11-Nights Inspirations from Queensland from $8,455

Swain Destinations

OFFER ID 1310468

Inspirations from Queensland
Experience Queensland through luxury accommodations and mesmerizing views. Begin your journey in Brisbane before flying to the pristine Hamilton Island and explore the Great Barrier Reef. Head over to Silky Oaks Lodge to traverse the World Heritage-Listed Daintree Rainforest and enjoy a walkabout cultural tour. Spend your last day at leisure at Silky Oaks Lodge exploring all the accommodation has to offer. Relax and unwind as you draw inspiration from Queensland.

Your Itinerary Includes:

Roundtrip airport transfers
3 nights Spicers Peak Lodge
Activities at Spicers Peak Lodge
4 nights Hamilton Island
3 nights Daintree Rainforest
Activities at Silky Oaks Lodge
Daintree Rainforest Half Day guided tour
1 night Brisbane
Meals: 11 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 6 dinners

11 nights from $8,455 per person

Itinerary

Swain Destinations: Inspirations from Queensland

Day 1 Welcome to Brisbane, Australia
Welcome to Brisbane. Upon arrival, you will clear customs and immigration and collect your baggage. Once you have collected your baggage, proceed through to the arrival area to meet your driver who will be waiting with a sign.

Spicers Peak Lodge
Meals: D

Day 2 Spicers Peak Lodge at Leisure
You can do as much or as little as you wish while staying at Spicers Peak Lodge. Myriad adventures await in the sky or on the land. For the active, there's helicopter scenic flights, nature hikes, 4WD discovery tours and mountain biking. For those wishing for a gentler pace, there's sunset picnics, star gazing, a guest library, pool table and tennis court.

Spicers Peak Lodge
Meals: B, L, D

Day 3 Spicers Peak Lodge at Leisure
The peerless infinity pool - with yawning views of the mountains - is a temptation impossible to resist for most, as are the indulgent and restorative powers of the Spa Anise Day Spa.

Spicers Peak Lodge
Meals: B, L, D

Day 4 Brisbane to Hamilton Island
Ahead of your flight, you will be transferred from Spicers Peak Lodge to the Brisbane Airport.

Upon arrival into Hamilton Island, please proceed directly to the qualia desk, located first on the left of the airport breezeway, where a qualia representative will be waiting with your personalized name board.

Qualia, Great Barrier Reef
Meals: B

Day 5 qualia at Leisure
Imagine over 70 tropical islands dotted around the Coral Sea on the edge of the South Pacific. Lying in crystal-clear blue water are hundreds of deserted beaches with sparkling white sand and safe, secluded anchorages. These are Australia's fabulous Whitsunday Islands, and at their heart is the ultimate Barrier Reef destination . Hamilton Island. qualia is embedded in 30 acres of tropical garden landscape on the northern most tip of Hamilton Island, offering guests the positively indulgent choice of 60 individual pavilions. Each pavilion has been erected with the least possible intervention of the surroundings and consists largely of natural materials, such as rough hewn-stone walls and hoop pine. Each of the beautifully appointed pavilions offers ocean views with your choice of a private plunge pool or stunning sun deck. It is strongly recommended that any additional activity and spa requirements are pre-booked to avoid disappointment.

Relax and unwind in a sun-filled Leeward Pavilion, creatively designed to celebrate the Whitsundays' legendary sunsets. Southwest-facing, the freestanding Leeward Pavilions provide Hamilton Island luxury accommodation in Australian tropical island style.Louvers allow the sea breeze to flow through, and the comfortable lounge area leads to a private sundeck shaded by Eucalypts. Cool polished floors and timber details, a subtle colour palette and stylish decor, create a uniquely relaxed beach house ambience.

Qualia, Great Barrier Reef
Meals: B

Day 6 qualia at Leisure
qualia Resort (qualia, pronounced Kwah · lee · ah) is a unique Australian expression of world-class luxury, situated on the secluded northern-most tip of Hamilton Island. Inside qualia, you can feel time unravel however you choose. Facilities include two serene pools, a library, private dining room, two bars and restaurants, and a fitness center. And for that truly memorable experience step inside Spa qualia, which offers an extensive range of luxurious local and international treatments.

Qualia, Great Barrier Reef
Meals: B

Day 7 qualia at Leisure
For those with a more adventurous spirit, the Great Barrier Reef is the perfect place to make some unexpected discoveries. Head off on a diving or snorkeling adventure, or marvel at the wondrous diversity of underwater life on a reef tour. There are also all manner of water sports to pursue. Or, why not charter the services of a yacht and cruise the Whitsundays, unwind on the pristine sands of Whitehaven Beach, or take a bird's eye view on a private, scenic helicopter flight? There are many ways to complement a stay at qualia to make it unforgettable.

Qualia, Great Barrier Reef
Meals: B

Day 8 Hamilton Island to Cairns
Please check with the Lodge Manager a day or so prior for your departure time to the airport. The qualia representative will drive you to Hamilton Island Airport in their private vehicle, which takes approximately 10 minutes.

