From the bustling streets of Sydney to the vast expanses of the Outback, adventure awaits in the Land Down Under. But with so much ground to cover, planning an Australia vacation can feel overwhelming. That’s where guided Australia tours come in. Many of the best Australian tours include a visit to the Outback, but some also offer winery tours, opportunities to dive at the Great Barrier Reef, and even the chance to get up close to koalas. These group tours make seeing the massive country easy and accessible for everyone.
2024’s Best Small Group Tours of Australia
This year’s best Australia tours come in a variety of trip types and for different budgets, and with the help of expert guides you’ll have everything you need right at your fingertips. From large group coach tours to luxury private tours that cater to your every need, these are my picks for the best tours of Australia in 2024.
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1. Aboriginal Culture and Australian Highlights Tour
Trafalgar
If you want to come away from your Australia vacation with a deeper sense of what the country’s Aboriginal culture is like, consider the Aboriginal Culture and Australian Highlights tour from Trafalgar. The 13-day Australia tour takes you from Melbourne to Cairns with a focus on indigenous people groups. Starting in Melbourne, the experience kicks off with a walking tour of the city with an Indigenous guide. The tour continues with a few days in Uluru, where you’ll see ancient rock art, learn about dot art, take a scenic helicopter flight, and sip local wine as the sun sets.
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Day seven is a full day in Sydney, where you can explore the Opera House and enjoy an Aboriginal cultural cruise through the harbor. The adventure ends with a day at the Great Barrier Reef and a day in Cairns where you can either hop on the scenic railway or take time to explore the city. On some days, there are different options to choose from. For instance, on the third day, choose between a coastal drive or seeing tiny penguins on Phillip Island.
- Length: 13 days
- Starting price: $7,209
- Average group size: 40 people
- More tours: 10 Best Trafalgar Tours to Take in 2024
2. Brisbane to Cairns Experience: Sand Dunes and the Whitsundays Tour
G Adventures
Younger travelers who are looking for a fun way to visit Australia without breaking the bank may enjoy the Brisbane to Cairns Experience: Sand Dunes and the Whitsundays tour from G Adventures. The 10-day tour is specifically designed for 18- to 39-year-olds. The itinerary starts in Brisbane, where you’ll kick off your Australia tour with a day exploring on your own before meeting the group leaders and fellow travelers.
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The tour continues to Noosa, known for its beaches; and Fraser Island, where you’ll explore the only rainforest in the world that grows in sand. In Airlie Beach and Whitsunday Islands, the group will enjoy a day on a yacht and sailing along the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. The itinerary ends in Cairns for adventure sports like skydiving or white water rafting before a night out on the town.
- Length: 10 days
- Starting price: $1,724
- Average group size: 20 people
- More tours: 10 Best G Adventures Tours to Take in 2024
3. Highlights of Australia: The Great Barrier Reef to Sydney Tour
EF Go Ahead Tours
If you’re looking for a tour of Australia that hits both big cities and the beach towns, the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney tour from EF Go Ahead Tours hits all the highlights of Australia. The trip starts in Sydney, where you’ll take a guided tour of the Sydney Opera House, visit Bondi Beach, and have a free day in the city. Later in the trip you’ll fly to Cairns, which is the launch point to get to the Great Barrier Reef.
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En route to the ocean, you’ll stop at Mossman Gorge to see the overlooks and learn about life from an indigenous guide. While at the Great Barrier Reef, you can pick to see the reef from a glass-bottom boat or don a snorkel and see the colors underneath the water. The itinerary ends in Melbourne, where you’ll get a walking tour of the city and then have a day of free time before leaving Australia.
- Length: 12 days
- Starting price: $3,449
- Average group size: 15 to 35 people
4. Wings Over Australia Tour
Abercrombie & Kent
If the budget is no consideration, go big with Abercrombie & Kent’s 13-day Wings Over Australia private luxury tour. The deluxe itinerary, which features private charter flights between all of the major destinations, starts with two days in Melbourne, where you’ll explore the city and visit a few nearby wineries for tastings.
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Then the group flies to Tasmania for a visit to a bird sanctuary, an art museum, learning about local oysters, and more. Days six through eight are spent in Uluru, where you’ll dine among the dunes and see cave paintings. Then the group moves to Hayman Island to learn first-hand about the Great Barrier Reef before ending in Sydney, where everyone will enjoy a harbor cruise and a behind-the-scenes visit to the Sydney Opera House.
- Length: 13 days
- Starting price: $46,995
- Average group size: 11 people
5. The Kimberley Coast by Sea: Northwest Australia and Indonesia Tour
National Geographic Expeditions
One of the most unusual and interesting Australia tours is an expedition cruise with National Geographic Expeditions. An epic 18-day trip with a price tag to match its ambitions, the Kimberley Coast by Sea: Northwest Australia and Indonesia starts in Perth, though the official sailing date isn’t until day four in Broome. Everyone in the group will board the National Geographic Orion before setting out to sea.
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Day five is where the real adventure begins, with a day at Rowley Shoals, which is a popular diving spot to see coral reefs. Days six and seven are spent at sea navigating the Kimberly Coast. Groups then venture to Bigge Island to see the cave systems and artwork, and to search for Monkon rock wallabies. Day 14 is when the group makes landfall in Indonesia at Savu Sea Marine National Park to see whales and turtles. You’ll also get to see Komodo dragons and Pink Beach in Komodo. The trip ends with a traditional wedding ceremony and boxing match on the island of Sumbawa before heading to Denpasar to catch a flight home.
- Length: 18 days
- Starting price: $16,577
- Average group size: 102 people
6. Australia Family: Koalas, Reef, and Rainforest Tour
Kensington Tours
Families looking to take younger kids to Australia will want to dive into the Koalas, Reef, and Rainforest private family tour from Kensington Tours. The 12-day itinerary starts in Sydney, where you can enjoy free time on your own to see everything from the harbor and Opera House to animals at the Wild Life Sydney Zoo. For more animal fun, the second day in Sydney includes a trip to the Taronga Zoo along with a tour from a zookeeper.
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Day four is when your family will pack up and move to Hamilton Island to explore on your own or take advantage of the hotel’s complimentary water sports just off the edge of the Great Barrier Reef. The trip ends in Port Douglas as you join a marine biologist for a snorkel tour and a trip to Daintree National Park.
- Length: 12 days
- Starting price: $4,795
- Group size: Just your family (private tour)
7. Gems of the Red Center Tour
Globus
The Gems of the Red Center tour from Globus takes you to the middle of the Australian Outback, allowing you to experience the desert and Indigenous culture up close. This Australia tour starts in Alice Springs with a visit the Standley Chasm with the help of an Indigenous guide. Day three brings the real adventure as the group moves through the Outback to Kings Canyon, where domes, gorges, and sandstone walls dot the landscape. Here, the group can enjoy a morning canyon rim walk before moving to Uluru to see the Mutitjulu Waterhole and Aboriginal rock paintings. Before leaving Uluru for your journey back home, you can enjoy optional excursions like a camel ride or helicopter tour.
- Length: 6 days
- Starting price: $3,339
- Average group size: 20 people
