Australia Small Group Tours For Women 50+
Fifteen days from Melbourne to Sydney with a small group of women over 50: the Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles, Adelaide and its wine hills, the Red Centre and Uluru at sunrise, and a Sydney Harbour cruise.
Australia At A Glance
A 2-Week Australia Tour For Women Over 50
Australia cannot be understood through one city or one landscape. This trip brings the very different sides of the country together: the creative studios and laneways of Melbourne, the surf and limestone cliffs of the Great Ocean Road, the markets and vineyards around Adelaide, the red desert around Uluru, and a cruise across Sydney Harbour.
First Nations hosts and local guides bring the places to life. In Alice Springs an Arrernte Elder and Traditional Owner welcomes the group to Country, you visit a pottery centre run by Western Arrarnta artists, and at Uluru an Anangu-led walk explains the caves, rock art and stories of the land. You also join a dot-painting workshop.
The trip is designed for women over 50. Groups are small, with up to 12 women, and over 80% of our guests travel solo. Not sure a group trip is right for you? Read our guide to solo travel groups for women over 50.
Highlights Of The Australia Tour
Melbourne on foot
Covered arcades, laneways of street art, the National Gallery of Victoria and a food market lunch, then an evening at St Kilda pier waiting for little penguins to return from the sea.
The Great Ocean Road
A coastal drive past Bells Beach, a forest walk to Erskine Falls, and a search for wild koalas and colorful parrots near Kennett River, ending beside the beach at Apollo Bay.
The Twelve Apostles and Shipwreck Coast
Limestone stacks rising from the Southern Ocean, the story of the 1878 wreck at Loch Ard Gorge, and stops at the Grotto, London Arch and the Bay of Islands.
Adelaide
A guided walk through the city's history of protest and social change, including the campaign that made South Australia one of the first places where women could vote and stand for parliament, and lunch in the Adelaide Central Market.
The Adelaide Hills
Kangaroos, wallabies and koalas at Cleland Wildlife Park, the German-settled town of Hahndorf, a chocolate maker, and an included tasting of local wines.
Alice Springs and the Red Centre
A Welcome to Country by an Arrernte Elder, the Telegraph Station, an important collection of Aboriginal art, Simpsons Gap, and the pottery centre at Hermannsburg.
Uluru
Sunrise as the rock shifts from shadow to deep orange, the Mala Walk with Anangu stories, the Cultural Centre, and a cultural dinner beneath the desert sky.
Sydney
The Rocks, an included harbour cruise, a guided visit inside the Opera House, a seafood lunch by the water, Bondi Beach, a free day and a farewell dinner.
Australia Itinerary: 15 Days From Melbourne To Sydney
You arrive in Melbourne and depart from Sydney. Two domestic flights are included. This is the route.
- Day 1 Melbourne — arrival day, with a welcome dinner
- Day 2 Melbourne — guided walk, the National Gallery of Victoria, a food market and the St Kilda penguins
- Day 3 Melbourne to Apollo Bay — the start of the Great Ocean Road
- Day 4 Apollo Bay to Warrnambool — the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge
- Day 5 Warrnambool to Adelaide — a full travel day of about seven hours on the road
- Day 6 Adelaide — guided history walk and the Central Market
- Day 7 Adelaide — Cleland Wildlife Park, Hahndorf and a winery
- Day 8 Adelaide to Alice Springs — a flight of about two hours, then a Welcome to Country
- Day 9 Alice Springs — the Telegraph Station and a choice of afternoon activities
- Day 10 Alice Springs to Yulara — Simpsons Gap and Hermannsburg, about eight hours of driving
- Day 11 Yulara — Uluru at sunrise, the Mala Walk and a cultural dinner
- Day 12 Yulara to Sydney — a dot-painting workshop, then a flight of about three hours
- Day 13 Sydney — The Rocks, a harbour cruise, the Opera House and Bondi Beach
- Day 14 Sydney — a free day, and a farewell dinner
- Day 15 Sydney — departure day
Every day is described in full on the Australia tour page.
How Active Is The Australia Tour?
