Grand Australia Tour
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Overview
Highlights
- Discover Great Australia
- Experience Australia’s Aboriginal people, learn to paint Outback-style, taste fair-dink (genuine) bush tucker
- Experience visiting Ayer's Rock, Uluru
- See the Great Barrier Reef up close, this is one of the most stunning experiences
- Enjoy the shops of Kuranda and enjoy the Market
- Explore massive Sydney
- Visit amazing Bondi Beach is one of the most famous beaches in the world
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- Superior Tourist Budget Hotel Accommodation:2 Nights Ayer's Rock featuring the Desert Gardens Hotel; 3 Nights Cairns; 2 Nights Sydney
- Services of our Professional Story Tour Captain®
- Services of our local Expert Guides
- Comfortable Small Group Touring Vehicle with air-conditioning (no big buses)
- All admissions and sightseeing in Ayer's Rock the Outback as defined on the itinerary including:
- Orientation Walk in Ayer's Rock Resort
- Special Story Reception in Ayer's Rock
- Ayer's Rock Outback Tour
- Option: Upgrade to experience The Field of Light Award-Winning Experience under the Southern Hemisphere: $425.00 per person.
- Morning Sunrise at the Rock Experience
- All admissions and sightseeing in Cairns and the Great Barrier Reef as defined on the itinerary including:
- Orientation Walk in Cairns
- Story Exclusive: Great Barrier Reef Private Sailing & Snorkeling on the Outer Reef
- Smorgasbord Lunch on the Great Barrier Reef Craft
- All admissions and sightseeing in Sydney as defined on the itinerary including:
- Sydney Orientation Walk
- Option: Upgrade to experience this Story Exclusive: Reception and Dinner on our Private Boat on Sydney Harbour: $375.00 per person.
- Sightseeing Immersion Tour of Sydney: From the Rocks to Bondi and Back
- We Never Upsell while On Tour.
- See any of the mainstream tour operator itineraries to Australia and you will see very quickly how their "tour directors" make extra revenue.
- Customary Gratuities Included. Optional gratuities for your Tour Captain are at your discretion.
- Off-the-Beaten-Path and unique Restaurants throughout the itinerary.
- Unique restaurants that are designed for discerning diners, not big tour groups.
- Daily Breakfast, 1 Lunch & 1 Dinner per itinerary. Our dinners are at real restaurants (not buffets at the hotels).
- Enjoy a special Reception at Ayer's Rock
- Welcome Dinner in Ayer's Rock
- Option: Upgrade to our Welcome Dinner in Cairns
- Option: Upgrade to our Onboard Dinner on Sydney Harbour for $365 per person.
- Upgrade to four (4) total dinners included for $525 per person.
- Portage Included through your Tour except during required air flights (due to security requirements). You may have surcharges for carry-ons or overweight luggage.
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Itinerary
Depart Your Home Airport on your Trans-Pacific flight to Australia ~ Flight not included, but inquire for the special fare with our Air Service.
Please Note: "Day 1" is the published tour date and is the date you will arrange your air travel to depart your home...
This day will be "lost" as we cross the International Dateline. We will regain this day on our return.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Sails in the Desert at Ayer's Rock Resort, 2 Nights; Super Budget Accommodation: Desert Gardens, 2 Nights
All guests will enjoy a wonderful dinner in Australia.
Orientation Walkabout: At 4:00 pm, join your Tour Captain for an Orientation Walkabout of the Resort.
Join your Tour Captain for our included Welcome Dinner at Ayer's Rock Resort — this is truly one of the most beautiful places in the world — welcome to Australia!
Our approach to dining is truly unique: Our favorites dishes represent the region we're traveling...
There is a difference between centrally-located hotels and Story Land & Sea's Heart of City hotels.
Meals: Breakfast
star icon Story Exclusive: Sounds of Silence Dinner. Super Budget Travelers: Opt to add this fantastic experience.
City: Ayer's Rock
State/Territory: Northern Territory
Welcome To The Outback
This morning you will ...
Your journey begins on a lone sand dune. A path takes you to an uninterrupted, three hundred and sixty-degree view of this vast landscape. In front of you is the fabled Uluru; behind you are the domes of Kata Tjuta and, possibly the most spectacular sunset and evening sky you have ever seen. But that's not all...enjoy the magical "field of Light" presentation.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Shangri-La Hotel's Harbour Club Rooms or similar, 3 Nights; Cairns Plaza Hotel or similar, 3 Nights
Super Budget Travelers: Opt to add tonight's dining experience.
At dawn, we arrive the literal "Red Center of Australia." Get ready for something, unlike anything you've experienced from the Rock to the Southern Hemisphere.
We depart before sunrise for Ayer's Rock, Uluru to the Aboriginal people. Enjoy an impressive display of color as the sun rises. It's a brisk morning, but well worth it to experience Ayer's Rock up close with its own brilliant display of colors. Enjoy a continental br...
Welcome to Tropical Far North Queensland. Welcome to Cairns, where the rainforest meets the reef. Upon arrival, we transfer to our hotel and freshen up before a Queensland welcome dinner with your Tour Captain.
Queenslander, now Story Land & Sea, Tours' name was inspired as a result of the adventures our founder experienced while exploring Queensland's natural beauty and delightful people.
Meals: Lunch
Exclusives: Private Sailing & Snorkelling on the Outer Reef
After breakfast, on our first full day in Queensland, we are all off to see the Great Barrier Reef up close. This is one of the most stunning experiences on our tour and we enjo...
