| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 19/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 55 |
| Copyright: Other |
Sport holidays
Packaging adventure in high style
Matthew Hampton reports on holidays with adrenaline
There comes a time at every party when the guests decide to dust off their favourite anecdote in an attempt to top everyone else’s tales of derring-do.On such occasions, “in Australia” is a term which often seems to follow sentences beginning: “I remember one time…”, before leading into a monologue that involves ascending Ayers Rock on the back of an emu.
But if you can’t beat them, join them. Australia is an adventure-lovers’ paradise. From paddling about with a snorkel in the Ningaloo Marine Park to white-water rafting down the Tully River, you’d have to be dead from the ankles up not to enjoy the possibilities that Oz offers.
So, if Australia interests you, take a look on this page and use our guide to sort the wild from the mild.
Up, up and away: balloon rides take in the outback
Your adventure starts here
Gone are the days when you needed the stamina of a mountain goat to enjoy the great outdoors. Operators have packaged adventure into handy bite-size products for those who want to keep their clothes clean.
Ayers Rock may be in the rugged Northern Territory but the Ayers Rock Resort removes the hardships of desert life. This complex, 16km from Uluru (to use its proper name) comprises five hotels and nine restaurants. Trailfinders offers the five-star Sails in the Desert Hotel from £157 per night, though cheaper options are available. The three-star Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge leads in from £119 per person per night.
The resort organises a range of soft adventure options based around visits to Uluru and other local attractions. The sunrise camel tour leading in at £36.50 is a popular option.
Apparently the soul travels at the same pace as a camel. If this sounds a little slow though, the resort offers tours of Uluru and the Olgas by Harley Davidson. Living out your Easy Rider fantasies will cost from £65 per person.
For wildlife enthusiasts, a number of ground operators will organise safari tours. Odyssey Safaris in Darwin runs a three-day tour through the Kakadu National Park – which is about the same size as Wales – for around £200. Clients will see aboriginal rock art sites and be able to spot crocodiles and other wildlife.
Further east, the Whitsundays region off the coast of Queensland offers good potential for sailors. UK operator Sunsail offers fully crewed yachts based at Hamilton Island, as well as learn-to-sail packages and stay-and-sail holidays. A one-day course covering the basic principals of sailing costs from £150.
The Great Barrier Reef is the biggest reef in the world – in fact, with its 1,500 species of fish, it is classified as the world’s largest living thing. Not surprisingly, it’s a magnet for divers as well as fish.
Caribbean specialist Harlequin introduced Australia and other destinations to its 2000 programme after requests from repeat clients. Its Connoisseur’s Diving Collection features liveaboard and a self-catering apartment option in Queensland for diving the reef. Seven nights at sea leads in at £1,062 in the peak June-December season, compared with £133 for four sharing a two-bed apartment. Flights are extra for both packages. On the liveaboard, all meals and diving are included.
Touring holidays are good value for money. Connections 18-35 is an Australian company offering everything from hiking to learning to surf. Five-day packages lead in from £215 excluding flights, going up to £1,280 excluding flights for the 27-day ‘Grand Aussie’.
Travelbag Adventures has two itineraries which can be tailor made with a number of add-on options to boost commission. The 15-day Tropical Queensland Adventure leads in at £1,099, including kayak and canoe trips, a Barrier Reef Cruise, mountain biking and a rainforest walk.
Outback Ballooning, a new company based in Cairns, offers two packages, The Desert Park and the Dawn to Dusk tour which lead in at around £60 and £120 respectively. Both include a 30min balloon ride. The Dawn to Dusk tour also features breakfast, dinner and an hour’s camel trekking.
If you have a head for heights and want to take a different view of Sydney Harbour, then try the bridge climb. This 3hr tour leads in from £41 and involves a 1,500 metre climb. The daytime and nighttime tours can be booked through the Sydney Online Visitors Bureau at www.sydney. visitors bureau.com.au.
Up a gear – land, sea and air
Desert trekking: camel tours are a popular option
Desert trekking: camel tours are a popular option
Wet and wild
There’s a fine line between the sane and the silly, and it would seem you are more likely to cross it down under than anywhere else in the world.
Raging Thunder Adventure Holidays, an Australian operator based in Cairns, offers a variety of harder adventure options, including white-water rafting tours of the Tully River, and a half-day sky-diving trip.
Beginner rafters can try either the Barron River for £30 or the Tully River for £50. For the more adventurous, full tuition can be given for two-man inflatable kayaking on the Tully, from £48.
Combining a rafting expedition with a heli-tour is a great way to cover a lot of ground, and Raging Thunder has two and four-day packages available from £150 and £280 respectively.
And if you are convinced that the sky’s the limit, try jumping straight into it. A tandem jump from a plane (where the instructor is strapped to you) costs from £90.
Flying friends: tandem jumping with an instructor costs from £90