2022 & 2023 Guided Tours - Cosmos® Affordable Tours

Highlights of Australia (3350)

12 Day Tour from Melbourne to Sydney

2026 Tour Details View 2025 Tour Details »

Stunning natural attractions, vibrant cities, remote regions, and friendly people…this is Australia, and on this Australia tour, you’ll experience all of this and more. Start in Melbourne, end in Sydney, and overnight along the way in Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Cairns.

No vacation to Australia is complete without seeing the incomparable Great Barrier Reef. On this Australia tour, you’ll take a catamaran cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef and have the chance to snorkel, take a semi-submersible watercraft tour, or attend a presentation by a marine biologist. With the radiant colors and fish swimming by you, it is nothing short of spectacular! But that’s not all. You’ll also witness the spectacular geological wonders of Uluru, the iconic monolith and symbol of the Outback, and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), with its red rocks and 36 brilliant domes. Tour the base of Uluru with its caves and Aboriginal paintings and enjoy a champagne toast while watching Uluru change colors at sunset--an amazing sight indeed!

Also visit some of Australia’s most famous cities. In Sydney, cruise along the world-famous Sydney Harbour. In Melbourne, enjoy guided sightseeing of the city’s landmarks. In Melbourne, Cairns, and Sydney, you’ll also enjoy plenty of free time to explore and discover on your own. From the remote Outback to the tropical Great Barrier Reef, this Australia tour—designed for value-minded, savvy travel lover—is a dream vacation!

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Each Cosmos Africa safari tour is limited to an average of just 20 guests per departure. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Cosmos escorted tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Safari Guide/Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery African safari vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

The world is within reach with everything you need for perfectly affordable touring. Cosmos includes hand-selected accommodations, guided sightseeing, and seamless transportation between destinations—with value-minded travel lovers in mind. Explore with expert Cosmos Tour Directors and Local Guides, and private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach. Enhance your free time to explore like a local with your CosmosGO mobile app!

Driver/Guide
Dates & Prices Book Online
800.268.3636
Save $300 per couple on select 2026 Cosmos Europe or North America Vacations when booking as a Group of 8+*
Highlights of Australia map

 Photo Highlights

 Meals

 Meals & Itinerary

11 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 1 Dinner

 Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Welcome to Australia! Hotel rooms are available for immediate check-in. A pre-night is not required for early check-in.

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Day 2 MELBOURNE

This morning begins with a welcome briefing to meet fellow passengers and your Tour Director. Then, enjoy a city sightseeing tour which includes landmarks such as Flinders St. Station, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, the botanic gardens, and the Shrine of Remembrance. The afternoon is free to explore on your own. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for additional sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 3 MELBOURNE

A full free day to explore more of Melbourne on your own. Consider an optional day tour to the scenic Great Ocean Road to see the soaring limestone pillars of the “Twelve Apostles,” chiseled over 10 to 20 million years above the ocean. Perhaps the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is more your speed.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 4 MELBOURNE–ULURU (AYERS ROCK)

Today, fly to the heart of the Outback.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 5 ULURU

Enjoy a tour at the base of Uluru, the extraordinary monolith whose circumference is studded with caves decorated with Aboriginal paintings. Later, travel to a popular lookout to enjoy views of the magnificent Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), a geological splendor of some 36 brilliant domes. Tonight, visit the Sunset Strip, where you will enjoy a champagne toast while experiencing one of the world’s greatest spectacles--Uluru at sunset.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 6 ULURU–CAIRNS

Today, fly to Cairns, “Gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.”

NOTE: Due to this remote location and limited flights, you may be booked on a connecting flight from Uluru to Cairns. Arrival in Cairns may be late in the evening. Luggage restrictions may apply to this flight. Please speak to your Tour Director for full details.


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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 7 CAIRNS. EXCURSION TO THE OUTER GREAT BARRIER REEF

The world’s largest coral reef, made up of over 3,000 individual reefs and over 1,250 miles long, is one of our planet’s most amazing natural wonders. Board a catamaran cruise to the Outer Great Barrier Reef. Experience this underwater world that is a dazzling kaleidoscope of color and brilliance. Choose to snorkel, take a glass-bottom-boat tour, view the reef from an underwater observatory, and watch a fish feeding. Return to Cairns, where your evening is at leisure.

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Breakfast Breakfast
LunchLunch

Day 8 CAIRNS

Today is yours to relax and explore. Set amid lush rainforests, soaring peaks, and the ocean, Cairns is one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations. Explore its many attractions, including a scenic railway, which runs to the picturesque market town of Kuranda and a cable car that glides over Australia’s World-Heritage-listed tropical rainforest canopy. Your Tour Director will have suggestions for sightseeing, shopping, and dining.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 9 CAIRNS–SYDNEY

Board your flight to Sydney, Australia’s largest city. Tonight, you may wish to enjoy dinner at a waterfront restaurant.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 10 SYDNEY

Sydney boasts one of the most beautiful harbors in the world, home to the instantly recognizable Sydney Harbour Bridge and the world-famous architectural wonder--the Sydney Opera House. Go inside the Opera House, one of the most well-known buildings in the world, and learn about the history, architectural design and be awed by the acoustics. Later, your sightseeing tour will take you through the heart of Sydney. End the day with a cruise along Sydney Harbour for uninterrupted views of the city skyline.

