Melbourne: City Tour; Canberra & Sydney: City Tours; Cairns: Great Barrier Reef Cruise; Darwin & Kakadu National Park; The 'Red Centre'
Our tour of Australia hits the highlights of must-see locations throughout this beautiful country. We begin the tour in cosmopolitan Melbourne and explore the coastline of the Great Ocean Road. We venture onward to the capital of Canberra to tour the Parliament and admire its cutting-edge urban planning. Tropical North Queensland is next with a full day excursion out to the Great Barrier Reef and a day of exploring the rainforests of Kuranda and the Great Dividing Range. Darwin, Kakadu National Park, and the Red Centre are the highlights of Northern Territory - including Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). We finish up the tour with majestic Sydney and its incredible Harbour Bridge and the world famous Opera House.
Prices below are per person, twin-sharing costs in US Dollars (USD). Pricing does not include airfare to/from the tour and any applicable taxes. For single supplement rates and taxes (if any), please refer to below Prices & Dates table. For general information on flights to/from the tour, click here.
Select a date below to reserve your spot:
The above prices are subject to an additional $374 for taxes/fees levied on flights that occur as part of the tour. The internal airfares ARE included (any exceptions are listed in red below), but we list the taxes separately on your invoice as they are beyond our control and can change at any time.
Optional Single Supplement: $1980 USD (number of singles limited).
This tour may require a mandatory single supplement charge of $1000 if you join our share program and we are unable to pair you.
Day 1 Arrival in Melbourne
Today we arrive in Melbourne, Victoria.
Melbourne flourished in the 1850s when the city emerged as a result of the huge gold rush in the Victorian hills. Melbourne is culturally very diverse and has several times been named the world's "most liveable city."
Overnight in Melbourne.
Included Meal(s): Dinner
Day 2 Melbourne: City Tour
Melbourne boasts broad and leafy streets, plenty of parks and gardens, and an air of distinction. It is the stateliest of all Australian cities. It is also a fairly recent creation, for it was only in 1835 that a Tasmanian farmer named John Batman arrived to establish a settlement here. He made a deal with local Aborigines, trading blankets, knives and tomahawks for 500,000 acres of land, and a township began to grow. A gold rush in the 1850s resulted in rapid expansion and, by 1861, Melbourne's population (then 125,000) had already overtaken Sydney's. Sydney moved ahead again in 1911 and has stayed ahead, but Melbourne has never been far behind.
Today our tour includes a number of highlights, including Fitzroy Gardens, originally laid out in the shape of the Union Jack. The prime attraction is Cook's Cottage, the family home of James Cook, the English navigator who explored the southern hemisphere in three great voyages. It was purchased in 1933, shipped over from Yorkshire and presented as a gift to the state of Victoria for its 1934 centenary. We will also see the Shrine of Remembrance, St Kilda Road, Victoria Market, Melbourne University, Parliament House, Lake Albert, and pay a visit to St Patrick's Cathedral.
Overnight in Melbourne.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 3 Melbourne: the Great Ocean Road
Today we drive along the Great Ocean Road. This is one of Australia's most splendid scenic drives. The road was built between 1819 and 1932. The idea was to construct a world class tourist road like the one on California's Pacific coast.
The road became a memorial to those killed in World War I. The stretch of coast to Peterborough is often referred to as the 'Shipwreck coast', due to the number of victims to the rough ocean. We make a stop at a famous viewpoint to see the dramatic rock formations called the Twelve Apostles. These formations, rising 65 m (213 feet) out of the ocean, are the remnants of a retreating coastline.
Overnight in Melbourne.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 4 Melbourne - Fly to Canberra: City Tour
This morning we fly from Melbourne to Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. On arrival we visit the National Capital Exhibition, which displays the development of Australia's capital city; followed, appropriately, by a guided tour of the distinctly designed Parliament House.
We also stop at the Australian War Memorial, the national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia. The memorial includes an extensive national military museum. The Australian War Memorial was opened in 1941, and is widely regarded as one of the most significant memorials of its type in the world. Here we touch on ANZAC history and its valuable insight into Australia's development, national idendity, and psyche.
