We want your Road Scholar learning adventure to be something to look forward to—not worry about. Learn more
We offset a portion of the emissions created by your travel. Learn more
|
ROOMING OPTION PRICING
The figures below indicate the rooming options available.
|
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DATES | ||||
|
Jun 15 - Jul 1, 2024
8,549
6,949
|
||||
|
Jun 15 - Jul 1, 2024
|
-
|
8,549 / Adult
6,949 / Child
|
9,699 / Adult
6,949 / Child
|
|
Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: En route to Sydney, a day will be “lost” due to crossing the International Date Line.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off a ferry. Walking a little over 1 mile; predominantly flat surfaces. Hotel check-in available from 2:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Morning: Welcome to Sydney! Our Sydney team will meet the two arrival flights at Sydney airport. We will then transfer to our hotel where bags can be put in storage until we return and check-in this afternoon. At 10:00 a.m., after storing our luggage, we will come together to discuss our program. Orientation. The Group Leader and Site Coordinator will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. This program will be staffed with both a Group Leader and a local Site Coordinator at most study sites providing information and leading field trips. While traveling, particularly in Central Australia and Cairns, it is essential to stay hydrated. As tap water in Australia is drinkable, we will provide Road Scholar water bottles to use throughout the program. Your water bottle is yours to keep. Free time is reserved for your personal exploration. Evenings at leisure offer opportunities to make the program more meaningful and memorable through independent exploration, attending performances or other events on your own, or simply relaxing and making new friends among fellow participants. The Group Leader and local Site Coordinators will always be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local conditions/circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. Following orientation, we will set out on a field trip by motorcoach to Sydney’s eastern suburbs. We head first to Sydney’s famous Bondi beach. Here we will have an opportunity to stretch our legs and dip our toes in the ocean.
Lunch: At a typical, local Australian RSL (Returned Services League) club in Bondi, we will have pre-ordered, plated meals.
Afternoon: After exploring Bondi, we transfer to South Head and the area known as The Gap, a reference to the relatively narrow opening to Sydney Harbour. From here we get a fabulous perspective of the city and its magnificent harbour. The Gap is also known as one of Sydney's great whale-sighting spots so keep your eyes peeled. From South Head, we drop down into Watsons Bay, one of Sydney's favourite harbour-side beach areas. Here we board a ferry to cruise Sydney Harbour back to Circular Quay in downtown Sydney. The Watsons Bay ferry offers great views of the harbour and gives us an understanding of how the locals interact with their ocean playground. From Circular Quay we hop on the light rail back to our hotel. We have some time to check in and relax prior to dinner.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off a ferry. Walking about 4 miles; predominantly flat surfaces, some stairs and cobbled laneways. Depending on the theatres available to visit, the Opera House guided visit involves between 150 and 200 stairs.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will be joined by a local educator who will give us a lecture introducing the history of Sydney and, by extension, Australia. We will then take a short walk through Darling Harbour and catch a ferry to North Sydney. Disembarking our vessel, we take the short walk to the Sydney Harbour Bridge footpath for our crossing back into the city. From the walkway, we have wonderful vistas of the harbour, Opera House and central business district. We come down off the Sydney Harbour Bridge and find ourselves in the historic Sydney area known as The Rocks. Led by our Site Coordinator, we will have a walking exploration of The Rocks area giving us insights into Sydney’s colonial past. The Rocks was the area of Sydney first settled by the British and it has a fascinating history and wonderful sandstone buildings.
Lunch: From a local café, we will have a picnic lunch.
Afternoon: Our Site Coordinator-led walk continues into Hyde Park and down into the Sydney Botanical Gardens. As we pass by, we will check out the recently redeveloped Art Gallery of New South Wales. We walk down to the magnificent UNESCO World Heritage-listed Sydney Opera House, where we will have an expert-led exploration of this truly wonderful, iconic building, a masterpiece of late modern architecture. Exactly which areas of the Opera House we see will depend upon what performances and rehearsals are taking place at the time. There are five main performance spaces at the Sydney Opera House — the Concert Hall, the Dame Joan Sutherland Theatre (formerly the Opera Theatre), the Drama Theatre, the Playhouse and the Studio — and the availability of these spaces open to visits changes from day to day. We will then return to our hotel on the light rail.
