Australia 12-Day Tours & Itineraries

Explore 9 trips designed by local kimkim specialists to get ideas for your trip to Australia.

Australia is famed for many things, and a 12-day excursion with a kimkim itinerary offers an opportunity to explore some of these sites. Don't miss a thing with the Australian highlights excursion that starts in Sydney and takes you along the coast and through the rainforest, so you can interact with koalas in Kuranda, watch whales along the coast of Sydney, snorkel part of the Great Barrier Reef, and hike in the Blue Mountains. Get the best worlds and explore Australia's city and nature highlights, starting in Melbourne and heading toward Adelaide, Sydney, and Cairns as you drive along the scenic Great Ocean Road, interact with kangaroos and seals on Kangaroo Island, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and explore the Great Barrier Reef. Get a city and nature rush from Australia's highlights, including Sydney, Uluru, and the Great Reef, with sightings of Sydney's Opera House, Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, the sacred Red Centre desert landscapes, and the Great Barrier Reef corals.

See our itineraries below or read our guide to the best 12-day trips in Australia.

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Noah Beach where the Daintree Rainforest meets the ocean
Map of Highlights of Australia - 12 Days
Highlights of Australia - 12 Days

This 12-day highlights tour combines stunning natural settings and diverse wildlife with heart-stopping activities. You'll begin in Sydney before flying into the outback, ending your stay along the coast, where you'll divide your time between the rainforest and the Coral Sea. You'll hug koalas in Kuranda, watch whales off the coast of Sydney, snorkel part of the Great Barrier Reef, as well as hike in the Blue Mountains, and catch a sunset over Uluru.

Discover wildlife in Daintree's Mossman Gorge
Map of Highlights of Australia: Cities, Beaches & Wildlife - 12 Days
Highlights of Australia: Cities, Beaches & Wildlife - 12 Days

Covering four states, this perfectly curated itinerary features Australia's top attractions in 12 days, providing visitors with a well-rounded experience. Beginning in cool and trendy Melbourne, you'll work your way around the country to the cosmopolitan cities of Adelaide and Sydney, ending the trip in Cairns. Along the way, you'll drive the scenic Great Ocean Road, hang out with kangaroos and seals on Kangaroo Island, climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge, and explore the Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Queensland.

View of Sydney Harbour from the rocks known as Mrs Macquarie's Chair
Map of Highlights of Australia: Sydney, Uluru & the Great Barrier Reef - 12 Days
Highlights of Australia: Sydney, Uluru & the Great Barrier Reef - 12 Days

Experience the world-class cities, awe-inspiring natural wonders, and rich First Nations culture of Australia on this 12-day highlights tour. The adventure kicks off in Sydney with visits to iconic locales like the Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach. Fly to Uluru for tours of the sacred Red Centre desert landscapes before ending the trip in tropical Cairns, where you'll explore the corals of the Great Barrier Reef and venture deep into the rainforests of Daintree National Park.

See the iconic marsupial on Australia's Kangaroo Island
Map of Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, Adelaide & Kangaroo Island - 12 Days
Sydney, Great Barrier Reef, Adelaide & Kangaroo Island - 12 Days

Experience some of Australia's best wildlife tours and incredible natural wonders on this 12-day outdoor adventure. It begins with city fun on a bicycle tour of Sydney's highlights, but you'll also take a day trip to the rugged mountains and vast gorges of the Blue Mountains. Then fly to tropical Queensland to snorkel the outer limits of the Great Barrier Reef and embark on rainforest hikes before heading south to spend time with kangaroos and enjoy the world-famous gastronomy of Adelaide.

Lie out on Bondi Beach
Map of Classic Australia: Melbourne, Uluru & Sydney - 12 Days
Classic Australia: Melbourne, Uluru & Sydney - 12 Days

Leave no stone unturned on this epic 12-day adventure that covers the best of southern, northern, and southeastern Australia. You'll journey from the up-and-coming city of Melbourne and travel along the Great Ocean Road, followed by a trip to the mystical rock formations dotting the arid deserts of the Red Centre. End the trip in Sydney, where you'll explore this handsome metropolis on city tours, boat tours, and beach excursions—you'll even take a day trip to the rugged Blue Mountains.

Outback road trip
Map of Ultimate Outback Self-Drive Adventure: Darwin to Uluru - 12 Days
Ultimate Outback Self-Drive Adventure: Darwin to Uluru - 12 Days

For sheer outback adventure, there's no beating this 12-day Aussie road trip, which starts at the tip of the Northern Territory. From there you'll hit the road south to visit protected wetlands, sacred Aboriginal sites, unspoiled national parks, deep gorges—even the alien abduction capital of Australia. The last stop is the vast deserts of the Red Plains and the iconic Uluru (Ayers Rock), where you'll immerse yourself even more in Aboriginal culture and enjoy an otherworldly dinner you won't soon forget.

Emerald waters at Mossman Gorge
Map of  Explore Australia & New Zealand: Sydney, Palm Cove & Queenstown - 12 Days
Explore Australia & New Zealand: Sydney, Palm Cove & Queenstown - 12 Days

Cross mountains, rivers, and oceans on this 12-day journey through Australia and New Zealand. Start in Sydney, where you'll visit Shark Island and discover its grottoes, secluded beaches, and cliffs. Fly north to Palm Cove to scuba dive and explore the Great Barrier Reef, then hop over to New Zealand's adventure capital of Queenstown—where you'll go wine tasting in Central Otago, take an overnight cruise through Milford Sound, and explore narrow canyons by jet boat.

Take in the warm morning light on Melbourne's high-rise buildings across the Yarra River
Map of Ultimate Melbourne,  Sydney & Queenstown Tour - 12 Days
Ultimate Melbourne, Sydney & Queenstown Tour - 12 Days

This moderately active multicountry tour covers three fantastic cities Down Under and their scenic outskirts: Melbourne, Sydney, and Queenstown. Kick off in Australia's capital of culture, Melbourne, with guided excursions to the Great Ocean Road and Phillip Island. Then jet off to Sydney and take in the sights by bike, bridge climb, and harbor cruise. Finish in New Zealand's South Island with a luxury tour to Milford Sound to round out this world-class adventure.

Explore red rock and desert landscapes in Australia's Northern Territory
Map of Self-Guided Australia Adventure: Sydney & Northern Territory - 12 Days
Self-Guided Australia Adventure: Sydney & Northern Territory - 12 Days

Outdoor enthusiasts will love this exciting 12-day itinerary highlighting a lesser-explored area of Australia. But first, you'll start with two days in Sydney, checking off famous attractions like the Harbour Bridge and Bondi Beach. From there, fly to the tropical city of Darwin in the Northern Territory to begin a self-guided road trip through national parks and stunning gorges while partaking in fishing, hiking, and swimming in crocodile-free waterfalls.

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