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Australia's Big 5 Wildlife Holiday

Australia's Big 5
A lone forester kangaroo surrounded by scrub and grass at sunset on Australia’s Kangaroo Island.
16 NIGHTS FROM:
$7,799
Per person sharing
Scheduled flights quoted separately
7ORB18S
• Sydney city tour & cruise
•  Southern Highlands wildlife safari, Sydney
• Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, Tasmania
• Native wildlife encounters, Maria Island
•  Wineglass Bay cruise
• Melbourne city tour
• Phillip Island ‘Penguin Parade’
•  East Gippsland wildlife journey
• Raymond Island Koala Project
• Kangaroo Island

Set out in search of Australia’s ‘Big 5’ wildlife – kangaroo, koala, echidna, wombat, and platypus – on this wildlife-focused journey through southeastern Australia. Discover Sydney and the Southern Highlands, then fly south to Tasmania to cruise Wineglass Bay, visit a fairy penguin colony and look for Tasmanian devils and pademelons. Continue to Melbourne and nearby Phillip Island, home to the ‘Penguin Parade’, before rounding off your adventures amid the wildlife-rich wilderness of East Gippsland and Kangaroo Island.

Detailed itinerary ▶
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Day 1
You will be met at Sydney Airport and transferred to your hotel in this famous city that is the capital of New South Wales.
 
Check in to your hotel in this spectacular city, that is the oldest and largest in Australia.
Day 2
Get to know one of Australia’s most iconic cities with a half-day panoramic tour of Sydney. Begin in the historic Rocks district, delving into the city’s convict past, before continuing to its cultural and commercial heart, the Central Business District. Here, grand sandstone buildings like Parliament House, Hyde Park Barracks, and St Mary’s Cathedral sit alongside glittering skyscrapers.
 
Enjoy picture-perfect views of Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge from Mrs Macquaries Point, then trace the bays and coves of the Eastern Suburbs, home to some of Sydney’s most prestigious addresses. There’ll be plenty of photo stops, including a classic skyline panorama, before arriving at Watsons Bay, where you can stretch your legs on an easy coastal trail overlooking the South Pacific and entrance to Sydney Harbour.
 
Continue to famous Bondi Beach to stroll the promenade, dip your toes in the sand, and watch surfers ride the waves, before arriving at Circular Quay. Here you’ll board a shared 2-hour harbour cruise, seeing Sydney from a different perspective as you savour a generous brunch featuring fresh local seafood.
 
The rest of the day is yours to explore at leisure.
Day 3
Escape the city for an afternoon and evening immersed in the nature and wildlife of the beautiful Southern Highlands. Travelling through private farmland and pristine bushland with a specialist wildlife guide, you’ll have the chance to observe some of Australia’s iconic species in the wild, including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, emus, and colourful birds.
 
Along the way, learn about the importance of the Great Western Wildlife Corridor, which helps native mammals move safely between the southern Blue Mountains and Morton National Park. Your tour also supports ongoing conservation, as your guide records sightings on a dedicated wildlife database.
 
As dusk falls, try to spot an elusive platypus on a local river before enjoying a hearty dinner in one of Australia’s oldest inns. Round off this wildlife adventure spotlighting for wombats, possums, tawny frogmouths, and other creatures of the night using special, red-filtered lights that minimise disturbance.
Day 4
Transfer to Sydney Airport for your onward flight.

After catching your morning flight to Hobart you’ll check into your city centre hotel. If time allows, start exploring Tasmania’s cool capital, perhaps strolling along the waterfront or browsing cutting-edge and classic works of art at MONA.
 
Mid-afternoon, head to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, an important rescue centre that cares for many of Australia’s native species. Here, you’ll have the chance to see well-known and endangered animals up close, including kangaroos, wombats, Tasmanian devils, and quolls.
 
As the daytime animals head to bed, you’ll watch the nocturnal residents stir. Join your specialist guide on a small-group night tour, helping to hand-feed a variety of native creatures and observing them at their most active as they tuck into their evening ‘breakfast’.
 
Note - Shared tour departs Mondays only
Day 5
Leave your Hobart hotel and journey east along the Tasmanian coast. Stop at Triabunna to board the ferry to car-free Maria Island National Park, a World Heritage-listed sanctuary where convict ruins sit alongside sweeping bays, rugged cliffs, and remarkably abundant wildlife.
 
Explore on foot or by bike, stopping at Darlington probation station to delve into the island’s fascinating colonial history. Continue past craggy mountains, pristine white-sand beaches bordered by naturally ‘painted’ sandstone cliffs, and pockets of dense forests. Keep your eyes peeled for native wildlife, including wallabies, wombats, cockatoos, Forster kangaroos, endemic pademelons, Cape Barren geese, and, if you’re lucky, Tasmanian devils.
 