Welcome to Cairns. Upon arrival, walk towards the baggage area to meet your driver who will be waiting next to the Avis desk with a sign. Your driver will take you directly to your accommodations.

Silky Oaks Lodge
Meals: B, D

Day 9 Half Day Daintree Rainforest
Enjoy a tour over the top of the Daintree Rainforest to the very edge of the 'Outback' to observe the native wildlife. The ecosystems experienced are from the Lowland Wet Tropics of the coastal strip through the upper forests and out to the very edge of the wonderful Eucalypt Savannah Outback. Odyssey Bound is able to take you into the wilderness of Cape York with a unique look at local culture and history. It offers an insight into the many creatures generally unseen. Early departures allow many encounters with creatures that would otherwise be missed. Traveling off the beaten track in areas not visited by the mainstream, this safari is ideal for people that simply seek to explore a little more than the normal day tours. Wear comfortable shoes and bring that camera.

Silky Oaks Lodge
Meals: B, D

Day 10 Silky Oaks Lodge at Leisure
Silky Oaks Lodge offers a range of lodge-based experiences allowing you to relax and discover the surrounding rainforest and Mossman River at your own pace. Complimentary activities include a guided walk, morning yoga class, exclusive access to the Fig Tree Rapids walking trail, river swimming and snorkeling, use of mountain bikes, river kayaks and the gymnasium. Silky Oaks Lodge operates a complimentary return shuttle for guests to and from Port Douglas once per day, per schedule, subject to availability.

For an introduction to the rainforest, join the lodge guide on a daily walk around the property's beautiful grounds. This walk is offered on a shared basis with fellow guests at a scheduled time. A series of marked trails are perfect for self-guided hikes.

Exploring the natural oasis of the Mossman River is as easy as wading in from the shallows and sinking into the crystal-clear waters of the billabong. Alternatively, float along in a kayak or take a snorkel and fins for a closer look down below.

Guided yoga classes each morning take a gentle pace and suit all fitness and experience levels. Held in an open-air pavilion, cares slip away with the soothing sound of the Mossman River. Sessions are shared with fellow guests at a scheduled time.

There is also a selection of local operators who together offer a host of experiences and adventures in the region, from hot-air-ballooning and helicopter tours to indigenous cultural walks, off-the-beaten-track driving safaris and diving the Great Barrier Reef. The team at Silky Oaks Lodge can assist with bookings and arrangements to tailor an ideal stay, additional charges apply.

Silky Oaks Lodge
Meals: B, D

Day 11 Cairns to Brisbane
You will be transferred directly from Silky Oaks Lodge to Cairns Airport.

Welcome to Brisbane. Upon arrival, walk towards the baggage area to meet your driver who will be waiting with a sign. Your driver will take you directly to your accommodations.

Spicers Balfour Hotel
Meals: B

Day 12 Depart Brisbane
Please meet your driver in the hotel lobby for your transfer to the airport.

Meals: B

Featured Destinations

Brisbane

Brisbane

Laze in the lush riverside gardens of South Bank, then browse the markets and swim in its lagoon. Bike ride in the City Botanic Gardens and abseil the cliffs of Kangaroo Point. Glide down the river on a majestic paddle steamer or take a high-speed ferry to vibrant inner-city villages like Bulimba and New Farm. When culture cravings hit, wander the art galleries and museums, watch a performance by the Queensland Ballet, Opera or Orchestra perform or see cutting-edge theatre in the Powerhouse. In the boating hub of nearby Moreton Bay and Islands, you can swim, sea kayak, snorkel coral reefs, toboggan down the world's tallest sand dune, hire a sail boat or tussle with a marlin.

Five things you should do in Brisbane:

1. Glide down the river and relax in the gardens

Bike ride beneath macadamia trees and mangroves in the City Botanic Gardens or roller blade over a floating walkway. Then cruise down the river in a wooden paddle steamer, spotting pelicans and eastern water dragons. Laze or picnic under the palms on South Bank's 17 hectares of riverside gardens. Here you can swim from the lagoon and pools of Paul Breka Beach, browse the markets, visit a summer open-air cinema and dine alfresco in the sun. Follow an Aboriginal art trail through the bushland in Mount Coot-Tha Reserve, also the place to spot native wildlife and take in panoramic city views. At the foot of the mountain you can wander the tropical zone, rainforests and Japanese gardens of the Brisbane Botanic Gardens. Cuddle up to koalas and meet possums, kangaroos, wombats, emus and lyrebirds in the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, just a short bus drive from the city centre.

