Best Road Trips in Australia

A road trip or self-drive vacation allows you to explore popular destinations and places off the beaten track at your own pace, in greater comfort and privacy. An Australian road trip is as epic as they come, thanks to the country's diverse landscape of dramatic coastlines, lush rainforests, and an expansive outback. Excellent road networks and conveniently located bases for getaways and adventures remove any complexity from trip planning.

That said, an expert-planned road trip vacation goes a long way in avoiding any hitches that may arise from overlooking an important detail. Here's a brief overview of the best road trips in Australia; these are a few of many that promise unforgettable experiences.

Pacific Coast

This is a legendary route that takes you between Sydney and Brisbane, passing through the wineries of Hunter Valley, the scenic beaches of Port Stephens, the beautiful seaside resort of Byron Bay, and the glamorous Gold Coast. Activities you can look forward to include wine tasting in Hunter Valley, a dolphin cruise, and a 4WD sand dune tour in Port Stephens. Make a quick stop in Port Macquarie and learn about its convict history and continue onward to Coffs Harbor, home to the Big Banana Fun Park. Visit Byron Bay, known for its hippie-chic lifestyle, and enjoy theme parks, shopping, dining, entertainment, and miles of beautiful beach in Coolangatta.

Adelaide to Darwin on the Explorer's Way

The Explorer's Way is a popular road trip route in Australia that extends from Adelaide to Darwin. It includes such highlights as Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the Red Centre and spectacular desert views at Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. Embark on outback adventures in Alice Springs and West MacDonnell Ranges, see the Karlu Karlu/Devils Marbles and learn about Aboriginal culture, and visit the town of Katherine, the ideal base to explore the Nitmiluk National Park. Cap your self-drive Australian vacation with a camp out under starry skies and a swim in the waterholes of Litchfield National Park. Drive onward to Darwin, where art galleries, vibrant markets, and waterfront dining await you.

On the road inside the yarra ranges national park

Road Trip between Sydney and Melbourne

Explore Australia's lesser-known south-east coast on a self-drive between Sydney and Melbourne. Revel in the spectacular seaside drive to Jervis Bay, a scuba diving and whale watching hotspot. Stop by the picturesque fishing towns of Batemans Bay, and move onward to Tilba Tilba, a former gold rush town. Make a stop at the former whaling town of Eden and learn about the story of orcas in the Eden Killer Whale Museum. Further along the coast is the lakeside town of Metung, which offers a range of watersports, including boating, fishing, and swimming. End your journey in Melbourne.

The Great Barrier Reef Road Trip

This spectacular self-drive vacation takes you from Cairns to Cape Tribulation. It is marked by beautiful beaches, famous lookouts, and charming coastal towns. Enjoy distant encounters with crocodiles and tree snakes on a Daintree River Crocodile Tour, and conclude at Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef.

Goway's Australia road trip tours cover the best driving adventures and scenic routes in the country.

What do the experts say?

Erin Hutchinson

Destination Specialist

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Tasmania is under the radar for many travelers, but it’s great for hikes, natural landscapes and now modern art!

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Erin Hutchinson

Destination Specialist

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Sydney and Melbourne are a great combination for first-time visitors to Australia, with Brisbane, Adelaide and/or the Outback added in, depending on how much time you have. Returnees should take in Perth, Darwin and the Kakadu National Park area and/or Tasmania if they can, plus spend some time in the cities they loved the first time around

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Erin Hutchinson

Destination Specialist

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It might sound cliche, but you really can visit year-round. Australia is a big country, so there is always somewhere with amazing weather!

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Alice Teramoto

Destination Specialist

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Goway’s trips to Australia are not stock itineraries. We can put together trips of a few weeks or a few months, allowing you to see as much of the land Downunder as you can. And we offer a mix of travel options, from self-drives to train journeys to long stays.

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Alice Teramoto

Destination Specialist

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Goway has partnerships with many unique inns and hotels in Australia. Among the most memorable are Qualia on Hamilton Island, Longitude 131 at Uluru and Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island.

