Australia For 21 Days – Travel Itinerary For 3 Weeks In Australia

Experience the best of the Land Down Under in 21 fun-filled, adventure-laden days. Explore its lush forests, view its magnificent vistas, and plunge to its wondrous ocean depths, while also experiencing its multicultural cities, its laid-back surf spots, its aboriginal roots, its culinary delights and world-famous wines.

The trip will only be focused on Australia’s south and east coasts. Travel can be hurried and harrying in some days, then interspersed with days for lounging around or for satisfying your own personal curiosities.

Let this three-week itinerary help you plan your vacation options. If you fancy joining any of the organized tours, make sure to reserve your tour slots prior to the tour schedule. Also, book your accommodation and travel tickets before flying off to the country so you can avoid any hassle, especially during peak seasons. Enjoy your grand Australian adventure!

DAY 1 – ARRIVAL AT ADELAIDE CITY

The first city to greet you upon arrival in Australia is Adelaide City. Make sure that you touchdown early in the morning, so you have enough time to head to your hotel, rest and refresh yourself a bit, then have lunch. For this your initial meal in the Land Down Under, try the famous Australian Meat Pie.

In the afternoon, start your grand holiday by first seeing the attractions of the city of Adelaide. Visit Parliament House, St. Peter’s Cathedral, Trinity Church, and Victoria Square for a taste of the city’s history. Also check out the centers from which emanates the city’s commercial, political and social power back in the old days by visiting Glenelg, Jetty Road and the River Torrens which served as the city lay-out’s spine.

If you still have time and you’re not groggy from jet lag, head on over to Montefiore Hill and the photographer’s dream spot that is the Colonel Light’s Lookout. From here, enjoy the sight of Adelaide from the hill all the way to the sea.

Later in the afternoon, shop around Gouger Street and O’Connell Street and get a quick snack in some local restaurants and cafes. Don’t forget to drop by Haigh’s (except if it’s Sunday) to get its famous chocolates, or tea, or coffee. Other places of interest: the Central Market, China Town, King William Street, North Adelaide, and the Terraces. At the end of day, get a few drinks in some of Adelaide’s pubs and clubs. SkyCity Adelaide (near the Adelaide Railway Station) and Rundle Street are some of the most famous spots for the nightlife.

DAY 2 – KANGAROO ISLAND TOUR

Be ready to meet some of the animals that can only be seen in Australia today. Join an organized tour to visit the Kangaroo Island. Tours like this usually start at 6AM, so be ready for pick-up at your hotel or in another agreed-upon pick-up point before that time. Travel to Kangaroo Island and back can be a fly/fly, fly/cruise, cruise/fly, cruise/cruise affair. It is all really up to you. If you choose any of the fly options, your take off point will be at the airport. if you choose the cruise options, then you will pass through the Backstairs Passage from Cape Jarvis.

Say hello to the army of wild fauna that calls this island home. The island has a laid-back country feel to it, so you can ease up and just keep your eyes peeled for echidna, koalas, New Zealand fur seals, and  sea lions. You can also take a gander at the beauty of the island’s rock structure itself, particularly at the Admirals arch, the Flinders Chase National Park, and the Remarkable Rocks Formation.

Most tours also include a lunch which can be taken outdoors. Spend part of the day just lazing around in this country setting. Be ready to travel back to Adelaide before 7PM.

DAY 3 – WINE TASTING OVERNIGHT EXPERIENCE

Today, grab your overnight bag and prepare to spend a lot of time tasting Australia’s world-famous wines, enjoying vineyard experience, sleeping in an old mansion at the heart of wine country, and visiting with the warm people of Barossa Valley.

Join an organized trip and be ready to start your overnight experience at around 9:30AM today.  Visit any Barossa Valley winery, and order a sampling of different wines. Don’t forget to request for a set meal for wine pairing. Most wineries and restaurants in this area can help you with the menu—after all, these Aussies sure love good food and fine wine. Pay particular attention to the Shiraz and red wines—the most famous of Barossa Valley’s products.

