Eight Best Australia Contiki Tours To Take In 2023
This site contains affiliate links for products and services we recommend. Read my disclaimer for more information. If you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you, I will earn a small commission (for which I am very grateful).
Australia, as a beautiful and unique country, has enchanted us with its distinct natural wonders and unusual animals.
Australia is one of the few countries that can provide a unique travel experience regardless of your travel preferences, money, or age.
Is it worth getting yourself on one of Australia’s Contiki tours and starting an adventure holiday Australia style? Yes!
But you might be wondering how do Contiki tours work?
Well, Contiki has over 350 distinct excursions available in over 75 countries. The trips combine sightseeing, free time, culture, socializing, and a lot of activity.
The organization offers a variety of trip styles, different locations, and activities. If you want to know more, you can always check Contiki tours reviews and see what people wrote.
I took my first Contiki tour back in 2012 and I had the BEST time. It was one of my biggest highlights when I first started to get into travelling.
The friends I made on that trip, I still keep in touch with today!
So, here are some reasons Australia should be at the top of your bucket list, from its cultural riches to its magnificent beaches and off-the-beaten-path adventures in the outback.
1. Ultimate Australia Tour
Australia is one of those places where there is genuinely something for everyone. The country is massive (the sixth-largest in the globe) and diverse.
So whether you want a beach vacation, an adrenaline-pumping adventure, or one of the best gastronomic Australia Contiki tours with a little shopping, you’ll find it here.
But with tremendous magnitude comes unlimited possibilities… or something along those lines!
Knowing where to begin planning an Australia Contiki tour is difficult, especially if it’s your first visit.
Discover the wonderful mix of scenery and activities that distinguish Australia in some of the most popular Australia destinations!
Begin in Sydney and the East Coast, with lots of beach time at Bondi, Byron Bay, and the Whitsundays, before heading to the Northern Territory for boundless landscapes and landmarks, including three nights at Uluru.
You will spend 14 nights in hostels, five nights in hotels, three in a lodge, and 2 nights in an eco-camp. You will have 16 breakfasts, three lunches, and five dinners during this time.
The group can have a maximum of 30 participants. You will have a professional trip manager and local guides with you the entire time.
We are confident you will have a fantastic and relaxing time in Australia,
This thorough Australia travel guide should help you figure out where to go, when, how to get there, and what to do while you’re there.
It will also provide you with all the information you need to make the most of your time and money while visiting Australia.
📸 PRO TIP: My go-to camera for all my travels is the Sony A7iii – I highly recommend it!
Top Destinations To Visit In Australia
1. Sydney
Sydney, Australia’s most populated city, is a must-see with one of the Australia Contiki tours.
It is the country’s business center and home to Australia’s most recognized symbols and experiences, including the Opera House, Sydney Harbour Bridge, Bondi Beach, and many more.
2. Melbourne
Melbourne is Sydney’s cooler, teeming with world-class cafes, riverfront pubs (some float!), and a year-round art, culture, and entertainment calendar.
If you’re a foodie, you’ll want to stay a while because I could easily name 40 restaurants that I strongly suggest. This city is one of the best Australia Contiki tours you can do with friends.
3. Adelaide
The Australia Contiki tours will allow you to visit Adelaide, a bit further inland than the traditional East Coast suspects.
It is a lively, up-and-coming city with easy access to beaches, wineries, and a tremendous choice of events all year, including the world-famous Adelaide Fringe in February/March.
4. Airlie Beach & the Whitsundays
The Whitsunday Islands are a group of 74 islands off Queensland’s central coast that are best reached from the holiday town of Airlie Beach.
Make sure your camera is charged or that you have enough space on your phone for many shots because this could be the most beautiful section of Australia.
5. The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is a 2,300km stretch of 3000+ distinct reefs that begins at Cape York (the very northern tip of Queensland) and ends at Bundaberg.
Cairns and Airlie Beach are the most popular gateways, but day and overnight trips to the reef are also available from Bundaberg, Yeppoon, Townsville, and Port Douglas.
You can check prices and availability for the Ultimate Australia Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
2. North Queensland Adventure Tour
Prepare to discover Queensland’s numerous wonders. There’s so much laid-back beauty in this part of Australia from the clean sands of Whitehaven Beach.
