Discover the best of South Australia; the stunning cities of Sydney and Melbourne, wineries, kangaroos and koalas, nature experiences, hiking, beach holidays, mountains and the country’s best food.
Nature is the focus of this road trip but you also see Australia’s two largest cities; Sydney and Melbourne. Australia is a country located in Oceania according to itypeauto.
The journey begins in Sydney, where there is plenty of time to discover the Opera House and the wonderful atmosphere of the city. From there you go on to Tasmania, take a boat trip in one of Australia’s most inaccessible areas and look out for the Tasmanian devil in Cradle Mountain National Park. After great nature experiences in Tasmania, Melbourne awaits you; Australia’s perhaps nicest city.
A new rental car and then towards the Mornington Peninsula where you can enjoy quaint local markets, beautiful vineyards and lovely beaches. From Mornington you can also easily head to Phillip Island, where you can watch the penguins land every night. From Mornington, head along Australia’s most famous coastline, the Great Ocean Road. Several great nature experiences await you in Grampians National Park, where there are once again good opportunities for hiking before continuing to the beautiful Fleurieu Peninsula. Then fantastic animal and nature experiences await on Kangaroo Island. Here you have three days to explore the island before heading to Adelaide before it’s time to go back home.
Day 1: Departure from Scandinavia
Departure from Scandinavia to Sydney.
Day 2: Arrival in Sydney
Arrival in Sydney. You take yourself to your hotel, where you spend three nights.
Day 3-4: On a voyage of discovery in Sydney
You have the next few days to explore Sydney on your own. Sydney is the capital of New South Wales and Australia’s largest city. More than 4 million people live here, and the city is an enchanting and amazing experience. The Opera House is of course a great experience for most people who visit Sydney and is an absolute “must see”. Go on a guided tour here and find out how this architectural marvel was built. In the same area is Harbor Bridge. Here is a small museum about the construction of the bridge, and you can take the 200 steps to the top and look out over the city. The adventurous can climb the bridge. Next to the Opera House is the botanical garden, where eager exercisers run or cycle all day long. Make a lunch bag and enjoy lunch here, in the shade of a tree overlooking the harbor, the opera house and the bridge. It’s absolutely amazing.
Day 5: Sydney-Hobart
Departure from Sydney in the morning, towards Hobart. Upon arrival in Hobart, a rental car awaits you at the airport and you drive to your hotel where you will spend the night. You have the rest of the day to discover Hobart. Take a walk in the streets and enjoy the old houses, many of which are beautifully renovated. Hobart is Australia’s second oldest city, and especially the old magazines at Salamanca Place are well worth a visit. If you’re in Hobart on a Saturday, there’s a great market here. You can also drive up to the top of Mt. Wellington, which towers behind the city. From here you have a phenomenal view and good opportunities for hiking. Or spend the day visiting Port Arthur – an old penal colony where the prisoners who were too dangerous to be in Sydney were sent.
Day 6: Hobart-Strahan
Enjoy your day in Hobart before heading to Strahan on the west coast. The journey from Hobart to Strahan takes just over four hours, so you have plenty of time to make stops along the way. Lake St Clair is a must. You should also drive past Mt. Field National Park, where there are several hiking trails and a beautiful waterfall.
Day 7: On a journey of discovery in and around Strahan
You have all day to explore the area around Strahan. The city is the starting point for tours in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, which can only be experienced from the water – the terrain is completely impassable and the nature unique and untouched.
Day 8: Strahan-Cradle Mountain National Park
One third of Tasmania is designated as a national park, and a total of 20% of the island is on the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of Tasmania’s most famous national parks is Cradle Mountain National Park, the destination for today’s stage. It only takes a few hours to drive here from Strahan, so you have time to start the day with a half-day cruise on the Gorden River and experience the impassable wilderness up close. We recommend that you book the cruise from home as it is often only a daily departure, with a limited number of seats on board.
Day 9: On a voyage of discovery in Cradle Mountain
High, barren cliffs, deep ravines, crystal clear rivers, deep blue freshwater lakes and real wilderness – these are what you will find in Cradle Mountain National Park. The day is spent in the area and there are plenty of outstanding one-day hikes.
Day 10: Cradle Mountain-Launceston
It takes just over three hours to drive from Cradle Mountain to Launceston. You can choose to spend most of the day in the national park or take a detour to Launceston via the northern coast of Tasmania. If you choose to spend the afternoon in Launceston, you can visit Cataract Gorge, which is a pretty impressive sight with its steep cliff edges and the rushing river that runs at the bottom of the gorge. The gorge is within walking distance of the city and is a popular excursion destination for locals.