In the afternoon, return to the mainland and continue up the coast to Bicheno by the Bay, where you’ll check into your rustic accommodation overlooking the Tasman Sea.  
Day 6
After breakfast, travel to Coles Bay and take an Aqua Taxi along Freycinet’s dramatic coastline, where the pink granite Hazards rise above turquoise bays. Land at Hazards Beach and walk across the narrow isthmus to iconic Wineglass Bay, its white sands backed by pristine bush. Along the way, listen for birdsong and watch for green rosellas, pied oystercatchers, fairy-wrens and, overhead, white-bellied sea eagles, with superb coastal views at every turn.
 
Pause for a gourmet picnic on the sand, with time to relax or swim in the clear, inviting waters. Return by boat to Coles Bay, possibly stopping at Cape Tourville for sweeping ocean vistas. Later, join a guided dusk visit to a private colony of little penguins, watching as they come ashore and waddle to their dune burrows after a day at sea.
Day 7
Today, leave your accommodation in Bicheno and continue north along Tasmania’s east coast. Your first stop is the spectacular Bay of Fires, renowned for the brilliant orange lichen-covered granite rocks fringing the bay, which blaze against white-sand beaches and clear azure seas.
 
Leaving the coast behind, continue inland to St. Columba Falls, where a short 15-minute walk through cool, shady rainforest leads to one of Tasmania’s tallest waterfalls.  
 
Your journey then winds through the lush, green valleys of Tasmania’s interior, arriving in its second city, Launceston, by evening. Check into your design-led hotel in the city centre, before heading out to dine in a city recognised by UNESCO as a ‘City of Gastronomy’.
Day 8
This morning, get to know one of Australia’s oldest cities on a guided tour of Launceston. Known affectionately as ‘Launnie’, this compact city blends well-preserved heritage buildings and colonial churches with leafy city parks.
 
The highlight is Cataract Gorge, a 65-million-year-old chasm carved by the South Esk River in a swathe of bushland at the edge of Launceston. Spend time in this urban oasis, where dramatic cliffs plunge to the icy river below and peacocks strut in Victorian-era gardens.
 
In the afternoon your shared tour ends. Return to mainland Australia with a flight to Melbourne.

You will be met at Melbourne Airport and transferred to your hotel in one of Australia'a prettiest cities, with its vibrant laneways, street aret and riverside charm..
 
Check into your boutique-style hotel on Little Collins Street in the city centre, and relax after your journey.
Day 9
Discover Melbourne’s soul on a private walking tour through the city’s enchanting laneways and historic arcades. A riot of colour and creativity, these narrow streets blend vibrant street art with cutting-edge and artisan boutiques, quirky cafes, and trendy restaurants and bars.
 
Guided by a passionate local, this immersive tour showcases Melbourne’s cool, arty side, while revealing stories from the city’s past and present. With a flexible agenda, you can focus on the elements that interest you most, whether that’s art, architecture, food, or local culture.
 
The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure. You might like to wander through the lush Royal Botanic Gardens, take a riverside stroll along the Yarra, or visit one of Melbourne’s exciting museums, such as the Melbourne Museum or the National Gallery of Victoria.
Day 10
Today, swap the city for an idyllic island sanctuary, a short drive from Melbourne. Travelling in a small group, you’ll be introduced to Phillip Island’s rich natural beauty and abundant native wildlife.
 
Stop at San Remo Pier, where wild pelicans gather daily for a feast from local fishermen, before continuing to Phillip Island Winery for a delicious lunch of seasonal local cuisine paired with estate wines. Afterwards, either browse the boutiques and beaches of Cowes or visit the Koala Conservation Rescue, where elevated boardwalks bring you face-to-face with koalas in their natural habitat.
 
Spend some time on one of the island’s quiet beaches, then savour golden hour at The Nobbies, sipping a glass of sparkling wine as the late afternoon sun casts a warm glow over the rugged coastline. Round off the day with Phillip Island’s popular Penguin Parade, watching little penguins waddle ashore at dusk and make their way back to their burrows after a day at sea. Then return to Melbourne.
Day 11
Departing Melbourne this morning, travel east to East Gippsland. This ecologically rich region of ancient rainforest, coastal wetlands, pristine rivers and estuaries, and white-sand beaches supports an astonishing diversity of Australian wildlife.
 
First stop is the RAMSAR-listed Lakes District, a vital habitat for thousands of waterbirds. Here, you may spot black swans, chestnut teals, Australian shelducks, musk ducks, and delicate fairy terns feeding or resting on the lagoons.
 
