Our journey to the unique island contienent often called Oz, short for Australia, will first center in the red desert and the sacred rock Uluru. Commonly known as Ayers rock, Uluru is the aboriginal name and our guides there will be the Anangu Aborigine, stewards of this sacred site. From them we will hear the histories of the great spirit beings that formed the ways of the land and their ancestors. These are the ancestral ways that today are still their living laws. We will explore the red heart of Australia, with its incredible beauty and wildlife.
From the deep desert we go next to the Australian northeast coast and the tropical Daintree Rainforest that fronts the Great Barrier Reef. There we will be with the Kuku Yalanji tribe. They are a people obviously shaped by the sweet and lush spirits of the forest and sea of their ancestral homelands. We will enjoy much time with various tribal members walking the forest and beaches, sharing their native crafts, food and lore.
We will also be with their healers and those that choose may partake of their herbs, spirit healing and ceremonies. We will camp two nights in their traditional humpy huts made comfortable with mosquito netting and beds. The land where they have invited us to camp is their sacred dance site where they at times still see their ancestors. The tribal dancers will join us in traditional ceremony.
Lastly, there will be two days to enjoy the beaches and wonders of the Great Barrier Reef as you choose, staying at the retreat style resort, Thala near Port Douglas. You'll have the options to sail, snorkel, dive or just lie in the warm sand.
Tour Itinerary
Day 1: If leaving from Los Angeles you'll fly overnight and over the international dateline, landing in Brisbane the next morning. We'll go right away to our downtown hotel for resting and grounding;
Day 2: In the morning we will fly towards the center of Australia's island continent, landing in Alice Springs. Heavitree Gap Outback Lodge;
Day 3: This will be an early morning as we will be out driving through the outback before daylight. That is when the chances are high to see Australiašs unique wildlife such kangaroos, wallabees, dingos, wild camels and such. By mid-day we'll have arrived at Uluru, the famous red (Ayers) rock. In Uluru we will be joining the local Anangu aborigines three times in the next few days so that they can guide and inform us of their ways and relationship with the sacred sites. We begin this evening with their sunset tour. We will stay three nights at the Outback Pioneer Hotel;
Day 4: Beginning with sunrise at the rock we will spend all morning with the aboriginal guides on their Uluru tour;
Day 5: Moving a bit slower today at mid-morning we will go to the Olgas, another nearby set of sacred rocks. In the afternoon we will rejoin the Anangu for a class in their medatative dot painting;
Day 6: Mid-day we will fly from the desert to Cairns on the northern tropical coast. From Cairns an hour and a half drive will get us in the area of the Daintree Rainforest near the towns of Mossman and Port Douglas where we will be for the next week. We start by staying two nights at the Thala Beach Resort;
Day 7: In this area we will enjoy much involvement with the Yalanji tribe. Over the next 4-6 days we will be with them in their rainforest homeland as they share their arts such as the making of their woven dilly bags, telling the stories of their ancestral spirit beings and showing the traditions of their native foods and medicines. With us, and for those who choose, working on us will be 3-4 Aboriginal healers using plants, dijeridoo, and psychic and the spirit helpers of their tribal traditional healing methods;
Day 8: Our mornings here will usually start with sunrise at the beach. Then a day tour in the rainforest to the north up around Daintree with a Yalanji guide;
Day 9: Today we will take 4x4s up into a forest camp on tribal lands with some of the families. The place where we will be staying is a ceremonial sacred site where at times the people still see the spirits of their ancestors. We will be sleeping two nights in their traditional bark huts made comfortable with mosquito netting and beds. Their tribal dancers will be joining us in the ceremony of their prayers.
Day 10: Tribal camp;
Day 11: Today we will return to the coast and the Thala Beach Lodge;
Day 12: Great Barrier Reef options of snorkeling, diving and glass bottom boats. The day trips range in price from $50 - $150;
Day 13: Again Great Barrier Reef options or just 'laze' around the beach. Late afternoon we will drive back to Cairns, a hip and happenin' international beach resort town. There is great shopping if that's your thing or just people watching at the restaurants along the beach. We will be staying in the midst of it all in the Reef Casino;
Day 14: A morning flight from Cairns gets us back to Brisbane connecting with our flight back to LAX.
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Your flights to and from Brisbane and through Australia are not included in the journey price. Depending on the time of the year, your round trip from Los Angeles and the various stops in Australia may cost from US$1,300 - US$1,500.
Also see tour packages in:
Australia and Oceania
Australia
Cultural Journey
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
| Check out these similar vacation offers: |
|
|
