Sydney Culture & History

4 Day trip - All meals, lodging and activities included

Highlights:
• Attend a performance in the world-famous Opera House
• Be an archaeologist for the day at a significant dig site
• Go behind-the-scenes at an Australian tv station
• Learn more about colonial history on a spooky ghost tour
• Explore the secret corners of Sydney with a local guide
• Stay in the heart of the historic district - with rooftop views of the Opera House

Overview
Itinerary
Inclusions
FAQs

Overview - 4 Day Adventure

Go behind-the-scenes at an Australian TV station!

There is more to Sydney than just bridges and opera --although you'll take in both and more on this intimate city discovery.

Our friendly Small World Journeys guide will introduce you to locals' hangouts, quirky shops, favourite viewpoints and buildings steeped in history. A tour of a Sydney tv station will also give you an insiders look at what happens behind the camera of such hit shows as The Gruen Transfer and The Chaser.

You will discover the Sydney of yesteryear with a fascinating archaeological project and a ghost tour to the wicked and haunted corners of the historic Rocks district.

A tour of the world-famous Sydney Opera House lets you appreciate the genius behind its architecture, and then a live performance underscores its magic.

Meals are hearty continental breakfasts, lunches on the town and chef-prepared dinners. Accommodation is in a stylish hostel with private bathrooms, movie nights and unbeatable rooftop terrace views of the Opera House.

Join us for a look at one of the world's great cities through the eyes of locals - both present and past - to fully appreciate its enchantment.

Day 1: Arrival and Sydney Sights with Guide

You are greeted by your local guide, a "Sydneysider" with an intimate knowledge of Sydney's back streets, icons, and best-loved sites. With your guide you'll travel from the airport to your accommodation.

Your brand-new hostel is located right in 'The Rocks'—the historic district where Sydney began, and location of the famous weekend market. Built above archaeological remnants of colonial Sydney, this hostel combines state-of-the-art facilities with a unique heritage experience of Sydney. All rooms have ensuites and air-conditioning, while the accommodation offers spacious communal areas, internet, on-site grocery store, coffee bar and large rooftop terrace with spectacular views directly to the Sydney Opera House.

After settling in, you enjoy a welcome orientation. Then with your guide you learn about the cultural, historic and natural sites of Sydney as you stroll the city streets, cobblestone lanes and seaside paths of this attractive city. You take in sites like Darling Harbour, the bustling fish market, and the Rocks historic district as your guide explains where history happened, where movies where filmed, what the locals like to do. You also tour the Royal Botanic Gardens, which occupy one of Sydney's most spectacular positions, and are considered to be one of the great botanic gardens of the world. You enjoy a delicious dinner and an opportunity to stroll the lively Circular Quay with its street performers, dancers and aboriginal artists.

Accommodation: Central Sydney hostel
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Australian Museum, Behind-the Scenes at TV Station and Ghost Tour

Escape the clutches of the Tyranasaurus Rex, marvel at Australian creepy crawlies (from a safe distance!) and hear the haunting stories of aboriginal Australians from The Stolen Generation today at the Australian museum. The Australian Museum – the oldest in the country—boasts an international reputation in the fields of natural history and anthropology. Here you can wander the famous "Skeletons" exhibit, inspect specimens of large Australian wildlife as well as notorious Australian insects and spiders, roam the eerie Dinosaurs room, and examine gemstones, rocks and minerals of Australia. In addition, aboriginal culture comes to life when you learn from the tools, boomerangs, canoes and other artifacts displayed as well as a collection of oil paintings and water colours.

Switching from ancient history to modern technology, you join a tour guide for a behind-the-scenes look an Australian tv station! The station is a working space with real producers, production people and actors – not a theme park. Best-loved Australian tv shows are filmed here, including Bananas in Pyjamas, The Gruen Transfer, and The Chaser. As there is always something new happening at the station, no tour is every the same. However, your tour is likely to include a visit to one of the two digital state-of-the-art television production studios, an on-air radio studio, a news studio and the control room. This is a great way to see the inner workings of a tv station and learn about broadcasting Down Under.

