Highlights
- Drive 4x4s on Fraser Island with a 4x4 tag-along safari
- Stay in beachfront accommodation on dreamy Magnetic Island
- Cruise through the beautiful Whitsunday Islands, stopping off at stunning Whitehaven Beach
- Snorkel among incredible marine life on a Great Barrier Reef tour
Inclusions
- 2 nights in Rainbow Beach at Freedom Hostel
- 3 Day / 2 Nights Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
- 2 nights in Airlie Beach at Nomads
- 1 Day Whitsundays Cruise
- 2 Nights on Magnetic Island
- Return Ferry to Magnetic Island
- 3 Nights in Cairns at Freedom Cairns Central Hostel
- 1 Day Great Barrier Reef Trip On Ocean Freedom including 1 Introductory Dive
- 7 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 3 dinners
- 15 Day WHIMIT Greyhound Bus Pass ( optional )
Day 1: Bus from Brisbane to Rainbow Beach
Welcome to the sunny tropical of Queensland - Brisbane! Today you'll make your way up the East Coast to your next destination Rainbow Beach. Check into your beachfront accommodation and then head out to explore! You'll be staying at Freedom Rainbow Beach for a total of 2 nights so get comfortable - with daily free guided walks to the Carlo Sandblow and free pancake breakfasts, that's not hard to do!
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 2: Rainbow Beach
Today you can visit the famous Colored Sands. They are a unique geological formation that consists of over 70 different shades of sand. Explore Carlo Sand Blow - which offers stunning panoramic views of the coastline. You can hike to the top of the sand blow for a breathtaking view of the area.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3: 3 Day / 2 Night Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
Your Fraser Island adventure begins with a quick morning brief at Freedom Hostel. At 9:30 am, depart for Fraser Island and drive approximately 10 minutes to the barge (ferry) and board for your 10-minute barge crossing. Once you have arrived on the world's largest sand island, drive for 1 hour to the Eurong Beach Resort along 75 Mile beach - Fraser Island's own highway with speed limits! There you can grab a coffee and chocolate croissant (own cost) for morning tea. From here, the adventure really begins, as we drive to the famous Lake McKenzie, one of the most popular and picturesque highlights of Fraser. We stop for lunch and time to swim and relax in the amazingly clear waters of the lake before driving up the beach to your campsite. Settle in for an early dinner, some well-deserved drinks and plenty of fun!
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4: 3 Day / 2 Night Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
The day begins with a quick breakfast to fuel your busiest day on Fraser Island! First stop is Eli Creek, a beautifully clear creek perfect for a relaxing swim. Travelling north, stop at Maheno Shipwreck for a photo opportunity and a short history lesson about this famous Fraser Island icon before continuing on to Indian Head. Fraser Island's highest point, from here you may be lucky enough to see whales and sharks in the ocean before travelling to Champagne Pools for a drop. Lunch is served at either Maheno Shipwreck or Champagne Pools on Day 2 depending on time constraints, safety and beauty. In the afternoon, travel back to camp for dinner and drinks.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5: 3 Day / 2 Night Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
Start with breakfast before cleaning and disassembling your campsite. Once packed up, you'll drive to the beginning of the Lake Wabby walk where you'll stride through the dunes to find a tropical paradise! Lunch follows your trip to Lake Wabby before you begin the drive down the beach and back to the barge. Once arrived on the mainland, head to the 4WD shed where you can unpack and quickly clean the cars. You will return to Freedom Hostel between 3:00 pm and 5:00pm, depending on the tides
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 6: Overnight bus to Airlie Beach
This evening you'll jump on board your overnight bus to Airlie Beach so grab some snacks and get comfy!
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 7: Airlie Beach - Whitsundays Full Day Cruise
This morning you'll check into your central Airlie Beach accommodation and get ready for your once-in-a-lifetime Whitsundays day cruise! Travel to Tongue Bay for an epic experience on Whitehaven Beach and a guided bush walk to Hill Inlet Lookout. Enjoy fresh homemade baking for morning tea, followed by a buffet lunch before heading to two snorkelling locations on the fringing Great Barrier Reef. Afternoon tea is provided before the journey back to Airlie Beach, arriving at approximately 5pm.