With this tour you will be spending 14 nights in hostels, five nights in hotels, three nights in a lodge, and 2 nights in an Eco-camp. You will have 16 breakfasts, three lunches, and five dinners included.
The maximum group size is 30 persons. Throughout the 25-day tour, you will be accompanied by a professional trip manager and local guides.
Coach + internal flights + train are included in the transportation.
Far North Queensland is home to two World Heritage Sites: the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. The Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most well-known scuba diving sites.
And even if you’ve never dived before, you can plan your first dive on the Reef with the best-organized Australian Contiki tour.
It is not recommended to go all alone. If diving is not your thing, numerous snorkeling trips are offered on the reef.
Spend the day hiking through the Daintree Rainforest, or try a crocodile hunting river cruise instead.
1. Wildlife
Far North Queensland is home to various fascinating species, including the Southern Cassowary (a massive bird that has existed since the dinosaur age) and the Maori Wrasse (a fish with gigantic lips).
Along with these strange critters, you’ll find all the animals you expect to see through the Australia Contiki tour, such as wild koalas, kangaroos, and crocodiles.
2. Balmy Temperatures
Far North Queensland is pleasant all year; temperatures rarely fall below 20 degrees even in winter, unlike Sydney and Melbourne, where winter temperatures might fall as low as 8 degrees.
The tropical environment allows swimming in waterfalls, natural bath pools, and the sea (but beware of box jellyfish from November to March).
3. Extreme Sports
Far North Queensland is the place to be if you crave thrills. AJ Hackett’s 164-foot bungee jump in the Daintree Rainforest is Australia’s only bungee jump tower.
You can choose from sixteen different jumping methods, including BMX leaping from the tower! Far North Queensland also has fantastic skydiving and white water rafting locations.
4. Waterfalls & Spa Pools
Do you want to swim at the same waterfall where Peter Andre filmed his Mysterious Girl video?
Get yourself into the Australia Contiki tour and visit Millaa Millaa Falls, together with an entire circuit of gorgeous waterfalls and peaceful bath pools.
There are also dozens of less touristic waterfalls; ask the locals about their favorite swimming site, and you’ll find yourself in a private, serene setting.
You can check prices and availability for the North Queensland Adventure Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
3. Rottnest and Margaret River Tour
Starting in Perth, this western vacation is about stunning beaches, coastal hikes, and glamping beneath the stars.
You will spend eight nights in comfortable lodgings. It will include the coach, ferry, and train. Five wonderful breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners are included in the 9-day tour.
A professional trip manager will assist you with anything you need to know.
Discover Western Australia’s South’s finest, including a dynamic city, unusual fauna, breathtaking coastal and inland scenery, and delicious wines and food.
Your Australia Contiki tour will begin with some free time in Perth, a city that is simple to discover and even simpler to fall in love with.
Then, fall in love again with Rottnest Island’s famed quokkas. Because there are no predators on the island, the cheerful marsupials may freely walk around humans.
Aside from quokkas, ‘Rotto,’ also known as Wadjemup, is a slice of heaven that must be seen to be believed.
Then, your Australia Contiki tour will continue south to Margaret River, where you’ll witness the picturesque Busselton Jetty and Sugarloaf Rock.
The Cape walk trail will also take you to lesser-known and most stunning spots along the WA coast, such as Boranup Karri Forest and Hamelin Bay.
Your Australia Contiki tour to Margaret River isn’t complete unless you indulge.
Wineries to visit in the region include Vasse Felix, the region’s first and still considered one of the greatest, and Leeuwin Estate, the country’s most famous winery, as well as other lesser-known boutique producers.
There will be a stop at Fremantle’s Cheeky Monkey Brewery for lunch and a refreshing beverage for beer lovers (not included).
Before your Australia Contiki tour concludes, you will have some free time to explore the bohemian town of Fremantle.
You can check prices and availability for the Rottnest and Margaret River Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
4. Outback Adventure Tour
From Darwin to Uluru, you’ll experience it all in 9 days, with time for sunset hikes, natural wonders, and lunar landscapes along the route.
Only 20 people can stay for nine days and spend five nights in hotels and three nights in a lodge. You, your buddies, or Contiki family will eat seven breakfasts and 2 wonderful dinners.
There will be only one internal flight, and the party will always be escorted by a professional trip manager and driver.
Exploring the outback is one of the most popular pastimes for any visitor to Australia.
