Suzy Mercien-Ferol's 21-day Australia Itinerary
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Suzy Mercien-Ferol is a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List, a collection of the top travel advisors in the world, and can help plan your perfect getaway. Below is an example of the type of itineraries she creates. To work with Suzy, you can contact her directly at [email protected].
Day 1: Arrive in Sydney
Join for a welcome cocktail hour at Sydney Harbor, one of the most beautiful natural harbors in the world, aboard the stunning 122-foot Ghost II yacht.
Stay
Park Hyatt Sydney
Day 2: Sydney
Take a tour of the city: see the historic Rocks area, the colonial architecture of Macquarie Street, and the glamorous Eastern Suburbs. Visit Bondi Beach and walk part of the famous Bondi Cliffwalk, with spectacular ocean views. Following lunch overlooking the beach, board a private Jetboat at Rose Bay Wharf for a high-speed race to Circular Quay, where you'll transfer to the Bridgclimb base for a twilight climb of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Stay
Park Hyatt Sydney
Day 3: Blue Mountains
Any trip to Sydney cannot be complete without a visit to the Blue Mountains — and the best way to get there is by helicopter. Leave the city behind to see some of the best parts of Australia as you venture off the beaten track and experience the heart of the World Heritage Blue Mountains. After arrival back in Sydney, have dinner at fine dining favorite Quay, set in the heart of Syndey Harbor.
Stay
Park Hyatt Sydney
Day 4: Canberra and Hobart
Board the stylish Falcon 900 private jet, which boasts 14 seats over three cabins; the rear zone contains two divans which can be converted into two beds. Touch down in Canberra for a tour that explores the political and cultural side of Australia, stopping at the National Museum of Australia, National Gallery of Australia, and the Australian War Memorial.
Afterward, fly to Hobart, Tasmania, for a stay at Saffire Freycinet Lodge. In the evening, don a pair of waders and visit a working oyster farm.
Stay
Saffire Freycinet Lodge
Day 5: Hobart
Explore iconic Wineglass Bay on a guided 5km walk, taking you to the crystal white sands and azure waters of South Hazards beach for a picnic. Transfer back to the resort before your Tasmanian Devil Experience, which offers you the rare
opportunity to encounter Tasmanian devils in a natural setting.
Stay
Saffire Freycinet Lodge
Day 6: Port Arthur and Bruny Island
Take a helicopter transfer to Port Arthur. Take the opportunity to experience the rich history of early English settlement and convict life on your private Port Arthur Private Tour. Enjoy morning tea surrounded by history in the Magistrate's House. Afterward, transfer to Bruny Island for a wilderness cruise. Enter deep sea caves and feel the power of nature at the point where the Tasman Sea meets the might of the Southern Ocean. Transfer back to Hobart.
Stay
Saffire Freycinet Lodge
Day 7: Hobart and Kangaroo Island
Take a helicopter to visit the Museum of Old and New Art, or MONA, Australia's largest private museum and one of the most controversial private collections of modern art and antiquities in the world. After lunch, board your private ferry for a harbor cruise and tour of Hobart. Transfer by private jet to Southern Ocean Lodge and Kangaroo Island.
Stay
Southern Ocean Lodge
Day 8: Kangaroo Island
Take a sunrise tour of Seal Bay Conservation Park before taking a half-day exploring the wonders of Kangaroo Island and Flinders Chase National Park — a wilderness covering nearly 200,000 acres. In the evening, soak up the history of the early island settlers at Grassdale, a historic island property reached by a short drive from the Lodge where local wildlife (including kangaroos and wallabies) congregate to graze. Observe these creatures in their natural environment, sip on premium South Australian beverages and nibble on a canapé whilst enjoying the sunset.
Stay
Southern Ocean Lodge
Day 9: Kangaroo Island
Tour the North Coast of Kangaroo Island and Lathami Conservation Park, which has been set aside to protect the feeding and breeding habit of the critically endangered glossy black cockatoo; it is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, such as the Tammar wallaby, Kangaroo Island kangaroo, echidnas, and goannas. Later, take the opportunity to swim with wild
bottlenose dolphins in shallow and protected waters in an experience that will take your breath away.
