Most of the Coast: Sydney to Cairns
Experience Overview
Now's the time to explore Australia on your terms with this tour that's affordable for young travellers. Turn your "must-do" list into "been there, done all of that" on this 16-day tour up Australia’s East Coast. This classic Sydney-to-Cairns route introduces you to both sides of modern Australia — the bright lights of the big city and the raw beauty of the rugged coastline. You’ll get to try your hand at everything from surfing to sailing and snorkelling. And when you travel in small groups, you'll get to meet the locals and experience their land as they do. That amazing new frontier you’ve been looking for? Here it is.
Highlights
- Learn to surf at Spot X Surf Camp
- Bliss out in famous Byron Bay
- Learn about Indigenous culture on an overnight stay on K'gari (Fraser Island)
Trip Details
Product Code: 8792
Tour Type: Small Group
Accommodation: Basic
Transport: Private vehicle, train, maxi yacht, 4x4 vehicle, ferry, walking, bus
Guide Language: English
Tour Operator:
G Adventures
Supplier Code: OASC.B
Starts: Sydney, Australia
Finishes: Cairns, Australia
Duration: 16 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Average
Includes
Activities
- Your Welcome Moment: Welcome Moment - Meet Your CEO and Group Your First Night Out Moment: Connect With New Friends Your Hands-On Moment: Surfing Lesson, Spot X Your Discover Moment: Byron Bay Your Discover Moment: Cairns Your Big Night Out Moment: Cairns
- Sydney orientation walk
- Beach time in Byron Bay
- Kangaroo trek
- K'gari overnight experience
- K'gari Welcome Ceremony
- 4x4 Adventure on K'gari
- Entrance fees to Cooloola Recreation Area in Great Sandy NP
- Whitsunday full day sailing excursion
- Whitehaven Beach visit
- All transport between destinations and to/from included activities
Accommodation
- Hostels (13 nts, multi-share with 4-8 people), overnight train (1 nt), maxi yacht (1 nts, open cabin multi-share) All nights are multi-share on this trip.
- 6 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 4 dinners
Transport
- Private vehicle, train, maxi yacht, 4x4 vehicle, ferry, walking, bus
Group Leader
- CEO (Chief Experience Officer) throughout, local guides.
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,449 ($278 /day)
Itinerary
Day 1: Sydney
Arrive at any time.
There's nothing quite like a night out to get people comfortable with one another. Hit up Side Bar, connected to where you will be staying at the Wake Up Hostel in Sydney. This is the liveliest bar around, sporting a huge young and local crowd. There's always non-stop action with the entertainment so get ready to have a few drinks, let your hair down, and dance until you drop!
There are no planned activities during the day, so check into the hotel and explore the city.
If you arrive early enough, head down to the harbour's edge to 'The Rocks' historic area.
Day 2: Sydney
Immerse yourself in all things Sydney with a free day to explore the oldest and biggest Australian city. Glide along the harbour on a ferry and gaze at the white sails of the Opera House gleaming in the sun. Get lost as you wander the narrow, cobbled laneways and take in Sydney's fabled history. Catch some rays on the sand at Bondi Beach or duck out of your comfort zone and surf the green-barrel breaks just off shore, and perhaps treat yourself to a scenic flyover tour of the city. The choice is yours so get as adventurous as you like in the "Land Down Under"!
Day 3: Sydney/Arrawarra
It's all aboard today as you take the train north to Coffs Harbour. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the views. After pulling into Coffs Harbour station, the group will travel to Spot X Surf Camp, our base for the next few days.
Day 4: Arrawarra
As the sun rises along the ocean hit the beach for an included surf lesson with Spot X. Located in one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the country they are completely devoted to the surf lifestyle.
Spend some time in the sun and laughing in the waves with your travel tribe before heading out on a kangaroo trek. Then it's time for a free afternoon to enjoy your surroundings. Soak up views of Solitary Islands Marine Park, embark on a rockpool scramble to look for fish traps and sea creatures, or wander over to Mullawarra beach for a picnic. Your only real job today is to have fun!
Day 5: Arrawarra/Byron Bay
Adventure through lush national parks, stunning beaches, rolling green hills, and small but vibrant towns full of charm and authentic Australian culture as the group drives from Arrawarra to Byron Bay. Grab lunch in the surf and arts town of Byron Bay, before walking to Cape Byron Lighthouse to see the easternmost point in the country. If luck is on your side you may glimpse migrating whales and pods of resident dolphins.
Travel the coastal road to the stunning surf and arts town of Byron Bay. Enjoy plenty of free time to experience the hippie surfing town.
Day 6: Byron Bay
Welcome to Byron Bay… the city of surfing and sunbathing! The day is yours to explore; walk along hidden beaches, play in the surf, grab a massage. Want to get your adrenaline pumping? Go skydiving, try sea kayaking, or go on a dolphin watch.