Drive north on the Explorer Highway from Adelaide, or fly into Darwin and go south through the ancient, tropical landscapes.
On your Aussie outback Australia Contiki tour, you will witness some of Australia’s most stunning natural beauties, no matter which path you select.
Some of the best outbacks to explore include:
- Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park, Yulara.
- Kings Canyon.
- Alice Springs.
- Coober Pedy.
- The Nullarbor Plain.
- Flinders Ranges.
- Kimberley region and Broome.
- Darwin.
You can check prices and availability for the Outback Adventure Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
5. Beaches and reefs Tour
Ahh, the famous East Coast, where you can expect wildlife tours and bushwalks between beaches and sunsets. During the 15 days, you will spend 12 nights in hostels and 2 nights in a Eco-camp.
Included in this tour are eight breakfasts, three lunches, and three dinners for a maximum of 30 people. It also included Coach + internal flights + train.
No worries! You won’t be alone. The expert trip manager and the local guides will be there with you.
Every year, millions of visitors flock to the Great Barrier Reef.
Snorkel and dive among colorful fish and coral, sight turtles, sharks, and whales, or explore the reef from a glass-bottom boat, helicopter, or seaplane.
While the Great Barrier Reef is frequently the focus of attention, it is not the only stunning reef system to visit during your Australia Contiki tour.
The country’s northern, western, and southeastern coasts have underwater playgrounds with distinct ecosystems ready to be discovered.
There are numerous unique ways to visit the reef, which should be on every traveler’s bucket list.
💡PACKING TIP: Make sure you bring a good snorkel, water shoes and a fast-drying towel for all of the beach-going you’re about to do!
1. The Great Barrier Reef
The Great Barrier Reef is undoubtedly Australia’s most well-known natural asset, and it’s no surprise that visitors of all ages want to see it. It’s simply breathtaking.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s biggest coral reef, stretching 2,300 kilometers.
It is home to about 1,600 fish species, 411 hard coral species, 150 soft coral species, more than 30 whale and dolphin species, and six of the world’s seven sea turtle species.
2. The Southern Great Barrier Reef
The Southern Great Barrier Reef contains vibrant coral reef islets, traditional Australian coastal communities, and hidden island treasures waiting to be discovered.
The picturesque islands dot the Southern Great Barrier Reef and provide eco-tours, superb snorkeling, and easy scuba diving.
This place is for you if you want to experience the perfect Australian island holidays.
3. Ningaloo Reef
For the first time, by getting an Australia Contiki tour, you may experience the crystal blue waters home to the world’s largest fringing reef.
Turtles, tropical fish, manta rays, humpback whales, and the elusive whale sharks call Ningaloo Reef’s 160-mile coral reef home.
4. Montgomery Reef
The reef rises from the sea at low tide and covers an area of over 300 square kilometers in the Indian Ocean, where tidal movements vary by up to 10 meters in height.
As a result, a cascading waterfall cascades from the top of the reef, and abundant marine life is now visible. Boats can cruise through navigable passages in the reef, offering views of the show.
You can check prices and availability for the Beaches and Reefs Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
6. Great Ocean Road Trip Tour
This trip includes three nights in hostels, three nights in hotels, and one in a lodge from Melbourne’s hipster hangouts along the magnificent Great Ocean Road.
For foodies, this tour includes five breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 1 dinner. Your mode of transportation will be the coach and ferry. The group size is limited to 25 persons.
If you want to around Australia, coach tours are an excellent option because you get to see all the gorgeous and unique landscapes!
Australia Contiki tours provide plenty of options for wonderful vacations, magnificent coastal roads, pristine beaches, and a bit of laidback small-town life not far from the city outskirts.
A self-drive road excursion to the Great Ocean Road is necessary for most Melbourne tourists. And, as in many Australian cities, it’s always worth renting a car and heading out of town.
However, for various reasons, not everyone can drive.
Melbourne’s weather is notoriously volatile, with circumstances changing at the drop of a hat.
As a result, projected sunny days are not always guaranteed, and you may not witness the orange colors of golden hour drenching the shoreline as imagined.
You will eventually arrive at the 12 Apostles overlook at Port Campbell National Park. It’s a lovely sight. The Twelve Apostles are, of course, breathtaking, and it is not overcrowded.
There were numerous opportunities along the Australia Contiki tour to take shots without a crowd in the background.
