Welcome to Australia: East Coast
30 Days / 29 Nights Semi-Guided Tour
FROM
$4,299AUD
Secure your spot for just $400AUD
The new way to travel the East Coast of Australia
The East Coast of Australia has it all and we will make sure you see it properly. We will explore bohemian Byron Bay with its laid back surfer backpacker vibe and explore the world’s largest sand island (K’gari / Fraser Island) by 4WD. You will snorkel the Great Barrier Reef out of Cairns, get up close to Koalas on Magnetic Island as well as see the incredible Whitsunday Islands TWICE, once by boat and then once from the sky as we take you on a spectacular scenic flight above Heart Reef. Truly special.
This is just the start, this Semi-Guided Tour will make sure that you and your new travel family have the best 30 days on the East Coast of Australia.
Tour Length
30 Days / 29 Nights
Perfect For
People wanting a group tour but with freedom
Group Size
Max 24 people
Semi Guided
More free time, more inclusions at a better price
Support
You will have us here to help, all the way up the coast!
Some Meals Included
We will cater for your dietary needs
Top Experiences
Experience Byron Bay
Explore Byron Bay with your guide before doing an incredible sunset glow kayak. You’ll spend 3 days in Byron Bay.
Fly Over the Whitsundays
Before an incredible boat trip, you will see the Whitsundays from the sky on a special scenic flight over Heart Reef.
Explore K’Gari (Fraser Island)
Spend 3 days at our favourite place in Australia, driving through rainforest, swimming in freshwater lakes and relaxing in lazy rivers.
Unique Everglades Stay
Stay amongst kangaroos in lakeside cabins before exploring the Everglades by cruise and canoe!
Great Barrier Reef
Get up close to Nemo and if you want, upgrade to a Scuba Dive!
Bribie Island - Hidden Gem
Spend the day exploring the island in a 4WD, paddleboarding on tea tree lakes, finding abandoned WW2 forts and spotting a kangaroo or two!
Magical Magnetic Island
Spend two days relaxing amongst koalas and wallabies on Magnetic Island, also a great place to swim or hike!
Add-On Options
Whether it’s our Skydiving, White Water Rafting or Surfing we can help with all of it!
Why is Semi Guided so good?
Here are some reasons this new way to travel, is THE best way to travel the East Coast:
1. Your tour will start (Sydney to Byron Bay) with a guide to ensure a perfect start
2. You are travelling with the same group, who will become your travel family
3. All of your activities, transport and accommodation will be organised for you
4. Compared to a guided tour, you have more free time to relax or do your own thing
5. Through our app, you will have support from Welcome to Travel guide all the way through your trip
6. Your activities will always have a guide
For your free time, you will receive suggested things for each destination, not with one option like a normal tour, but several options to suit your mood. We have optional activities you can book, things you can do for free and even food and drink specials all the way up the coast.
Welcome to Travel is all about helping people become the best version of themselves, and that includes ensuring you’re confident to continue travelling after you’ve travelled with us. This perfect blend of a group tour, with free time but a continuous support network will help you do that.
WHERE YOU'LL GO
Starting in Sydney, you will travel all the way up the East Coast of Australia until Cairns. Hitting the beautiful small towns, getting off the beaten path with unique destinations but also experiencing the big three: Great Barrier Reef, Whitsundays and K’Gari (Fraser Island).
WHERE YOU'LL STAY
As we make our way up the East Coast, we’ll be staying in our favourite hostels in the different towns along the way. You’ll also spend two nights camping on K’Gari (Fraser Island) and two nights on an overnight bus.