At the end of it all hop on that surfboard for one last ride because as the locals say, “You haven't surfed until you've surfed Byron Man!"
Opt to pre-book the "Byron Bay Ocean Kayaking" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Day 7: Byron Bay/Brisbane
Venture north with your group to the capital of Queensland; Brisbane. Pass by national parks, mountains, surfy enclaves, and endless stretches of sand bordering brilliant blue water. Then, stretch those legs one final time on an included walk at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre. Nestled amongst eucalyptus trees, the centre features multi-level viewing of the resident rescue koalas and interactive educational displays, making it a unique place to learn about koalas and their conservation. Tonight, experience a night out with the group in Queensland's capital.
Day 8: Brisbane/K'gari (Fraser Island)
An early rise today starts your journey to K'gari (Fraser Island) World Heritage Area. Upon arrival to the largest sand island in the world, you will go through a traditional welcome by the Butchulla people, setting the tone for what's to come. After the welcome ceremony, get straight into the 4WD adventure. Swim in Boorangoora (Lake Mckenzie), hike beneath the amazing rainforest and walk along the beach during sunset. At night, sit around the campfire with your new found friends.
This unique stay on K'gari is hosted by the Traditional Owners of the land who are keen to share their experiences with you and welcome you. This is an incredibly unique experience and a thrilling opportunity to gain insight into Australia's Indigenous culture-both past and present.
Day 9: K'gari (Fraser Island)/Noosa
Today you'll climb sand dunes, see the Maheno shipwreck and swim in the crystal clear Eli Creek that pumps millions of litres of spring-fed fresh water into the ocean every hour. In the afternoon, say goodbye to K'gari and head to your next beachy destination, Noosa.
Day 10: Noosa
Picture rocky coast against perfect turquoise water. Now head out with your CEO and see it first hand. Catch the ferry and start your easy hike in Noosa National Park along the waterways to end up at the secluded beach, Hell's Gate. While it sounds intimidating, it is well worth it, and really quite spectacular. Keep your eye out for koalas along the hike too. Enjoy the afternoon free in Noosa. Opt to get lunch on Hastings Street and enjoy some relaxing beach time or rent a surfboard. Then take the ferry back before dinner.
Day 11: Noosa/Airlie Beach
Enjoy a free day in cute beachfront town of Noosa! Do some shopping along Hasting Street in search of souvenirs, have a coffee on the beach, or go for a surf. Many consider Noosa to be the best place for surfing in all of Australia. You can also choose to spend time back at the hostel or participate in some of the optional activities offered in the area. In the afternoon, we'll pack our bags and head to the train station. Tonight we sleep on an overnight train as we head north to some of the most beautiful parts of the country. Fall asleep in Noosa and wake up by the Whitsundays!
Day 12: Airlie Beach
Hop off the train and board a bus for a short ride to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier reef. After dropping your bags, do your thing in Airlie Beach. Relax on a gorgeous beach, take a day trip to the Great Barrier Reef or get some shopping in on the town. Airlie Beach is your oyster.
Day 13: Whitsunday Islands/Airlie Beach
Get ready for an amazing day at sea! Today, we'll climb aboard an ocean raft and zoom around the wispy turquoise waters. With time to snorkel, go on bushwalks, and chill on the beach, today will be as close to perfect as one can get.
Day 14: Airlie Beach/Cairns
With an early morning departure, admire the scenery on the bus ride north to Cairns. We'll make a few pit stops along the way to stretch your legs, see some sights and check out some of Australia big things!
Day 15: Cairns
Cairns is quite the place to visit if you love warm weather (it would be headline news for the city's temperature to drop much below 20°C (68°F)) and want to visit the Great Barrier Reef. Take advantage of a free day to book one of the many optional activities that will get you out in nature's playground. Snorkel in the Great Barrier Reef, get that adrenaline pumping by whitewater rafting or skydiving and cap it all off on a Big Night Out in Cairns with your fellow travellers. Drinks all around are well deserved after spending the day escaping your comfort zones.
Opt to pre-book the "Great Barrier Reef Snorkelling" activity on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.
Day 16: Cairns
Depart at any time.
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Tour Operator
G Adventures
G Adventures is an operator of small-group escorted tours. It is based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada with 28 offices worldwide. It offers more than 700 itineraries in more than 100 countries, and carries 200,000 travelers from 160 countries each year.
