Essence of Queensland

On arrival at the Gold Coast Airport, you will be transfered to your hotel in Surfers Paradise.

The balance of th day is at leisure to relax and enjoy this tropical paradise.

This tour provides you with all the best highlights packed beautifully into one fantastic day. A fully guided tour visiting the world's largest sub-tropical rainforest, the famous O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat and Canungra Valley Vineyard. Experience stunning panoramic views, a canopy treetop walk, wild bird feeding and more on this relaxed journey to 1,000 metres above sea level.

As we leave the Gold Coast, we drive west to the Scenic Rim, through the hills and on to the town of Canungra. Along the journey your expert local guide shares the history, culture and stories of the townships and regions we pass through. Once we reach the top of the mountain we are greeted by O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. Here we enjoy a guided rainforest tour along the rainforest floor and high into the trees on the treetop walk. We spot unique wildlife and amazing bird life while on the walk and have the opportunity to feed wild crimson rosellas. Before we head back down the mountain we stop to see the panoramic 360 degree view across the Scenic Rim and Gold Coast. Enjoy a glass of the local Picnic Bubbles at Canungra Valley Vineyard, see the peacocks and meet the Alpacas. (optional feeding and walking experience)

Two full days to relax or explore at your on pace.

The Gold Coast, located 95 kilometres/60 miles south of Brisbane, is a major Australian tourist destination in Queensland. It has 60 kilometres/35 miles of coastline, year-round sunshine and a subtropical climate. It is also known as the entertainment capital of Queensland.

The three major beach areas are Surfers’ Paradise Beach, an excellent place for shopping with its 14 shopping centres. Along the beachfront, you will find around 120 market stalls offering everything under the sun. Main Beach is a stylish resort with outstanding dining, cafes and shopping. Broadbeach is known as a dining Mecca and also has attractive pristine beaches. Watch here for musicians and entertainers who roam the streets. All of the above of course offers excellent swimming and surfing as well as golf, spas, theme parks and museums.

Today you will be transfered to the Tangalooma Island Resort on Moreton Island.

Moreton Island is a slice of paradise for adventurous travellers. Snorkel amid rainbow-coloured fish, whizzing down a sand dune, bathing in a blue lagoon and hand-feeding wild dolphins. The centre of the island is made up of the Moreton National Park – which covers 95 per cent of the island – while its coastline reveals pristine beaches with both calm and surfable waves.

A full day to explore Moreton Island and enjoy the resort's facilities.

Today you will be transfered to Brisbane, Queensland's sunny capital.

After checking into your hotel, the balabe of the day is at leisure.

The Koala and River Cruise is a memorable journey on the Brisbane River to the oldest and largest Koala Sanctuary in the world. The cruise travels through the city's most historic landscapes, iconic attractions, historical home sites and interesting wildlife habitats as you listen to an entertaining and informative commentary.

Today, transfer to Noosa on Queensland's beautiful Sunshine Coast.

On arrival and after checking in to your hotel, the balance of the day is at leisure.

A full day to discover the Sunshine Coast – Australia’s best-kept secret and Queensland’s hidden gem. From the majestic Glass House Mountains to Noosa and the coloured sands of Rainbow Beach, the region includes over 100 kilometres of pristine sandy beaches, surrounded by the quiet beauty of coastal and hinterland villages. The Sunshine Coast offers you an Australia vacation abundant in nature, with relaxed beach culture, fresh local food, world-class events, and bucket list experiences just waiting to be explored. Feel like a local from the moment you arrive, welcomed by sun-kissed surfers and bohemian artists, with no shortage of friendly people offering easy smiles. With an average of 300 days of sunshine per year, it’s no surprise they’re happy!

Tick off your bucket list experiences on the Sunshine Coast, visiting leading attractions such as Steve Irwin’s Zoo (also known as Australia Zoo) to get up close to Australia’s wildlife. Swim alongside humpback whales at Mooloolaba (July-October), visit one of the world’s finest producers of Ginger at the Ginger Factory, with its historic train rides, great shopping, educational tours, and stunning tropical gardens, and cruise the waterways and rivers of the Noosa Everglades, one of only two in the world. Make a visit to Mooloolaba Wharf - one of the busiest fishing ports in Australia, with trawlers bringing in fresh catches of fish, Mooloolaba prawns, lobsters, and spanner crabs, all available for purchase at local seafood shops.

Today you'll travel to Port Douglas, located in Tropical North Queensland.

The laidback tropical town of Port Douglas is the gateway to two UNESCO World Heritage-listed natural wonders, the Great Barrier Reef and the expanses of the Daintree Rainforest. It’s also a popular resort destination in its own right, with the tree-fringed sands of Four Mile Beach stretching down the bay and a leafy, compact town centre lined with hip cafés and bars.

For an experience of a lifetime, travel to a reef at the very edge of Australia's Continental Shelf, to an underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of colour and brilliance.

Agincourt Reef is a magnificent ribbon reef, where you can experience firsthand the magic that is the Great Barrier Reef. Choose to dive, snorkel, or stay dry and explore the stunning reef from the comfort of a semi-sub, only one-metre underwater. Watch the fish feeding from a unique underwater viewing platform and underwater observatory, or fly in a helicopter over the reef (at an extra cost). Whichever way you choose; you'll bring home a lifetime of memories from this living natural wonder.

Your day begins visiting Wildlife Habitat. See the endangered Cassowary, Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo, a myriad of iconic Australian animals and have the opportunity to hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies. You'll also have the opportunity to have your picture taken with a koala, snake, or crocodile (extra cost). Morning Tea is included.

Then head north to where the Rainforest meets the Reef. Cross the Daintree River on a cable-driven ferry. Travel along the rainforest-fringed Cape Tribulation Road through Daintree National Park, a magnificent wilderness region.

Arrive at Cape Tribulation and enjoy a delicious lunch in a picturesque setting. Then it is off to explore Cape Tribulation Beach and the rainforest on foot with your guide.

Later, you will head south, stopping at Alexandra Lookout for magnificent views and then a cruise of the Daintree River. Spot crocodiles, birds and other wildlife in the wild as you journey through the mangroves.

Today you will be transfered to the Cairns Airport for you onward flight.