imput/suggestions for possible itinerary please
 

Hi - can you please critique/make recommendations on a possible itinerary to OZ? Still in the planning stages so any input would be greatly appreciated...1st trip for me (33) and my dad....


Arrive 27th of March 2004 - spend 5 nights in Sydney (hotel tba)
1st of April fly to GBR, spend 3 nights (Radisson Treetops in Port Douglas - 2 nts free)
4th of April fly to Ayers Rock or Alice Springs for 2 nights (hotel tba) planning to go to Uluru (not sure if driving/doing tour)
6th of April open
7th of April open
8th of April 1 night Kangaroo Island (any input on the Best Western in Kingscote?)
9th of April open
10th of April open
11th of April 2 nts Sydney (can shorten this to 1 nt)

Was thinking of driving from Adelaide to Sydney and staying along the way.

Thanks so much!

>>4th of April fly to Ayers Rock or Alice Springs for 2 nights (hotel tba) planning to go to Uluru (not sure if driving/doing tour)
6th of April open
7th of April open
8th of April 1 night Kangaroo Island (any input on the Best Western in Kingscote?)
9th of April open
10th of April open
11th of April 2 nts Sydney (can shorten this to 1 nt)

Was thinking of driving from Adelaide to Sydney and staying along the way<<

If on April 8 you plan to be on Kangaroo Island, suggest you head from Alice to (fly)MEL mornig April 6 where you can spend rest of that day exploring MEL; the next day April 7 you can do a "fast" drive out on the Great Ocean Road which is well worth it.

Kangaroo Isl is off the coast from MEL, not Adelaide.

On April 9 morning you can fly to SYD and have 3-1/2 days there. One day you can rent car and drive out to Blue Mntns. or take train or a bus tour. There is plenty to do/see in the Sydney area.

If you don't want to fly to SYD you can rent a car and drive from MEL with a stop in Cambera and then onto SYD.

Now, where did the Adelaide fit in?

"Kangaroo Island is off Melbourne not Adelaide" - since when!!

Sandi - am planning to do the Blue Mtns and other things when we're in Sydney for the first 5 days.

Adelaide is the closest large city to Kangaroo Island (Tasmania and King Island are off Melbourne), so that is where Adelaide came into play.

Oh so sorry! I'm usually very good with maps, but since I didn't even look (as we didn't do Kangaroo), rather friends did and they went from MEL - that's most definitely my error, I should have checked!!

The Blue Mntn area is lovely. We rented a car for a day and drove early from SYD. The weather was so lovely and cool - when we returned to SYD later in the day it was over 100 degrees.

My husband and I spent 3 mos in Australia and New Zealand this past Jan/MAr. From our experience I would start in Syd as you plan, got to GBR again as you mentioned. From Cairns I would fly to Uluru( do not miss the Sounds of Silence dinner and buy a fly net ..you will need it ) and spend 2-3 nights there. We did Alice Springs and then chartered a flight to Uluru . If you have loads of time do Alice but you would not miss much by leaving it out.
I would then fly Uluru to Adelaide. The Botanical gardens there were a highlight. We did a tour of Maclaren Vale wine area and then flwe to Kangaroo Is. It was a highlight..We stayed at the Lookout B&B. You have your own 2 bdrm apt . Meals are fabulous and tours are included. I would suggest 3 nights to really see everything.
We then flew back to Adelaide and then to Portland..just at the western end of the Great Ocean Road. We rented a car there and drove to Melbourne. We did it in a day...very long day ..I would suggest an overnight to really appreciate it. I cannot comment on the drive from there to Sydney but was told it was a long and not always interesting road to Sydney. You could also go via Canberra...back to Syd.
Hope this helps.