Australia Travel Guide

Packages for the Independent Traveler

Package tours are simply a way to buy the airfare, accommodations, and other elements of your trip (such as car rentals, airport transfers, and sometimes even activities) at the same time and often at discounted prices.

One good source of package deals is the airlines themselves. Most major airlines offer air/land packages, including American Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/321-2121; www.aavacations.com), Delta Vacations (tel. 800/654-6559; www.deltavacations.com), Continental Airlines Vacations (tel. 800/301-3800; www.covacations.com), and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899; www.unitedvacations.com). Several big online travel agencies -- Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz, Site59, and Lastminute.com -- also do a brisk business in packages.

Austravel (tel. 0870/166-2020 in the U.K.; www.austravel.net) offers independent packages Down Under. The following companies offer both independent and escorted tours: ATS Tours (tel. 888/781-5170 in the U.S. and Canada; www.atstours.com); Collette Vacations (tel. 800/340-5158 in the U.S., 800/468-5955 in Canada, or 0800/0921-888 in the U.K.; www.collettevacations.com); Goway (tel. 800/387-8850 in the U.S. and Canada; www.goway.com); Maupintour (tel. 800/255-4266 in the U.S. and Canada; www.maupintour.com); Qantas Vacations (tel. 800/348-8145 in the U.S., or 800/348-8137 in Canada; www.qantasvacations.com); Swain Tours (tel. 800/22-SWAIN in the U.S. and Canada; www.swaintours.com); Swain's budget-travel division, Downunder Direct (tel. 800/642-6224 in the U.S. and Canada; www.downunderdirect.com); and United Vacations (tel. 888/854-3899 in the U.S. and Canada; www.unitedvacations.com). Swain Tours is operated and largely staffed by Aussies, and has an office in Sydney, as does Goway.

Travel packages are also listed in the travel section of your local Sunday newspaper. Or check ads in national travel magazines such as Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine, Travel +Leisure, National Geographic Traveler, and Condé Nast Traveler.

Escorted General-Interest Tours

Escorted tours are structured group tours, with a group leader. The price usually includes everything from airfare to hotels, meals, tours, admission costs, and local transportation.

Connections Adventures (call Australian Pacific Touring tel. 800/290-8687 in the U.S.; Goway tel. 800/387-8850 in Canada; tel. 020/8946 4536 in the United Kingdom; tel. 0800/278 687 in New Zealand; or tel. 1800/077 251 or 02/8252 5300 in Australia; www.connectionsadventures.com), and Contiki (tel. 888/CONTIKI in the U.S. and Canada; 09/300 1601 in New Zealand; 1300/188 635 or 02/9511 2200 in Australia; www.contiki.com) specialize in escorted tours for 18- to 35-year-olds. These trips attract a lot of Australians, too, so they are a good way to meet locals. Premier Vacations (tel. 800/321-6720 in the U.S. and Canada; www.premierdownunder.com) is another reliable escorted tour operator.

Despite the fact that escorted tours require big deposits and predetermine hotels, restaurants, and itineraries, many people derive security and peace of mind from the structure they offer. Escorted tours -- whether they're navigated by bus, motorcoach, train, or boat -- let travelers sit back and enjoy the trip without having to drive or worry about details. They take you to the maximum number of sights in the minimum amount of time with the least amount of hassle. They're particularly convenient for people with limited mobility and they can be a great way to make new friends.

On the downside, you'll have little opportunity for serendipitous interactions with locals. The tours can be jampacked with activities, leaving little room for individual sightseeing, whim, or adventure -- plus they often focus on the heavily touristed sites, so you miss out on many a lesser-known gem.