesque Sydney with the nearby Blue Mountains and a memorable personal koala experience, ultra-luxurious Lizard Island in The Great Barrier Reef, and Kangaroo Island in the south (known as Australia’s Galapagos!). A stay at the Southern Ocean Lodge is the ideal way to experience the island’s striking ocean views and natural flora and fauna.

Best Travel Time: Fall Winter

*All of our comprehensive private tour itineraries are inclusive of all luxury accommodations, private guide/driver throughout, daily meals as specified, INTERNAL flights/rail /private transfers as needed, & all taxes/service fees.

View of Sydney Harbour, Australia
View of Sydney Opera House, Circular Quay, and Ferry Terminus from Harbour Bridge

Sample Itinerary

13 Days

Each private luxury tour is custom to the wishes of each client. This itinerary is a sample. Partnering with our long-established relationship with United Airlines, our sister company, TRAVNET, may provide competitive Polaris/Business Class international airfare, along with mileage points conversion.

1

Day 1

Fly to Sydney
Through our sister company, premium air provider TRAVNET, we may assist with your international airfare, as well as with mileage points conversion.

Close up of koala mother with her baby on the back jumping between trees in summer in Sydney zoo (Sydney, New South Wales, Australia)
Koala mother with her baby
2

Day 2

Arrive Sydney
Upon arrival in Sydney, you will be privately transferred to the Park Hyatt Sydney.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Park Hyatt Sydney

park-hyatt-syndey-1024-x-575
Park Hyatt Sydney
3

Day 3

Sydney Private Tour
You will start your morning climbing the famous Sydney Bridge (440 feet at its highest point!). Thereafter, you will take to Sydney’s old cobblestone streets and courtyards, visiting such places like Sydney’s Opera House and the historic Rock precinct featuring street markets, cafes, and art galleries! You may also opt to board a boat for a tour of Sydney’s harbor shoreline.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Park Hyatt Sydney

The Rocks in Circular Quay, Sydney, Australia
The Rocks in Circular Quay, Sydney
4

Day 4

Koala Encounter + Blue Mountain Excursion
Your first stop this morning will be the Featherdale Wildlife Park where an animal handler allows guests to get up close and personal with koalas and other animals! You are allowed to touch and pet the koala’s lower body, and of course have a photo taken by the park’s photographer. This afternoon, you will continue on to the Blue Mountains, where you will witness the majesty of this unique environment encompassing steep waterfalls, dramatic cliff drops, and lush forests.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Park Hyatt Sydney

Australia New South Wales Katoomba Three Sisters
Three Sisters rock formation in the Blue Mountains
5

Day 5

Fly Sydney/Cairns + Fly to Cairns/Lizard Island
Today you will fly from Syndey to Cairns and then onward to Lizard Island. Upon arrival, you will have the rest of the day to enjoy the amenities of the Lizard Island Resort.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Lizard Island Resort

lizardislandresortcropped1024by575
Lizard Island Resort
6-7

Days 6 – 7

Lizard Island
Over the following two days, enjoy all that Lizard Island Resort has to offer, including private beach picnics, access to explore local beaches, stand-up paddle boarding, clearview sea kayaking, and snorkling.

 

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Lizard Island Resort

lizard-island-resort-1
Lizard Island Beach
8

Day 8

Fly Lizard Island/Cairns
Upon arrival in Cairns, you will be privately transferred to the Shangri-La Hotel Cairns. Lying at the center of a tropical paradise on the shores of Trinity Bay, Cairns is the gateway to some of Australia’s greatest natural attractions. Sitting offshore is the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree National Forest.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Shangri-La Hotel Cairns

green turtle swimming in blue ocean,great barrier reef
Green turtle swimming among coral in the Great Barrier Reef
9

Day 9

Fly Cairns/Adelaide/Kingscote, Kangaroo Island
Major parts of the western end of Kangaroo Island suffered immensely from the January 2020 bushfires, resulting in the closure of a number of attractions and businesses in an around Flinders Chase National Park. However, the island has bounced back with a tremendous recovery! Due to its isolation as a result of the tragic bushfires, the island has a flourishing ecosystem of flora and fauna; the bush has a higher density, animals are multiplying, and nature has regenerated (with an exponential rise in native “Yakka” trees!).

