Two cities, no internal flights beyond one hop, and a deliberately gentle pace.
The trip in a nutshell
The operator's own description is “no rushed schedules — perfect for families with kids and seniors”, and the itinerary bears that out: two cities instead of three, two full free days at the end, and no early-morning airport dashes beyond the single Sydney–Melbourne hop.
What you do get is the good stuff, done properly: a guided interior tour of the Opera House, Taronga Zoo and the Sydney Tower Eye, a full day in the Blue Mountains with the cableway, a Port Stephens day trip (dunes, dolphins and the bay — a genuinely underrated day out), and then two separate days on the Great Ocean Road, plus Puffing Billy and the Phillip Island penguins with priority seating.
Land only: this price does not include international flights. You book your own flights to Sydney and home again — which many people prefer, especially with airline points or a preferred carrier. Everything inside Australia, including the internal flights listed, is covered. You also choose your own hotels on this tour — see our guide to budget-friendly Australian hotels.
Live availability on Trip.com's site · land-only package, so no UK flight protection applies
Our signature calculation
The brochure tells you what this trip costs to book. This is what it costs to take — the price plus every meal the package doesn't cover, plus the flights it leaves out, per person.
This package leaves more out than most — the headline price is a long way from what you'll spend.
Meals priced at mid-range Australian rates: breakfast £14, lunch £20, dinner £38. How we calculate it · See every trip ranked
vs £247/day on the brochure · +73%
The moments you'll remember
Plus the Royal Botanic Garden, St Mary's Cathedral and the Sydney Tower Eye.
Australian wildlife with the best zoo view in the world behind it.
A full unhurried day in the mountains.
Sand dunes, dolphin waters and a beautiful stretch of coast two hours north of Sydney.
One for the cliff highway, one for Loch Ard Gorge, London Bridge and Campbell Harbour — the detail most tours skip.
Steam train through the Dandenongs, then Phillip Island with priority Plus viewing.
Built in deliberately at the end, when you'll want them.
Designed for families with children and for older travellers.
Land-only, with a private vehicle and driver throughout.
Where you'll go
Every stop below is included, with a private vehicle and driver on touring days and the internal flights booked for you.
3 centres, linked by the internal flights listed — with a private vehicle and driver on touring days.
SydneyPort StephensMelbourne
Day by day
Tap any stage to open it. Meals included at each stage are marked in green.
Private pick-up and the full classic Sydney run, including the guided Opera House interior tour.
Taronga Zoo, the Royal Botanic Garden, St Mary's Cathedral and the Sydney Tower Eye.
A relaxed day in the mountains including the cableway.
A full day trip north to the dunes and bays of Port Stephens.
Airport transfer and flight, then a Melbourne city tour — arts, coffee and a stroll.
The cliff coastal highway sightseeing day.
A second coastal day: Loch Ard Gorge, Campbell Harbour, London Bridge and Colac.
The steam train, then the penguin parade with priority Plus viewing where available.
Two full days at leisure — markets, galleries, coffee, or absolutely nothing.
Private transfer to Melbourne Airport.
Itinerary summarised from the operator's published programme and correct at the time of writing. Order of stages can vary by departure date — confirm the exact schedule for your date on the operator's site.
Photo tour
Photography from Wikimedia Commons contributors under Creative Commons licences — full credits here.
The detail
Before you fly
On a 11-day trip, parking is a serious line item — and a policy that caps single trips at 31 days would leave you uninsured for none of this one.
Not sure this is the one?
Here's how this compares with the other private tours we rate. See all 20 holidays →
| Tour | Days | Australia | New Zealand | Cook Islands | From (pp) | True Cost / day | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private 12-day three-city tour | 12 | ✓ | — | — | £2,688 | £394 | View |
| Private 11-day Sydney & Melbourne tour You're viewing this | 11 | ✓ | — | — | £2,722 | £429 | View |
| Private 11-day customisable tour | 11 | ✓ | — | — | £2,870 | £440 | View |
| Private 11-day tour (Cairns start) | 11 | ✓ | — | — | £3,059 | £457 | View |
| Private 14-day East Coast tour | 14 | ✓ | — | — | £3,081 | £376 | View |
| Private 14-day tour with Hamilton Island | 14 | ✓ | — | — | £3,753 | £426 | View |
| Private 16-day Australia & NZ tour | 16 | ✓ | ✓ | — | £5,815 | £509 | View |
Before you book
No. The itineraries state plainly that the driver does not enter attractions with you. This is private transport with admission tickets included, not a private guided tour. For Australia that is usually fine — everything is in English and well signposted.
Yes, within reason, and that is the main appeal. A travel planner works with you before departure to adjust days, swap attractions or change the pace. Changes once you are travelling are harder.
Because it is a land-only package with no UK flights, it falls outside the ATOL scheme. Book your flights separately and protect them separately — check that your travel insurance covers supplier failure.
Departures run from October 2026 through to September 2028. Long-haul escorted tours of this length sell out early — the best-value departure dates and preferred room types typically go 9–12 months ahead, so it pays to secure your place sooner rather than later.
Return flights are included from your chosen UK airport. Regional departures are available on most dates, sometimes for a small supplement — you'll see the options for your date when you check availability.
Yes — this is a fully escorted small-group tour with a Travelsphere Holiday Director travelling with you throughout. They handle the logistics, the check-ins and the local know-how, so your job is simply to enjoy it. Groups are typically modest in size and overwhelmingly British.
British passport holders need an Australian ETA (Electronic Travel Authority) and an NZeTA for New Zealand where applicable — both are straightforward online applications. Your passport should have at least six months' validity remaining. Always check the latest FCDO and official government guidance before you travel.
Live availability, departure dates from your local airport and current offers are on the operator's booking page. Deposits are low, the balance isn't due until much later, and every booking is ABTA and ATOL protected.
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