We’ve used our expertise of helping thousands of travellers to create three set itineraries packed with East Coast must-dos. You’ll be visiting K’Gari, sailing to Whitehaven Beach and scuba diving The Great Barrier Reef. Choose from 35 days, 25 days or 16 days, then check out the Optional Extras to make your chosen itinerary perfect for you.
Days 1-3: Start your adventure in iconic Sydney, grab a selfie in front of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge then escape the city with a day trip to the stunning Blue Mountains. You’ll have another day to hit Sydney’s best beaches before your overnight bus to Byron Bay.
Days 4-7: Picturesque Byron Bay is the surf town you’ve been dreaming of. The coast here is home to plenty of sea life and you’ll be getting close to the action with a dolphin kayak. Then make sure to walk to the lighthouse to take in the best views of Byron.
Days 8-12: Next up is the Gold Coast where skyscrapers meet sprawling beaches. Take in the excellent nightlife of Surfers Paradise before catching the short bus to Brisbane. Here you’ll have time to explore the city’s many cafes and bars on South Bank. But that’s not all you’ll be doing. Spend an adventurous day on Moreton Island snorkelling, kayaking and sandboarding!
Days 13-16: You’ll be heading out of the city to the surf town of Noosa, with its amazing beaches, national park and buzzing high street. After a day on the beach you’ll be heading out to the reflecting waters of the Everglades for a canoe trip. Back in Noosa, make sure to head along the coastal walk to find the fairy pools – perfect for a swim and a pic.
Days 17-21: Next up, it’s time for K’Gari (Fraser Island) the largest sand island in the world! You’ll be driving 4x4s, jumping into beautiful freshwater lakes and camping under the stars. You’ll start and end your K’Gari adventure in Rainbow Beach, which is home to Australia’s longest wave, which you’ll be surfing on!
Days 22-25: After an overnight bus you’ll wake up in Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. After your first night on land you’ll be heading for the ocean where you’ll be living and sailing around these islands for the next three days. Hit up the world-famous Whitehaven Beach, explore deserted islands and snorkel over the coral reefs.
Days 26-28: You’ll continue island life, with a trip to Magnetic Island – home to the largest population of wild koalas! Our top tip? Hire a Barbie Car to get around and stop by the Forts Walk for your best chance of spying a koala.
Days 29-35: You’ll have made it to Cairns, your final stop, but that’s not the end of the adventure. You’ll be scuba-diving in The Great Barrier Reef, exploring ancient rainforests at Cape Tribulation and chasing waterfalls in the Atherton Tablelands. Then by night, check out the iconic Cairns Night Markets and nightlife before having a chill day at the lagoon. What a way to finish your adventure!
Let’s go! This is your ideal itinerary and you’re ready to book. Best decision ever.
If there are any slight changes you want to make to this itinerary, let us know, we want to make sure you have the most amazing experience on the East Coast.
We’ll now match you to a travel expert in our amazing Community Team who will be in touch with your itinerary details soon.
We also want to let you know, that while we’ll try our absolute best to book you this exact itinerary it is dependent on availability with our favourite tour operators, suppliers and hostels.
Let’s start your adventure! Please let us know in as much detail as possible what edits you’d like to make to this itinerary and any preferences you have for your trip. We’ll then connect you with a travel expert to plan your dream East Coast adventure.
We want to let you know, that while we’ll try our absolute best to plan your itinerary based on your requests, it is dependent on availability with our favourite tour operators, suppliers and hostels.
Day 1: Explore Sydney’s iconic Circular Quay, home to the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge. Then get ready to head north as you take the overnight bus to Byron Bay.
Days 2-6: Hit up the surf town of Byron Bay, here you’ll kayak with dolphins, join the yogis and visit Australia’s most easterly point on the Lighthouse walk. Next up, the nightlife of Surfer’s Paradise calls, party all night and treat your hangover by day on the beach.
Days 7-11: Take in Queensland’s capital city Brisbane, or explore the many stunning national parks around the city. By contrast, your next stop Noosa is a chilled-back surfer town with incredible beaches and the hidden fairy pools.
Days 12-16: It’s time for a big bucket-list item: K’Gari (Fraser Island) is the largest sand island in the world, you’ll be driving around in 4x4s, swimming in freshwater lakes and camping under the stars. You’ll stay in the small town of Rainbow Beach before and after your island adventure, where you’ll watch an amazing sunset at Carlo Sandblow.
Days 17-21: Take the overnight bus to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Whitsunday Islands. You’ll tick off a second big bucket list item by spending three incredible days sailing and swimming around these islands and visiting the world-famous Whitehaven Beach.
Days 22-25: You’ve made it to your final destination: Cairns. This tropical city is an adventure-playground of activities. And you’ll be experiencing the best of them! Scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef then chase waterfalls in the Atherton Tablelands.
Let’s go! This is your ideal itinerary and you’re ready to book. Best decision ever.
If there are any slight changes you want to make to this itinerary, let us know, we want to make sure you have the most amazing experience on the East Coast!