Widely acclaimed as Australia’s Galapagos, Kangaroo Island is home to an abundance of native wildlife and spectacular natural attractions. With more than one-third of the island declared as Conservation or National Park, visitors readily come face-to-face with wedge-tailed eagles, playful dolphins (that you can swim with), wallabies, echidnas, goannas and more. Abundant wildlife multiplying as a result of the bushfires include kangaroos, possum-like dunnarts, black cockatoos, and the only disease-free colonies of koalas and Ligurian bees.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Hamilton & Dune

Sea-lion, Seal bay, kangaroo island, australia
Sea lions resting on the beach in Seal Bay, Kangaroo Island
10 - 11

Days 10-11

Kangaroo Island
The island offers various activities for all including hikes, biking, and wildlife excursions. On the eastern side of the island, you can opt to visit Cape Willoughby Conservation Park, Penneshaw or Emu Bay (swimming with dolphins!), Seal Bay, and Kangaroo Wildlife Park among others.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Accommodations: Hamilton & Dune

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View of Emu Bay from Dune House
12

Day 12

Fly Kingscote/Adelaide/Sydney
Upon arrival in Sydney, you will be met by our representative and assisted in checking in to the Pullman Sydney Airport Hotel for your overnight stay.

Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Pullman Sydney Airport Hotel

gettyimages-497778218
Sydney Bridge spanning the Sydney Harbour, Australia
13

Day 13

Fly Sydney/Home

Sunny day in Sydney
Sydney Town Hall

Hotels

Though we have been big fans of the Four Seasons Sydney in the past, we freely admit the contemporarily designed 155-room, 5-Star Park Hyatt is our new favorite luxury property in Sydney. Set on the edge of Sydney Harbor, the hotel offers striking views facing the Sydney Opera House. Although most of the property’s rooms include private balconies with Opera views, please note that “standard” rooms do not offer this perk. Among the amenities here are 24-hour butler service, a very nice full-service spa, and a fitness center. We particularly like the hotel’s picturesque rooftop heated pool/sundeck – among the most amazing views in Sydney!

Park Hyatt Sydney

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Though we have been big fans of the Four Seasons Sydney in the past, we freely admit the contemporarily designed 155-room, 5-Star Park Hyatt is our new favorite luxury property in Sydney. Set on the edge of Sydney Harbor, the hotel offers striking views facing the Sydney Opera House. Although most of the property’s rooms include private balconies with Opera views, please note that “standard” rooms do not offer this perk. Among the amenities here are 24-hour butler service, a very nice full-service spa, and a fitness center. We particularly like the hotel’s picturesque rooftop heated pool/sundeck – among the most amazing views in Sydney!

Set on its own 2500 acre island (accessible only by private plane), there are several nice accommodations to choose from here.  Lizard Island has 24 private beaches! The many high-touch amenities and activities here include a freshwater pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, a saltwater restaurant (mixed Asian and Mediterranean), snorkeling, and scuba on the island!

 

Lizard Island Resort

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Set on its own 2500 acre island (accessible only by private plane), there are several nice accommodations to choose from here. Lizard Island has 24 private beaches! The many high-touch amenities and activities here include a freshwater pool, tennis courts, gym, spa, a saltwater restaurant (mixed Asian and Mediterranean), snorkeling, and scuba on the island!

Though we feel several of the Asia-based, 5-star, Shangri-La properties to be a bit over-the-top/pretentious, the Shangri-La Cairns is a nice, understated contrast. The 5-star Shangri-La Hotel sits on the edge of the Marlin Marina, looking out to the Coral Sea. The 255 rooms/suites, decorated with local artwork, feature sweeping views of the Marina/Trinity Bay, the surrounding city, and the hotel’s botanic garden. Amenities at the Shangri-La include an outdoor pool, fitness center, and the North Bar & Kitchen, which offers authentic Australian cuisine.

Shangri-La Hotel Cairns

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Though we feel several of the Asia-based, 5-star, Shangri-La properties to be a bit over-the-top/pretentious, the Shangri-La Cairns is a nice, understated contrast. The 5-star Shangri-La Hotel sits on the edge of the Marlin Marina, looking out to the Coral Sea. The 255 rooms/suites, decorated with local artwork, feature sweeping views of the Marina/Trinity Bay, the surrounding city, and the hotel’s botanic garden. Amenities at the Shangri-La include an outdoor pool, fitness center, and the North Bar & Kitchen, which offers authentic Australian cuisine.

The architecturally striking and eco-friendly lodge is Kangaroo Island’s version of Chief’s Camp in Botswana and Explora in  Patagonia and Chile — an essential stop in Australia! The cliffside 25-suite Southern Ocean Lodge property is located on Kangaroo Island, “Australia’s Galapagos.” Over 1,500 square miles of land is home to an array of wildlife like penguins, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and whales.

We were saddened to hear that Southern Ocean Lodge was destroyed in the bushfires that spread with speed and ferocity across the western end of Kangaroo Island in January 2020. Luckily, this property re-opened on December 6, 2023! James and Hayley Baillie, proprietors of Southern Ocean Lodge took a leading role in both restoring the lodge and helping to rebuild the tourism industry on Kangaroo Island. Situated on the clifftops of Kangaroo Island, the completely rebuilt hotel boasts unfettered views of the Southern Ocean coastline with ample opportunities for viewing wildlife. The property is now surrounded by native Yakka trees, which (unbelievably) sprouted as a result of the bushfires.