In Business Since 1990
Reviews
Fabienne C. - Traveled, December 2023
-really good organisation -you do not have to care about transportation, booking hostels etc. -highly recommended if you are solotraveller as most people on the tour are solo too
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/25/2023
Lisa-Marie S. - Traveled, December 2023
Very good organization, great CEO
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/25/2023
Helena R. - Traveled, December 2023
I managed to do so much in such a short space of time.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/25/2023
Rebecca P. - Traveled, December 2023
it's an experience like nothing else, you get to meet so many new people and go places that are amazing
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/25/2023
Marina L. - Traveled, November 2023
Great overall experience, G Adventures made this trip happen as promised!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Lewis M. - Traveled, November 2023
Our CEO Lauren was incredible. I couldn't have asked for a better tour guide for my first solo trip. She made dealing with the cyclone , lost passports and bags look effortless and remained positive throughout. I really enjoyed how she changed her communication to suit the group with daily briefings, WhatsApp messages and visual aids too. Her recommendations were all 10/10. I would recommend anyone to book a tour with G , purely based on Lauren - the tour itself was a bonus!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Sem v. - Traveled, October 2023
You don't have to think where you going and what time you have to be somewhere and to book a staying. Everything is fixed. And then you stay with a group who is there for the same reason as you: having fun on the trip
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Timothy S. - Traveled, December 2023
Through my travels were disrupted due to severe weather conditions (cyclone Jasper). Your team responded superbly. Booking a flight to allow us to see the Whitsundays went beyond what expectations i had and was very appreciated by myself. I found Lauren Quittner your employee, to be utterly professional in some very testing situations due to the weather. In what must of been stressful situation for her , to be so helpful with everyone's questions regarding rearranging flights, what activities we could still do, and places to eat. She was always very cheerful and insightful. I think she is a real credit to your company. And for such a young age very mature. And deserves a a lot of credit for helping us all have a great time. I hope you can reward her for her efforts ! Thank you Tim Stafford
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Kiera P. - Traveled, November 2023
I had a great experience with them. When the changes to our itinerary due to the cyclone, they managed to rebook all 20 of us on a last minute flight.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Charlotte M. - Traveled, December 2023
The ease of being able to book and communicate plans and using the app
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Marina L. - Traveled, November 2023
Great overall experience, G Adventures made this trip happen as promised!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Kiera P. - Traveled, November 2023
I had a great experience with them. When the changes to our itinerary due to the cyclone, they managed to rebook all 20 of us on a last minute flight.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/18/2023
Jana G. - Traveled, November 2023
Really good guide, cool activities, different styles of traveling, visited beautiful places
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/11/2023
Philipp B. - Traveled, November 2023
Great itinerary which was very well guided by our CEO Tamar. Travelling within a group of amazing people from all over the world was the cherry on the cake
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/11/2023
Ëgnes E. - Traveled, November 2023
Because it was a well organized trip
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/11/2023
Noa G. - Traveled, November 2023
My tour guide, Tamar, was incredible! She had all the answers to any questions we had and made our trip memorable and very fun
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/11/2023
Mikkeline S. - Traveled, November 2023
I liked it overall, our guide was good and there was control over it. I felt really save with her.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/04/2023
Lorena G. - Traveled, November 2023
I would recommend it to someone who wants to travel with a group and isn',t very interested in organising and planing. But you have to be flexible and you can't choose where to stay longer if you like a place. Also it may be a bit more expensive then traveling alone.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/04/2023
Michael Lyhne L. - Traveled, November 2023
I like to travel solo, but not alone. G Adventures provides a great way of traveling safe all over the world. You meet people with similar interests and age as you. Soon they'don't feel like strangers anymore and even some friendships form.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/27/2023
Benjamin H. - Traveled, October 2023
The amazing tour guides.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/27/2023
Michael A. - Traveled, November 2023
The ease of turning up and having everything planned for you. Not having to think about what you are doing, where or what time to go, the CEO keeps you fully informed. Also meeting new people and the social aspect of the group setting.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/27/2023
Stefanie K. - Traveled, October 2023
G Adventures gave me the trip of a lifetime! I was able to do and see so much in a short period of time without having to worry about planning anything. My amazing travel guide made it one of the best trips too!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Anna-Lena R. - Traveled, October 2023
The trip was really nice and the activities and hostels were well chosen. However, the there is room for improvement e.g. with regards to information prior to the trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Kristian B. - Traveled, October 2023
The tour has made a great impression for G Adventures
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Irene O. - Traveled, October 2023
Really well organized trips perfect for solo travellers to make friends.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Maxwell L. - Traveled, October 2023
couldn't have asked for a much better tour overall
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Emer G. - Traveled, October 2023
Seen so much and Lauren was the best tour guide
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/20/2023
Annabel H. - Traveled, October 2023
Such an easy stress free way to travel having the itinerary planned out and someone to help you move about.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/13/2023
Katharina H. - Traveled, October 2023
Friendly experienced Guide. Good Balance betrween free time and programm
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/13/2023
Daisy M., - Traveled, October 2023
very enjoyable despite the fast pace- got to see all the big landmarks etc
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/06/2023
Robert M. - Traveled, October 2023
The tour was well organized with amazing locations that everyone was able to enjoy. The East coast is beautiful and this tour was able to show us that. Our guide Georgia was amazing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/06/2023
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