Australia & Polynesia — The Journey of a Lifetime
A journey combining Australia's wild vastness — from the Great Ocean Road to Uluru — with the crystal magic of Bora Bora. From Melbourne to the lagoons of French Polynesia via the Northern Territory and Sydney: an itinerary for those who want it all.
The Route
Day-by-Day Programme
Arrival in Melbourne
Arrival in Melbourne and hotel transfer in the heart of the city. Melbourne is Australia's cultural capital: a city European in spirit, with its street-art laneway, covered markets and one of the southern hemisphere's most vibrant food scenes. First evening stroll along the Yarra River and dinner in the city.
Melbourne — city and neighbourhoods
Free day to explore Melbourne: Queen Victoria Market, one of the largest open-air markets in the southern hemisphere (open since 1878), the mural laneways (Hosier Lane, AC/DC Lane), Federation Square, and the Fitzroy and Collingwood neighbourhoods with their art galleries, specialty coffee shops and independent boutiques. Evening dinner on Lygon Street, Melbourne's Little Italy.
Great Ocean Road — Twelve Apostles
Drive west along the Great Ocean Road, one of the most spectacular coastal roads on the planet. The road winds through eucalyptus forests, deserted beaches and cliffs plunging into the ocean. First stop: Bells Beach, the legendary surf beach. Then Apollo Bay, the Great Otway National Park with its tree-fern forests, and — at sunset — the Twelve Apostles: imposing limestone pinnacles up to 45 metres tall rising from the Southern Ocean in a dramatic and unforgettable setting.
Grampians National Park
Head north to the Grampians, an ancient sandstone mountain range rising from the Victorian plains. The national park offers spectacular hikes: the Pinnacle Lookout with 360° views over the plains, McKenzie Falls and Boroka Rocks. The Grampians host over 80 bird species and are one of the richest sites for Aboriginal rock art in southern Australia. High chance of spotting wild grey kangaroos and koalas grazing.
Victor Harbour
Transfer east to Victor Harbour, a charming coastal town 90km from Adelaide overlooking Encounter Bay. A wooden causeway leads to Granite Island, connected to the mainland by a historic bridge still served today by a horse-drawn tram. At sunset, the colony of little fairy penguins (Eudyptula minor) emerges from the sea to return to their nests under the rocks: one of Australia's most endearing natural spectacles.
Kangaroo Island — Seal Bay
Ferry from Cape Jervis to Kangaroo Island, Australia's third-largest island and one of the continent's most pristine ecosystems. The island has never been connected to the mainland by a bridge, preserving its wildlife in extraordinary ways. First stop: Seal Bay Conservation Park, where hundreds of Australian sea lions (Neophoca cinerea) rest, play and raise their pups directly on the beach. A guided sunset walk brings the group within metres of the animals.
Kangaroo Island — Flinders Chase
Full day in Flinders Chase National Park in the island's far west. The Remarkable Rocks are 500-million-year-old granite formations sculpted by wind and sea into surreal shapes, perched on a 75-metre ocean headland. Admirals Arch is a natural rock arch beneath which a colony of New Zealand fur seals lives. Along the way: near-guaranteed sightings of Kangaroo Island kangaroos (an endemic subspecies), echidnas and wallabies. Return to lodge with a dinner of local produce.
Adelaide
Ferry back and transfer to Adelaide, the city of churches and festivals. Walk through the Central Market, the oldest and most vibrant food market in the southern hemisphere. Afternoon excursion into the Adelaide Hills to the German village of Hahndorf, founded in 1839 by Prussian immigrants: timber architecture, cheesemakers and craft breweries. Dinner in the Norwood or Peel Street quarter.
Flight to Alice Springs — Red Centre
Flight to Alice Springs, in the geographical heart of Australia — the Red Centre. The town sits in the bed of the Todd River, a waterway that flows only a few times a year. Visit the Desert Park, where over 320 desert animal species live in reconstructed habitats: dingo, bilby, echidna, wedge-tailed eagles. Late afternoon visit to the Araluen Cultural Precinct Aboriginal museum for a first immersion into the culture of the Arrernte, the people who have inhabited this land for over 40,000 years.
Kings Canyon
Transfer to Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. The canyon, carved in red sandstone over 300 million years, is over 300 metres deep. The Rim Walk (6km, 3–4 hours) follows the canyon's edge through rock formations resembling lost cities, ending at the Garden of Eden: a hidden rock pool where 300-million-year-old cycads and native palms grow. Picnic lunch with views over the endless Outback.
Uluru — sunset
Transfer to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site and Australia's spiritual heart. Morning at Mutitjulu Waterhole, a permanent water hole at the base of Uluru where echidnas and goannas live, with Anangu rock paintings thousands of years old. Partial base walk (9.4km total) with an Anangu Aboriginal guide explaining Tjukurpa — customary law — and the rock's spiritual significance. At sunset: panoramic aperitif at the Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area as Uluru turns orange, deep red and violet.