Also tour  Adelaide Hills villages and the German-flavored Hahndorf area. Spend the night at your lodging area, which can be a bed and breakfast inn, an old mansion, or a small inn. Have dinner there while conversing with the owners and/or staff.

DAY 4 – WINE TASTING OVERNIGHT EXPERIENCE

 

Leave most of your luggage in your hotel, then head on out to join a walking tour of some of the open vineyards in the area. Look at the grape vines from which the wines come from and witness the process of creating the wines themselves. If you’re lucky, converse with some of the people working these vineyards to get an in-depth view of the industry.

In the afternoon, your tour will head back to Adelaide. Rest tonight, and gear up for your cross-state journey which starts tomorrow.

DAY 5 – GREAT OCEAN ROAD TOUR

Today you will embark on a three-day journey from Adelaide in the state of South Victoria to Melbourne in New South Wales. Again, an organized tour will be best for this. Your trip will be by coach and will start in Adelaide’s central bus station. On this trip, you will see a long, beautiful stretch of Australia’s coast and some of the nation’s most sublime natural scenery.

The first leg of this trip will take you from Adelaide through the Adelaide Hills, then off to the Limestone Coast of South Australia. On the way, you can visit the World Heritage site of the Naracoorte Fauna and see the fossils at Victoria Fossil Cave and Mega Fauna. For this first day, you can try cave exploration and horseback riding during the day. There are several establishments where you can eat a hearty Australian barbecue lunch. Late in the afternoon, go swimming along the coast. At night, you can go out and look for wombats and other Australian night creatures with a tour guide.

DAY 6 – GREAT OCEAN ROAD TOUR

 

On the second leg of the journey, you will tour from the Grampians National Park to Warrnambool. Be awed by the beauty of The Grampians by hiking through lush mountains, then visit one of the most magnificent of Australia’s waterfalls, the MacKenzie Falls.  Stop at Reeds Lookout, The Balconies, the Brambuck Aboriginal Cultural Centre and then continue to Warrnambool. This journey will give you a chance to catch a glimpse of emus, kangaroos, and koalas.

 

 

DAY 7 – GREAT OCEAN ROAD TOUR

 

For the last leg of the Great Ocean Road Tour, prepare to see the most stunning sights along the way. These include the 12 Apostles, a set of massive rocks lining the coast as though sentinels in waiting. The London Arch (previously the London Bridge before it eroded), the Lock Ard Gorge, the Bay of Martyrs and the Apollo Bay (where lunch can be had usually during road trips) are other interesting sights.  Activities here include koala sightseeing and feeding of native Rosella Parrots. Also, keep your eyes peeled for coastal towns and the Great Ocean Road Monument.

At the end of the day, you will enter Melbourne. Head on over to your hotel. Try to get some sleep despite still having your head spinning with all the great stuff you saw and experienced the past three days.

DAY 8 – THE PROM TOUR

Today, you will take a promenade around Wilsons Promontory—the Prom, for short. Organized tours to this area starts at around 7AM, so be ready for pick-up before that.

The park’s main entrance has recently been destroyed by the flood that ravaged New South Wales in March 2011 and is currently closed.  An extensive assessment and recovery program is being implemented in the main park until July 2011, after which it will be opened to tourists once again.

Thus, for this tour, hike in the North area of the Prom. Watch out for emus and kangaroos and abundant flora along winding trails through a lush rainforest. Check out the areas of the forest which were razed by a wildfire two years ago—the trees are already growing again, and Mother Nature’s wonders of healing are in full exhibit.

If you happen to be visiting Australia after the main entrance to the Prom has been opened, hike through tracks in Mt. Bishop, Mount Oberon, Pillar Point and Vereket Outlook. Make it a point to see—and hear!—the pure white quartz “singing sands” in Squeaky Beach. Also try to see Tidal River in all its magnificence.

