Brisbane to Cairns holiday
| country: | Australia |
| location: | Queensland, Great Barrier Reef |
| trip type: | A small group adventure |
| departures: | 2010: 17 Jan, 7 Feb, 28 Feb, 21 Mar, 11 Apr, 2 May, 23 May, 4 Jul, 25 Jul, 15 Aug, 5 Sep, 26 Sep, 17 Oct, 7 Nov, 28 Nov, 19 Dec 2011: 9 Jan, 30 Jan, 20 Feb, 13 Mar, 3 Apr, 24 Apr, 15 May, 26 Jun |
| price: | From £1135 (11 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK. |
| vouchers: | Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday |
the amazing things you'll be doing
There's more to tropical Queensland than surf and turf - be dazzled by its natural beauty on this journey of relaxation and discovery. Check out the amazing travel through mist-shrouded rainforests and kick back on endless sandy beaches. The clean air, balmy weather and breathtaking scenery will leave you feeling revitalised, refreshed... and craving more.
day-by-day itinerary
| Day 1: | Brisbane. Scratch the surface of glitzy 'BrisVegas' to discover the soul of Queensland's riverside capital. Investigate the thriving arts scene, wander through the city's subtropical gardens or cruise the river before joining the locals for some delicious cuisine. |
| Day 2: | Hervey Bay. Travel north by train through the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Spend the night in Hervey Bay, gateway to Fraser Island. If the weather is fine, indulging in some fish and chips on the beach is a popular pastime. |
| Day 3: | Fraser Island. Travel to World Heritage-listed Fraser Island. This giant sandbar is home to rainforests, lakes and wild dingos. Explore the island by 4x4 during the day and view the amazing blanket of stars from the beach at night. |
| Days 4: | Overnight Train. Back on the mainland take an overnight train further north up the coast to the incredible Whitsundays. |
| Days 5-8: | Airlie Beach/Whitsundays. Waterbabies will rejoice in Airlie Beach, a hub of all things aquatic. There are plenty of optional activities on offer to make the most of the region. Take an optional boat tour of the Whitsundays and go snorkelling off the boat, or spend the day taking a ferry to one of the 74 incredible islands. |
| Days 9-10: | Cairns. This tropical city is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and the rainforests of Northern Australia. Take a dive trip to the Outer Barrier Reef or explore magnificent Cape Tribulation. |
highly commended
This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.
small group adventure holiday
This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more) Because of our small group size, we're able to guarantee departures for all of our trips. Once you have booked and paid your deposit, your trip is guaranteed to go!
how this holiday makes a difference
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On this trip you will discover the beauty of the reef, rainforest and the ranch. We'll spend time communing with nature, locals alike. We stay in eco-friendly accommodation, discover how locals help protect and rehabilitate the wildlife when we visit a rescue centre, and learn about many other environmental issues facing Queensland.
We enjoy the outdoors, camp out under the stars, shop for traditional art, and get back to nature in the Sunshine State. |
Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people. We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel. 'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left). We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays. We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism. This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards. |