We also drive through the embassy district, where many of the embassies reflect the architectural style of their native countries. Canberra is a uniquely Australian city which, right from its beginning, had had a very strong North American connection. The idea for a purpose-built capital came soon after the various Australian states agreed to form a federation in 1901. The creation of a new city was seen as a means of ending the rivalry between Sydney and Melbourne, and a way of giving the fledgling nation its own identity. An international design competition was conducted and, in 1913, the competition was won by a young landscape architect from Chicago named Walter Burley Griffin, who submitted his design in conjunction with his wife Marion Mahoney Griffin. Since then, Canberra has grown to become one of Australia's most distinctive cities.
Overnight in Canberra.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 5 Canberra - Fly to Cairns
Today we fly from Canberra to Cairns, Queensland.
Queensland is huge -- at about 1 745 000 sq km (667,000 square miles) the second largest state (Western Australia is the biggest) and more than twice the size of Texas. Taking the Cape York Peninsula and the Gulf of Carpentaria into account, it has an enormous coastline over 7500 km (4,590 miles).
Queensland started out as part of New South Wales, used as a penal colony starting in 1824. An influx of free settlers, many who entered illegally, changed its face from prison to agricultural centre. In 1842 it was officially opened to free settlement and, by 1859, the population was large enough to justify its status as a separate colony. The settlers made their way with sheep, cattle, wheat, an abundance of natural resources and cash crops --including bananas, which gave rise to the rather derisive name the rest of Australia sometimes uses for Queensland natives: "Banana benders".
Overnight in Cairns.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 6 Cairns: Reef Cruise
Today we have a full-day cruise out to the Great Barrier Reef.
The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system, composed of roughly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands that stretch for 2600 kilometres (1,616 mi) and cover an area of approximately 344 400 sq km. The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from outer space and is sometimes referred to as the single largest organism in the world. In reality, it is made up of many millions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. The Great Barrier Reef supports a wide diversity of life and was selected as a World Heritage Site in 1981.
Generally, the vessels offering reefs trips are large and comfortable with plenty of deck space and interior seating. A buffet lunch is served (included) and a wide range of beverages are available for purchase. Snorkeling equipment is available and included.
Overnight in Cairns (dinner on your own this evening).
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Lunch
Day 7 Cairns: Kuranda Scenic Railway & Skyrail Experience
This morning we travel by the Kuranda Scenic Railway through the dense tropical rainforest, passing Barron Falls and Barron Gorge, to Kuranda, a picturesque village set in lush tropical rainforest on the edge of the Atherton Tablelands. Market stalls display works of local artisans.
After some free time in Kuranda, we'll enjoy the Skyrail experience, a gondola ride spanning 7.5km over pristine rainforest, allowing us to explore the wonders of an ancient tropical rainforest and learn about one of the most botanically fascinating and diverse areas on earth. Gliding just metres above the rainforest canopy in comfortable six-person gondola cabins, the Skyrail journey immerses you in an intimate rainforest experience where you’ll see, hear, smell and become part of the tropical rainforest environment.
Our day also includes entrance to the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience at Rainforestation Nature Park, where we can explore the rich history of the world’s oldest living culture, dating back over 40,000 years. We will attend an Aboriginal dance show in a rainforest amphitheatre, then experience the 30-minute Dreamtime Walk with our Indigenous guide.
Return to Cairns.
Overnight in Cairns.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 8 Cairns: Mossman Gorge - Fly to Darwin
Today we check out of our Cairns hotel and travel north to Mossman Gorge and the Mossman Gorge Centre, an indigenous eco-tourism development that serves visitors to the Mossman Gorge World Heritage site. Mossman Gorge will provide one of Australia’s most iconic Aboriginal experiences in Tropical North Queensland and is the perfect option for visitors looking for a genuine, authentic engagement with Indigenous Australia.
Our visit to the gorge includes a "Dreamtime Gorge Walk Experience," the starts with a traditional ‘smoking’ ceremony that cleanses and wards off bad spirits. The walk then meanders through stunning rainforest and takes in traditional huts or humpies. Our interpretive indigenous guide demonstrates traditional plant use, identify bush food sources and provide an enchanting narrative of the rainforest and their special relationship with this unique tropical environment. Our guide demonstrates traditions like making bush soaps and ochre painting. At the end of the tour enjoy traditional bush tea and damper.