DAY 9 – LITTLE PENGUIN NIGHT VIEWING

Use the whole day today to catch up on rest and sleep in your hotel room. Or better yet, use this free day to see the sights of Melbourne.

By the afternoon, return to your hotel and prepare for the real adventure today. Change into comfortable clothes, then head on over to Philips Island, where the world’s largest colony of Little Penguins reside. You must secure a pass for night viewing early (a few weeks or months before your visit to Australia) for this adventure, since management set a cap on the number of guests that can be accommodated in any one evening. Make sure that you are already at your designated viewing area one hour before the nightly Penguin Parade begins. This usually happens around 8PM, but you must check with the Philips Island conservation center to know exactly what time the show will begin—the schedule of Little Penguins waddling up the beach to their sand nests changes depending on the season.

While at Philips Island, you can also enjoy a complete dinner along with the other guests. Afterward, get back to Melbourne proper and to your hotel.

DAY 10 – EXPLORING MELBOURNE CITY

Today, learn more about your host city by exploring Melbourne itself.

It has a proud history as one of Australia’s biggest cities that was built and founded by freemen and not convicts shipped from England. Some of the historic and cultural places to visit: the Eureka Skydeck, the Immigration Museum, the Melbourne Museum, the National Gallery of Victoria, and the Old Melbourne Gaol.

For a bit more of the natural treasures of Australia, see the city’s collections of flora and fauna at the Melbourne Zoo, the Royal Botanic Gardens of Melbourne, and the Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Visit museums, arts centers, or just join cruises to Williamson during the day. Shop a bit in some of the city’s malls and markets, then enjoy Melbourne’s nightlife scene with a few drinks.

DAY 11 – SYDNEY CITY TOUR

Today, fly from Melbourne to Sydney, and see one of Australia’s most urbane cities. After you arrive, head on over to your hotel, refresh yourself, then have lunch. The rest of the day is yours to do whatever you want with.

Some suggested activities: Explore the city in the afternoon and continue your shopping spree in its malls and markets, visit the Central Business District, immerse in the city’s art culture by going to the Art Gallery of New South Wales, stroll through the Harbour Bridge, experience Darling Harbour and enjoy biking, bird feeding, or picnicking at Sydney Olympic Park.

DAY 12 -  BLUE MOUNTAINS TOUR

After your free day, you will now join an organized tour of the Blue Mountains. This starts at around 7AM, so be ready for pick-up by then.

Some of the must-see sights on this trip are the Featherdale Wildlife Park as well as the World Heritage site that includes the Bells Line of Road and the town of Richmond.  Also see Mt. Tomah Botanical Gardens and Mt. Victoria, then Blackheath with the Govetts Leap overlooking Grose Valley.

Don’t skimp on the amazing sights by taking a scenic cable car ride to Katoomba, then visit the Three Sisters formation. Cap the tour by going to Wentworth Falls.

The tour group returns to Sydney at about 6PM. If it is not included in the organized tour, you can just head on over to Sydney Olympic Park just to feel the city’s pulse, then cruise to Circular Quay, Make sure to stop and see Australia’s two most famous landmarks: the Sydney Opera House and the Harbor Bridge.  End the evening by having dinner, followed by a round of drinks, before returning to your hotel.

DAY 13 – BONDI BEACH

 

Soak up Australia’s sun, and head on over to famous Bondi Beach. Bring out your bathing suit or trunks, the tanning lotion and your sunglasses, order a cool drink and find a spot where you can sunbathe. After a while, hit the cool water and frolic to your heart’s content. Spend the rest of the day like this, with nothing much to do. Relax and lounge around. Get dinner in one of the establishment near the beach, then head on over to your hotel and have yourself a nice soothing massage.

DAY 14 – ARRIVAL AT ALICE SPRINGS

Your morning schedule is still free today. Choose the activity that suits you today: getting a bit more rest in your hotel room, visiting the malls for more shopping, returning to Bondi Beach for another go at swimming.

