This is just ONE of the many Solar Eclipse Tours available to Australia. This is a once in a life time trip!
DAY-BY-DAY ITINERARY
(Nov 8-16, 2012)
Day 1- Nov 8, 2012 Arrive Sydney
Arrive Sydney. Check-in to your hotel. Tonight meet your tour leader and enjoy a short briefing about the tour. Overnight at your hotel in Sydney.
Hotel: Intercontinental Sydney Hotel – 5*
Day 2 -Nov 9, 2012 Sydney (B/L)
After breakfast board private coach for sightseeing tour of Sydney including Southern Beaches, Sydney Opera House (includes 1 Hour Tour), Mrs Macquarie’s Chair, The Rocks, Darling Harbour and Lunch Cruise on Sydney Harbour. Tour terminates at your hotel where the remainder of the evening is free at your leisure. Overnight in Sydney.
Hotel: Intercontinental Sydney Hotel – 5*
Day 3 - Nov 10, 2012 Sydney (B/L)
Full breakfast at the hotel. Meet your Local Guide then board private coach for Full Day Blue Mountains Tour. Explore the beautiful bushland on Sydney's doorstep by taking a full-day nature and wildlife day trip to the World Heritage listed Blue Mountains. Leaving the city behind, you'll visit quaint mountain villages and Featherdale Wildlife Park on your scenic drive from Sydney. Experience all the Blue Mountains has to offer including the Three Sisters, Aboriginal Dreamtime legends and a boardwalk stroll through the rainforest.
You will see stunning vistas such as the Three Sisters at Katoomba, inclusive of 2 rides - the scenic railway, skyrail or cableway at Scenic World. You'll also have the opportunity to see Australia's unique wildlife including kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and wombats.
After lunch at a local restaurant, we will drive to the Historic Sydney Observatory . The handsome stone observatory building with its distinctive copper telescope domes is set in gardens on top of Observatory Hill. It overlooks parkland and glorious Sydney Harbour - a natural oasis not far from the centre of the city. It is only a few minutes walk from most of the highlights of the historic and charming Rocks precinct: craft centres, cobbled laneways, stone cottages, cosy cafes and characterful pubs. Tour terminates at your hotel where the remainder of the evening is free at your leisure. Overnight in Sydney.
Hotel: Intercontinental Sydney Hotel – 5*
Day 4 – Nov 11, 2012 Sydney / Cairns (B)
Morning is free to explore the city on your own. Meet at the lobby and transfer to Sydney Airport for your flight to Cairns this afternoon.
Upon your arrival in Cairns, meet your local tour guide and then transfer to your hotel. Overnight in Cairns.
Hotel: Shangri-la The Marina Hotel – 5*
Day 5 – Nov 12, 2012 Sydney / Cairns / Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park (B/L)
After breakfast, meet your local tour guide and then transfer to Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park showcases the “People of the Rainforest’s” indigenous culture, allowing guests to watch theatrical performances and engage in interactive activities, to learn the traditional culture and customs of the Tjapukai people. Your Tjapukai by Day cultural experience includes: Face painting on arrival, Creation and History Theatre presentations, Tjapukai Dance Theatre cultural performance, Bush foods and Medicine show that includes bush food sampling, Didgeridoo demonstration, try fire making the traditional way in our Cultural Village, Boomerang and Spear throwing complete with a traditional tutorial. An international buffet lunch is available in their Boomerang Restaurant.
Later board private coach for transfer to the hotel for check in. Overnight in Cairns.
Hotel: Shangri-la The Marina Hotel – 5*
Day 6- Nov 13, 2012 Cairns / Great Barrier Reef (B/L)
Full breakfast at the hotel. Meet your Local Guide in the lobby then board an Ocean Spirit Cruises coach (seat in coach transfer) will pick you up from your hotel for your transfer to Marlin Jetty, the departure point of your cruise.
At 7.45am board your vessel to commence a full day cruise to Michaelmas Cay, which is a low lying vegetated Sand Cay encircled by a superb fringing reef. The Cay is a National Park and a protected sanctuary for migratory seabirds. A wide range of activities are available, including snorkelling, semi-submersible tours and guided nature tours. Lunch is included. Cruise concludes at approximately 5.00pm, at which time hotel drop offs will commence. Upon arrival, we will have a short briefing and lecture by Prof. Schneider about the eclipse. Overnight in Cairns.
Hotel: Shangri-la The Marina Hotel – 5*
Day 7 – Nov 14, 2012 Cairns (B/D)
*********TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE***************
This morning, early wake up around 4.00am and get ready for the eclipse. We will observe the eclipse at the special reserved spot for Eclipse Traveler.
Weather predictions confirm that cloud prospects are good along the coast, especially in the region between Cairns and Port Douglas at the time of the eclipse.
5:44am ----------- Start of Partial eclipse
6:38:03am ------- Start of TOTAL ECLIPSE
6:40:07am -------- End of TOTAL ECLIPSE
7:40 am --------- End of Partial ECLIPSE
After the eclipse, we will celebrate with full breakfast and champagne. Rest of the day is at leisure to share your experience with fellow travellers. Tonight we will celebrate eclipse with cocktail and a gala dinner. Overnight in Cairns.
Hotel: Shangri-la The Marina Hotel – 5*
Day 8 – Nov 15, 2012 Cairns / Kuranda Scenic Railway tour (B)
After breakfast, transfer to The Freshwater Train Station. Kuranda Scenic Railway travels up one of the most impressive mountain ranges in Cairns Tropical North Queensland and through the spectacular Barron Gorge National Park. The next stop on this memorable journey is the magnificent Barron Falls Railway Station. Once at the station passengers alight and take some fantastic memorable photographs and are treated to magnificent views of the Barron River, Gorge and waterfalls. Barron Falls is one of the most popular sites in the World Heritage Rainforest. In the Green season Barron Falls really comes alive, and visitors regularly enjoy being shrouded in a spectacular cloud of mist off the raging waterfalls. Only minutes away from Barron Falls the train journey comes to an end at beautiful Kuranda Station. Kuranda train station is famous for its heritage listed buildings and award winning hanging fern gardens. You can enjoy refreshments at the delightful Kuranda Railway Tea Rooms. Transfer back to your hotel at the end of the tour. Overnight in Cairns.
Hotel: Shangri-la The Marina Hotel – 5*
Day 9 – Nov 16, 2012 Depart Cairns (B)
After breakfast , check-out and end of our tour.
Have you always wanted to walk a path in Zion Park?