Australia Adventure Grand Loop: Cairns, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge & Tasmania
Chalo, Fall From 14,000 Feet Over the Reef, Paddle a Gorge at Dawn, and Hike a Wilderness That Has No Edges!
Tour Overview
Mumbai/Delhi → Cairns → Darwin → Kakadu → Katherine → Launceston (Tasmania) → Cradle Mountain → Hobart → Melbourne → Great Ocean Road → Mumbai/Delhi
9N / 10D
At 14,000 feet above Cairns, before the jump, you can see the Great Barrier Reef below you like a pale green shadow under the Coral Sea. Fourteen seconds of freefall later, the parachute opens and the reef is still there — but now you're drifting silently above it, watching the reef structure resolve into individual coral heads and lagoons as you descend. This is the opening act of an Australia adventure circuit that doesn't repeat itself once in 10 days. From Cairns, the route moves north into the Northern Territory — Darwin as a base for Kakadu National Park, where Aboriginal rock art sites are 20,000 years old and the wetlands hold more species of waterbird than the entire UK, and Katherine for the Nitmiluk Gorge system where sandstone walls rise 70 metres above a river system that carved itself through 1.8 billion years of rock. Tasmania follows: Cradle Mountain at the edge of a wilderness that UNESCO designated as one of the world's last temperate rainforests, Hobart's MONA museum below ground, and the Tasmanian devil at close quarters in the wild. The Great Ocean Road closes the circuit from Melbourne, driven west to east into the sunset at the Twelve Apostles. This is Australia for people who treat a country's geography as something to be tested rather than admired from a bus window.
Tour Highlights
Tandem skydiving from 14,000 feet over the Great Barrier Reef, Cairns
White-water rafting the Tully River in Far North Queensland (Grade 4, full day)
Guided rock art walk in Kakadu — Nourlangie and Ubirr sites, 20,000-year-old Aboriginal paintings
Yellow Water Billabong cruise at dawn in Kakadu — crocodiles, jabirus, and whistling ducks
Canoeing Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk) at first light — walls glowing ochre as the sun enters the canyon
Multi-day hiking in Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania
MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), Hobart — underground galleries cut into sandstone
Driving the Great Ocean Road west to east into the Twelve Apostles at golden hour
Attractions Covered
Photo Gallery
Tour Itinerary
Mumbai/Delhi → Cairns → Darwin → Kakadu → Katherine → Launceston (Tasmania) → Cradle Mountain → Hobart → Melbourne → Great Ocean Road → Mumbai/Delhi
9N / 10D
Important Note:
Itinerary is subject to change based on local conditions, weather, and other factors. We'll do our best to adhere to the schedule but flexibility may be required.
Tour Inclusions
What's Included
- 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Cairns
- 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Darwin (Kakadu and Katherine day excursion base)
- 1 night in wilderness lodge at Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
- 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Hobart
- 2 nights in a 3-star hotel in Melbourne (Great Ocean Road base)
- Daily breakfast at all hotels and lodges
- 9 dinners as per finalised itinerary
- Private airport transfers in Cairns, Darwin, Launceston, Hobart, and Melbourne
- Tandem skydive from 14,000 feet over the Reef, Cairns (certified operator, video package included)
- Tully River white-water rafting full day including wetsuit, helmet, gear, and lunch
- Kakadu full-day guided tour — Nourlangie rock art, Ubirr lookout, Yellow Water Billabong cruise
- Katherine Gorge full-day excursion from Darwin — canoe hire (2-gorge self-guided paddle) and return transfer
- Cradle Mountain Dove Lake boardwalk guided walk (6 km, 2.5 hours) + optional summit attempt
- MONA ferry and entry, Hobart
- Great Ocean Road private vehicle drive — Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Gibson Steps
- All domestic inter-city flights (Cairns→Darwin→Launceston→Melbourne) in economy class
- All applicable taxes and 24/7 on-trip support via WhatsApp / call
What's Not Included
- International flights to/from Australia
- Australia ETA or Visitor Visa fees
- Travel insurance (essential for adventure activities — confirm your policy covers skydiving and white-water rafting)
- Personal expenses — tips, laundry, shopping, minibar
- Lunches and meals beyond inclusions
- Freycinet Peninsula full-day excursion from Hobart (can be added; approximately +₹8,000 per person)
- Optional Cradle Mountain summit attempt (weather-dependent; guide fee extra if summit tracked)
- National park entry fees (Kakadu, Nitmiluk) — confirm current rates at time of booking
- Any services not explicitly mentioned under Inclusions
Cancellation Policy
- 130+ days before departure: Full refund minus 10% processing fee
- 215–29 days before departure: 50% refund
- 37–14 days before departure: 25% refund
- 4Less than 7 days or no-show: Non-refundable
- 5Force majeure: Full credit note valid 12 months
- 6Note: Skydiving and white-water rafting deposits are non-refundable within 48 hours of activity date due to operator policy
Important Note:
We recommend purchasing travel insurance to protect your trip investment. Please read all terms and conditions carefully before booking.
Package Upgrade Options
Enhance your trip with these optional upgrades. Tell us what you'd like when you enquire.
- Reef Helicopter + Skydive Combo (helicopter to outer reef + skydive on return, same day): +₹18,000 per person
- Freycinet Peninsula Day Trip from Hobart (Wineglass Bay hike, full day): +₹8,000 per person
- Kakadu Overnight Stay at Cooinda Lodge (Yellow Water sunrise cruise at 6 AM, far better than day tour): +₹12,000 per person
Need different dates or special arrangements? We can help!
Need Help?
Our travel experts are ready to assist you with any questions or special requests.
Why Safari Sutra?
The Northern Territory components of this itinerary are only possible May–September, and most India-based operators don't know which window is which or why it matters. We build this route around the dry season calendar, not the India school holiday calendar, and explain the reasoning at booking so you understand what you're choosing. The Katherine Gorge canoe departs at 7 AM from the visitor centre — not 9 AM — because the gorge light at first sun is what this day is built around, and arriving 90 minutes later means arriving after the best frame has already passed.
What Travellers Say About Australia Adventure Grand Loop: Cairns, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge & Tasmania
“"The Katherine Gorge canoe at 9 AM is the frame I will use for the rest of my life when I try to explain what travel is for. The walls were 70 metres overhead, the water was mirror-still, there was no sound except the paddle, and the light was coming through a gap at the far end of the gorge. We were the first canoe into the second gorge that morning. Safari Sutra had the skydive, the rafting, the Kakadu guide, and the Cradle Mountain lodge all locked — not one thing needed chasing on the ground." — Rahul Krishnan, Mumbai”
Frequently Asked Questions about Australia Adventure Grand Loop: Cairns, Kakadu, Katherine Gorge & Tasmania
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