In the afternoon, travel to Alice Springs, then book into your hotel and get a bit more rest.

DAY 15  – KINGS CANYON TOUR

You will experience Australia’s wild frontier today with a visit to the Kings Canyon, home to the Aborigines’ ancestral lands.

Today you will start on an overnight trip that mostly consists of hikes which will take you straight through rugged terrain and craggy limestone paths. Be prepared for the rigors of this adventure by bringing a large bottle of water, lots of sunscreen, a powerful flashlight and batteries, plus a change of clothes.

Organized tours usually start at 7AM, so be ready for pick-up before that time. The tour today will include stops at the Ampitheatre, the Garden of Eden, and the Lost City of the Lush. As the day winds, down, you will set up camp at Uluru / Ayers Rock, where you will stay for the night.

DAY 16 – ULURU / AYERS ROCK TOUR

Your first awesome experience today is an up-close, fully lit view of the Uluru / Ayers Rock—simply the biggest single monolith on earth and one of the Aborigines’ most sacred spots.

Activities to consider while you’re here: Walk around the limestone formation and admire its grandness. Hiking up the rock itself is allowed, but this is discouraged because the Aborigines see this as  disrespectful to the divine beings.

As a side activity, also see the Olgas red domes. Afterward, in the afternoon, return to Sydney and take an evening flight to your next stop—Brisbane. Book in your hotel and rest for a few hours.

DAY 17 – WHITSUNDAYS ISLAND TOUR

Today, you will visit the Whitsundays Islands. Wake up a bit early, and head on over to the wharf where you can join a boat tour to the heart of the Great Barrier Reef.

The place you must see here is the Whitehaven Beach where you can take a dip into its pristine waters. Explore the Ngaro Sea Trail and know the Whitsundays’ traditional owners—the Ngaro people. After this, head on over to the Hook Island cave where some Aboriginal rock paintings can be admired.

Return to your Brisbane hotel, clean up a bit then change into clothes fit for a night in the city. Have dinner and drinks, dance a bit in some pubs. Enjoy the nightlife before heading back to your hotel to rest for the night.

DAY 18 – BRISBANE CITY TOUR

This is a free day for you, so go ahead and explore the city of Brisbane. Some suggested activities: shopping, dining and strolling through Fortitude Valley, exploring South Bank’s artificial lagoons, giant television monitors, and markets, cruising to look for whales, or visit theme parks near the Gold Coast.

In the evening, get to the airport and board a flight to Cairns. Once you get there, have a good night rest.

DAY 19 – GREAT BARRIER REEF TOUR

Explore one of Mother Nature’s most amazing gifts to humans—the Great Barrier Reef, the biggest reef on earth.

Use an obscene amount of sunscreen today, put on your best beach outfit and flop on a wide-brimmed straw hat, grab your waterproof camera and head on over to the harbor. There, choose from a variety of available tour boats, hop on, and enjoy the exhilarating ride to one of the most amazing views you can have of Australia.

Try to explore both the inside and outside portions of the reef. Some suggested activities while on tour: snorkeling or scuba diving, swimming, playing with some of the marine animals that you might encounter. Staying on the boat, and just taking photos of the scenery is also an option.

In the afternoon, head back to the harbor, get back to your hotel, then dine, drink and dance at the end of the day. Slowly wind down your Australian tour.

DAY 20 – CAIRNS CITY TOUR

This is another free day so you can just lie around, sleep a bit more, or you can head out to check what the city of Cairns has to offer aside from being the great gateway to the magnificent reef. Activities you can do: more shopping, go bungee jumping, horseback riding or whitewater rafting just outside of the city, set your adrenaline pumping with skydiving activities, or just wager in the city’s casinos.

DAY 21 – DEPARTURE FROM AUSTRALIA

Today marks the end of your three-week holiday as you pack your bags, account for all the souvenir and gifts you bought, secure your photos and videos. Say au revoir to Australia, get to the airport and fly home.