Tour Inclusions
Experiences
- Relax with our day 1 group Meet and Greet Session
- Secret fun pre-departure Sydney activity
- Get to know each other at our Welcome Meal
- Explore Byron Bay as a group
- Yoga in Byron Bay (optional, but included)
- Beach time and lightouse walk in Byron Bay
- Byron Bay dinner on your first night in town
- Team night out on final evening in Byron Bay
- Go kayaking at sunset in Byron Bay
- Hit the beach and the bars in Surfers Paradise
- Get to know Queensland’s capital city, Brisbane
- Unique Day Trip to Bribie Island
- Paddleboarding and Sea Swimming off Bribie Island
- Kangaroo Spotting and Explore Fort Bribie
- Visit beautiful Noosa National Park, home of the Fairy Pools
- Afternoon boat trip on Noosa River with Roundaboat (BYO snacks and drinks) Noosa National Park, home of the Fairy Pools
- Frisbee golf and wIldlife spotting at the stunning Habitat Noosa
- Cruise (boat trip) and canoe on (optional but already included!) 1 of 2 of the world’s Everglades National Parks
- Bring in sunset at beautiful Carlo Sandblow
- Spend 3 days on K’Gari (Fraser Island)
- Take a scenic flight (this is included!) over the Whitsundays and Heart Reef
- Experience a boat trip to the world famous Whitehaven Beach
- Snorkel the pristine waters around the Whitsundays
- Chill out on Magnetic Island
- Visit the Great Barrier Reef trip. Snorkelling is included, scuba diving is possible to add on
Accommodation
- 22 Nights dorm accommodation in Australia’s best hostels
- 2 Nights in an incredible lakeside Wildlife Retreat, Habitat Noosa
- 2 Nights camping on K'Gari (Fraser Island)
- 2 Nights dorm accommodation on beautiful Magnetic Island
- 2 Overnight buses
- Extra nights available for before and after the tour
Meals and Drinks
- 2 Breakfasts
- 7 Lunches
- 5 Dinners
- Food and drink discounts and specials for every destination
- Suitable for vegans
- Beer tasting at lakeside brewery (optional)
Community
- Connect with your group on our App, before, throughout and after the tour
- Lifetime membership with Welcome to Travel
- Access to free quarterly Welcome to Travel events
- Discounted rates for Melbourne and Sydney events (parties, bar crawls)
- Private lifetime member Facebook group access
Transport
- Bus: modern, air conditioned coach travel up the coast (WiFi/USB)
- Ferry: your transport to Magnetic Island
- 4WD Jeep/Troupes on K'Gari (Fraser Island)
- Fast Boat: your trip to the Whitsundays
- Plane: flight over the Whitsundays
Additional Advice Travel Help
- Travel information session
- Free recommendations for every destination on your tour
- Book other activities through our app
- Customised travel planning
- National travel specials and discounts
- Ongoing travel help after your tour
EAST COAST ITINERARY
Before You Travel
Before and after you book the tour, we know that you’ll have questions about travelling to Australia. This is totally natural and we’re able to help with all of this, not just over email but through our famous free, personalised travel advice calls.
We’ll do one of these on your preferred platform at a time that works for you meaning you can ask us anything and everything. Book one in by clicking the button below.
The support continues with helpful info emails leading up to you joining us on tour. The week before your tour we’ll also create a group on our app to connect you with everyone that you’ll be on tour with!
Meet Your Guide and Travel Fam
Day 1
Today is the day, the day you meet your tour guide and the day that you meet your new travel family for the best 4 weeks of your life.
We will get to know each other in our meet and greet session, where we’ll also go over your itinerary for your East Coast adventure, answering anything and everything so that you feel as relaxed and excited as possible.
After that we’ll head for a cool secret inclusion followed by a Welcome Dinner, our first meal as a travel fam! That evening be getting the overnight bus to our next stop, beautiful Byron Bay.
Beautiful Byron Bay, Backpacker Paradise
Days 2-4
With its beautiful beaches, epic surf, great food and good vibes, every traveller has Byron Bay on their bucket list.
You will do a tour of ‘the Bay’ with your tour guide before having a group meal to celebrate your first night in town.
The next 2 days are all about you, that’s the beauty of our style of trip. Some of your group may want to surf, do yoga or just chill on the beach. Everyone’s different but whatever you want to do, our tour guide will be able to help with.
We’ll spend the twilight hours of your 2nd evening on a stunning sunset river kayak tour finishing at the pub. The final evening in Byron Bay will be a team night out, what a great first few days!
Whilst in Byron Bay we’ll be staying at the incredible Surf House, which is 100m from the beach AND has a rooftop bar.
Welcome to Queensland Surfers Paradise
Days 5-6
From Byron Bay, you’ll be heading up the Coast as a group without your tour guide, but worry not, before this your guide will host a special session to help with the rest of your time in Australia.
Your next stop is Surfers Paradise where you’ll stay in the best hostel on the Gold Coast.
Here you’ll have time to hit the beach, or go to one of the many theme parks, all of which we can help organise for you! From the Gold Coast, we will carry on to Queensland’s capital, Brisbane.
Bribie Island
Days 7 - 9
Brisbane, the capital of Queensland is a cool metropolitan city, with so many beautiful national parks surrounding it.
We want you to experience new things in new places that you may not have heard of before, and that’s what one of these days is all about.
You’ll spend the day at the beautiful Bribie Island where you’ll take in incredible look outs, explore the island in 4WD’s along the beach, paddleboard in tea tree lakes and spot a few kangaroo’s along the way. How cool?!
Noosa, Everyone’s Favourite Town
Days 10 - 12
Noosa is a popular holiday destination for travellers, but also Aussies. To be honest, Noosa is as perfect as life gets.
Like Byron Bay, it has beaches to die for and a great food scene, but it also has a National Park that’s just 500m from town. This National Park is home to the famous Fairy Pools.