With a focus on sustainability, the lodge was built with new hybrid solar and battery power, along with the ability to capture and store 1.5 million gallons of rain (which is then converted into potable water). In addition to re-building the property, Southern Ocean Lodge developed new walking trails to connect the property to outdoor experiences, including an eight-mile-long trail around the 500 million-year-old rock formations of Remarkable Rocks, and a 23-mile-long planned trail along the Dudley Peninsula. Abundant wildlife multiplying as a result of the bushfires include kangaroos, possum-like dunnarts, black cockatoos, and the only disease-free colonies of koalas and Ligurian bees.

Southern Ocean Lodge

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The cliffside 25-suite Southern Ocean Lodge property is located on Kangaroo Island, “Australia’s Galapagos.” Over 1,500 square miles of land is home to an array of wildlife like penguins, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and whales.

We were saddened to hear that Southern Ocean Lodge was destroyed in the bushfires that spread with speed and ferocity across the western end of Kangaroo Island in January 2020. Luckily, this property re-opened on December 6, 2023! James and Hayley Baillie, proprietors of Southern Ocean Lodge, rebuilt a near replica of its former self, aiding in the regeneration of this island’s flora and fauna. The property is now surrounded by native Yakka trees, which (unbelievably) sprouted as a result of the bushfires. With a focus on eco-friendliness and sustainability, the lodge was built with new hybrid solar and battery power, along with the ability to capture and store 1.5 million gallons of rain (which is then converted into potable water).

In addition to re-building the property, the Southern Ocean Lodge developed new walking trails to connect the property to outdoor experiences, including an eight-mile-long trail around the 500 million-year-old rock formations of Remarkable Rocks, and a 23-mile-long planned trail along the Dudley Peninsula. The island comprises abundant wildlife, including kangaroos, possum-like dunnarts, black cockatoos, and the only disease-free colonies of koalas and Ligurian bees.

Located in Emu Bay, on the eastern coast of Kangaroo Island, Hamilton & Dune is a boutique, luxury property with only two houses (Hamilton House & Dune House). Holding up to 6 and 5 guests respectively, larger family groups can opt for booking both houses for an even more exclusive experience. There is a full-board option for dining as well as additional services available on request such as house massages or yoga sessions. During your stay here, you will have a personal concierge to arrange various excursions around the island. Hamilton House was completely renovated in 2018 and both houses are located just steps away from Emu Bay’s turquoise water and white sandy beach as well as private jetty and boat ramp. These eclectic beach house style properties, accompanied by a picturesque setting are ideal for a wonderful family experience on Kangaroo Island.

Hamilton & Dune

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Located in Emu Bay, on the eastern coast of Kangaroo Island, Hamilton & Dune is a boutique, luxury property with only two houses (Hamilton House and Dune House). Holding up to 6 and 5 guests respectively, larger family groups can opt for booking both houses for an even more exclusive experience. There is a full-board option for dining as well as additional services available on request such as house massages or yoga sessions. During your stay here, you will have a personal concierge to arrange various excursions around the island. Hamilton House was completely renovated in 2018 and both houses are located just steps away from Emu Bay’s turquoise water, white sandy beach, jetty, and boat ramp. These eclectic beach house style properties, accompanied by a picturesque setting is ideal for a family trip to Kangaroo Island.

Pullman Sydney Airport Hotel is the newest 5-star hotel at Sydney Airport, including all the features you would expect from a Pullman branded hotel. This upscale hotel offers 229 luxurious rooms and suites with extensive meeting facilities. Each room features an open design, contemporary furnishing, double glazed windows and blackout curtains to ensure you are well rested.

 

Pullman Sydney Airport Hotel

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Pullman Sydney Airport is the newest 5-star hotel at Sydney Airport, including all the features you would expect from a Pullman branded hotel. This upscale hotel offers 229 luxurious rooms and suites with extensive meeting facilities. Each room features an open design, contemporary furnishing, double glazed windows and blackout curtains to ensure you are well rested.

 

Request Custom Itinerary

1

Thank you for your interest in Kipling & Clark. We look forward to serving you!


Please note we specialize in global private luxury travel, including private guides and drivers throughout,

high-quality accommodations, inclusive of safari lodges and ryokans, in-country rail/air, and all taxes/service fees.


Dependent on destination and seasonality, our comprehensive private tour costs are upward of USD 5K-6K per couple per day.

                                         (312) 351-3121

                            rlynch@kiplingandclark.com



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Location

Overview

Temperature
Highs: High 70’s
Lows: Mid 50’s
Area
7.69 MILLION SQ KM
2.97 MILLION SQ MILES
Capital
Canberra
Population
25.6 Million
Language
English, Tamil
Currency
Australian Dollar

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