2. Soak up culture and architecture

See the skeleton of a Queensland dinosaur in the Queensland Museum and the work of famous Australian artists in the Queensland Art Gallery. Both sit in the sprawling Queensland Cultural Centre on South Bank. At night, visit the dress circle of the Queensland Performing Arts Centre or catch a show by the Queensland Ballet, Opera or Orchestra. Watch plays, browse art galleries and dine out in the transformed industrial space of the Powerhouse, which towers over the wide, brown river like a post-apocalyptic vision. Brisbane also houses many cultural institutions in fine old civic buildings, such as Customs House, the Treasury Building, Brisbane City Hall, the Commissariat Store and the Old Mill. In Brisbane, sandstone cathedrals and classic Queenslander houses on stilts blend seamlessly with steel and glass skyscrapers.

3. Hit the water and islands of Moreton Bay

Sea kayak from North Stradboke Island or Moreton Island or go deep-sea fishing from Scarborough, Bribie Island, Manly or Raby Bay. Jet ski and windsurf on the Redcliffe Peninsula or kite-surf on Wellington Point. Slide down the world's tallest sand dunes on a toboggan or sand buggy on Moreton Island. Scuba dive with colourful fish, crustaceans, corals and turtles at Cowan's Artificial Reef, Flinders Reef and in the Tangalooma shipwrecks. Watch out for humpback whales between July and October and dolphins and dugongs all year round. Meet colonies of koalas in Victoria Point and hundreds of wading birds in the Egret Colony and Boondall Wetlands. Aqua-bike from Coochiemudlo Island then mountain bike the BMX tracks at Cleveland and Deception Bay. Four wheel drive Moreton, North Stradbroke and Bribie Islands. See Queensland's oldest banyan tree in Cleveland Point, Aboriginal scar trees and middens in the Redlands and Myora Springs and a notorious old convict settlement on St Helena Island.

4. Eat, drink and enjoy in the urban villages

Listen to live music, shop along the lively outdoor mall and feast on Chinatown dumplings in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane's cultural core. Next door in New Farm, you can people watch from trendy cafes, buy gourmet delights from the famous deli and picnic in the riverside parklands. Dine in warehouse converted restaurants and explore the transformed industrial space of the Powerhouse, now a buzzing centre for the live arts. Take the citycat to Bulimba on the river. Then visit pretty Paddington and hop between the popular bars, cafes and restaurants of Latrobe and Given Terraces. Then take in the traditional Queenslander homes which dot the hills and wide-lined streets. Cross the river for the funky restaurants and art house theatres of the West End, the shops of Stones Corner and the brewery of Queensland's most famous beer.

5. Embrace adventure

Abseil or rock climb the Kangaroo Point Cliffs at sunrise or at night when the city is dancing with lights. Climb the Story Bridge for spectacular 360 degree views. Free fall on a tandem sky dive or float over the city in a hot air balloon. You can even glide like a bird over the Sunshine Coast on a motor glider. Travel down the Brisbane River on a golden gondola, historic paddle steamer or wildlife cruise. Or take a luxury whale watching cruise from the Redcliffe Peninsula, just 30 minutes north of Brisbane. Do an eco cruise past Bribie Island and the Glasshouse Mountains to Pumicestone Passage Marine Park. Bushwalk, swim, four wheel drive, spot wildlife and explore glow worm caves on an eco-tour to Springbrook and Lamington National Parks. See the city sights on the back of a Harley Davidson or go horseriding in the sprawling bush on the edge of the city.

Lizard Island

Daintree National Park

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

10/01/2024 - 03/31/2025

from $8,455 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

from $8,455 per person

Length

11 Nights

Air City

Call for airfares from your city.

Vacation Rating

Luxury
The finest hotels in the world, luxury lodging is characterized by luxury accommodations, impeccable service and the highest standards of comfort and pampering. Luxury hotels and resorts are often found in the most desirable locations. Building from the amenities and guest services offered at a deluxe hotel or resort, the luxury establishment usually puts on the finishing touches - fresh flowers around the hotel and original works of art throughout. Hotel restaurants often employ world renowned chefs to create delectable dishes and a unique dining experience. Attention to detail and personalized service are the hallmarks of luxury hotels and resorts.

Remarks

Prices are per person, land only, twin/double share in USD. Airfare is not included. Single supplement applies. Travel may be restricted to certain days of the week. Hotels and tours remain subject to availability. Please note blackout dates may apply to Christmas, New Year and local special event periods. Prices indicated remain subject to change without notice. Rates may vary by category and departure date; please inquire for details. Prices are per person, twin/double share in USD. All highlighted savings are reflected in the price. Travel may be limited to certain days of the week. Hotels and tours remain subject to availability. Cancellation penalties and other booking or alteration restrictions may exist. Please note blackout dates may apply to Christmas, New Year and local special event periods. Pricing may increase over Holiday and special event periods and may not be reflected in price grid. Prices indicated remain subject to change without notice. Prices are not guaranteed until full payment is received and processed. Itinerary and map subject to change.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1310468

Reference this number when contacting our agency so we may better serve you. Also keeping this number handy will allow you to locate this document again quickly.

Kathleen Stahl Travel Services

529 36th Street
Des Moine, IA 50312
USA

(515) 271-8091