Dinner: We will take a short walk along the fringe of Darling Harbour to a restaurant where we have pre-ordered, plated meals.
Evening: At leisure. We will walk back to our hotel. You may wish to stay longer and explore some more of the vibrant Darling Harbour precinct as you wend your way back to the hotel on your own.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting in and out of tandem kayaks; kayaking approximately two hours; life jackets supplied. Walking up to 4 miles; predominantly flat, well-maintained tracks.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will head out on a field trip to Sydney’s Royal National Park, the world’s second oldest national park after Yellowstone. We head to the National Park's boatshed at Audley Weir where we hop into our tandem kayaks and paddle our way into the Park. During our two-hour expert-led paddle, we will gain an understanding of the Australian bushscape that surrounds us.
Lunch: At Audley Weir in the Royal National Park, we have a BBQ lunch.
Afternoon: After lunch, led by our Group Leader and Site Coordinator, we will have a bushwalk in the Royal National Park. We will have an introduction in to some of the local flora and fauna as we explore. We hop back on our motorcoach and transfer in to our hotel.
Dinner: At accommodation.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off a ferry. Walking about 3 miles; undulating, paved surfaces.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will hop aboard the motorcoach and ride across the Sydney Harbour Bridge to Taronga Zoo. Located on the north shore, it has delightful views across the harbour to the city. Here we will begin our study of Australian fauna. As well as meeting kangaroos, koalas, and wallabies — and hoping for a glimpse of the rather more elusive wombat, echidna, and platypus — we will have a lecture from one of the keepers introducing some of Australia’s more dangerous inhabitants: spiders and snakes.
Lunch: At Taronga Park Zoo we have a picnic lunch.
Afternoon: Free time. This period of time has been set aside for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests each of us most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration. We will have local travel passes provided for the ferry ride back across the harbour to the city centre. Everyone is welcome to linger at the zoo, go and explore the city independently, or return to the hotel and relax.
Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for hotel check-out and our flight transfer tomorrow.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off an aircraft; fliying approximately 3 hours. Qantas typically uses Boeing 737 aircraft on this route. Walking about 1.5 miles; paved surfaces.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will check out of our hotel and take a motorcoach to Sydney domestic airport for our flight to Alice Springs, gateway to the Red Centre. Alice Springs is located almost exactly at the geographic centre of Australia and has been a home for Aboriginal Australians for 30,000 years. Many of the physical features of the land have great cultural significance. The town, originally established in 1888 as Stuart, developed through the need for an overland telegraph line to assist Australia with its communications to the world. Today, “The Alice” is a pleasurable modern town and a major access point for the many attractions of central Australia. On arrival, we are met by our Red Centre Site Coordinator and will have an overview of Alice Springs and the Red Centre on the way to our hotel.
Lunch: At the hotel.
Afternoon: After lunch we visit the School of the Air to gain an understanding of the techniques of delivering education across the vast isolated and remote expanse of the Australian outback. We will be able to get a feel for what it is like being a student where your nearest "classmate" is hundreds of miles away. We return to our hotel and have some free time to maybe wander into town or catch up on some laundry for the remainder of the afternoon.
Dinner: At the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, we will have a BBQ dinner. As we dine a local musician will entertain us with ballads of the Australian bush. From the official Australian government website: “The bush has an iconic status in Australian life…especially as expressed in Australian literature, painting, popular music, films and foods. The bush was something that was uniquely Australian and very different to the European landscapes familiar to many new immigrants…revered as a source of national ideals.”
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: On our feet most of the morning, walking approximately 2.5 miles; well-cared-for dirt surfaces. In the afternoon getting on and off a camel, walking approximately 1 mile; fairly even surfaces, some sand.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will visit Alice Springs Desert Park where our local Site Coordinator will help us gain an understanding of the beauty and mystery of the Australian desert and the life that exists there.
Lunch: At own arrangements.
Afternoon: At the Alice Springs Telegraph Station we learn about early settlement in the remote environment. We also start to build an understanding of the relationship between the white authorities and the Aboriginal minority with a look at the Stolen Generations. We then head out of town to visit a local camel farm. Here we hop aboard these "ships of the desert" and embark on a guided camel trek. We return to our hotel and have some downtime before we head out for dinner.
Dinner: At a local restaurant, an indigenous caterer and businesswoman will introduce native Aboriginal bush foods, their traditional use, and how they are being incorporated into contemporary cuisine.