📦 PACKING TIP: Don’t leave home without a solar powered battery pack so you can keep your devices connected at all times.
1. Loch Ard Gorge
The famed Loch Ard Gorge was only a short drive from the 12 Apostles overlook.
There were three trails to choose from, two of which were boardwalk lookouts and the third a hike down to the shore to overlook the Gorge.
2. Gibson Steps
The spectacular views and the cloud of sea spray floating above the shore made it feel surreal.
The steps are small, steep, and slippery, so wear comfortable shoes and take your time!
3. Great Ocean Road Archway
On the way back to Melbourne, a Great Ocean Road memorial arch was created to honor the hundreds of returning soldiers who built the actual Great Ocean Road when they returned home after the war.
It’s a brief photo opportunity; you’ll probably spend at most 10 minutes here.
You can check prices and availability for the Great Ocean Road Trip Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
7. South Australia: Wineries and Wilderness Tour
This 25-person tour begins in Adelaide, where you’ll see the cafes on Peel Street and the wines of the Barossa Valley.
You will spend five delightful days in a hostel for two nights and a hotel for two nights. There will be four breakfasts, two lunches, and transportation by coach and ferry included.
South Australia is brimming with culture, food and wine, wildlife encounters, and a packed program of events and entertainment throughout the year.
Only in South Australia can you taste your way through world-famous wine areas only minutes from Adelaide, dig your teeth into award-winning restaurants, bask in the sun on magnificent beaches, swim with sea lions and dolphins, and cage dive with great white sharks in every region.
You can check prices and availability for the South Australia Contiki tour here.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
8. Dive to Adventure
Get away from the mainland and into the Coral Sea, where the Great Barrier Reef awaits. You will have two breakfasts, three lunches, and two dinners on those three days.
A professional dive instructor, as well as a Captain and his crew, will be with you at all times. The transportation, in this case, is a dive boat.
Australia is known for having some of the world’s top scuba diving.
Although the Great Barrier Reef is the country’s most famous attraction, there are hundreds more lesser-known diving spots worth visiting.
Australia Contiki tour destinations are as diverse as they are numerous, ranging from spooky shipwreck dives to tropical coral gardens.
While scuba diving in Australia, there is always something exciting to view underwater!
Some of the best locations are:
- The Great Barrier Reef
- Townsville
- SS Yongala
- Ningaloo Reef
- Whitsunday Islands
- Port Douglas
- South West Rocks
🧳 MUST-HAVE: Before you head out on your trip, make sure you have travel insurance. I recommend either SafetyWing or World Nomads.
It’s simple to see why divers frequently rank Australia as one of the greatest dive destinations in the world.
An absolute paradise of underwater adventure is waiting to be explored, thanks to the tropical temps, superb water clarity, and profusion of marine species.
You can check prices and availability for the Dive to Adventure Contiki tour here.
Australia is full of amazing wonders and otherworldly mysteries. This is both the world’s tiniest continent and the world’s largest country.
Australia has everything from beaches that appear as if they belong in a novel to real-life bears that look like plush toys to enormous spiders and creepy crawlies.
The best way to find out which activity is for you is to check the Contiki reviews.
And before you know it, you will be packing your stuff and buying the ticket for one of the most amazing Australian Contiki tours.
In every sense of the word, Australia is an adventure-filled country.
✈️ Book this Australia Contiki tour now
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a joint Aussie-Kiwi company. Which means when it comes to Australia Contiki tours, they really know what they’re doing! They always provide top-notch tours, but the ones in Australia are some of the best they offer.
Yes, Contiki tours cater to young people and are open to anyone between the ages of 18-35.
Contiki and Topdeck are both poopular tour companies that cater to younger people. However, there are a few key differences when considering going with Contiki vs Topdeck. (1) Although Contiki offers tours for travellers aged 18-35, Topdeck’s age bracket is 18-39; (2) Both offer tours to Asia, Europe, North America & Oceania, but only Topdeck offers tours in Africa and the Middle East, while Contiki is the only one of the top that provides tours in Latin America. For me, personally, if I am going somewhere that both go, I will always choose Contiki.
Other articles you will love:
- Best Places to Visit in Tasmania, Australia
- Sydney North Shore Hot Spots
- Become an Australia Au Pair & See the Land Down Under
Love this article? Pin it for later!