Later today we fly to Darwin at the "top end" of Australia and a city unlike any other.* Darwin is Australia's most northern capital city and its isolation from the other states has encouraged the evolution of a unique lifestyle. It is both old style Australia and distinctly Asian in feel and the genuine multicultural mix is reflected in the food, open-air markets and a people of immense character and hospitality. Here you will find a living Aboriginal history and art heritage, the elusive 'Dundees' and their crocodiliac partners lurking in the farms and wildlife parks. The perennially warm, tropical climate has bred an energetic outdoor lifestyle and a friendly, easy-going attitude to match.
* PLEASE NOTE that pre-pandemic, we were usually able to rely on a stable flight schedule that would allow us to accomplish the above-listed program while also getting into Darwin at a reasonable hour. As domestic schedules slowly re-stabilize, this may become less predictable such that our only choice may mean a less-than-ideal arrival time this evening. If this is the case, your Tour Leader may re-adjust tomorrow's activities to allow for a later start.
Overnight in Darwin.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 9 Darwin - Kakadu National Park
Today we travel by road to Kakadu National Park along the Stuart and Arnhem Highways. We continue to Nourlangie Rock, an ancient Aboriginal living shelter. The area surrounding Nourlangie has great diversity: creeks, billabongs, sandy alluvial plains, forest and sandstone escarpment. Rich in food sources -- fish, waterfowl, wallabies, flying foxes and yams -- groups of Aboriginals made this area one where they would make camp and utilise the natural resources. Paintings of animals, insects and people that were done years ago, now help us to record human occupation in the region. Signs and displays will give detailed explanations of the art and area. We also have time to visit the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Centre to better understand the park's culture and history.
After a break for lunch, we head to Cooinda for our Yellow Waters Billabong Cruise. Yellow Water is part of the South Alligator River floodplain. You will have the opportunity to see the varied birdlife Kakadu's World Heritage wetlands, and perhaps a croc or two.
Overnight in Kakadu.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 10 Kakadu Touring - Darwin
This morning you have the option of a one hour scenic flight over Twin and Jim Jim Falls (optional: your Tour Leader can pre-book). On our way out of Kakadu, we'll stop at Ubirr, which features several breathtaking Aboriginal art sites and a walk that leads up to a stunning lookout over the Nadab floodplain. Much of the art here features fish, turtles, goanna, and other important food animals. At the main gallery, a painting of a thylacine (the Tasmanian tiger, which became extinct on the mainland more than two thousand years ago) is a rare treat, and gives an idea to the age of some of the art.
We also stop at the Wetlands Visitors Centre, which has great views over the wetlands.
Overnight in Darwin.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 11 Darwin: City Tour - Fly to Alice Springs
This morning we will be collected from the hotel for a city tour of Darwin. Highlights include Parliament House, Stokes Hill Wharf area, Mooring Basin, Botanic Gardens and East Point Reserve. We continue to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The galleries focus on the aspects of the Northern Territory environment, history, ethnic diversity maritime and natural history. The museum houses an impressive display of Aboriginal art. The Cyclone Tracey Gallery provides an actual experience of the cyclone.
After our tour we'll head to the airport to connect with our early afternoon flight to Alice Springs.
Alice Springs lies at almost the exact geographical centre of Australia. Many Aboriginals work as stockmen on the vast stations in this area, and reminders of their rich heritage are everywhere. Wild camels roam throughout the region, and the dry red earth and deep blue sky create a surreal atmosphere. Neville Shute wrote a famous novel, "A Town Like Alice" in 1950; that book and the movie based on it put Alice Springs on the international map for the first time, but it was many more years before it began attracting tourists in telegraph station here after his wife, Alice, and the town which later grew up nearby took the same name.
* NOTE: Due to ever-changing air schedules into/out of the Red Centre, the order of our sightseeing activities in Ayers Rock and Alice Springs may vary from this itinerary. If there are any changes for your trip, your Tour Leader will advise upon arrival.
Overnight in Alice Springs.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 12 Alice Springs Sightseeing
Our day tour of Alice Springs includes the panoramic ANZAC Hill, the Old Telegraph Station, and the Royal Flying Doctor Service HQ. "The Alice" began in 1872 as an overland telegraph station linking the north and south. Today it combines the vigour of the frontier-like environment with the convenience of modern facilities.