The tour is rated moderate, with light to moderate walking, generally in stretches of no more than two hours at a time, on city streets, boardwalks, gravel paths, uneven ground, gentle inclines and steps at coastal viewpoints. None of the included walks are difficult hikes, but good balance, steady footing and comfortable walking shoes matter.
Some travel days last 8 to 10 hours once stops, meals and walks are included, with up to 8 hours of actual driving, and there are early starts, such as the sunrise at Uluru. You should be comfortable sitting in the van for extended periods. The trip suits women who can manage moderate daily activity and a few longer days.
Best Time To Visit Australia: September, October And March
Australia's seasons are the reverse of the Northern Hemisphere. Our tours run in spring (September and October) and early autumn (March), when the Red Centre is cooler than in the summer months and the south is mild. Days can still be hot in the desert and cool at the coast, so pack layers, a hat and sun protection.
Do You Need A Visa For Australia? The ETA
US and Canadian citizens do not need a full visa for a short tourist visit, but you must have an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before you fly. Apply only through the official Australian Government channels. Fees apply and entry rules change, so check the official site before you apply. After you book, your Guest Portal lists the entry details for your tour.
What Is Included On The Australia Tour
Included
- Small group experience with a maximum of 12 women
- A professional tour leader throughout the trip
- 14 nights in 3-star and 4-star accommodations, from city hotels to a coastal property and a resort near Uluru
- Transportation by private van, and two domestic flights
- Daily breakfast, 7 lunches and 4 dinners
- Local guides, First Nations cultural hosts and specialists
- All activities and entrance fees listed in the itinerary
- Arrival airport transfer (Melbourne) and departure airport transfer (Sydney)
Not included
- Flights to and from Australia (arrive in Melbourne and depart from Sydney)
- Passport and visa fees, including the ETA
- Meals and activities not mentioned in the itinerary
- Travel insurance (mandatory)
- Gratuities
Rooms are in comfortable, conveniently located 3-star and 4-star accommodations, and every room has a private bathroom. Up to 8 single rooms are available, so book early if a room of your own matters to you. If you would like to arrive early or stay longer, our team will help with accommodation and activities.
Planning to see both countries? Our New Zealand tour is scheduled so that you can follow it with, or take it before, the Australia trip. Check the dates on each tour page.
Australia Travel FAQ
Yes. Our Australia tour is a small group tour for women aged 50 and over, with up to 12 women and a professional tour leader throughout. Over 80% of our guests travel solo.
It is 15 days and 14 nights. You arrive in Melbourne and depart from Sydney, with an arrival airport transfer in Melbourne and a departure airport transfer in Sydney. Two domestic flights are included: Adelaide to Alice Springs, and Uluru to Sydney.
Melbourne, the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles, Adelaide and the Adelaide Hills, Alice Springs, Uluru and the Red Centre, and Sydney, including a harbour cruise and a visit inside the Opera House.
It is rated moderate, with light to moderate walking, generally no more than two hours at a time. Some travel days last 8 to 10 hours including stops, with up to 8 hours of driving, and there are early starts. Good balance and comfortable walking shoes are important.
Fourteen nights in 3-star and 4-star accommodations, private van transportation and two domestic flights, daily breakfast, 7 lunches and 4 dinners, local guides and First Nations cultural hosts, all activities and entrance fees listed in the itinerary, and airport transfers. International flights, travel insurance (mandatory), the ETA and gratuities are not included.
Our Australia tours run in September and October (spring) and in March (early autumn). The Red Centre is cooler than in summer, but days can still be hot, so bring layers, a hat and sun protection.
You do not need a full visa for a short tourist visit, but you must have an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) before you fly. Apply only through the official Australian Government channels, and check the current fees and rules before you apply.
Yes. If you would like to arrive before the tour starts or stay longer after it ends, our team will help with accommodation and activities.
Ready To Explore Australia With Women Travel Tribe?
Browse all our upcoming tours, read traveler reviews, or subscribe for updates and travel inspiration. Not sure a group tour is right for you? Read our guide to women-only travel groups for women 50+. Traveling on your own? See solo travel groups for women over 50.