Uluru at dawn and Kata Tjuta
Early wake-up to reach the Talinguru viewing area: the spectacle of Uluru slowly lighting up at sunrise is one of the most moving moments of the entire journey. Then transfer to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), the complex of 36 dolomite rock formations surrounding Uluru. Hike through the Valley of the Winds: a path between monoliths up to 546 metres tall, with extraordinary views. Kata Tjuta is considered even more sacred than Uluru by the Anangu, so much so that some areas remain closed to visitors.
Flight to Sydney
Flight to Sydney, Australia's largest and most iconic city. Afternoon first immersion in the city with a walk around Circular Quay: facing you, the Opera House designed by Jorn Utzon and the Harbour Bridge, two of the world's most photographed architectural structures. Dinner overlooking the harbour.
Sydney — Opera House and Harbour
Morning guided tour inside the Opera House (inaugurated 1973, UNESCO World Heritage since 2007): concert halls, foyers, backstage areas and the extraordinary story of its construction. Then walk through The Rocks historic quarter, Australia's first European settlement (1788). Afternoon BridgeClimb on the Harbour Bridge, climbing the 134 steel arches for 360° harbour views. Evening bus to Bondi Beach: sunset on Australia's most famous beach.
Blue Mountains
Day trip to the Blue Mountains, a UNESCO World Heritage area 90km from Sydney. The name comes from the evaporation of eucalyptus essential oils that creates a bluish haze on the horizon. Stop at the Three Sisters — the three rocky pinnacles emerging from the valley — with views from Echo Point Lookout. Descent by funicular railway (the world's steepest at 52°) into the Jamison Valley, walk among Jurassic tree ferns and return by cable car. Lunch in the village of Leura.
Flight to Papeete — Tahiti
Flight from Sydney to Papeete (Tahiti), capital of French Polynesia. The aerial arrival over Tahiti, with the island's volcanic silhouette and emerald lagoon below, is already spectacular. Hotel check-in and first evening in the Polynesian capital: scent of monoi oil, ukulele music and the sea glowing at sunset.
Tahiti — market and island
Morning at the Marché de Papeete: a labyrinth of colours among tiare flowers, Tahitian black pearls, Moorea vanilla and local crafts. The market is the city's beating heart and the best place to understand everyday Polynesian life. Afternoon island circuit by car: the west coast beaches, the Paul Gauguin Museum and Harrison Smith Botanical Gardens. Evening aperitif on the waterfront with views of Moorea's triangular silhouette on the horizon — hypnotic.
Arrival in Bora Bora
Flight to Bora Bora. Landing on the atoll is already an emotion: the runway sits on a motu (coral islet) and you land with the lagoon on both sides. Speedboat transfer to the resort: Mount Otemanu (727m) rises above a lagoon so blue it seems unreal. Check-in at the overwater bungalow: the glass floor reveals fish swimming below, the private terrace opens directly onto the lagoon.
Bora Bora — lagoon and snorkelling
Day on the lagoon with boat excursion: first stop at the coral gardens for snorkelling among parrotfish, Napoleon wrasse and a myriad of tropical species. Then encounter with giant manta rays (Manta birostris) at one of Polynesia's most reliable sighting sites: these animals with a 4–6 metre wingspan filter plankton just metres from swimmers. Afternoon stop on a private motu with white sand beach for sunset aperitifs. Bora Bora's lagoon is considered the most beautiful in the world.
Bora Bora — free day
Completely free day to experience Bora Bora at your own pace. For those seeking adventure: jet ski around the atoll, kitesurfing or windsurfing. For those seeking peace: kayaking on the lagoon, stand-up paddle among the corals, swimming from the bungalow pier. Resorts also offer traditional Polynesian massages with tiare-scented monoi oil — the perfect way to end a paradise afternoon.
Bora Bora — island tour
Tour of the main island by 4WD: the complete circuit is only 32km but reveals unexpected corners. Climb to viewpoints on Mount Pahia with aerial views of the lagoon — the aerial perspective reveals the different water colours, from turquoise to cobalt blue to emerald green depending on depth. Visit to the American WWII cannons installed in 1942 to defend the atoll. Stop in the local villages of Vaitape and Faanui, where life moves slowly among fish stalls and small markets.
Last morning in Bora Bora
Last free morning on the lagoon. Final shopping for Tahitian black pearls — French Polynesia produces the world's finest black pearls, cultivated in the Pinctada margaritifera oyster — and local crafts. Final lunch at the resort with Otemanu views. Afternoon speedboat transfer to the airport and flight to Papeete for the return journey.
Departure — End of Journey
Flight from Papeete to your destination, usually via Los Angeles (LAX). The return journey is long, but mentally retracing the stages — Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road, Kangaroo Island, Uluru, Sydney, Bora Bora — makes clear why this is one of Progetto Australia's most-loved itineraries. End of an unforgettable adventure.
What's Included
- Accommodation in selected 4★/5★ hotels and overwater resorts
- Breakfast included at all hotels
- Car hire for the Great Ocean Road
- Guided tours: Kakadu, Uluru/Kata Tjuta
- Speedboat transfer in Bora Bora
- Bora Bora lagoon excursion with lunch
- All local airport transfers
- Ongoing support from our Brisbane team
Not Included
- International and domestic flights
- Travel insurance
- Anything not expressly listed in the included services
From
€9,330
per person · land services · indicative price, subject to change
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