We also visit Alice Springs School of the Air, which has been bridging education gaps caused by remote locations and providing schooling to children at cattle stations, roadhouses, Aboriginal communities, and national parks with daily lessons via satellite broadband to children aged 4 to 13 years since 1951. The school broadcast area covers 1.3 million square kilometres including most of the Northern Territory, the northern area of South Australia, and eastern area of Western Australia.
A must see for every visitor is the Alice Springs Desert Park. In the space of just a few hours, you can discover many of the secrets of the Central Australian deserts. Hundreds of species of plants and animals found across Central Australian deserts can be seen. Our visit involves an easy walking trail through three desert habitats. Witness free-flying birds of prey in the nature theatre, see rare and endangered animals in the spectacular nocturnal house, hear the insights into the interlinking world of plants, animals and people from our local guides and enjoy a cinematic journey through four-and-a-half billion years of desert evolution during the 20 minute cinematic journey of "The Changing Heart".
Overnight in Alice Springs.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 13 Alice Springs - Uluru (Ayers Rock)
Today we travel over the Macdonnell Ranges and cross the vast desert to Uluru (Ayer's Rock), in the centre of the continent.
Uluru is an incredibly impressive monolith 5 km (3 miles) in length and over 300 m (1,000 feet) high! Uluru is a remnant of ancient mountains which long ago weathered away, leaving the sandstone monolith standing alone in the desert. In 1989 scientists found evidence that Uluru, the Macdonnell Ranges, and a cluster of huge rock domes named Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) were part of a single plateau. Although British explorers trekked through the Red Centre as long ago as 1844, none of them visited Uluru until 1873, when it was named Ayers Rock after a colonial administrator of the day, Sir Henry Ayers.
We visit Uluru for a short walk at the base before travelling to the sunset viewing area.
Overnight near Ayers Rock.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 14 Uluru - Fly to Sydney
Today we have an early morning excursion to see the sunrise light up the Olgas/Kata Tjuta. We then fly from Ayers Rock to Sydney.
Sydney is regarded as one of the world's greatest coastal cities. The odd thing is that when the British explorer Captain James Cook sailed up the east coast of Australia in 1770 he missed the site altogether. He saw the Sydney Heads, of course, but did not guess that a vast harbour lay behind them. So when a British fleet arrived to establish a colony in Australia in 1788 it went first to nearby Botany Bay. Within days, however, Sydney Harbour was discovered and the settlement moved there.
Overnight in Sydney.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 15 Sydney: City Tour
Today we tour Sydney and include a cruise on Port Jackson, Sydney's harbour.
We pass the world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge, various sandy white beaches, and the exclusive homes that line Sydney's harbour on our way to the Pacific gateway. The Harbour Bridge -- affectionately known as "the Coathanger" -- spans one of the most narrow inlets of the harbour and is one of the largest arch bridges in the world. Our tour also takes us to Bondi Beach, Paddington, Oxford Street, and King's Cross.
At some point in our Sydney visit, we'll have a guided tour of the famous Opera House. This is one of the world’s most recognisable landmarks and this is your chance to truly get up-close. Run your hands over the world-famous shell tiles, take a seat in the elegant custom-made white birch timber chairs and marvel at the vaulted ceilings. We visit areas off-limits to the public and capture photographs from rare vantage points. Explore theatres and foyers where more than 1600 concerts, operas, dramas, and ballets take place each year.
Overnight in Sydney.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 16 Sydney: The Blue Mountains
This morning we drive by coach westward to the Blue Mountains, named for the blue haze created by the eucalyptus oil in the air above the mountain gum forests. En route we stop at Featherdale Wildlife Centre for a chance to observe some Australian critters that are otherwise difficult to spot in the wild.
The Blue Mountains National Park includes almost 600,000 acres of sandstone plateau, forested river valleys, and deep gorges. We'll visit the Wentworth Falls Reserve for a short walk and spectacular views of the valley, followed by a drive along Cliff Drive to the Echo Point Visitor Information Center where we will see colourful parrots, lorikeets and rosellas, which gather at the center's panaramic windows. There is a nice view here of The Three Sisters formation, in legend members of the Katoomba tribe who were unlucky in love.
