Return to Australia 2014 part 2

Day 6

Uluru (Ayers Rock) Adventure tour (lunch and dinner was included)

We had an early start but enjoyed a light breakfast on-board the coach and headed south through the magnificent Western MacDonnell Ranges. (The highlight for us was Uluru at sunset. For the trip, make sure you get a fly net as there are plenty of flies around!)

First stop was the Mount Conner, an amazing photo opportunity. We continued through the desert to Uluru (Ayers Rock). We joined a base tour of Uluru and had a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole where you can view Aboriginal rock paintings. We visited the Uluru Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre and learned more about Tjukurpa (law of the Anangu people). Afterwards we headed to Kata Tjuta National Park to view the Olgas. We took a walk between the massive domes at Walpa Gorge.

We travelled back to Uluru to a sunset viewing area to witness the changing colours of Uluru while sipping wine with a sunset dinner and light refreshments. After sunset, we settled in and watched an on-board movie and enjoyed the return journey back to Alice Springs hotel. A long day but worth it!

Day 7

We explored Alice Springs Town as, unfortunately, our Outback Ballooning Adventure tour was cancelled due to bad weather.

Day 8

We flew from Alice Springs to Cairns with Qantas, in economy class.

We stayed at Holiday Inn in a premium ocean view room on a bed and breakfast board for 3 nights. It was a great hotel and in a nice location, only 5-10 minutes’ walk to the esplanade, shops, bars, and restaurants.

Day 9

Scenic Rail Gold Class, rainforest, lunch & Skyrail Kuranda Tour.

Our day of discovery started with a spectacular journey aboard the Kuranda Scenic Railway through fields of sugar cane and virgin tropical forest as we headed for Kuranda, nestled in mountaintop rainforest splendour. Here, we had time to explore the famous Kuranda Markets before soaring high above the rainforest canopy in our Skyrail Gondola. We enjoyed stunning panoramic views of the beautiful rainforest, explored the boardwalks and the CSIRO Interpretative Centre. From here, we continued to Caravonica Lakes and on to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures, for some of the best crocodile viewing in Northern Queensland. We had a leisurely lagoon cruise through the Melaleuca wetlands, which gave us a unique opportunity to see these deadly predators up close in their natural habitat before exploring the rest of the park with its huge variety of native wildlife including cassowaries, wallabies, venomous snakes, and turtles.

The highlight for us was Scenic Railway in Gold Class.

Day 8

Daintree Walkabout Toue.

We travelled north from Cairns along the scenic Captain Cook Highway and caught glimpses of the Coral Sea, offshore islands, and surrounding sugar-cane farms as we followed the palm tree-lined coast.

After arriving at Mossman Gorge, we were treated to a guided rainforest walk along private, easy graded tracks, visiting special places and culturally significant sites, past traditional bark shelters and over cool rainforest streams. Our experienced interpretive indigenous guide demonstrated traditional plant use, identified bush tucker sources, shared their dreamtime legends, explained the history of cave paintings, and provided an enchanting narrative of the rainforest and their special relationships within this unique tropical environment.

After our 90-minute walk, we enjoyed tea, damper and question time with our guide. A delicious chicken lunch was enjoyed at Silky Oaks Lodge, a beautiful oasis amidst the rainforest, overlooking the Mossman River and then we drove to Daintree National Park to enjoy a one-hour cruise on the Daintree River. The experienced river guide points out the river's varied wildlife, including the estuarine crocodiles and water birds living in the mangroves. We heard how the Daintree Rainforest is the oldest intact rainforest habitat on the planet, with more species of flora and fauna than any other rainforest in the world.

The day concluded with a short tour of the historical town of Port Douglas. Then we headed back to Cairns.

Day 9

We flew from Cairns to Hamilton Island with Qantas Airways, in economy class and took a boat to Daydream Island resort and Spa. The journey time 30 minutes. We stayed for 3 nights

When we landed on Hamilton Island I thought it was picturesque. Our room was upgraded to an ocean balcony room, and we made sure to use the spa here. Its Rejuvenation Spa has 16 treatment rooms offering salon services, naturopathy, therapeutic and pampering treatments.

Here, you interact with marine animals at the unique Living Reef – one of the world’s largest outdoor aquariums or snorkel around the island’s fringing coral reef. There’s a Putt Your Way Around Australia themed mini golf course, lagoon pools, stunning waterfront restaurants and bars, gym, tennis courts, and an amazing 44-foot outdoor movie cinema.

Day 11

We went to the Great Barrier Reef on a day trip with a change of boat in Hamilton Island, though the crossing was rough both ways due to the winds and time of the year.

I had been to the Great Barrier Reef before but a different Great Barrier reef region. Lunch was included in the day trip tour together with snorkelling gear plus guided tours. There is an option to do a scenic helicopter ride. The Great Barrier Reef is a stunning area - I went to an underwater viewing area to view all the fishes and sea life...

...Discover more of my adventures Down Under with Part 3...