Day 11: Launceston-Melbourne
The car is dropped off at Launceston Airport and you fly to Melbourne, where you have two nights.
Day 12: On a voyage of discovery in Melbourne
The day is completely free to explore Melbourne, the capital of Victoria and Australia’s second largest city with 3.5 million inhabitants. It is a modern city where skyscrapers, office buildings and shopping malls blend with the old buildings in the beautiful Victorian style. The mixed architecture gives a good picture of Melbourne’s residents. This is because there is a real mix of people from all over the world. In particular, there has been a large influx of Greeks and Asians, which is reflected in the food – Melbourne has fantastic restaurants.
Day 13: Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula
You pick up a rental car and head for the Mornington Peninsula, which is less than an hour’s drive south of Melbourne. Here you have two nights at a small cozy B&B in the nice town of Rye.
Day 14: Markets, wine, beaches and wild dolphins on the Mornington Peninsula
You can spend the whole day exploring vineyards, relaxing in the hot springs of the Peninsula Hot Springs, or botanizing at local markets. Mornington abounds with good atmosphere, great food, beautiful beaches and good wine. You can ride between the various vineyards and microbreweries, or swim with wild dolphins and seals in Sorrento. ( F )
Day 15: Mornington-Great Ocean Road
We recommend that you leave early, for a day full of experiences awaits you along the Great Ocean Road. From Monington, the trip takes the Searoad ferry to Queenscliff – keep an eye out for wild dolphins along the route. From here, the journey goes along Australia’s perhaps most beautiful coastline. The Great Ocean Road winds over 300km along Australia’s rugged southern coastline, with huge waves and spectacular rock formations on one side and lush light green fields dotted with eucalyptus trees on the other. Torquay and Bells Beach are some of Australia’s most famous surfing beaches. Walk down to the water and watch fearless surfers ride the wildest waves. After Bells Beach you drive very close to the water almost all the way to Apollo Bay. Kenneth River is a great place to find wild koalas – take a trip up Gray River Road, where there are good opportunities to see them. Enjoy the stunning views of the Twelve Apostles and make a stop at Loch Ard Gorge before heading to Port Campbell, where you will spend the night. (F )
Day 16: Great Ocean Road Grampians
You will see more of the Great Ocean Road as you head for the Grampians. Make stops at London Bridge and the Bay of Islands, among others. From Warrnambool you turn off the coast towards Grampians National Park, where you have two nights.
Day 17: Hiking in the Grampians
Grampians National Park is one of Australia’s more neglected but very fascinating national parks. There are incredible rock formations here and the wildlife is very rich. The area offers really good hiking opportunities and you must not miss the trip to McKenzie Falls, and also remember to enjoy the view from The Balconies.
Day 18: Grampians-Fleurieu Peninsula
Today you cross the border into South Australia and a completely different landscape. You have a little over six hours drive in front of you, to Victor Harbor. Along the way you can choose a D-Tour that takes you past the small town of Naracoorte, where you have to stop and visit the unique cave system. You stay at a small cozy B&B in Victor Harbor and can enjoy the beach or the beautiful wine area outside the city.
Day 19: Fleurieu Peninsula-Kangaroo Island
From Victor Harbor you drive to Cape Jervis, where you take the ferry to Kangaroo Island. Here you have three full days to explore the island. ( F ) Kangaroo Island is one of the best places in Australia if you want to see the unique Australian fauna in its natural environment. Here you can see kangaroos, koala bears, marsupials – and if you are lucky maybe even an echidna (anteater). At Seal Bay you can get close to the huge seals that live on the beach. To the west you will find Flinders Chase National Park, which has fascinating rock formations at Remarkable Rocks and Admirals Arch.
Day 20: Explore and discover Kangaroo Island
You can freely explore the island in your rental car.
Day 21: Kangaroo Island-Adelaide
From Kangaroo Island, the tour now goes to the capital of South Australia, Adelaide. Along the way you pass several vineyards. When you arrive in Adelaide you leave your rental car and have two nights.
Day 22: On a voyage of discovery in Adelaide
Adelaide feels in many ways like a small rural town. The city is spread over such a large area that you hardly perceive that you are actually in the middle of a city with over 1 million inhabitants. The ground is also not solid enough to build skyscrapers, so the tallest buildings are not very tall. The city is easy to navigate and the wide roads create an impression of plenty of space and air. Adelaide is conveniently located with the beautiful Adelaide Hills to the east and great beaches to the west, including the beach at Glenelg.
Day 23: Departure from Adelaide
Today you start your return trip to Scandinavia.
Day 24: Arrival in Scandinavia
Arrival in Scandinavia after a fantastic adventure in Australia.
Overnight stays
Twenty-one nights in a hotel / B & B / lodge
