Journey Down Under - Australia
Program Dates: Session 1: June 25 - July 9, 2025 | Session 2: July 2 - 16, 2025
Day by Day Itinerary
Day 1,2 - Overnight Flight
Board your flight bound for Australia. En route you will cross the international dateline.
Day 3 - Sydney
Arrive in Sydney. Meet your Travel Director and transfer in to the city for an introductory guided visit. From Mrs. Macquarie’s chair, you’ll have a superb panoramic view of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. Drive past the Art Gallery of NSW, the Royal Botanic Gardens, the impressive façade of the Sydney Town Hall. Enjoy a stroll around Darling Harbour before continuing to your hotel.
Day 4 - Sydney
Learn about the fascinating history and architecture of the iconic Sydney Opera House on a guided tour. Joern Utzon, the Danish architect whose design for the Opera House was selected during an international competition, ascribed the inspiration for his masterpiece to the sails of yachts on the harbor. Continue to the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG), the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team for a guided visit of the stadium and museum. Today’s lunch is an Aussie favorite, often enjoyed at sporting events, Meat Pie & Chips (fries). After lunch meet your coach for training and learn how to play cricket, the most popular national sport.
Day 5 - Sydney
This morning drive to the famous Bondi Beach, filled with surfers and locals enjoying the laid back Sydney lifestyle. Meet a team of passionate and experienced Surf Instructors for you surfing lesson. Afterwards there will be plenty of time to spend on the beach. Later, return back to the city via Paddington, a Victorian suburb of restored terrace houses richly decorated with cast-iron lace. In the evening, enjoy a dinner cruise on Sydney Harbour.
Did You Know?
Sydney Opera House is cooled using sea water taken directly from the harbor. The system circulates cold water from the harbor through about 20 miles of pipes to power both the heating and air conditioning in the building. With its white, sculptural 'shells' rising from the harbor at Bennelong Point, it is Sydney's most recognizable building and one of the seven wonders of the 20th century.
Day 6 - Sydney
This morning drive to the Blue Mountains, following the trail of Australia’s early explorers as the bus ascends into the Blue Mountains National Park passing the historic townships of Blaxland, Springwood, Lawson and Wentworth Falls. Arrive at the Blackheath trail head to start your Grand Canyon hike through the remote wilderness, ancient rainforest, deep gorges and canyons. The views are fantastic. In the afternoon return to Sydney with a stop at Featherdale Wildlife Park Zoo to see some Australian native wildlife. Evening walk around Darling Harbour.
Day 7 - Coffs Harbour
After breakfast drive north towards Coffs Harbour. En route, stop at Port Macquarie to visit the Koala Hospital which was established in 1973 and is a licensed wildlife rehabilitation facility. Its mission is to lead the world in the care and conservation of wild koalas, to increase knowledge and understanding of the species and to work collaboratively to ensure their survival into the future. Following the visit, continue to Coffs Harbour for the overnight.
Day 8 - Gold Coast
Drive further north to the Gold Coast located in the state of Queensland. There will be a stop at the popular town of Byron Bay, home to Australia's most easterly point and the iconic Cape Byron lighthouse. In the afternoon, arrive at Surfers Paradise, a coastal town and suburb in the City of Gold Coast.
Day 9 - Bundaberg
After breakfast, continue traveling north up to the historic sugar cane city of Bundaberg, the southern most gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. After dinner enjoy an evening stroll around the town.
Did you Know
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living thing on Earth and is visible from space. It is thought to be as much as 20,000,000 years old.
Day 10 - Bundaberg
Enjoy an unforgettable excursion today to the Great Barrier Reef. Take a boat to Lady Musgrove Island where you will snorkel in the sheltered waters with marine animals such as turtles, manta rays and clownfish. Return to Bundaberg at the end of the excursion.
Day 11 - Bundaberg
Visit the Mon Repos Turtle Center which supports the largest concentration of nesting marine turtles on the eastern Australian mainland. Learn all about these extraordinary animals and the conservation and research programs that are protecting them. Continue with a guided tour of the Botanical Gardens with its 27 hectares of land and 10,000 trees. Highlights include a magnificent lake which is home to 114 species of birds and wonderful paths that lead you to the hidden Japanese Gardens and Chinese Gardens.
Days 12-13 - Myella Farm
This morning drive to Baralaba where you will spend the next two nights in the outback at a cattle station. Myella is a beef cattle farm owned by a family whose descendants have farmed in the area for over 100 years. During your stay, participate in the actual daily chores of the farm which may include tasks such as fence repairs, cleaning water troughs and assisting with animal handling. Spend the evenings chatting about your experiences around the campfire with the beautiful outback sunset in the background.
Day 14 - Brisbane
Bid farewell to your farm hosts as you drive to Brisbane, Australia’s third largest city and the capital of the state of Queensland. Brisbane enjoys almost 300 days of sunshine a year. You will see its meandering rivers, parks, gardens, the beautiful Moreton Bay, Parliament House and the Anzac Square War Memorial.
Day 15 - Departure Day
Transfer to the airport for your group return flight to USA. You’ll gain back the day you ”lost” as you cross the international date line again - likely landing in the United States before you left Australia!
Join this Program!
Students will join other teens from across the United States, accompanied by experienced, passionate and globally-minded U.S. certified educators. These inspiring leaders guide, nurture and mentor students on their journey to Global Citizenship.
What’s Included:
Roundtrip Airfare
Accommodations
Teacher Leaders
Full Time Local Program Director
Transportation to Included Activities
Breakfast and Dinner Daily
All Attractions and Activities
Guided Sightseeing by Local Expert Guides
All Tips and Gratuities
24-Hour Support
All Taxes and Fees
Global Citizen Certificate
Pre-Travel Preparation Meetings and Seminars
