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Oz East Coast Adventure, 28 Days Sydney to Cairns

The full-fat East Coast experience, 28 days of surf, sail, sand-driving and reef snorkelling with a built-in crew. Group leader keeps the logistics sorted; you keep the camera roll.

4.9 575 Trustpilot reviews 📍 East Coast Australia ⏱ 28 days · 27 nights · Sydney → Cairns 👥 22-28 per departure 🔥 Active 🎂 Ages 18 to early 40s

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Save $300 was $5,699

From

$5,399 AUD

per person · twin share

4.9 from 575 Trustpilot reviews

💳 Pay in instalments on selected trips

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Booking guarantee. Full refund if your operator cancels, and your money is held in trust until departure, so you're never out of pocket.

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    Pay to secure your spot at today's price · full refund if we can't confirm your date.

  • Free date changes up to 7 days out

    Life happens. Move with one message, no fees from us.

  • Vetted operator

    We've been on this trip ourselves. Real humans, real reviews.

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Trip highlights

1

Byron Bay surf lesson + lighthouse

2

3-day K'gari (Fraser) 4WD

3

2-night Whitsundays sail

4

Magnetic Island day trip

5

Outer Great Barrier Reef snorkel

6

Atherton Tablelands waterfalls

Photos

On the ground

Real moments from the trip, tap any clip to play with sound.

Day-by-day itinerary

Route map for Oz East Coast Adventure, 28 Days Sydney to Cairns, day-by-day itinerary
Your route, day by day
1 Day 1 · Arrive in Sydney

Arrive in Sydney and meet your group and INTRO leader, settle in before your first night out together as the adventure begins.

2 Day 2 · City orientation

We'll kick things off in one of our all-time favourite cities, Sydney. Think iconic sights, fascinating history, and local culture brought to life. Then tonight? We dive straight into Sydney's buzzing nightlife and see what all the hype's about.

3 Day 3 · Bondi Beach & BBQ

Today it's off to world-famous Bondi Beach. Swim in the ocean, stretch out on the sand, or top up that tan. Then we tackle the iconic Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk, all ocean views and salty air. Afterwards, it's an Aussie BBQ by the beach and good vibes all round. We'll also arm you with all the travel tips you need for Australia and beyond. Then tonight, we're onto our overnight bus bound for Byron Bay.

4 Day 4 · Byron Bay

Spend the day soaking up the laid-back charm of Byron Bay. Explore the surf beaches, wander the town, and settle into that easy coastal rhythm. Then tonight, we head out and see where Byron's nightlife takes us.

5 Day 5 · Surfs up!

Start the day with a chilled-out yoga session to stretch it all out, then it's surf's up with some real surfer dudes. Salt, smiles and savasana. The full Byron Bay experience.

6 Day 6 · Lighthouse sunrise

We're up early for sunrise at the iconic Cape Byron Lighthouse. Golden skies, ocean views, and that quiet magic before the day kicks off. Then it's time to soak up our final moments in Byron and enjoy every last second.

7 Day 7 · Surfers Paradise

Today we roll into Surfers Paradise! Wander the city and hit the nightlife before soaking up the sun tomorrow.

8 Day 8 · Jet boating

Reconnect with nature and feel the rush on an exhilarating jet boat ride along Surfers Paradise's iconic coastline - views, speed, and sea spray all included.

9 Days 9-10 · Big cities and sunsets

Arriving in sunny Brisbane, we'll meet any of your new travel crew and get straight into some Brisbane sight-seeing!

11 Days 11-15 · Rainbow Beach and K'gari

Discover the idyllic coastal town of Rainbow Beach. We'll kick back beach-side before heading to one of the absolute highlights on the East Coast of Australia - K'gari! You'll travel in 4x4's around the biggest sand island in the world. The beach and sand dunes are your highway for the next 3 days. Swim in the incredible turquoise waters of Lake McKenzie, float down the lazy river of Eli Creek, chill in the bubbles of the Champagne Pools, learn about the Aboriginal history on the island, spot dingoes in the wild, and then sleep beneath the stars in a purpose built campsite with your group. Arriving back in Rainbow Beach, we'll explore the colourful sand dunes before catching our overnight bus to the Whitsundays. 🌱 Small Change: Explore K'gari with Eco certified operator Dingos working closely with native Butchulla representatives to follow cultural protocols.