Evening: Weather permitting, a local astronomer will introduce the stars of the southern sky. We can look for the Southern Cross and other southern constellations in the clear air of Australia's Red Centre. We return to the hotel on our motorcoach.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day; fairly even surfaces, some sand.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Today we explore the Western MacDonnell Ranges. We head first to Standley Chasm — known traditionally as Angkerle Atwatye, meaning gap of water — on Aboriginal land that is part of the Iwupataka Land Trust. Standley Chasm cuts through the tough quartzite to form a picturesque natural alleyway. Surging flood waters over thousands of years are responsible for this beautiful site, which is at its most impressive on a sunny morning. As the light shifts across the cleft, we will be treated to a magnificent display of colours and forms. We will ride on to Ormiston Gorge, further enlightening us to the spectacular geology and landforms of the MacDonnell Ranges.
Lunch: At Ormiston Gorge.
Afternoon: We will walk into the Gorge where the rugged scenery is complemented by a near-permanent water hole. The water and the shelter of the rocks attract an interesting variety of native fauna and flora, including a number of relict plant species. We then travel and explore the Ochre Pits. This vividly-coloured ochre deposits has been mined for generations by the local Aboriginal people. Ochre is an important part of Aboriginal culture, used in everyday life as the raw material for painting, adorning hunting equipment and for ceremonial body decoration. We return to Alice Springs in time for dinner.
Dinner: At our hotel.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; riding on unsealed public road. Walking approximately 3-4 hours.
Breakfast: At accommodation.
Morning: We check out of our hotel and begin the drive to Watarrka National Park at Kings Canyon. En route we will pause at a roadhouse, introducing us to another aspect of life in the Red Centre.
Lunch: At Kings Creek Station.
Afternoon: After lunch, our local Site Coordinator will lead us on a walking field trip on the Kings Canyon Rim. The Rim Walk offers stunning views of the spectacular Kings Canyon. After our educational walk, we transfer to the campground and set up our campsite.
Dinner: At our campsite. While our Group Leader, local Site Coordinator, and driver have overall responsibility, we will all “muck-in” with the preparation and cleaning up afterwards.
Evening: After dinner, we will get the campfire going and relax. You can choose to sleep in your tent tonight or bring your “swag” out to sleep under the stars of the Southern Hemisphere. Prepare for packing and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Walking about 2 miles in a series of short walks; generally flat surfaces. Cycling about 7 miles around Uluru; bicycle helmets provided.
Breakfast: At our campsite.
Morning: We pack up our campsite and drive to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Cultural Centre. En route we will pause briefly at Mt Conner.
Lunch: At the National Park Cultural Centre.
Afternoon: This afternoon we explore Uluru, cycling around its base and taking in both the Mala Walk and the Kuniya and Liru Walk. This sacred Aboriginal site is truly awe-inspiring. Our Site Coordinator will explain the significance of Uluru to the local Aboriginal community. We will then ride to our hotel and check in. In the late afternoon we will take in a sunset viewing of Uluru, watching the amazing colours of the Rock as the sun sets.
Dinner: At the hotel. We will have a typical Australian BBQ with an opportunity to sample some of Australia’s more “interesting” native foods. Those who wish to can cook their own.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and flight transfer tomorrow.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off an aircraft; flight approximately 2.5 hours. Qantas typically utilises Fokker F100 aircraft on this route. Walking about 2 miles, approximately 1 hour; gently climbing surface.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will check out of our hotel, board our motorcoach and ride to Kata-Tjuta, the spectacular formation of 36 rounded domes. Kata Tjuta means “many heads” in a local language. Here we will walk up Walpa Gorge, affording wonderful views across the Outback. We will return to Uluru and undertake a dot-painting workshop introducing the methods and meanings of this ancient artform.
Lunch: At a café in the resort.
Afternoon: Next, we will ride to Ayers Rock airport and board our flight to Cairns. Cairns, on the east coast of Australia, is the most northerly city in the state of Queensland. It is always green and lush with abundant tropical plants and flowers. It is also one of Australia’s fastest-growing cities and, in addition to its role as a regional centre for dairy, timber and sugar production, it is an important tourist destination. Cairns is uniquely situated between two UNESCO World Heritage-listed areas: the Great Barrier Reef and the Wet Tropics Rainforest. Upon our arrival, we will be met by our Cairns Site Coordinator and ride to our Cairns hotel for check-in.
