Australia

G'day, and Welcome to Australia.

A participant holds a koala in Australia

Australia is a kaleidoscope of natural beauty, with the rugged splendor of the outback, spectacular surf and beaches, incredible coral and marine life, and the oldest tropical rainforests in the world. From cosmopolitan Sydney to remote Alice Springs to sunny Cairns and the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, explore Australia’s cultural and ecological diversity.

Orientation in Sydney

Spend your first three days exploring the lively streets of Sydney. Learn about Australia by cruising the harbor, taking in an opera at the world-renowned Sydney Opera House, visiting Bondi Beach, and participating in a surfing and lifesaving clinic.

Homestay in South Australia

Snorkeling in Australia

Experience the beauty and hospitality of southern Australia by living with a caring host family for two weeks. Although you speak the same language, you quickly learn that Aussies have a distinct way of expressing themselves, with 5,000 words and phrases they call their own.

Sample host communities: Balaklava, Mt. Barker, Orrorroo, Clare, Yorke Peninsula

Sample activities: Take a day trip to Alligator Gorge; explore the Flinders Mountain Range; examine Australia’s unique wildlife at one of its famed nature reserves; go koala spotting with Australian naturalists.

Into the Outback

Hands in the outback

Spend 10 exhilarating days hiking, camping, and traveling through the Australian outback. With your Australian guide, delve into the geographic and spiritual heart of Australia.

Sample activities: Venture to the Wadlata Outback Center to learn about Aboriginal culture; visit sacred Uluru and Kata Tjuta: Ayers Rock; practice your hand at sheep-shearing; camp out under the wide night sky of the outback; travel to Alice Springs with the famous McDonnell Rangers.

Ecological Adventure and the Great Barrier Reef

Kayaking

Your Australian odyssey finishes with six days in sun-drenched Queensland, where you learn more about Aboriginal culture and history before heading to the Great Barrier Reef to explore ecological issues that affect this fascinating and beautiful part of the world.



Australia Girls

Sample activities: Listen to the mystical dreamtime stories of local Aborigines; camp in the Australian rainforest; practice your boomerang skills; snorkel the mighty Great Barrier Reef to see the world’s most bountiful display of tropical marine life; relax on the long, soft beaches of Queensland.

 

 

 

I will never forget staying with three aboriginal leaders in the rainforest near Cairns. We threw spears, shaped and painted our own boomerangs, and were given aboriginal names based on our personalities. I was given the name 'Guyibara,' which is a long-legged bird with large blue eyes that watches everything carefully. This bird represented grace and understanding. I was thrilled to have such an honorable name, and was seen as an understanding person, because I had been striving to do just that throughout the whole journey.

--Ashley Loth, St. Louis, Missouri

Code: ASV (5 weeks)
Features: Ecological/Outdoor Adventure, Travel
Dates: June 30 - August 3
Depart/Return: Los Angeles
Fee: $6,700

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Features
Ecological/Outdoor Adventure, Travel

Dates
June 30 - August 3

Depart/Return
Los Angeles

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