We’ll now match you to a travel expert in our amazing Community Team who will be in touch with your itinerary details soon.
We also want to let you know, that while we’ll try our absolute best to book you this exact itinerary it is dependent on availability with our favourite tour operators, suppliers and hostels.
Let’s start your adventure! Please let us know in as much detail as possible what edits you’d like to make to this itinerary and any preferences you have for your trip. We’ll then connect you with a travel expert to plan your dream East Coast adventure.
We want to let you know, that while we’ll try our absolute best to plan your itinerary based on your requests, it is dependent on availability with our favourite tour operators, suppliers and hostels.
Days 1-2: Begin your East Coast adventure in Queensland’s capital, Brisbane. Walk through the buzzing South Bank, hop on the free river ferries and chill at the city centre lagoon.
Days 3-5: Next up is the chill beach town of Noosa, home to stunning beaches, surfers and a legendary coastal walk. But that’s not all Mother Nature has in store. You’ll also spend a day exploring one of the world’s two Evergalde systems and canoeing on the magical reflecting waters.
Days 6-10: It’s time for your first bucket-list item: K’Gari (Fraser Island). You’ll spend your days driving in 4x4s, swimming in stunning freshwater lakes and finding shipwrecks. By night, you’ll be sleeping under the stars. You’ll start and end your K’Gari adventure in Rainbow Beach, which is home to Australia’s longest wave, which you’ll be surfing on!
Days 11-13: After your overnight bus to Airlie Beach, you’ll be exploring the incredible Whitsunday Islands. On your day trip you’ll walk along the pristine sands of Whitehaven Beach and snorkel over the coral reefs. You’ll also have the option to add in a scenic flight over the Whitsundays and Great Barrier Reef.
Days 14-16: All good things must come to an end. But not yet! You’ll end your trip in Cairns with an incredible day scuba diving in The Great Barrier Reef. You’ll have one final day to explore the city, swim in the lagoon and take in the Cairns Night Market.
Let’s go! This is your ideal itinerary and you’re ready to book. Best decision ever.
If there are any slight changes you want to make to this itinerary, let us know, we want to make sure you have the most amazing experience on the East Coast!
We’ll now match you to a travel expert in our amazing Community Team who will be in touch with your itinerary details soon.
We also want to let you know, that while we’ll try our absolute best to book you this exact itinerary it is dependent on availability with our favourite tour operators, suppliers and hostels.
Let’s start your adventure! Please let us know in as much detail as possible what edits you’d like to make to this itinerary and any preferences you have for your trip. We’ll then connect you with a travel expert to plan your dream East Coast adventure.
We want to let you know, that while we’ll try our absolute best to plan your itinerary based on your requests, it is dependent on availability with our favourite tour operators, suppliers and hostels.
On a BYO/customised itinerary you’ll be choosing every single element of your trip according to your own wishes. From the duration of your adventure to the hostels, mode of transport and which boat on the Whitsundays you prefer, etc.
The set itineraries are put together based on years of experience and thousands of Welcome to Travellers going up the East Coast and we’ve put the best bits together for you, so you don’t have to think about it.
We are more than happy to make some changes for you! Perhaps you’re an adrenaline junkie and want to pack in as many extreme sports as possible. Or you may just want to tweak a few little things with an extra night here or there. Just let us know in the comments when you fill out the enquiry form.
Want to make heaps of changes? That’s fine, but we recommend going through the Trip Builder in that case.
Our itineraries are tailor-made and you will be going on this adventure by yourself, but you will be meeting so many people in your hostels, on the Greyhound buses and the tours and activities. If you are wanting a group tour, check out our WTAEC tour!
Like anything in travel, such as flight prices, car rentals or hotels, prices change with demand/season. These itineraries have so many different inclusions, with prices that are constantly changing. Before taking final payment or booking anything in, we’d always give you a finalised total.
We’ve added some of our favourite optional extras as suggestions for how you could tweak the itineraries. So you may want to learn to scuba dive at the end of your trip or maybe you want to add in a few day trips to the rainforests or islands off the coast. When you get in touch include all the extras you’re thinking about and our Community Team will create your perfect itinerary for you.
Once you’re happy with your itinerary you’ll be ready to book! As a set itinerary is bespoke to you, we need full payment to book your trip with our operators and hostels. Once you’ve paid, our Community Team will send over all the details of your booking with all your travel tickets and bus times. Then get ready to make the most amazing memories!
As early as you can! Every set itinerary is subject to availability of the amazing tour operators and hostels we love to work with. So the earlier you book, the more likely you’ll get the exact itinerary you’d like. We do find that in the peak summer months, some activities can book out weeks or months in advance.
Get excited! After that, we’ll work out all of the availability and send you an email with the final price along with all the confirmed dates. If there are any slight changes that need to be made, we’ll outline that here too. This email will also include a payment link for the balance. From there we’ll book in your dream trip of a lifetime.
Of course! If you would like to include private rooms instead of dorm rooms we can absolutely include those in your itinerary.
If you’d also prefer a specific dorm type like female-only or 8-bed dorms just let us know.