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This Kenya adventure was my second trip to Africa with Goway, and once again, my go-to Africa specialist, Alexandra Hale, worked her magic. She helped create a thoughtfully planned itinerary that included all the must-see highlights of Kenya, with the perfect blend of luxury and adventure. Our custom journey took us from Nairobi to the Maasai Mara, on to Amboseli National Park at the foot of Mount Kilimanjaro, and finally to the beautiful Kenyan coast along the Indian Ocean. Along the way, we stayed at outstanding accommodations, including the Tamarind Tree Hotel in Nairobi, the Mara Serena Safari Lodge, Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge, and the Baobab Beach Resort & Spa in Diani. Every destination offered incredible experiences, but if I could change one thing, I would have added an extra day at the beach to enjoy the coast a little longer. The in-destination support provided by the Sense of Africa team was exceptional. Their knowledgeable guides enhanced our experience at every stop and ensured everything ran smoothly throughout the trip. One of my most memorable experiences was the hot-air-balloon safari over the Maasai Mara. Seeing wildlife from above at sunrise was truly breathtaking. The experience was made even more special with a freshly prepared champagne breakfast in the bush after landing. This was another unforgettable African adventure, and I’m already looking forward to returning to the continent. When it’s time to plan my next trip, Goway will be my first call.ABanks

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Exceptional Service from Leo Liu at Goway Travel Our recent 16-day private journey through China was an extraordinary experience, thanks in large part to Leo Liu of Goway Travel, who worked closely with me to create a truly personalized itinerary. What I appreciated most about Leo was his willingness to collaborate with me throughout the planning process. I had very specific ideas about the destinations, luxury accommodations, cultural experiences, and activities we wanted to include. Rather than simply offering a standard tour package, Leo listened carefully to my preferences, offered valuable suggestions, and worked patiently with me to refine every detail. Our journey took us through Beijing, Shanghai, Xi’an, Guilin and Yangshuo, and Hong Kong. Each destination offered something special, from China’s magnificent historical landmarks to its vibrant modern cities and breathtaking countryside. The accommodations were thoughtfully selected, including the Peninsula Beijing, Fairmont Peace Hotel in Shanghai, and the beautiful Sugar House in Yangshuo. We particularly enjoyed the unique experiences woven into our itinerary, including the spectacular Gong Yan performance in Shanghai and the scenic beauty of Yangshuo. What made Leo exceptional was that he understood the kind of travel experience we wanted. He respected my input, welcomed my suggestions, and helped transform my ideas into a seamless and memorable journey. Planning a complex private trip requires considerable coordination, and his professionalism, responsiveness, and attention to detail were greatly appreciated. Having traveled extensively, we value a travel advisor who does more than arrange hotels and transportation. We appreciate someone who genuinely collaborates with us to create meaningful experiences. Leo Liu delivered exactly that. Thank you, Leo, for your dedication, patience, and excellent service. Our China adventure was filled with wonderful memories, and we look forward to planning many more journeys with you and Goway Travel. Highly recommended for travelers seeking thoughtfully designed, personalized luxury travel experiences!Suzette

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I’ve travelled with GoWay Travel for over ten trips abroad.(Australia, Japan, NewZealand, South Africa, Botswana, Kenya/Tanzania.) Each itinerary was customized to fit my needs, suggestions given to improve the experiences, and the air transportation was arranged. The consultants have been exemplary, with Brooke Theron being my skilful consultant for this my third trip to Botswana. She was patient, knew her destinations, listened to my wants and delivered an itinerary that was different from my two other trips to Botswana. Since I now travel solo, I’m very conscious of security, planning, being met and transported from airports to destinations, very good accommodations with excellent food packages, and lots of activities. This trip rates in the top three of my journeys with GoWay. Brooke booked me into the Kwando Reserve- Splash 3 days and Lebala camp 3 days and 2 days on the Chobe Princess cruise on the border of Botswana and Namibia. Kwando Safaris were excellent and the Chobe Princess was good but not quite what I had envisioned. The whole trip was flawlessly detailed and executed. I was never left wondering what to do or where to go. GoWay’s partner in Botswana is Thompson Africa. They were very good. WIth GoWay and their wonderful consultants you can’t go wrong. You are safe and well looked after. I highly recommend this travel company.521810 - Linda Ann Weich - Africa

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I want to thank Taha for his outstanding knowledge on Ghana. It was so good to work with him on the planning and the process to Ghana. Everything was amazing, from the hotels, tour guide Leslie, restaurants, and the food. I would definitely recommend Taha to anyone wanting to travel with a group. Best, Lisa V HendersonLisa Henderson