16 Days 16-19 · Sail tropical islands

The next few days are for exploring the stunning Whitsundays. Made up of 74 tropical islands, we'll board our boat for the next 2 nights. Relax and sunbathe on the deck as we sail around the islands. Snorkel with an abundance of marine life on the fringing reefs and later explore the amazing swirls of fine white sand on the world-famous Whitehaven Beach. We'll then head to Airlie Beach where you will have free time to explore and try out some epic optional activities. 🌱 Small Change: Sail the stunning Whitsundays with Eco Certified operator Prosail, where sustainability meets adventure.

20 Days 20-21 · Island exploring

Today we'll jump on the ferry to a slice of tropical paradise - Magnetic Island. Over the next 2 days you'll explore the best of this magical Island. Chill out by the ocean, and hike up the historic Forts Walk. If you're lucky you'll even spot wild koalas and rock wallabies.

22 Days 22-23 · Heart-pumping adventure

Time to relax in the chilled out beachfront town of Mission Beach, with your choice of any adrenaline pumping experience this tiny town is known for. If you've ever thought of skydiving this is the place! As an optional add-on, you'll be able to jump at 15,000ft and soak up views of both the Great Barrier Reef and rainforests before landing on the beach, or white water raft the Tully River rapids through a specular gorge surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest. We'll meet up later for a BBQ together!

24 Days 24-27 · Great Barrier Reef

Cairns is the ultimate backpacker adventure hub. Here you'll tick off a massive bucket list item and experience a full day on the Great Barrier Reef. You'll get to snorkel and sail the Great Barrier Reef and visit 2 unique outer reef locations. 🌱 Small Change: Uncle Brian's is an Eco Certified operator working to protect the ancient Daintree Rainforest through sustainable tourism. While in Cairns we'll also explore the real Aussie oasis of the Atherton Tablelands. You'll swim under epic waterfalls, slide down natural rock slides and swim in dormant volcano craters all while your experienced guide teaches you about this extraordinary place. Tonight we wrap things up with a farewell dinner and drinks to toast the incredible adventures we've had together.

28 Day 28 · Check out & onward travel

Your epic Aussie adventure comes to an end this morning. If you need help with onward travel in Oz we are here to help for the rest of your time in Australia.

What's in the box

What's included

  • 27 nights accommodation
  • 25 meals
  • Awesome group leader
  • Sydney city tour
  • Bondi to Coogee walk & BBQ by the beach
  • Surf lesson
  • Byron Bay surf board hire
  • Yoga class
  • Cape Byron lighthouse walk
  • Jet boating
  • Brisbane city tour
  • 3 day 4WD tag along tour of K'gari
  • 2 day 2 night Whitsundays sailing trip
  • 2 nights Magnetic Island with ferry transfers
  • Forts walk
  • Atherton Tablelands
  • Full day snorkelling on the Great Barrier Reef
  • All transport included

Not included

  • International flights
  • Travel insurance (compulsory)
  • Visas
  • Some meals (3 meals/day average)
  • Optional activities (skydive, white-water rafting, bungy)

Accommodation

Curated stays along the route, a mix of characterful hotels, traditional lodgings and social hostels, all with the essentials sorted.

Sydney hostel, accommodation on Oz East Coast Adventure, 28 Days Sydney to Cairns

Sydney hostel

2 nights in a popular hostel in Surry Hills. Multi-share rooms with shared bathrooms, Wi-Fi, laundry, kitchen & cinema.

Byron Bay hostel, accommodation on Oz East Coast Adventure, 28 Days Sydney to Cairns

Byron Bay hostel

3 nights in a trendy hostel across from the beach. Multi-share rooms with shared bathrooms, Wi-Fi, air con, laundry & swimming pool.

