Australia's Food, Wine & Wildlife: Sydney, Adelaide & Cairns - 11 Days

Highlights

• Sample local cuisine and craft cocktails on tasting tours of Sydney and Adelaide
• Go wine tasting among the renowned estates of Hunter Valley and McLaren Vale
• Visit artisan distilleries, honey farms, and wineries on Kangaroo Island
• Cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef for a day of snorkeling with a marine biologist
• Connect with Aboriginal culture as you explore the ancient Daintree Rainforest 

Brief Itinerary

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Sydney, Explore Australia's "Harbour City"

Welcome to Australia! A driver will meet you on arrival at Sydney airport to transfer you to your hotel. This metropolis feels like the heart of Australia thanks to its iconic sights, historic neighborhoods, world-class culinary scene, prime waterfront location, and pristine beaches. The afternoon is yours to explore as you wish. Start with a visit to Sydney's iconic harbor and soak up views of the Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge over a drink at a waterfront bar to get your bearings.

Take a walk along the harborfront, then lose yourself in the cobblestone laneways of The Rocks, or browse the markets, boutiques, cafés, and pubs of upscale Paddington, whose distinctive terraced houses date to the Victorian era. If you're feeling adventurous, join a surf lesson at the famous Bondi Beach. Then, when the sun goes down, book a table at one of Sydney's 5-star restaurants before taking on the city's best bars.

Day 2: Aboriginal Bush Tucker Tour, The Rocks Walking Tour & A Taste of Chinatown

Kick off your first full day in Sydney by getting to know the traditional owners of this land. On an Aboriginal bush tucker (food) tour, you'll join an Indigenous guide on an hourlong walk through the Royal Botanic Gardens. Learn more about local bush foods and how these foods were used traditionally and adapted to the modern plate and palate, all while tasting some for yourself! Then, join a guided tour of The Rocks, one of the most unique neighborhoods in Sydney. Hear about its rich and dark history, and explore plenty of 19th-century pubs once frequented by cutthroats and street gangs. 

Later in the evening, you'll explore Australia's more recent migrant history with a tasting tour of Chinatown. Over three hours, you'll visit hidden landmarks and hear little-known stories from the history of Chinese Australians. Enjoy some of the best Asian Australian cuisines, with roots in Chinese, Korean, and Malaysian food. Taste modern fusion and Sydney Chinatown classics, from handmade dumplings and noodles to the best KFC (Korean fried chicken), and end with a Chinese tea ceremony. 

Day 3: Hunter Valley Wine Tasting Day Trip

Day 4: Fly to Adelaide, Evening Wine, Dine & Discover by Foot

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Pack your bags this morning and head to the airport, where you'll catch a two-hour flight southwest to Adelaide, the capital of South Australia. A small, progressive city, Adelaide only covers about 1 square mile (2.6 sq km), and it's affectionately known as the "20-minute city" for its walkability. It's also renowned for its many festivals, a vibrant dining scene, and its surrounding wine country, considered some of the best in the country.

Experience the city's foodie reputation yourself this evening with a guided walking tour. Start at one of the city's lesser-known local wine bars for an introduction to the region's best wines, then wander Adelaide's back streets, admiring the architecture, street art, and atmosphere on the way to the next location: a hidden bar serving local spirits and creative cocktails. Hear about local laws and legends, and discover the saints, sinners, innovators, and creators who have shaped this unique Australian city. Finish with a local digestive and delicious fresh cheese or sweet treats at a local institution.

Day 5: Kangaroo Island Sip & See Day Trip

This morning, you'll board a ferry to Kangaroo Island, a place sometimes called "Australia's Galápagos" due to its incredible wildlife and landscapes. Upon arrival, start with the "Free Flight" Birds of Prey Presentation at the Raptor Domain. Next, travel to Emu Ridge Eucalyptus Distillery for a tasty two-course lunch, then hear about the history of the oil distillery and take a guided tour. Continue to Clifford's Honey Farm for an informative guided tour to understand the extraction process and taste a honey soft drink and honey wheat ale. 

Carry on to Pennington Bay, a beach on Kangaroo Island's southern coast, for a scenic photo opportunity. This full-day tour ends with a premium wine tasting at False Cape Wines Cellar Door on the Dudley Peninsula. Soak up the views while enjoying a structured tasting. Your host will leave you at the Penneshaw Hotel with plenty of time for dinner before your return ferry to the mainland.