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Early 2026 I met Alice Teramoto at the Phoenix travel show. I asked her about a dive trip to the Great Barrier Reef. Thankfully I kept her card. About 7 months later I started planning the trip myself. I was overwhelmed after I got my airline tickets to and from Australia and organized a dive boat. Thankfully I found her card. I texted her with my dates and within two days she had a complete agenda to me. It was amazing. She had transport to and from airports, car rental, tours everywhere I was going. I was gone for 6 weeks and I was so happy with everything she planned. I haven't used a travel agent in the past but believe me I would us Goway Travel and Alice again. barbara coy

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Everything was looked after and no stress for usJean Willoughby

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Vanessa from Goway Travel did a fantastic job pulling together a really comprehensive itinerary for our trip to Egypt. Her advice about "must see" sites was extremely helpful and she also provided great tips based on her own experience travelling to Egypt. Excellent planning by Vanessa meant we were able to thoroughly enjoy our trip. Olga

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I want to Thank Vanessa Lloyd for putting together the most perfect itinerary for my husband and my dream trip to Santorini, Greece. Every detail was perfectly executed. From the pick ups, to tours and most certainly our hotel location, it was truly a dream!! We were so happy and completely blown away, that we couldn't help but shared our experience with several folks we met during our trip... and I just bet they will be using Goway Travel for any future plans of theirs, just like us. Africa, here we come....Tanya Kash

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Exceptional Customer Service, Accountability, and Leadership — Thank You, Goway Travel! As a Canadian travel advisor with Discover Joy Travel, affiliated with TravelOnly, I want to recognize three exceptional individuals at Goway Travel: Jaime Vargas-Hernandez (Destination Specialist – North America and Latin America), Sean Hebert (Vice President, The Americas), and Jason Stratford (Business Development Manager). I recently booked a cross-Canada vacation for my clients, and while the itinerary offered many wonderful experiences, there were several unexpected challenges along the way, particularly involving transportation, transfers, and certain aspects of the overall travel experience. As a travel advisor, one of the most difficult situations is hearing that your clients are disappointed, especially when you've worked hard to create a memorable and seamless vacation for them. What truly impressed me was how Goway responded when things didn't go as planned. From the beginning, Jaime was responsive, professional, and genuinely committed to addressing our concerns. He listened carefully, communicated with the appropriate teams, and made sure our clients' feedback was taken seriously. Jason Stratford was equally supportive, demonstrating the value of having a Business Development Manager who genuinely advocates for travel advisors and their clients. I also want to extend my sincere appreciation to Sean Hebert, Vice President of The Americas, for his outstanding leadership and personal attention to our situation. His involvement demonstrated that customer satisfaction and accountability are priorities at Goway, even at the executive level. What impressed me most was that Goway didn't simply acknowledge the challenges — they listened, took ownership, and made a genuine effort to rebuild our clients' confidence and trust. In fact, despite the difficulties they experienced, my clients were so impressed with how Goway handled their concerns that they expressed interest in booking another international vacation through them, with another couple potentially joining! To me, that speaks volumes. Exceptional customer service isn't about everything going perfectly. It's about how a company responds when things go wrong. As a travel advisor, I value supplier relationships built on trust, transparency, accountability, and genuine care for travellers. Knowing that I have a team willing to listen, take responsibility, and work toward a resolution gives me greater confidence when recommending Goway to my clients. Jaime, Jason, and Sean — thank you for your professionalism, patience, dedication, and for making me feel genuinely supported as a travel advisor. You didn't just help resolve a difficult situation; you helped restore confidence and strengthen a valuable business relationship. Goway is fortunate to have individuals like you representing the company. I look forward to continuing our partnership and creating many more memorable travel experiences for our clients. Highly recommended — not because everything was perfect, but because Goway demonstrated what genuine accountability, strong leadership, and exceptional customer service should look like. — Evangeline Fiset Discover Joy Travel | TravelOnly Fort St. John, British Columbia, CanadaEvangeline de Torres - Fiset

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Thank you Vanessa, always a pleasure dealing with you and knowing you'll give us the perfect customized trip. Everything was spot on with excellent guides, drivers.Terry F.