Meal: Dinner
Super Budget Travellers: Opt to add tonight's dining experience.
Enjoy a completely free day in Queensland today or opt to explore the rainforest called Kuranda.
Take your time. Enjoy just being in this amazing country. We have some optional activities that you may want to consider
Accommodation: Harbour Rocks Hotel, Intercontinental or similar, 2 Nights; Super Budget: Travelodge Wynyard or similar, 2 Nights
Exclusives: Sunset Cruise Dinner. Super Budget Travelers: Opt to add tonight's special dining experience.
State: New South Wa...
After breakfast, meet the Tour Captain and then enjoy our included sightseeing experience of Sydney, Australia. From the "Rocks District" to Bondi Beach, we enjoy an immersion in everything Sydney. Sydney-Siders, as they're called, are a warm people for such a cosmopo...
Meals: Breakfast
Options Today: Departure To USA
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with STORY Land & Sea (Ceased Operations).
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
STORY Land & Sea (Ceased Operations) Reviews & Ratings
Other STORY Land & Sea (Ceased Operations) Reviews
BAD
This company knew we weren't going to be able to take our trip to Italy in May of 2021, yet they led us on, took our money and refunded NOTHING !!! BAD CUSTOMER SE...
Unscrupulous
This company went bankrupt and we lost $20,000 we didn’t get one penny back. They didn’t even have the decency to contact you by phone. They just sent out an email. ...
Marie
Jul 2020
This was the trip of a lifetime
was taken care of. This was the trip of a lifetime and can't say enough about how wonderful this trip was. Tour directors, Jodie, Ryane and trainees Ann & Lisa ...
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Tour Operator
Our History
Mark Story, the founder of QueensLander, now Story Land & Sea®, began leading and hosting groups of people on tours and cruises starting in 1988. After many successful years of creating exciting group adventures as a part-time proprietor, Mark expanded the company to a full-time operation in 2003. When you travel with Story Land & Sea® your travel event is covered by our Tour Operator Professional Liability Insurance which includes a 1 million dollar "Errors & Omissions" policy. We require proof of liability coverage from our partner suppliers as an extra means of protection.
We choose to offer our guests only the finest in quality Italian hotels, and clean, comfortable economy hotels on certain itineraries. We offer select and a la carte dining in off-the-beaten-path restaurants owned and operated by Italian. We provide unique entertainment in the Italian cities and feature more admissions than other leading tour operators as well as gratuities on most of our Story branded travel events. We've found that our guests prefer our gratuities for our Tour Captains to remain optional and therefore they are at your discretion. Every trip is under the guidance of your travel host, the Story Land & Sea® Tour Captain. Your Captain is there to ensure your Italy tour is truly the vacation of a lifetime. They are friendly, service-driven professionals who care about your satisfaction throughout Italy!
By going the extra mile in providing outstanding service, knowledgeable guides, great menus and amenities, we believe you'll come back to us again and again.
Compare us with the larger companies and you'll see the Story Land & Sea® difference: personal service, genuine caring individuals who go the extra mile...we call it, "The Story Way."
I'd like to know more about your experiences in travel both with us and with other companies. Please drop me a line at Mark @ StoryLandSea . com (no spaces).
A Family of Brands
In addition to our luxury brand, Story Land & Sea®, we also operate Savvy Affordable Tours®, Walks by Story®, and premiering in 2017, Story Africa® and in 2018, Story Small Ships®.
Why should I go with Story Land & Sea® over other leading brand names?
Other than the size of our group, the variety in our itineraries, the location in the Italian cities and quality of our hotels, the type of Italian dinners we include and the service-driven nature of our tour Italian and American staff...hmm, what else is there? Oh yeah! You'll never be on a large bus, you'll never scamper after your tour director who is 40 plus people ahead of you, and you'll always be treated as our guest throughout your Italian vacation.
Our Philosophy is Service-Driven
We strive to provide a personal service unmatched in the Italy touring industry. From our pre-trip conversations and consultation, to on-tour experience in Italy, and to our follow-up after the tour: service-driven is our goal.
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Logistics
What's excluded
- Our Airport Arrival Transfer into Melbourne or Ayer's Rock Resort is $69 per person, 2 guest minimum.
- Our Departure Airport Transfer is $59 per person, 2 guest minimum.
- Portage Included through your Tour except during required air flights (due to security requirements). You may have surcharges for carry-ons or overweight luggage.
Should you or any member of your party need to cancel your booking or any part of it once it has been confirmed, you must immediately advise us in WRITING by email or hardcopy, and you must confirm our receipt of same. Cancellation charges are payable as set out below except where otherwise stated. These charges are calculated from the date the written notice of cancellation is received by Story Land & Sea. Travel Protection Plan premiums and amendment charges are non-refundable in the event of your cancellation.
Cancellations are very costly and usually do not occur in time for resale of the cancelled travel event. If cancellation in writing is received by Story Land & Sea more than 90 days prior to travel departure date (or 120 days for certain travel events), the deposit will be returned.
For cancellations received within 90 days of departure date, the following per person cancellation fees apply:
89-71 days prior to travel departure date: 65% of total price;
70-31 days prior to travel departure date: 90% of total price;
30 days to departure day or later: 100% of total price;
Ask us about travel and cancellation insurance.
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