Return to Sydney.
Overnight in Sydney.
Included Meal(s): Breakfast and Dinner
Day 17 Departure
Departure from Sydney.
BON VOYAGE!
Included Meal(s): Breakfast
Inclusions
Breakfast and dinner or lunch daily (hotels and local restaurants). All transport (including internal flights), sightseeing and entrance fees for sites noted as 'visited' in the detailed itinerary. Gratuities for local guides, drivers, restaurant staff, porters. Airport transfers for land & air customers arriving/departing on tour dates.
Exclusions
International airfare to/from the tour. Tour Leader gratuity, lunches, drinks, personal items (phone, laundry, etc), domestic and international air taxes (if applicable). Airport transfers for Land Only customers. Optional trip cancellation insurance. Our post-reservation trip notes offer further guidance on optional meal costs and shopping.
Seasonality and Weather
There are two climatic zones: the tropical zone (in the north above the Tropic of Capricorn) and the temperate zone. The tropical zone (consisting of 40 percent of Australia) has two seasons: summer (wet) and winter (dry) while the temperate zone has a four seasons. Nov-Mar (spring/summer) Warm or hot everywhere, tropical in the north, and warm to hot with mild nights in the south. Out tour covers a huge area with varied weather-you must be prepared for a wide range of conditions.
KAKADU: Oct-Dec: pre-monsoon season of hot weather, which becomes increasingly humid. Along the creeks of Kakadu, the air is heavy with the scent of blossoming paperbark trees, which in the evenings attract colonies of feeding fruit bats. Feb/March: time of thunderstorms and rich plant and animal life. Most plants are fruiting and animals are caring for their young. Expanses of water recede and streams run clear.
Transport and Travel Conditions
Transportation throughout the southern Australian states is by a/c private motor coach; all internal flights booked in economy class. Australia is BIG; some journeys are long but frequent stops are made for photos and refreshment.
Our difficulty rating level "2" refers to the ambitious nature of our program, some full days of travel, some walking tours of sites that are large with uneven surfaces, and heat in some locations which could cause fatigue over time. Our internal flights also mean that you will need to be independent with your luggage; some flights may also occur at inconvenient times, ie early morning.
Am I suitable for this tour? Please refer to our self-assessment form.
Accommodation
Well-located, air-conditioned, mid-range (3-star) hotels with en suite toilet and bath throughout (probably shower only). Single rooms are limited and likely smaller than doubles. Porter service is usually available at hotels though you should be independent with your luggage, especially at airports.
Staff and Support
Tour Leader, driver/s, local step-on guides in several locales.
Group Size
Maximum 18 plus Tour Leader
Tour Extensions
This tour is part of a series that can be upgraded to make for a longer trip. For more options, please refer to tour code/s:
Regions visited: Down Under
Countries visited: Australia
*The red tour trail on the map does not represent the actual travel path.
The following is a list of sample hotels at some locations included on this tour. The hotels shown here are meant to provide a general sense of the standard of hotel we usually aim for; they are not necessarily confirmed for your chosen departure.
We encourage you to get trip cancellation and interruption insurance to protect against unforeseen events.
Transfers for Marco Polo Airport if arriving and departing with the group; accommodation at 3 and 4 star hotels with ensuite facilities; breakfast daily, welcome dinner and farewell dinner with wine; admissions to sites in the itinerary; comfortable coach travel with professional driver; all other transport necessary to fulfill the itinerary; professional English-speaking guides at guided sites in the itinerary; services of a professional Tour Director from arrival in Venice through departure; gratuities for drivers, local guides and the Tour Director; additional insight from Lucinda Edinberg, Hammond-Harwood House curator, who will be with us for the whole tour.
Airfare; transfers that do not coordinate with the group arrivals and departures; single supplement; mandatory travel insurance; lunches, dinners other than the two stated in the itinerary; personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls; gratuities for hotel service and porters; optional audio service.
