Eight to 10 days is the most popular trip length for Australia travelers interested in visiting Sydney, especially when also including Cairns and Uluru. If you're only headed to Sydney, you can enjoy a comfortably-paced trip in five to six days. Read on for the best itineraries, including Sydney and beyond.

How many days do you need in Sydney?

  • Most travelers spend 5-6 days in Sydney
  • With 7 or more days, most travelers choose to add more stops to their trip
  • The most common extensions are Cairns, Port Douglas, and Melbourne

How Many Days to Spend in Sydney

Plan your trip to Australia
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.

Recommended Itineraries for Sydney

Recommended Itinerary for 5 Days

The view of Sydney
The view of Sydney
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Sydney Sydney
Day 2 Sightseeing Tour & Scenic Lunch Cruise Sydney
Day 3 Blue Mountains Day Tour Sydney
Day 4 Harbour BridgeClimb & Sydney Opera House Tour Sydney
Day 5 Depart Sydney  


This five-day Sydney itinerary provides an active adventure through New South Wales' capital city. Take a sightseeing tour of all the best neighborhoods and sites—The Rocks, Bondi Beach, Kings Cross, and Mrs Macquarie's Chair included. A day trip to The UNESCO World Heritage region of the Blue Mountains allows you to explore the outdoors and interact with animals. The trip concludes with a guided tour of the famed Sydney Opera House and a thrilling climbing excursion up Sydney Harbour Bridge. Read more

Recommended Itinerary for 6 Days

Views across Sydney Harbor
Views across Sydney Harbour
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Sydney Sydney
Day 2 Full-Day Grand Blue Mountains Tour Sydney
Day 3 Sydney Opera House, Bondi Beach & Taronga Zoo Sydney
Day 4 Sydney Harbour Discovery Lunch Cruise Sydney
Day 5 Twilight Harbour Bridge Climb Sydney
Day 6 Depart Sydney  


See the best of Sydney in under a week on this action-packed trip. Start with some adventuring in the Blue Mountains and Featherdale Wildlife Park before checking off iconic locales like the Opera House, Bondi Beach, and Taronga Zoo. Other highlights include a cruise to Shark Island National Park and a twilight climb up the soaring Harbour Bridge. Read more

Extended Itineraries

1-Week Itinerary Including Cairns & Melbourne

Sydney
Sydney
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrival in Melbourne Melbourne
Day 2 Day Trip Along the Great Ocean Road Melbourne
Day 3 Transfer to Sydney & Afternoon Pub Tour Sydney
Day 4 Blue Mountains Hiking Day Trip Sydney
Day 5 Fly to Cairns Cairns
Day 6 Day Trip to the Great Barrier Reef Cairns
Day 7 Depart Cairns  


On this weeklong trip to Australia, experience three different cities and several landmarks along the way. The itinerary begins in Melbourne, where you can enjoy some local sightseeing. Then, travel the Great Ocean Road, which hosts scenic lookouts like The Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard. The next stop is Sydney, which includes a pub crawl and a day trip to the stunning Blue Mountains. The final leg takes you to Cairns, where the Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park awaits, as well as a memorable finale at the world-famous Great Barrier Reef. Read more

10-Day Itinerary Including Cairns & Uluru

Sydney Harbour
Sydney Harbour
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Cairns Cairns
Day 2 Day Trip to the Great Barrier Reef Cairns
Day 3 Free Day in Cairns Cairns
Day 4 Fly to Uluru Uluru
Day 5 Free Day in Uluru  Cairns
Day 6 Fly to Sydney Sydney
Day 7 Sydney Sightseeing Tour Sydney
Day 8 Day Trip to Hunter Valley & Wine Tasting Sydney
Day 9 Free Day in Sydney  Sydney
Day 10 Depart Sydney  


On this 10-day trip to Australia, enjoy a mix of city tours and outdoor excursions. First, explore Cairns, along with a memorable day trip to the famed Great Barrier Reef. Next, visit the outback of Uluru and the iconic Ayers Rock. Then, land in Sydney for a city tour, a day of wine tasting in Hunter Valley, and a free day to experience the BridgeClimb at Sydney Harbour Bridge and the renowned Sydney Opera House. Read more

10-Day Itinerary Including Cairns, Uluru & Melbourne

Watch the sun set and rise over Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Watch the sun set and rise over Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Melbourne Melbourne
Day 2 Day Tour of Phillip Island & Penguin Parade Melbourne
Day 3 Day Trip Along the Great Ocean Road Melbourne
Day 4 Fly to Uluru, Tour Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Uluru
Day 5 Explore Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Fly to Cairns Cairns
Day 6 Day Trip to Green Island Cairns
Day 7 Day Trip to Kuranda  Cairns
Day 8 Fly to Sydney, City Sights Tour Sydney
Day 9 Day Trip to Blue Mountains National Park Sydney
Day 10 Depart Sydney  


Cover the highlights on this 10-day tour that perfectly combines urban exploration with outdoor excursions starting in the cultural capital of Melbourne—a great jumping-off point to explore nearby Phillip Island and the Great Ocean Road. Venture into the "Red Center" to visit the iconic Ayers Rock before flying out to tropical Cairns to cuddle with a koala and snorkel the Great Barrier Reef. End your stay with a Sydney city tour and a day trip to Blue Mountains National Park. Read more

Map

Map of Sydney: Best Itinerary Ideas
Map of Sydney: Best Itinerary Ideas