A ten-day vacation in Australia!! I was extremely excited for the adventure that waited in the land of amazing contrasts. The moment we landed in Australia, I understood why people say that some places grow on you. Here’s my Australia itinerary 10 days:
We spent first three days of our trip in Sydney. Our accommodation was in the Novotel hotel – Sydney. After check in, we got ready within minutes for our fantastic cruise tour.
We reached the Sydney Harbour, and quite excitedly hopped onto our cruise. Nothing beats the experience of cruising on Sydney’s spectacular harbor.
It’s effortless to navigate the harbor since it’s located in Circular Quay, just between Harbor Bridge and Opera House. If you’re still not sure about which cruise line to take, don’t hesitate to check Cruise Agency that offers various cruising options, from short cruise all the way to cruises to South Pacific Islands.
All set to explore Australia
Night views of Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House and city skyline were gorgeous. Dinner was served on the cruise with some great performances showcasing different cultures from across the world. The highlight of the show was an Indian performance and being an Indian I couldn’t control my feet from grooving on some tunes.
Sydney Harbour Australia
If you are exploring Sydney, make sure you visit the Blue Mountains that are World Heritage-listed site. We had an idyllic time away from the ruckus of city life.
The gorgeous scenery of rugged mountains and towering eucalyptus forests charms one and all. With much curiosity to know about the Blue Mountains, we reached our destination.
Blue Mountains
Group picture at Blue Mountains
Though the walk was 2-3kms long, but it was all worth it as we finally got to see the most famous mountains.
We had our lunch over there (everything already included in our package), and as soon as we were done with it, we took the cable car to witness the best of the mountains, including the scenic Three Sisters rock formation. The unbeatable views definitely left a lasting impression in my mind.
Three Sisters Rock Formation
The day started with visiting the Sky Tower that is the tallest building in Sydney. This highlight of Sydney skyline offers stunning views of the city and made for a perfect start to the day.
Sky Tower – so magnificent
We got a chance to walk the Harbour Bridge and explore Opera House from inside. This multi-venue performing arts center is truly an iconic site with a white shell shaped sails perched on a red granite platform.
Opera House in Australia
We also rubbed shoulders with the famous wax figures of Hollywood and Bollywood actors in themed galleries of Madame Tussauds. I walked down the red carpet and experienced the dazzling world of fame.
Posing with Lady Gaga at Madame Tussauds
So, with this, our stay in Sydney came to an end and it was time for us to leave the city.
Our stay was in an upscale sea-view resort with outstanding outdoor pools and delectable dining experience – Rydges Esplanade Resort. It was a family-friendly hotel located just near the beach.
One can feel really close to nature in the city and I would recommend all nature loving travelers to include Cairns on their Australia itinerary 10 days.
Languid nights spent at a gorgeous hotel in Cairns
Greenery all around – that’s Cairns for you
The fifth day was a day to remember for I felt really close to nature. The attraction of the day was Kuranda – a picturesque village on Cairn’s Tablelands.
Also known as ‘The Village in the Rainforest’, our Skyrail experience began through the mountains and continued over the Barren River.
Kurunda Rail
The Skyrail was made of glass, giving a top view of rainforest. Our train traversed the twist and turns of the rainforest and our eyes
beheld the mesmerizing vistas of nature. We finally arrived at the Kuranda Terminal.
Kurunda Terminal Australia
In the night, I went for a short walk by the seaside – city on one side and sea on the other. The symphony of the beach waves lapped against my feet and was no less than a melody to my ears.
The city of Cairns is an entryway to the most dreamed-about destination in Australia – Queensland. This Australian tropical state is a gift to Australia and is most known because of the major world heritage site, i.e. The Great Barrier Reef.
We reached the island in a motor boat. The reef is spread over an expansive area of 2,000 kilometers and is home to thousands of species. We did snorkeling and experienced the exotic marine life. The beautiful fishes, corals, and other exotic species completely charmed me. It is also said that one can even view these corals from the outer space.
The Great Barrier Reef Australia
Water activities at The Great Barrier Reef
So with a heavy heart, we said ‘Adios’ to Cairns and arrived at our next destination, Gold Coast. We had our stay in Hotel Grand Chancellor Surfers Paradise, with the beach only 5 minute walk from there. And I must admit that beach walks are my favorite. I loved spending time at the Surfers Paradise beach.
Gold Coast Australia
I had a hard time waking up early in the morning at 4AM as we had Hot Air Ballooning planned for the day. But, it was definitely worth it! The magical flight over the Gold Coast was extremely blissful. The views were breathtaking and I was in a complete awe of the view.
The Takeoff and landing were perfect hardly felt the touch with the ground. We landed on a farm and got a tough job to pack the hot air balloon with the crew which was great fun.
Hot air ballooning in Australia
Hot air ballooning – so much fun
Later in the day, we visited the Sea World – a marine mammal park in Gold Coast. It was a premier animal park with adrenaline-pumping coasters and amazing kid’s rides.
On the ninth day of our Australian trip, we had a visit scheduled to the Movie World. It is a popular movie related theme park that had the most advanced themed rides, action-packed shows, kids zones. The world of fantasy and exhilarating world-class rides completely blew my mind.
Movie World Gold Coast
Fun at THE Movie World Australia
Batman at the Movie World
I was the most excited about the Glow Worm Tour planned in the evening. On reaching the spot, we made our way through a cave where thousands of mystical glow worms illuminated the pathway.
Our secluded private tour was just fantastic. We experienced the forest like never before and explored the hidden treasures of Australian nocturnal species with torchlight.
With this fascinating experience, our trip in Australia ended, but it will be etched in my memory forever!