Meals included: Lunch, Snacks
Day 8: Airlie Beach
Experience the vibrant nightlife of Airlie Beach, where the bars, restaurants, and nightclubs keep you entertained until the wee hours of the morning. Thrill-seekers can indulge in adventure activities like skydiving and jet skiing - just ask us for more information! The town's relaxed and laid-back atmosphere makes it an ideal spot for everyone to enjoy.
Meal(s) included: Breakfast
Day 9: Magnetic Island
Today you'll make your way to Townsville where a ferry will take you to the stunning Magnetic Island. Check-in for 2 nights and then kick back and relax on one of the island's many iconic beaches.
Day 10: Magnetic Island
Today is yours free to soak in the sunshine of Magnetic Island for your final day here.
Day 11: Cairns
Today you'll wave goodbye to Magnetic Island and hello to Cairns as you catch the ferry back to Townsville and then head further north. Cairns is the gateway to both the Great Barrier Reef as well as the Daintree Rainforest and offers heaps of awesome activities for travellers from nature to extreme sports! This vibrant tropical city is a top destination for backpackers from all over the world, thanks to its stunning natural beauty, laid-back atmosphere, and lively nightlife. If you're keen on a skydive, bungy jump or unreal rafting trip - ask us, the experts today for more information! Check into your Cairns accommodation for 3 nights and then head out to explore the city.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 12: Great Barrier Reef / Cairns
This morning you're treated to one of Australia's must-do bucket-list activities - a Great Barrier Reef tour. You'll board at 7:30 am on the Ocean Freedom for a full day including an introduction dive! Enjoy a morning tea or coffee + Danish pastries in the comfortable lounge. Following an introductory safety brief - kick back, relax and enjoy the one hour cruise to Upolu Cay. Surrounded by stunning turquoise water and many types of corals, reef fishes, stingrays, cucumbers, sea stars this is a great introduction to the reef. Snorkel and dive here under the watchful eye of our safety-conscious staff. Then, you’ll explore the amazing "Wonder Wall" on the Outer Edge of Upolu Reef. View many different types of hard and soft coral in addition to fans, giant clams, turtles, a huge diversity and abundance of reef fish of all sizes, nemos everywhere! Snorkel and dive here. Enjoy an informative adventure drift snorkel tour with our Marine Naturalist. After a full 6hrs of unrushed pleasure on the reef and Cay, cruise home while our crew serve a sumptuous selection of tropical fruit, cheese and crackers and the decadent cake plate, an ultimate way to wind down after a magical day on the one and only Great Barrier Reef.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 13: Cairns
Ever wanted to see the world's oldest surviving tropical rainforest, or where two World Heritage-listed wonders meet together? Ask us about Cape Tribulation! In the evening why not unwind in one of the many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs that make Cairns a lively and exciting spot!
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 14: Depart Cairns
This morning you will check out of your hostel and wave goodbye to your East Coast adventure!
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 1: Arrive Cairns / Overnight Cairns
Today you'll arrive, Cairns! The one place on earth where two marine parks meet! This city is the gateway to both the Great Barrier Reef as well as the Daintree Rainforest and offers heaps of awesome activities for travellers from nature to extreme sports! If you want to add on some time to this trip but don’t want to add on destinations, Cairns is a great place to add on a few nights and explore!
Day 2: Great Barrier Reef / Cairns
This morning you're treated to one of Australia's must-do bucket-list activities - a Great Barrier Reef tour. You'll board at 7:30 am on the Ocean Freedom for a full day including an introduction dive! Enjoy a morning tea or coffee + Danish pastries in the comfortable lounge. Following an introductory safety brief - kick back, relax and enjoy the one hour cruise to Upolu Cay. Surrounded by stunning turquoise water and many types of corals, reef fishes, stingrays, cucumbers, sea stars this is a great introduction to the reef. Snorkel and dive here under the watchful eye of our safety-conscious staff. Then, you’ll explore the amazing "Wonder Wall" on the Outer Edge of Upolu Reef. View many different types of hard and soft coral in addition to fans, giant clams, turtles, a huge diversity and abundance of reef fish of all sizes, nemos everywhere! Snorkel and dive here. Enjoy an informative adventure drift snorkel tour with our Marine Naturalist before to cruise home while our crew serve a sumptuous selection of tropical fruit, cheese, crackers and the decadent cake plate, an ultimate way to wind down after a magical day on the one and only Great Barrier Reef.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3: Cairns
Ever wanted to see the world's oldest surviving tropical rainforest, or where two World Heritage-listed wonders meet together? Ask us about Cape Tribulation! In the evening why not unwind in one of the many bars, restaurants, and nightclubs that make Cairns a lively and exciting spot!