Whitsundays premium boat, accommodation on Oz East Coast Adventure, 28 Days Sydney to Cairns

Whitsundays premium boat

2 nights sleeping onboard a premium boat. Multi-share cabin with shared bathrooms.

Cairns hostel, accommodation on Oz East Coast Adventure, 28 Days Sydney to Cairns

Cairns hostel

4 nights in the most popular hostel in Cairns! Multi-share rooms with ensuite, Wi-Fi, air con, laundry & swimming pool.

Rooming is typically same-gender multi-share unless a private/twin upgrade is noted, ask us if you'd like a private room.

Common questions about this trip

  • Who actually runs this trip?

    INTRO Travel, they've been doing East Coast group tours for 15+ years, carbon-neutral operations, group sizes 22-28. We book you in and stay on call before and during the trip for anything you need.
  • Can I do it shorter, say, 21 days?

    Yep, a shorter run is easy to sort. INTRO does a 21-day version of this route that skips Magnetic Island and trims a few days off the Cairns end; message us and we'll book you straight onto it. Prefer to compare operators? Our [Ultimate East Coast 21-Day](/tours/ultimate-east-coast-21-days) covers the same coastline with a different crew.
  • What if I miss a couple of days from feeling sick?

    Group leader will help you rejoin at the next stop and store your bag in the meantime. No refund on missed days but no penalty either, life happens on a 28-day trip.
  • Skydiving and bungy, included or extra?

    Extra. Optional add-ons at Mission Beach (skydive ~$389) and elsewhere along the route. You book on the day with cash or card, no pre-booking required.
  • What's the cancellation policy?

    Cancellation terms for this trip are set by INTRO Travel, the operator, and are confirmed on your booking voucher. Refunds mirror the operator's policy, if they can refund, so can we. Wanderlust handles the refund for you, refunds mirror the operator's terms 1:1 and we chase it on your behalf; if the operator cancels, you're fully refunded. Message us for the exact day-by-day terms before you book.

Got a question that's not here? Ask us or hit the chat, instant AI reply with a human follow-up.

What travellers say

Reviews from real travellers

Verified reviews of the vetted operator who runs this tour on the ground.

The operator's track record

4.9 on Google · 5 on Tripadvisor · 15,000+ five-star reviews · 20+ years operating
via Google
"Just finished the Oz East Coast 21 day trip and it was the best 3 weeks! Every part of the trip was exciting with so much to do. Highlights definitely G’Kari and Whitsundays. Great group of people and friends for life. Jess was the BEST group tour leader and made sure we all had an amazing time. …"
D

Daniella MacDonald

Verified traveller · 2 weeks ago

via Google
"Just finished the Oz Intro Australia tour and had an unreal time. All the activities were incredibly fun and well organised by our group leader Amber-Rose, who had such a great personality and really made the whole group gel from day one. …"
K

Kevan Meow

Verified traveller · 5 days ago

via Google
"I had an amazing time on my 10 day trip through Australia! My tour guide Tom was amazing throughout the trip showing excellent knowledge of culture and heritage about all areas we visited, creating a positive atmosphere and encouraging us to make the most of our trip. …"
A

Ailish Kenny

Verified traveller · 2 weeks ago

via Google
"I completed the Oz 28 day East Coast tour and had the best time. Highly recommend!"
C

Christi Morrison

Verified traveller · 2 weeks ago

via Google
"We had the most amazing tour in Australia with Tom and Tess. Both guides were so attentive, caring, kind and knowledgeable. They had such great knowledge on each place we visited, organised amazing activities for us and gave us great ideas for what to do in free time. …"
R

Rachel Cleary

Verified traveller · 2 weeks ago

via Google
"This is my 3rd trip with intro travel and it did not disappoint.(India group tour) My group leader Dev was absolutely amazing. He was so knowledgeable and kind. He was always looking out for all of us and ensuring we are safe at all times. We had a great laugh throughout the entire trip. …"
l

lily sparkes

Verified traveller · a month ago

Verified traveller reviews · shown as excerpts.

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