Day 6: Adelaide Central Market Breakfast Tour, City Highlights Walk

You've had a busy few days, so catch a lie-in this morning before venturing to the beloved Adelaide Central Market with a local guide. Fuel your morning with an espresso, brewed tea, or hot chocolate, and watch the daily market come alive over a hot, healthy breakfast. Over a few hours, you'll taste a selection of foods from South Australian artisan food producers and meet the suppliers and stallholders whose families have traded at the market for generations.

Day 7: McLaren Vale Food, Wine & Wildlife Day Trip

Meet your guide this morning for another day trip, this time heading 40 minutes south of Adelaide toward the Fleurieu Peninsula. This coastal region is home to dramatic scenery, white-sand beaches, and renowned wine-growing country, including the famous landscapes of McLaren Vale. It's in the latter you'll make your first stops, hopping between some of the region's 80 wineries as you sip chardonnays and cabernet sauvignons, as well as lesser-known varieties like tempranillos and Roussannes. 

Continue to a charming coastal town for lunch at a local café, then pause in Goolwa to learn about its history as a paddle steamer port. Located where the Murray River meets the ocean, this is also a prime area to spot southern right whales making their migration across Long Bay. Follow the coast to the town of Victor Harbor, where you'll sit back and enjoy the views as you cross a narrow causeway to the nearby Granite Island in a horse-drawn tram. The adventure ends with a return drive to Adelaide, where your driver will drop you off in time for dinner.

Day 8: Fly to Cairns, After-Hours Aquarium Experience

The final leg of your trip takes you to Australia's northernmost state of Queensland, famous for its dramatic coast, unspoiled rainforests, and the star of the show: the Great Barrier Reef. After a three-hour flight from Adelaide, you'll arrive in the coastal city of Cairns, which is the gateway to that legendary reef system. At the airport, a driver will pick you up and transfer you to your hotel.

The rest of the day is yours to explore in and around Cairns. If you'd like to take advantage of the tropical climate, head to the beach or the Cairns Lagoon, the city's famous public pool. Later on, make your way to the Cairns Aquarium for an exclusive guided tour that introduces you to the creatures and ecosystems of the Wet Tropics. This two-hour after-hours experience takes you through 10 unique ecosystems, allowing you to observe reptiles, amphibians, and nocturnal marine life like sharks and rays as they awaken. 

Day 9: Full-Day Great Barrier Reef Adventure

Today you'll dive into one of the world's great natural wonders. The Great Barrier Reef is the world's most extensive coral reef system and is home to an incredible diversity of marine life, including over 1,500 species of fish, 30 species of whales and dolphins, and six species of sea turtles. Made up of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands, it spans over 1,430 miles (2,300 km). After grabbing your sunscreen and swimsuit, you'll board a boat destined for the outer reef and the all-weather Marine World platform.

This is a full-day excursion, which gives you plenty of time to dive off the platform and snorkel among colorful fish, sea turtles, and even sharks. Join an expert marine biologist guide to learn more about the marine life as you snorkel, or stay dry and head below the surface in a semi-submersible reef viewer or glass-bottom boat. You'll also have the opportunity to take a helicopter ride over the reef to soak up the grand scale from the sky. After a long day of sun and snorkeling, you'll cruise back to port. 

Day 10: Aboriginal Fishing & Daintree Rainforest Day Trip

Pack a day bag and bring your walking shoes—your penultimate day in Australia is an adventurous one as you venture north of Cairns for a guided exploration of the UNESCO-listed Daintree National Park and its ancient Indigenous culture. This full-day tour begins with a scenic 1.5-hour drive north to Cooya Beach, the traditional fishing ground of the Kuku Yalanji people. Here you'll join one of the Kubirri Warra brothers on their beach, walking among the mudflats and mangroves as they teach you traditional Aboriginal fishing techniques.

Next, it's on to nearby Mossman Gorge, the gateway to Daintree National Park, where you'll pause at the Cultural Center for a traditional Aboriginal smoking ceremony to welcome you to the land. Then it's time to venture into the rainforest, estimated at more than 135 million years old, for an interpretive walk that explains the local Kuku Yalanji people's special relationship with the land. Keep an eye out for resplendent birdlife, colorful insects, and rare marsupials, and learn to spot some of the region's over 3,000 plant species, including giant ferns and ancient kauri trees. 

Day 11: Depart Cairns

Your grand holiday in Australia comes to an end today. When the time is right, a driver will collect you from your hotel and transfer you to the airport for your flight home. Safe travels!

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