Stay
Southern Ocean Lodge
Day 10: Adelaide and Barossa Valley
Transfer to airport for a private jet flight to Adelaide. Tour the wine estates of the Penfolds before taking a scenic drive to Barossa Valley, where you'll stay at The Louise, one of the best inns in South Australia, and dine at the property's destination restaurant, Appellation. Take an exclusive tour of the Seppeltsfield estate.
Stay
The Louise
Day 11: Coober Pedy and Uluru
Take a desert cave tour at Coober Pedy to see a working opal field and learn about opal mining methods. Fly to Uluru, where you will stay at the majestic Longitude 131°. Facing majestic Uluru, the property commands spectacular views of the Outback and the World Heritage listed wilderness of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Take a sunset walk to Kantju Gorge.
Stay
Longitude 131°
Day 12: Uluru
Depart for a sunrise tour of Walpa Gorge before spending the day at leisure. With dinner at Table 131°, you can try sumptuous outback fare and discover the wonders of the southern night sky. As you arrive to your dinner setting,
enjoy canapés and cocktail before an performance of traditional indigenous dance.
Stay
Longitude 131°
Day 13: Uluru
Enjoy a visit to Mulgara Gallery to see authentic Aboriginal art and meet the artist in residence. After lunch, we make our way south of Uluru to the homelands of the land's traditional owners, making various stops along the route to hear and experience how life once was and where it is today. Enjoy afternoon tea as you chat around the fireplace with an Aboriginal guide.
Stay
Longitude 131°
Day 14: Kimberley
On the way to Kimberley, take a river cruise of Chamberlain Gorge, where you can enjoy the diverse fora and fauna; resident Rock Wallabies, Johnston Crocodiles, and the always cheeky Archer Fish are familiar inhabitants of the gorge. Arrive at Kimberley and the El Questro Homestead. Exclusive use of Zebedee Springs is offered to Homestead guests every afternoon; a short walk through dense, tropical vegetation reveals a series of thermal pools and small waterfalls.
Stay
El Questro Homestead
Day 15: Purnululu National Park
Departing El Questro in our Cessna 208 Gran Caravan you will take in views of the Carboyd Range and Lake Argyle before landing at Purnululu National Park, home to the Bungle Bungle Range. Meet your local tour guide who will take you on this amazing journey in the Purnululu National Park. Enjoy a picnic lunch in the gorge at the bush camp.
Stay
El Questro Homestead
Day 16: Paspaley Pearl Farm
Depart Kununurra this morning on the Paspaley Grumman Mallard seaplane for a 1 hour flight over the King George Falls to
Vansittart Bay, where your exclusive access to the Paspaley Pearl Farm begins.Start off with some morning tea before entering into the world of Paspaley — a rare opportunity to witness one of Paspaley’s pearl farms. Discover the pearl farming process and the techniques used to produce the world’s rarest and most valuable pearls. Lunch will be on board the famous MV Paspaley 4, their most advanced pearling vessel, working in the remote pearl farms off Australia’s north west.
After lunch, visit Jar Island for an Aboriginal Art and history tour before flying back to El Questro by late afternoon.
Stay
El Questro Homestead
Day 17: Hamilton Island
Head to the stunning Whitsunday Islands in Queensland, where you can visit the famous wildlife park and even cuddle a Koala. You will stay at the luxurious Qualia Island Resort, situated on the secluded northern-most tip of Hamilton Island surrounded by all the splendor of the Great Barrier Reef.
Stay
Qualia Island Resort
Day 18: The Whitsundays
Take to the skies over the Great Barrier Reef and the amazing Heart Reef, and experience a seaplane water landing on Whitehaven Beach, where you can enjoy the sand and sun. Then take to the ocean on Qualia's exclusive private charter motor yacht. Explore nearby beaches and waterways, including famous Whitehaven Beach, Chalkies Beach,
Langford Island and Hill Inlet.
Stay
Qualia Island Resort
Day 19: Hamilton Island
Spend the day at leisure exploring Qualia. Facilities include two serene pools, a library, private dining room, two bars and restaurants, a state-of-the-art spa, and a fitness center.
Stay
Qualia Island Resort
Day 20: Sydney
Fly to Sydney for a private tour of the Paspaley Pearl Room. Tour the iconic Opera House before a celebration dinner at its iconic onsite restaurant, Bennelong.
Stay
Four Seasons Hotel Sydney
Day 21: Depart from Sydney
Transfer to airport for your flight home.