Sydney Highlights

4 Day trip - Lodging, activities and most meals included

Highlights:
• Meet the koalas and walk among the kangaroos at a wildlife park
• Take in the city from the water on a gorgeous harbour cruise
• See what's fishy at Australia's largest aquarium
• View the Blue Mountains "Three Sisters" and "Australia's Grand Canyon"
• Explore Sydney's hidden backstreets with a local guide
• Stay in the city centre - close to all of the attractions

Overview
Itinerary
Inclusions
FAQs

Overview - 4 Day Adventure

Meet Australia's cuddly koalas at a wildlife park!

This educational adventure captures all that is wild and wonderful in Sydney and beyond: koalas, kangaroos and the dreamy landscapes of The Blue Mountains UNESCO World-Heritage area.

A knowledgeable guide teaches your students about the colonial history, flora, fauna and iconic sites of the city, while also organising all the behind-the-scenes details, leaving you free to enjoy your time with your students.

Encounter only one of two egg-laying mammals in the world (the echidna!), kangaroos in the wild, and fairy penguins at the Sydney Aquarium.

You will also meet aboriginal people whose ancestors have called this place home for thousands of years, and at an aboriginal culture centre you will understand the perspective of these traditional owners.

Accommodation is at a hotel in the city centre - a modern and comfortable lodge directly across from Hyde Park. Breakfasts and lunches are a combination of cafe style meals (with an adventurous foray into the famous Fish Market!) and dinners are free for you to try the local fare.

Whether its your first visit to Sydney or your fifth, you will find new things at which to marvel during this action-packed adventure.

Day 1: Arrival, Sydney Sights with Guide and Harbour Cruise

YWelcome to Sydney! You are greeted at the airport by your friendly and professional guide who is a local expert in Sydney's history, culture and city life. With your guide you'll travel from the airport to your accommodation.

Your 3-star hotel is located opposite Hyde Park right in Sydney's city centre, conveniently located to parks, gardens, and attractions. Your modern 4-share room includes linen and towels, tea/coffee, and wireless broadband access. Bathrooms are shared. A light continental breakfast each morning.

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 the Queen Victoria building, Chinatown, and the Royal Botanic Gardens as your guide explains where history happened, where movies where filmed, what the locals like to do.

In the afternoon you board a cruise that takes you all around the harbour and shows you all of the highlights of Sydney – the Rocks, Harbour Bridge and the iconic Opera House to name a few. An informative and educational commentary of Sydney Harbour's historical and cultural city sites is provided on board, and you greet Australia in style.

Accommodation: Central Sydney hotel
Meals Included: Lunch and Dinner

Day 2: Wildlife Park, Fish Market, Maritime Museum and Sydney Aquarium

Today encounter all the wild, weird and wonderful animals that Australia is famous for at a wildlife park that aims to educate visitors about native fauna. The park is made up of 10 key zones, comprising viewing-only as well interactive exhibits: Butterflies, Other invertebrates, Reptiles, Kakadu Gorge, Koala rooftop, Nocturnal, Semi-arid grasslands, Rainforest, Wallaby cliffs, and the Koala sanctuary. With a daily schedule of interactive shows, feeds and animal encounters delivered by expert keepers, the park is the only place in the central city where you can get up close to koalas, walk among red kangaroos and eyeball eye-to-eye with Rex, one of the world's biggest crocodiles. If you have always wanted to get a quintessential photo with a koala- here's your chance (extra cost).

Next see what's fishy at The Sydney Fish Market , "where the city meets the sea", and the largest working market of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Taste old favourites like fish and chips, or the more adventurous can try fresh-from-the-sea octopus, sushi, or squid.

Later you visit The Australian National Maritime Museum – with a building in the magnificent Darling Harbour that evokes waves and sails, the museum explores Australia's links with the sea. At the wharves, you are also greeted by one of the largest fleets of any museum in the world. Vessels include a former navy destroyer HMAS VAMPIRE, a former navy submarine HMAS ONSLOW, a full-scale replica of Captain Cook's ship Endeavour and a boat made entirely of beer cans!

A visit to the highly-regarded Sydney Aquarium is next. The aquarium houses over 11,000 animals from over 630 species of Australian fish, reptiles and mammals that are closely connected with water. Joined by near to 60 metres of underwater tunnels, the Sydney Aquarium presents the animals according to the regions in which they can be found in the waters around and within Australia: Southern Rivers; Northern Rivers; Southern Ocean; Northern Ocean. You will see these animals up close, as they swim about in their "near to natural" environments , and you will find out what makes this one of the best aquariums in the world.

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

Day 3: The Blue Mountains, Wildlife & Aboriginal Culture

This morning your guide picks you up bright and early for a trip into the nearby Blue Mountains - named for the blue tinge the range takes on when viewed from afar.

In the foothills of the Blue Mountains lies an aboriginal culture centre where you experience different aspects of aboriginal culture--from learning to throw boomerangs to understanding bush foods and medicines, art interpretation, tools and weapons. As the world's oldest surviving culture, the Australian aboriginal people offer a rich and diverse background of beliefs, customs, language, art and food. This is a positive, approachable environment in which to interact one-on-one with indigenous Australians, and learn more about this fascinating culture.

Then you ascend the mountains for a series of short walks, your guide teaching you about the significance of this UNESCO World-Heritage area. More than 400 different kinds of animals live within the rugged gorges and tablelands of the Greater Blue Mountains. These include threatened or rare species of conservation significance, such as the spotted-tailed quoll, the koala, the yellow-bellied glider, the long-nosed potoroo, the green and golden bell frog and the Blue Mountains water skink. A highlight is seeing the Three Sisters – a trio of giant sandstone pillars carved from nature and time that stand like sentinels above the Jamison Valley.

Later you stop at Euroka Clearing – an ancient volcano now a playground for a host of wild Aussie animals. The kangaroos and wallabies are relaxed and plentiful here, enjoying the fertile grazing lands, while other marsupials, birds, and reptiles all abound. Your day ends back in Sydney.

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

Day 4: Sydney Options and Departure

This morning you are free to explore the nearby Australian Museum or the Sydney tower. 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 local guide on Day 1 and 2
All activities as described in the itinerary
Specialty guides and educators
Sydney airport transfers
3 nights at a Sydney hotel (4 share rooms with shared bathroom)
All breakfasts
All lunches
All entrances to attractions
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
3 dinners
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 juices, 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. Dinners are on your own, with a huge variety of local fare on option.

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:	Colonial History Native Wildlife Aboriginal Culture Marine Biology
For International students:	Add a homestay and/or a local school visit
Options:	This trip is fully customisable!