Tonight with your ghoulishly-dressed escort and a flickering lantern, you discover how a hunted past has created the spirits of today on a fascinating "ghost tour". Your groups creeps through the narrow alleyways and courtyards of The Rocks historic district to hear the spooky tales of intrigue and treachery, true stories told by local people who once led ordinary lives. Your spine will tingle and goose bumps will rise as you learn about this birthplace of the nation with a dark history of disease, disaster, violence and horrific murders – where spirits still linger. This is a great way to learn about Sydney's colonial and convict history in a fun and unique way.

Accommodation: Central Sydney hostel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 3: Archaeologist for The Day, Sydney Opera House Tour and Performance

Channel your inner Indiana Jones with an archaeology project in Sydney's historical district. On a parcel of land containing remains from Australia's first European settlement, you will examine artifacts uncovered at this significant archaeological site that tell tales of yesteryear. The colourful characters of Sydney's colonial days come to life as you sort through artifacts discovered in wells, 'dunnies', cisterns, and cellars and in the process learn the various ways in which historians and archaeologists investigate, record, reconstruct and interpret the past. You will also explore the ethical issues involved in the excavation, conservation and interpretation of an archaeological site.

Late this afternoon you get up close and personal with one of the world's most recognizable buildings, and an icon of Australia – The Sydney Opera House. The Opera House has about 1000 rooms, including five theatres, five rehearsal studios, and two main halls. In the care of a special guide, you will explore this amazing structure - a work of art that came into existence against impossible odds, and stands as a miracle of architecture and engineering.

As a special treat tonight, get "poshed up" and attend a live performance in the Sydney Opera House - from opera to circus, rock and cabaret – in one of the busiest performing arts venues in the world.

Accommodation: Central Sydney hostel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Day 4: Sydney Options and Departure

This morning you are free to explore the nearby Museum of Contemporary Art, The Sydney Observatory, or the bustling Darling Harbour. You are then transferred to Sydney airport for your flight home or to another destination in Australia.

Meals Included: Breakfast

What's Included:

Small World Journeys guide
All activities as described in the itinerary
Specialty guides and educators
Sydney airport transfers
3 nights at a Sydney hostel (4-share dorm rooms with private bathroom)
All breakfasts
All lunches
All dinners
All entrances to attractions
Performance at the Sydney Opera House
Pre-trip educational information and reading list
24-hour emergency in-country support
Small World Journeys reusable water bottle for every participant
Risk managment assessment on request
ClimateCare™ carbon offsetting for a carbon-neutral trip

What's not Included:

Airfare
Travel insurance - not required but highly recommended
Personal expenses (phone, internet, laundry, etc.)

Other Destinations in Australia:

Ask us about continuing your Australian adventures in The Red Centre or Cairns!

Where does the trip start?

Your trip leader/guide will meet you in the Sydney airport domestic or international terminal when you arrive on Day 1 in Sydney.

Who are your guides?

Guides are locals to Sydney who are professional, knowledgeable and have extensive experience as tour guides. They know the city intimately and can assist with logistical issues as well as show you the hidden gems of the city.

For more information, see Our Guides

How do we make sure our educational goals are met?

If you have specific educational goals, or wish to include certain topics or areas of study, please tell us. Guides have a range of knowledge about natural history, colonial history, art, and geography and can tailor this program to include topics your students are studying in school.

Can we change this itinerary to fit our budget or to include different activities?

Yes! This itinerary can be shortened and some activities changed to suit. You can mix and match activities you like and we'll create a custom trip just for your group. We are happy to discuss custom options that are tailored to your budget.

What is the weather like in Sydney?

Sydney has a temperate climate. Summer is warm temperatures at 18-25 degrees celsius/64- 77 degrees Fahrenheit. Rainfall is spread throughout the year. Winters are mild, with average temperatures at 8-16 degrees Celsius/46-60 degrees Fahrenheit.

How is your safety recordl?

Our safety record is immaculate. Yes, we have had students receive minor cuts and bruises, but no injury requiring a hospital visit. We carry a first aid kit in our vehicles, as well as on the guide's person when in remote areas. Safety is absolutely our number one concern at all times. We do everything in our power to make sure each trip is as safe as it can possibly be.

What should we bring with us?

