Ultimate Australian Odyssey

A bright patchwork of neighborhoods, Melbourne wears many guises: art lover, cricket fanatic, fine wine connoisseur. This diverse, easy-going city is whatever you make it: spend the day hopping from lively bar to cozy cafe, admiring the endemic flora of the botanic gardens and the fine art of its museums, or feeling the salty ocean breeze as it dances across Port Bay Phillip. The capital of Victoria is the springboard from which to head out along the scenic Great Ocean Road.

The red landscape of Australia’s Northern Territory orbits around sacred Uluru. The largest sandstone monolith in the world, according to legend it rose from the bloodshed of tribal battle. The sacred rock in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park connects the past to the present, and forms part of the psyche of Indigenous Australians, one of the oldest civilizations in the world. Artwork spanning thousands of years has been etched into the lichen-marked monument, depicting a land before time, while an enormous desert light show by internationally acclaimed artist Bruce Munro illuminates the connection between culture and land. 

This forested swath of North Queensland is so dense that researchers are still uncovering new and fascinating species each year. Daintree Rainforest is home to an incredible 13 endemic species, including endangered cassowaries with their neon necks and the spiny Boyd’s Forest Dragon. Rainforest, river and reef converge at Cape Tribulation, a sandy stretch of Queensland coast, while the Jindalba boardwalk provides insider access to this Wet Tropics World Heritage Area. The world’s oldest tropical rainforest, Sir David Attenborough aptly described the Daintree as “the most extraordinary place on earth”.  

Goannas and geckos outnumber guests on Lizard Island, a national park 58 miles off mainland Queensland home to the only luxury resort on the Great Barrier Reef. Framed by more than 20 white sand beaches, secluded Lizard Island offers unparalleled access to the surrounding reef and some of the best diving anywhere in the world. The remote location ensures serenity and privacy. Soak up the sublime scenery with a cruise on a glass-bottomed boat or a hike up to Cook’s Look viewpoint. 

Sydney revels in its hedonistic stereotypes, and yes, this is a city of morning runs and yoga sessions on the beach, but there is so much more besides: the food, the live music, the effervescent social scene, the dueling architectural styles, plus the world’s most beautiful natural harbor to boot. A&K’s expert guides tap into their network to deliver an action-packed urban adventure. Sydney’s loveliest landmarks are well worth touring, too: Parliament House, the Botanical Gardens and the historic neighborhood known as The Rocks.