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4: Magnetic Island
Today you'll make your way to Townsville where a ferry will take you to the stunning Magnetic Island. Check-in for 2 nights and then kick back and relax on one of the island's many iconic beaches.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Day 5: Magnetic Island
Today is yours free to soak in the sunshine of Magnetic Island for your final day here.
Day 6: Airlie Beach
Experience the vibrant nightlife of Airlie Beach, where the bars, restaurants, and nightclubs keep you entertained until the wee hours of the morning. Thrill-seekers can indulge in adventure activities like skydiving and jet skiing - just ask us for more information! The town's relaxed and laid-back atmosphere makes it an ideal spot for everyone to enjoy.
Meal(s) included: Breakfast
Day 7: Airlie Beach - Whitsundays Full Day Cruise
This morning you'll check into your central Airlie Beach accommodation and get ready for your once-in-a-lifetime Whitsundays day cruise! Travel to Tongue Bay for an epic experience on Whitehaven Beach and a guided bush walk to Hill Inlet Lookout. Enjoy fresh homemade baking for morning tea, followed by a buffet lunch before heading to two snorkelling locations on the fringing Great Barrier Reef. Afternoon tea is provided before the journey back to Airlie Beach, arriving at approximately 5pm.
Meals included: Lunch, Snacks
Day 8: Airlie Beach / overnight bus to Rainbow Beach
Today is your last day in Airlie Beach and it is time to explore! Kick back and relax on the beach or test your limits and opt for something a bit higher off the ground...Chat with our crew about how you can add on a scenic flight to see the iconic Heart Reef or why not try skydiving in one of Australia's most stunning coastal locations? Tonight you will board the bus to Rainbow Beach!
Day 9: Rainbow Beach
You've got the day to yourself! So settle in and explore this beach-side paradise. If you're not sure where to go, we recommend checking out Rainbow Beach's famous Carlo Sandblow, a 'moonscape' of windblown sand.
This evening you'll attend a compulsory 5 pm safety briefing at your hostel for your upcoming Fraser Island tour tomorrow!
Day 10: 3 Day / 2 Night Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
Your Fraser Island adventure begins with a quick morning brief at Freedom Hostel. At 9:30 am, depart for Fraser Island and drive approximately 10 minutes to the barge (ferry) and board for your 10-minute barge crossing. Once you have arrived on the world's largest sand island, drive for 1 hour to the Eurong Beach Resort along 75 Mile beach - Fraser Island's own highway with speed limits! There you can grab a coffee and chocolate croissant (own cost) for morning tea. From here, the adventure really begins, as we drive to the famous Lake McKenzie, one of the most popular and picturesque highlights of Fraser. We stop for lunch and time to swim and relax in the amazingly clear waters of the lake before driving up the beach to your campsite. Settle in for an early dinner, some well-deserved drinks and plenty of fun!
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 11: 3 Day / 2 Night Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
The day begins with a quick breakfast to fuel your busiest day on Fraser Island! First stop is Eli Creek, a beautifully clear creek perfect for a relaxing swim. Travelling north, stop at Maheno Shipwreck for a photo opportunity and a short history lesson about this famous Fraser Island icon before continuing on to Indian Head. Fraser Island's highest point, from here you may be lucky enough to see whales and sharks in the ocean before travelling to Champagne Pools for a drop. Lunch is served at either Maheno Shipwreck or Champagne Pools on Day 2 depending on time constraints, safety and beauty. In the afternoon, travel back to camp for dinner and drinks.
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 12: 3 Day / 2 Night Dingos Fraser Island Tag Along Safari
Start with breakfast before cleaning and disassembling your campsite. Once packed up, you'll drive to the beginning of the Lake Wabby walk where you'll stride through the dunes to find a tropical paradise! Lunch follows your trip to Lake Wabby before you begin the drive down the beach and back to the barge. Once arrived on the mainland, head to the 4WD shed where you can unpack and quickly clean the cars. You will return to Freedom Hostel between 3:00 pm and 5:00 pm, depending on the tides
Meals included: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 13: Rainbow Beach
Today you can visit the famous Colored Sands. They are a unique geological formation that consists of over 70 different shades of sand. Explore Carlo Sand Blow - which offers stunning panoramic views of the coastline. You can hike to the top of the sand blow for a breathtaking view of the area.
