Australian Alps Tour (TROS)
7 days, 6 nights

Pick up in Sydney and return

February-March 2010

The Australian Alps are a region rich in natural beauty and cultural heritage and a delightful place to visit in summer, when the mountain streams are flowing and the snow gums are set off by a carpet of alpine flowers.

These rugged ranges were once treasured by Aboriginal people for their rich harvest of bogong moths and then the domain of high country horsemen and pioneer women behind the legend of The Man From Snowy River. The region is familiar to skiing enthusiasts in winter but is equally exhilarating for those who venture into the High Country in summer.

The Alps contain a fascinating mix of unique landscapes, pastoral and mining heritage, winding mountain roads, quaint historical villages, panoramic lookouts, and the engineering marvel of the Snowy Hydro Power Scheme.

In 2008 the region was named one of eight “National Landscapes” by Tourism Australia and Parks Australia.

You’ll travel in a fully-equipped, air-conditioned 4WD coach and stay in unique accommodation including an historic homestead and a heritage guesthouse, modern eco-cabins and an historic country pub.

You’ll see where the first images of man on the moon were seen; tour some of the most beautiful caves in Australia; picnic in secluded spots and eat in some of the best restaurants in the Alps; walk through magnificent mountain scenery; learn more about the awe-inspiring Snowy Hydro Scheme; see the source of Australia’s longest river; visit historical mountain gold fields; and have close encounters with a range of Australian wildlife.

You’ll get typical Aussie hospitality, meet lots of interesting locals, and enjoy a number of guided tours to places you’ll never forget.

You’ll stay in constant touch via phone and mobile internet to share your experiences with family and friends. And you’ll be in a small group of like-minded people who want to see and learn more about this amazing country.

What You Get

Pick up in central Sydney and return, six nights accommodation, all meals, morning and afternoon teas, entry and admission fees, local tours, individual trip kit including personal comfort pack , use of a netbook computer for the duration of the tour.

Itinerary

Day 1

From Sydney you travel to Canberra’s Black Mountain for a panoramic view over Australia's capital city, then to NASA’s Deep Space Communications Facility at Tidbinbilla, one of only three such facilities around the world in the Deep Space Network that aids exploration of the universe, the shuttle missions and space stations and investigation of the solar system. You then travel across the Upper Murrumbidgee River to your overnight accommodation at a farm homestead in the magnificent Tinderry Mountains.. (LD)

Day 2

This morning you travel to Honeysuckle Creek, the other part of Canberra's connection with space, for a tour of the site of the historic tracking station that broadcast the first pictures of man walking on the moon. From there you tour the high country back roads to Adaminaby and a look at the remains of the old town that was flooded when Lake Eucumbene - the largest in the Alps - was created as part of the Snowy Hydro Scheme. Your afternoon includes a guided tour of a trout farm - with the chance to catch your own dinner! - and a visit to the picturesque lakefront town of Jindabyne, gateway to the major alpine snowfields. Your accommodation for the next two days is a unique eco development on the edge of the national park. (BLD)

Day 3

Today is the day you reach the very top of Australia, with a guided walk to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko. Ride the chairlift from Thredbo Village (1365 metres) to Eagles Nest (1945metres), follow a grated path that crosses the headwaters of the Snowy River and enjoy the vista of Lake Cootapatamba, Australia's highest lake. The journey continues to the Kosciuszko summit, with sweeping views over the Main Range and beyond to Victorian alpine terrain. This adventure takes up most of your day, an exhilarating but moderate-grade challenge suitable for a general level of fitness. Afterwards you can relax in the coffee shop at Lake Crackenback resort and, if you wish, take a post-walk healing massage (optional, extra cost). (BLD)

Day 4

A day's driving through the national park takes you along the Alpine Way to a number of historic places and magnificent lookouts. These include Pilot Lookout - wonderful views along the alpine border between New South Wales and Victoria; Tom Groggin - by the banks of the upper reaches of the Murray River, close to where it begins its 2,756-kilometre journey to the Southern Ocean; Geehi Hut - an historic cattleman's hut on the banks of the Swampy River; and Scammell's Spur - where you gain a spectacular panorama of the western face of the Snowy Mountains. You then gain an insight into the engineering marvel of the Snowy Hydro Scheme with a tour of the Murray No 1 Power Station. After lunch you travel through the centre of the national park to Cabramurra, Australia's highest township and to Kiandra, an historic gold mining settlement and reputedly the birthplace of skiing in Australia. You end your day at your overnight stop at Yarrangobilly Caves House, with a chance to explore and enjoy the Thermal Pool. (BLD)

Day 5

Today you explore the wonders of the Yarrangobilly Caves, including a self-guided tour of the South Glory Cave and a fully guided tour of the exquisite Jillebenan Cave. You also visit Talbingo, birthplace of Australian writer Miles Franklin and home to the Snowy Hydro Visitor Display Centre. (BLD)

Day 6

This morning you visit the Alps' second-largest lake, the picturesque Blowering Reservoir with its massive 120-metre high earth wall. The world water speed record was set here  by Ken Warby in 1978 (511 kph) and it also once held the world water ski distance record when Garry Christian managed to stay upright for 1,677 kms!  After lunch you visit the towns of Tumut and Adelong to enjoy heritage buildings and charming galleries and craft shops. Your accommodation tonight is at Beaufort House, an historic luxury boutique hotel in Adelong.(BLD).

Day 7

Your final day includes a tour of Helms Wines, a family winery that was one of the first established in the Canberra cool climate wine district, followed by lunch at Springers Rest, an historic coaching inn in the village of Murrumbateman. Your return journey continues via the historic Southern Highlands township of Berrima, before arriving back in Sydney in the late afternoon.