Continue by ferry to Raymond Island, one of Australia’s best places to see wild koalas. Join your guide on a gentle walk through lush eucalypt forest, assisting with a long-running koala research project by helping to identify individuals and record their behaviour. As you move through the island’s varied habitats, keep an eye out for echidnas, swamp wallabies, eastern grey kangaroos, parrots, honeyeaters, and seabirds that all call this wildlife haven home.
Day 12
Over the next two days, explore the diverse forests and wilderness coast of East Gippsland with an experienced wildlife guide. Follow trails through wet and dry forest, along the Snowy River, and beside a wilderness creek, winding through fern-filled gullies alive with superb lyrebirds, topknot pigeons, honeyeaters, vibrant parrots, black-faced monarchs, and azure kingfishers.
 
Keep watch for platypus, swamp wallabies, and goannas scrambling up tree trunks, and walk through a landscape recovering from bushfire, where you may have the chance to contribute to wildlife surveys monitoring its regeneration.
 
Visit a secluded beach fringed by dunes where ocean-going and shore birds such as white-bellied sea eagles and hooded plovers are often seen, sometimes alongside Australian fur seals. Peer into rock pools and wander through wind-sculpted coastal scrub, before helping to remove sea spurge, an invasive beach plant, and ‘ghost’ fishing nets washed ashore.
 
Evenings end with hearty regional fare in a classic Aussie pub overlooking the Snowy River. One night, you’ll head out again to spotlight for nocturnal creatures including greater and yellow-bellied gliders, possums, and bandicoots.
Day 13
As you leave East Gippsland, make one final stop at the beach near the mouth of the Snowy River, where you can look for fur seals and dolphins offshore, and watch water and shorebirds feeding on the mudflats and in the shallows.
 
On the drive back to Melbourne, visit the Krowathunkooloong Keeping Place in Bairnsdale, a cultural centre dedicated to the Gunaikurnai people. Here, you’ll learn about the history, heritage and living culture of the Aboriginal custodians who have called East Gippsland home for more than 30,000 years.
 
Before leaving town, there’s time for one last wildlife encounter as you stroll along the riverbank beneath a colony of rare and endangered grey-headed flying foxes in their daytime roost. Then continue to Melbourne and check into your overnight hotel.
Day 14
Transfer to Melbourne Airport for your onward flight.

The final leg of this wildlife odyssey takes you to Kangaroo Island, a nature lover’s paradise reached by a short flight via Adelaide. After checking into your boutique accommodation with ocean views, enjoy a cuppa and homemade treats before setting out to explore one of Australia’s wildest and most beautiful regions.
 
Wander through eucalypt forest with your wildlife guide, watching for koalas snoozing overhead and colourful birds darting through treetops. As you go, tune in to the soundtrack of the bush, from fluting birdsong to the loud hum of cicadas. Cross the island’s fertile interior towards the north coast, with your guide picks up clues to the wildlife around you, from tracks and scat to distinctive calls. Keep watch for rare wallabies, a species of kangaroo unique to the island, along with other native wildlife.
 
Pause for a relaxed lunch of King George whiting, fresh salads and fine South Australian wines at a private bush camp, before continuing to Seal Bay Conservation Park for a private encounter with Australian sea-lions on a pristine sandy beach. Watch young pups nursing or frolicking in the surf while older bulls bear the scars of their hard-fought battles.
Day 15
Today, venture to the wild western reaches of Kangaroo Island, home to the protected sanctuary of Flinders Chase National Park and some of the island’s most iconic natural landmarks. Travelling west along the south coast, watch the landscape shift from fertile farmland to sweeping wilderness, as your guide highlights the island’s unique ecology and resilient native flora.
 
If time permits, pause at Vivonne Bay for a cuppa and homemade treats before entering Flinders Chase and making your way to Remarkable Rocks, where surreal, wind-sculpted boulders balance on a granite headland high above the Southern Ocean.
 
Lunch is an elegant picnic accompanied by premium local drinks, enjoyed either in the shelter of the bush or spread out on a clifftop, depending on the weather. Afterwards, continue to Admirals Arch, a dramatic sea-carved arch framing crashing waves and a playful colony of long-nosed fur seals, which you can watch basking and playing from the boardwalk.
Day 16
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight back to Adelaide on the mainland.
 
 

You will be met at Adelaide Airport and transferred to your hotel in the capital of South Australia.
 
Check into your hotel, set in a beautiful heritage building in the city centre, then enjoy the rest of the day at leisure.
 
From your central base on Victoria Square, it’s an easy stroll to Adelaide Central Market, ideal for sampling artisanal produce and South Australian wines, or wander up to North Terrace to explore its galleries and museums. If time allows, you could venture into the Adelaide Hills for a vineyard lunch and wine-tasting, or stay in town to discover why Adelaide has a burgeoning reputation as one of Australia’s most exciting foodie cities.
Day 17
Transfer to Adelaide Airport for your flight home.