Wildlife, Wine & Wilderness
Experience one of the most moving vacations of your life as you explore this magnificent continent with Latitude South. There are few things more magical than the sight of Eastern Grey Kangaroos grazing at dusk in Cape Otway or swimming with the fun-loving Australian sea lions off the coast of Port Lincoln. Savour the wines of the famous Yarra and Barossa Valleys and explore the pristine wilderness of Bruny Island in Tasmania.
Itinerary Highlights
Accommodation: Three nights at Crown Towers Hotel in a Deluxe King Room
With Melbourne’s combination of world-class dining, art galleries, homegrown fashion and a packed sports calendar, it’s no surprise Victoria’s capital is regarded as one of the world’s most liveable cities. Following your arrival into this world destination city, you will be privately transferred to your beautifully appointed and centrally located accommodation on the southern banks of the Yarra River.
(Lunch included today)
Melbourne’s inner city is more than 25 years into a major revitalisation. It has so much to offer both locals and visitors you’d be forgiven for never venturing beyond the grid. Still, as every local knows, many of the city’s real treats lie just beyond its limits. Fitzroy, South Melbourne or St. Kilda may not mean much to you now, but we’re pretty sure they will be real highlights of your time in Melbourne. These are the funky local neighbourhoods that locals call home, where they eat and drink and express themselves. Your private guide will help you navigate these areas and introduce you to the characters who helped to shape them. In just four hours you will be given a unique perspective on the city, inside and out and always with your interest at the heart of the experience.
(Lunch included today)
Today you will go behind the cellar door on your privately guided tour in this charming regional centre great for lovers of fine wine and fine food, rolling hills, nature and wildlife.
Nestled among many of Victoria’s best-loved mountain ranges is the quiet, sprawling Yarra Valley region. It’s number one for wine touring and can boast of one of Australia’s best wildlife sanctuaries. Add this to a host of talented local farmers, winemakers, distillers, brewers and restauranteurs and you have one exceptional region for touring and a day out with something for everyone.
(Lunch and dinner included today)
Accommodation: 1 night at Great Ocean Ecolodge in a Lodge Room
This morning you will be met at your accommodation by your local guide as you commence your fantastic, privately guided adventure along one of the most spectacular coastal highways in the world; Victoria’s celebrated Great Ocean Road.
Enjoy excellent local produce and time out to enjoy the scents and sounds of the Australian bush. Wild koalas, kangaroos and a host of other local natives are always a prominent feature on today’s drive and the relaxed country charm will help you reset the clock and escape the chaos of everyday life.
Following this remarkable journey you will arrive at your even more remarkable accommodation, where you will enjoy a guided dusk walk through the Australian Bush with dedicated ecologists to observe wild kangaroos and koalas.
Located within the grounds of the Conservation Ecology Centre, just off the Great Ocean Road and the Great Ocean Walk, the Great Ocean Ecolodge is surrounded by pristine bushland, lush rainforests, secluded beaches and steep cliffs, close to one of the world’s most spectacular coastlines.
This is a chance to stay in an award winning eco retreat, venture out into the bush with researchers to help save endangered species, explore the Great Ocean Walk or just relax in the dappled shade of the eucalypts, watching the koalas high in the trees above you.
(Breakfast and lunch included today)
Accommodation: One night at Crown Towers Hotel in a Deluxe King Room
Following breakfast, you may like to explore the grounds of the Conservation Ecology Centre yourself – discover special spots including the messmate forest, springs and manna gum woodlands. Take some time out in one of the hides to secretly observe the little bush birds.
After rendezvousing with your guide you will then return to Melbourne with more than a few memorable activities along the way. Perhaps you will visit Australia’s most significant lighthouse or the California Redwood Forest. Some local epicurean delights may tempt your palates along the way.
Walk the boardwalks at the iconic Twelve Apostles, whilst your guide regales you with the stories that lent the Shipwreck Coast its perilous title.
Following another unforgettable day in this stunning part of Australia you will be returned to your accommodation.
(Dinner included today)
Accommodation: 3 nights at South Point Beach House
This morning following your private transfer to Melbourne Airport you will board your flight to Adelaide, followed by your short flight to the beautiful location of Port Lincoln, the Seafood Capitol of Australia. Upon arrival you will be met by your private guide for the next three days and taken to your stunning beach front house accommodation overlooking Boston Bay.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today)
This morning you will discover the inquisitive and gentle nature of Australian Sea Lions at Seal Cove, Hopkins Island, where these gorgeous puppies of the sea welcome your arrival as they bound toward the boat with their unmistakable glee and excitement; performing somersaults and graceful swirls just waiting for you to join in! The gentlest of underwater mammals, Sea Lions love to play! After watching leaps and twists out of the water and show off backflips, you will definitely experience the joy they get from swimming with you and you with them.
This afternoon you will experience the diversity of the Port Lincoln National Park to the south of Port Lincoln, from the naturally rugged and wild Sleaford Bay and the Southern Ocean, to the tranquillity of the Spalding Cove area and other beautiful beaches. Enjoy a guided bushwalk or mountain bike along one of the many trails in the park. Explore the sand dunes by 4WD or try your hand at sandboarding.
Mikkira Station, one of Australia’s very best natural habitats for Koalas is your next stop. With wild kangaroos and emus roaming around, this will provide a wonderful ending to an unforgettable day.
(Breakfast, lunch and dinner included today)
Today you will discover first-hand why Port Lincoln is known as the Seafood Capital of Australia. Your Seafood adventure today may involve collecting local cockles, fishing for Australian Salmon or visiting Coffin Bay for a cruise with a local Oyster Farmer to sample the magnificent native Angasi Oyster fresh out of the rack.
(Breakfast included today)
Accommodation: Two nights at The Playford Adelaide in a Deluxe Guest Room
Today following your short flight back to Adelaide you will be met and privately transferred to your delightful accommodation, conveniently located in this, one of Australia’s most well-planned cities.
(Lunch included today)
The Barossa Valley is one of Australia’s best-known wine regions and home to some of the oldest Shiraz vines in the world. The region is dotted with the unmistakable presence of a rich Germanic heritage, where the culture is interwoven with modern Australia.
Your private wine guide uncovers for you the amazing food and wine of the Barossa Valley. In the Barossa discover sweeping views of a gnarled landscape and encounter charming producers of legendary delights. Enjoy regional wines which are robust, rich, and earthy with great lingering length.
(Breakfast included today)
Cradle Mountain–Lake St. Clair National Park, with its ancient rainforests and alpine heaths, is home to the world-famous Overland Track and iconic Cradle Mountain. Part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the park is one of the state’s most special places, where ancient pines fringe glacial lakes and icy streams cascade down rugged mountains.
Dramatic Cradle Mountain is the rugged jewel of the park and can be seen from Dove Lake on a day visit. Take the two-hour walk around the lake, or spend the day tackling Cradle Mountain’s summit. There are also a variety of shorter walks that pass through beautiful old-growth rainforest.
The park also provides a rich habitat for wildlife, including Tasmanian devils, wombats, quolls, platypus, echidna and several bird species, all of which you may encounter in this wonderful part of Australia.
(Breakfast included today)
This morning you will make your way to Hobart Airport, where you will return your rental vehicle, farewell this incredible part of the world and board your flight home.