We will provide you with a suggested packing list in your Confirmation Packet. Some important things to remember to bring are a jacket, hat, and a casual but smart outfit for visiting the museum, tv station, etc.

Do you do risk management assessments?

Yes. We will gladly provide a risk management assessment specific to your trip on request. We evaluate the safety of each of our destinations and activities, and an itinerary will be modified or cancelled if the guide feels that conditions are unsafe. Staff also adhere to a comprehensive Risk Management Strategy.

What kind of food will we have?

We understand how important food is to young people – and heaps of it!

A typical breakfast will be a continental breakfast including fruits, cereals, toast & jams (and optional vegemite!) and a typical lunch will be at a Sydney restaurant or market where you have a variety of dishes to choose from, and dinners are a combination of catered salads, pasta, roasts, chicken dishes and desserts.

Where will we sleep?

We have chosen a new and immaculate hostel for lodging on this trip. The hostel is located at a prime spot in the historic district, only a few minutes' walk to Circular Quay, the Opera House, and the Harbour Bridge. Students sleep 4 to a room, and each room has a private bathroom with shower. At no time will students share their room with other travellers or "strangers". The hostel has received the WYSTIC Green Youth Travel Accommodation Award, the BPN Sustainability Award, and the Hostelling International Comfort Award for the highest comfort rated hostel in the world.

The hostel has laundry facilities so you may wash your clothes at any point during your trip.

We have a 24-hour mobile number that parents may ring at any time during their child's trip if there is an emergency, and we will also provide the group coordinator with contact details of where the group is staying each night.

How active will we be on this tour?

You do not have to be an athlete to join this trip; however, our trips are NOT “sight-seeing tours”. Our trips are active, and we will be outside a good part of the day, every day. We can accommodate a range of fitness and skill levels within one trip, and you will always have options.

How do we arrange airfare?

We do not arrange airfare in house, however we do work closely with several travel agents. In Australia, we recommend Kim Salter, our Sydney-based travel agent. Contact Kim at kims@travelmanagers.com.au or call + 61 0433 324 455 or toll free within Australia 1 300 640 821.

Why should we travel with Small World Journeys?

LOCAL SUPPORT & KNOWLEDGE
We offer 24-hour in-country support to answer your questions or if you have an emergency in the middle of the trip.

Local knowledge means we can recommend the best markets at which to shop, where the locals go for the best lunches in Sydney, and how to find the best photo spots that tourists will never find.

ECO-CREDENTIALS
Being an “eco” tour operator means more to us than just offering walks outdoors. It means we pay to offset the carbon emissions from your trip, give a percentage of profits to local environmental and community organizations, plant trees, recycle, and participate in Rainforest Rescue’s Adopt-a-Square program. See 10 Reasons Why We’re Eco for more on what we do for our environment and community.

HUNDREDS OF HAPPY STUDENTS
We could tell you that we provide highly professional customer service, respond attentively and consistently exceed our guests’ expectations. But don’t believe us! Read some of our testimonials or ask us for references from past guests who are willing to tell you all about their experience with Small World Journeys.

GOODIES!
You get a water bottle, carbon offsetting, and a reading list before your trip. Plus you get an unforgettable trip too.

For international groups: do we need a visa to travel to Australia?

All visitors to Australia need a visa, with the exception of visitors from New Zealand. An Australian entry visa, commonly known as an ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) will let you spend up to three months in Australia. In most countries it is easily obtained by the travel agent who issues your ticket, and should be free of charge. You can also get an ETA on line by visiting www.eta.immi.gov.au. There is no need for you to visit an Australian diplomatic office to submit an application, and you do not need a stamp or label in your passport. Upon check in at the airport, the airline agent will be able to confirm your ETA electronically. All visitors will also need a passport, valid for at least six months after the planned return date.


Minimum group size:	12 students
Days:	4 day trip
Dates:	Year round, your choice
Starts/Ends:	Sydney, Australia
Free Teacher:	For every 8 paying students
Topics Covered:	Archaeology Colonial History Aboriginal Culture Achitecture TV Production Ancient History
For International students:	Add a homestay and/or a local school visit
Options:	This trip is fully customisable!