We have the best advice on how to explore the National Park and the rest of Noosa, as well as where the best sunset spots are.
We’re committed to you staying at the best hostels and here we’ll stay in Bounce, a brand new hostel that’s just minutes from the turquoise river, perfect of a swim. Not only is Noosa itself stunning, it’s not far away from 1 of the world’s 2 Everglades National Parks. Guess where we’re heading next?
The Everglades: Truly Special Wildlife Stay
Days 13 - 14
After Noosa, we’ve organised for you to stay lakeside at Kangarooms Noosa. Here you’ll be staying together in cabins that are surrounded by kangaroos every evening. You can grab a kayak or paddleboard and hit the lake or chill out on land with a beer at the onsite brewery.
On your 2nd day at Kangarooms you’ll be lucky enough to experience the Everglades National Park, firstly on a boat cruise, and then secondly by canoe. Both are on the spectacular River of Mirrors. Don’t worry, it’s a short distance to canoe and they supply everything you need!
Rainbow Beach and K’gari (Fraser Island)
Days 15 - 20
K’Gari (meaning paradise) is the traditional name for a place you may know as Fraser Island. The world’s largest sand island is one of the East Coast’s most popular places for travellers like you.
We explore the rainforest, sand blows and freshwater lakes (Lake McKenzie photo above) on a 4WD tag along tour so we can see every part of it. You will also get the chance to drive!* We stay as a group on the island, before returning to beautiful Rainbow Beach. Because it’s the coast’s perfect beginner beach, this is where we can book you a Surf Lesson!
The Whitsundays 2 ways, by boat AND Plane
Days 21 - 23
We want you to experience the best things on the East Coast, and the Whitsundays is one of them. What’s better than experiencing the Whitsundays once? Experiencing it twice! We’re obviously going to ensure you see the Whitsundays by boat, on a fantastic day trip that includes snorkelling pristine waters and visiting Whitehaven Beach. Before that though, we’re going to take you on a truly once in a lifetime experience, a 60 minute, scenic flight over Heart Reef. Yes, that’s included!
The Magic of Magnetic Island
Days 24 - 26
You may not have heard of Magnetic Island but it is a true Welcome to Travel favourite, I mean look at it! After so many activities this is a great place to relax and recharge before your final stop, Cairns.
There’s no better place to chill than ‘Maggy’ home to so many wild koala bears and wallabies. While on Magnetic Island you’ll be able to do the famous Forts Walk, hire kayaks, snorkels or wait for it…Barbie Cars. All of which we’ll be able to help you with of course 🙂
Cairns, The Great Barrier Reef and Farewells
Days 27 - 30
And just like that, you’ve travelled nearly 3000km and you are now a true travel family.
To celebrate this, you’re going to spend an incredible day out on the Great Barrier Reef, where you’ll snorkel with Nemo. If you want, you’ll also get the opportunity to scuba dive too! Following that, you’ll clink our glasses and say cheers to the best month of our lives at your final farewell meal.
With so many things to do, Cairns is THE place for backpackers. From white water rafting, to rainforest trips, bungy jumps, Skydives and more we can help you book all of these different things in Cairns.
Whilst in Cairns, you’ll be staying at the famous Gilligans Resort, complete with a pool and bar within it.
Optional Extras
There are some things we include, because we know you just have to do them, but there are some things only some people want to do. While you might want to learn to scuba dive you might hate heights, but the person next to you in your dorm might hate water but love jumping off things! Everyone is different and that’s what we want to do, encourage you on your journey, to have the best possible experience. We can help with every one of these extras as you go, that’s what we’re here for. Not only that, we’ll have specials and discounts too, win!
Free Time
When travelling, you can be on the move a lot, and sometimes you just need some ‘me’ time and with our semi-guided style of travel, this is exactly what you get, all of the activities, group atmosphere and accommodation, but still some me time.
Undoubtedly you’ll also want to spend some of this free time exploring where you are. You might want to visit a national park in one town but hit the pub in the other.
As we keep saying, everybody is different, and that’s what makes travelling so great, you are constantly having new experiences with people that are so different to you. Because everyone is different, people like to spend their free time in different ways and that’s why we will give recommendations, advice and local tips for every type of mood for every type of person.
Want to Add This to a Welcome Tour?
We have several amazing packages to choose from, for whatever Australian adventure you’re looking for!
52 Days / 51 Nights
52 Days / 51 Nights
52 Days / 51 Nights
45 Days / 44 Nights
Travel Is All About Meeting People
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Want To Know More About Our East Coast Tour?
We love to hear from you and help you with your travel plans. If you have any questions at all then feel free to get in touch. Not only can you message us, we also offer free travel advice calls meaning you can have a real conversation with a real person that’s been in your shoes.
The experiences you have travelling will last forever.
It's time for you to start making memories.