Dinner: At the hotel. We will have an introduction to Cairns and our local schedule.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off gondolas. Walking about 2 miles; generally flat surfaces, some stairs at cable car.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will be joined by a local expert who will give us a lecture introducing one of Cairns’ World Heritage-listed features, the Wet Tropical Rainforests of North Queensland. We will gain an understanding of the abundance of life in the tropical rainforest. We will then ride to the village of Kuranda, a mountain retreat surrounded by rainforest. Upon our arrival, we will visit the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, the largest butterfly aviary in Australia and home to many local tropical species.
Lunch: At a restaurant in Kuranda.
Afternoon: We will have some “down time” to explore Kuranda independently. We’ll then then walk to the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and take the stunning cableway journey sweeping above the canopy of the rainforest. At the Rainforest Interpretive Station, our lecturer will lead a walk on a circular track of boardwalk as we learn more about this special environment. We will then ride back to our hotel and reconvene in the hotel’s lagoon-style pool where our Site Coordinator and Group Leader will give us some practice on correct snorkeling technique in preparation for our study cruise out to the Reef tomorrow.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a large catamaran. Entering the water from a floating pontoon. Snorkels, masks, flippers, flotation jackets and lycra sun suits provided.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: A local marine biologist will join us for a lecture on the Great Barrier Reef. We will get insights into what we might see before we head out for our study cruise. We will then ride to the cruise terminal where we’ll board a vessel that will take us out to the reef, one of the true wonders of the natural world and a UNESCO-designated World Heritage Site. From the UNESCO inscription, “The Great Barrier Reef is a site of remarkable variety and beauty on the north-east coast of Australia. It contains the world’s largest collection of coral reefs, with 400 types of coral, 1,500 species of fish and 4,000 types of mollusc. It also holds great scientific interest as the habitat of species such as the dugong (“sea cow”) and the large green turtle, which are threatened with extinction.” We will snorkel among the spectacular coral reef and/or view the reef from a semi-submersible vessel.
Lunch: Aboard our vessel.
Afternoon: Our study cruise and snorkeling field trip on the Great Barrier Reef will continue. Situated in the Coral Sea, this is the world’s largest coral reef system and the biggest structure made by living organisms. It stretches more than 1,400 miles and can be seen from space. We will return to Cairns in the late afternoon.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like. The Esplanade’s wide range of restaurants is near our hotel.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off a lagoon boat. Walking about 2 miles; undulating pathways.
Breakfast: We will leave the hotel early and ride to a local crocodile farm where we have will have breakfast overlooking the lagoon.
Morning: A local expert will give us an introduction to the crocodile population as we cruise on the lagoon. We then go on an expert-led walking field trip and learn about the evolution of Australian wildlife in a beautiful forest setting surrounded by living descendants of Australia’s ancient past. We will depart the crocodile farm and head to a local beach.
Lunch: At the beach we have a sausage sizzle.
Afternoon: This afternoon with our local Site Coordinator, we will explore the coast en route to Cairns. Returning to our hotel, we have some down time before dinner.
Dinner: At the hotel. Share favorite experiences and enjoy camaraderie with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for hotel check-out and flight transfer tomorrow.
Activity note: Walking and other free time activities according to personal choice. Getting on/off a motorcoach. Getting on/off an aircraft; the flight from Cairns to Sydney is approximately 3 hours. Qantas typically uses Qantas 737 aircraft on this route.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Free time. Take this opportunity to see and do more of what interests you most, whether exploring Cairns or final packing. We will regroup together at the hotel in the late morning and ride to the airport for our lunchtime flight to Sydney.
Lunch: On your own although a light snack will be served on your flight.
Afternoon: Upon our arrival in Sydney, we coach to our airport hotel in the safe hands of our Group Leader.
Dinner: At our Sydney airport hotel, we have pre-ordered, plated meals.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for hotel check-out and departure tomorrow.
Activity note: Hotel check out is by 10:00 a.m. Participants can make the two-minute walk to the international terminal independently.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: After checking out of the hotel, we will make our way independently to Sydney Airport international terminal, a walk of two minutes, and check in to our departing flights. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!