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Breakfast Breakfast

Day 11 SYDNEY

Enjoy a full day at leisure for your own discoveries. You may wish to wander the cobblestone streets of the Rocks district, explore vibrant Darling Harbour, or climb to the top of Sydney’s Harbour Bridge. Your Tour Director will have suggestions to help you make the most of this exciting city. Tonight, join your Tour Director and traveling companions for a festive farewell dinner.

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Breakfast Breakfast
DinnerDinner

Day 12 SYDNEY

Your vacation ends this morning. You may also choose to extend your time in Sydney and explore more on your own. Extra nights are available for purchase.

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Breakfast Breakfast

 Tour Director

With COSMOS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

ANJA KUETHE-SOLL

Escorting tours for more than 20 years

“I love Sydney, my hometown, because it is such a vibrant city. We have so many beaches to choose from, the harbour is a must to visit, take a harbour cruise, or just the ferry to Manly and enjoy the hospitality Sydney has to offer.”

Tour Director - ANJA KUETHE-SOLL

 Accommodations

 Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyCosmos site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)


Melbourne
Cairns
Sydney

Melbourne

Melbourne Skydeck & Edge Experience

Melbourne Skydeck & Edge Experience

Nothing will prepare you for this awesome, bird's-eye view of Melbourne! Partake in a unique experience that will get your heart racing as you step out 984 feet above the ground (that's almost as high as the Eiffel Tower). The Melbourne Skydeck 88 takes you right to The Edge, a special glass cube observation deck that slides out from the building with you inside! It's a city view you'll never forget!

Price Range: $

The Penguin Parade Plus

The Penguin Parade Plus

Enjoy a full afternoon and evening exploration of fascinating Phillip Island and its surroundings with the day's highlight being the fabuloulos Penguin Parade with grandstand viewing.

Price Range: $$$$

The Penguin Parade

The Penguin Parade

Enjoy a full afternoon and evening exploration of fascinating Phillip Island and its surroundings with the day's highlight being the fabuloulos Penguin Parade.

Price Range: $$$$

Lanes and Arcades Walking Tour

Lanes and Arcades Walking Tour

Discover just what makes Melbourne so enchanting on this excursion that reveals the city's hidden gems. We'll pair you up with a passionate expert guide for a casual stroll through the city's back streets and beautiful old lanes and arcades.

Price Range: $$$

Yarra Valley Food & Wine Day Tour

Yarra Valley Food & Wine Day Tour

Discover the flavors of the Yarra Valley on a full-day food and wine tour. Whether you're a wine enthusiast or simply would like to spend the day surrounded by beautiful, off-the-beaten-path scenery, this is the perfect day trip from Melbourne.

Price Range: $$$$

The Great Ocean Road

The Great Ocean Road

On this full day tour, you'll experience this majestic coastal drive in style, with time to relax and fully appreciate the wonders of this world famous route.

Price Range: $$$

Cairns

Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight

Great Barrier Reef Scenic Flight

Enjoy the exhilaration of flying over the 8th Wonder of the World - The Great Barrier Reef. You've seen the beauty of the Great Barrier Reef from below, now get ready to see if from a whole new angle! Flying low over the reef, your pilot will show you the wonders that live beneath the sea as you search for sea turtles, manta rays and dugong (an aquatic mammal). You will marvel at the sheer size of coral displays that form part of the Great Barrier Reef. The scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef lasts approximately 10 minutes.

Price Range: $$$$

Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation

Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation

Spend the day exploring the Daintree Rainforest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Cape Tribulation. Travel on custom built 4WD vehicles while listening to entertaining commentary by a local naturalist guide. Visit Cape Tribulation Beach, which will ensure you day will be a memory of a lifetime.

Price Range: $$$$

Kuranda Scenic Railway & Skyrail

Kuranda Scenic Railway & Skyrail

Tropical North Queensland awaits on this memorable day trip that combines the scenic Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the world-famous Kuranda Scenic Railway.

Price Range: $$$$

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Skyrail Rainforest Cableway

Experience the world's most beautiful rainforest experience. The Skyrail experience is a must do Cairns attraction spanning 7.5kms/4.6mi over pristine rainforest, allowing you to explore the wonders of an ancient tropical rainforest and learn about one of the most botanically fascinating and diverse areas on earth.

Price Range: $$$

Sydney

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb

Get ready for the climb of your life! This exhilarating excursion at the Sydney Harbour Bridge Climb is a unique way to enjoy incredible views of the city and its beautiful harbor.

Price Range: $$$$

The Rocks Pub Tour

The Rocks Pub Tour

Walk in the footsteps of Australia's early convicts, mischievous gangs and locals of the past, as you share a drink in four of Sydney's oldest pubs. A unique, fun tour that highlights the history, stories, and characters that helped shaped Sydney.

Price Range: $$$

Blue Mountains Deluxe Tour

Blue Mountains Deluxe Tour

Join us for a full day excursion to the famed Blue Mountains, a journey into the heart of a unique UNESCO World Heritage Region.

Price Range: $$$$

Sydney Harbour Lunch Cruise

Sydney Harbour Lunch Cruise

Grab your camera and step aboard for a sumptuous lunch and a relaxing cruise around the famous Sydney Harbour.

Price Range: $$$



The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.