Meals included: Breakfast
Day 14: Bus from Rainbow Beach to Brisbane
This morning you will check out of your hostel and wave goodbye to your East Coast adventure!
Meals included: Breakfast
This package can depart any day of the week and can be altered to better suit your travel dates.
Departs: Brisbane or Cairns
Returns: Cairns or Brisbane
- Fraser Island accommodation can’t be upgraded as it is camp accommodation
- Apart from the $20 levy for Fraser Island which needs to be paid directly on the day of travel, there are no other compulsory extra costs for this package.
- Please be advised that the price advertised includes this levy but when you proceed to checkout, the price you pay does not include the levy.
- There is an optional $10 sleeping bag hire on Fraser Island.
The bus + package price includes a specific bus pass, selected to work with this trip length. Contact Us today if you wish to explore alternative trip length or transport options.
Love this package but have some questions? No worries! Here’s a list of some of the most frequently asked questions about our packages. Don't see yours here? Contact Us to find out more.
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Can I make changes to the package?
It is no problem to customise your package to suit your travel plans by adding/removing anything that you wish. If you would like to make changes, please contact one of our online staff who will be more than happy to assist you by providing an updated itinerary/package with inclusions/price.
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Is this a guided trip?
This trip consists of a combination of tours and hostels, chosen to fit in with your style of travel (budget, adventure, social or flashpacker). Whilst this means that you will not be with the same group of people for the entire duration of your tour, you will be with a group for each tour that you do, and it is very likely the people you do the tours with will be booked in the same accommodation in the area. As travellers often travel to similar destinations, it is also likely you will see some of these people, again and again, throughout your tour!
We book all of the tours/accommodation on your behalf and you will be given a voucher for each with all of the information needed i.e. travel date and pick up location/time. For buses, we provide you with a bus ticket which has all of the individual departure and arrival times/details.
As Peterpans is the largest travel agency in Australia, these packages are heavily discounted. Moreover, while you are travelling you will find at least one, if not more, Peterpans agencies in most of the destinations you visit. Should you need any extra guidance, we are always on hand to help! You can ask our friendly staff for help during their opening hours, or we can offer assistance via phone and email form our Online Call Centre, which is open 14 hours a day during weekdays and 12 hours a day on weekends! This is the most popular way of travel for backpackers along the east coast! Whether you are a solo traveller or travelling in a group of friends - it is the perfect way to meet other travellers and get the most out of your east coast trip.
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How much should I budget for spending money?
All of our packages include some meals (you can find the included meals in the inclusions and day-to-day itinerary sections) which means you will only have to budget for the meals that are not included. The amount these meals will cost varies, however all of the hostels have communal kitchens so you can cook your own meals instead of eating out if you like. Some travellers will only spend an extra $5 a day whereas some will spend an extra $50!
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Do I have to choose the exact dates?
You are either able to choose fixed dates for this package or if you would prefer to be flexible with your travels and stay longer in certain destinations, you are able to purchase this package as open dated and book in the date for each hostel/tour as you travel. Please note, if you do decide to purchase the package as open dated, we recommend that you book in the date of your main tours such as the Whitsundays and Fraser Island as far in advance as possible.
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Do I have to pay upfront for this tour or can I pay a deposit/instalments?
The majority of our customers book and pay for their package in full, meaning we will book everything in advance to guarantee availability. However, as the prices of our packages can change due to price increases, you are able to secure this amazing package price with a small deposit of just $100pp. You can then pay off the package in instalments as and when you wish. As we are unable to make the bookings for the hostels and tours until we have received full payment, due to availability, we do recommend completing payment for your package as far in advance as possible to avoid disappointment. Because of this, it is no problem to tweak the itinerary until full payment has been received - the deposit just locks in the discounted price of this package. If you are worried about availability, let us know as so we can go ahead and look into options for you, for example locking in certain parts of your trip that are likely to fill up in advance such as the Whitsundays/Fraser Island. Have a query about the payment that isn't answered above? Feel free to ask us on live chat, give us a call on freephone 1800 669 424 or send us an email at info@peterpans.com
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Is it possible to cater for specific dietary requirements?
Most if not all suppliers are able to cater for specific dietary requirements, however for some suppliers this can be an additional cost. Our online team are fully knowledgeable on what suppliers/tours charge extra for which dietary requirements so feel free to contact us for more information.