Our aim is for every participant to fully enjoy the sites and towns we visit. Please bear in mind that you will have to negotiate getting on and off the vehicle on a regular basis, walking around sites, managing stairs in the hotels and showers over the bath. The nature of exploring the sites and historic towns we visit means there is a reasonable amount of walking involved in our daily itineraries. Should participants wish to take a day off from the tour, they are perfectly entitled to do so, if they are returning to the same hotel in the evening.
The deposit secures your place on the tour if space is available at the time of booking. Final payment is required 60 days before the tour departs. Payments are non-transferable.
The deposit is non-refundable unless the tour is cancelled by Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel. Your trip insurance may cover your cancellation under certain conditions. It is a condition of booking that you, and all members of your party, take out comprehensive travel insurance before you join the tour and that it is adequate for your needs. Your insurance must include coverage for medical expenses, personal injury, and personal liability. We strongly recommend you also obtain coverage for loss of baggage, money and valuables, delay, curtailment, missed departure, cancellation expenses and legal expenses. You may be asked to provide your travel insurer name, contact number and policy number before you join our tour, or required coverage under the credit card used to book the tour.
A minimum of 14 paid passengers is required to run a tour. If the minimum number of bookings has not been received by 60 days prior to departure, Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel reserves the right not to run the tour and refund all moneys paid. In no case except for reasons of war, natural disasters, fire, civil disturbances, riots, terrorist action, closure of port or airport, industrial disputes, force majeure, or similar events beyond their control will cancellation take place within 60 days of the departure date. In the event of a cancellation within 60 days under these conditions, Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel retains the right to make a partial refund at their own discretion.
Hammond-Harwood House Association and Adventures Abroad Worldwide Tours have taken all reasonable steps to ensure that proper arrangements have been made for the tour and that the suppliers of the services are efficient and reputable. Every booking is subject to the conditions imposed by shipping, airline, rail, coach, hotel, restaurant, visitor attraction and insurance. We cannot be held liable for any loss or expenses suffered by you because of your late arrival at the start of the tour, or at any time during the tour for other than reasons within our control. Any willful damage to property is your sole responsibility, including any costs incurred due to such action or measures taken up by the various authorities or principals. Damage will be charged to you and must be paid for at that time. Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel reserves the right to withdraw tour participation from any person at any time if their behavior is likely to affect the smooth operation of the tour or adversely affect the enjoyment or safety of other participants and shall not be under any liability to such person whatsoever. This is without any liability whatsoever on the company’s behalf for homeward travel arrangements or refund of tour costs. The decision of the Tour Director will be final. Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel will not be held responsible for closure of sites or attractions named in the tour itinerary. Under such circumstances every endeavor will be made to find an alternative. Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel reserves the right to substitute hotels. If a passport is lost or one of the group members is taken ill or has an accident, the Tour Director will assist to the best of their ability but must reserve the right to carry on with the tour. It may be necessary to leave the tour member to rejoin later at his/her own expense.
This is a release of legal rights – please read carefully and understand before booking.
By sending the booking form, I acknowledge that I have voluntarily agreed to participate in a travel experience (the “Tour”) offered by Hammond-Harwood House Association (“HHH”). I am aware that HHH has contracted with Adventures Abroad Worldwide Travel Ltd. (“AAWT”) to conduct, operate, provide services during, and/or manage portions of the Tour. AAWT has been selected based on experience in the travel industry and history of providing safe and gratifying tours. Even though HHH will use its best efforts to provide opportunities for educational enrichment during the Tour in a safe environment, I acknowledge that I am responsible for making my own safety decisions relating to the Tour and otherwise, and I agree to be bound by each of the following terms and conditions below:
I am aware that it is my personal decision to travel, and I am doing so voluntarily, with full knowledge of the applicable travel recommendations, restrictions, regulations, and risks with regard to travel generally, and as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. I understand that by electing to participate in this Tour, I do so at my own risk, and I agree to accept personal responsibility for any liability, injury, loss, or damage in any way connected with my participation in the Tour.
I understand that there are certain dangers, hazards, and risks inherent with travel and in the activities included in the Tour, including but not limited to, weather, strikes, acts of God, war, quarantine, disease, civil unrest, or terrorism. I understand that my participation in the Tour may involve risk of injury and loss, both to person and to property, and, I may be subjected to potential risks, including illnesses, injuries, permanent disability, and even death. In addition, I understand that medical treatments, such as vaccines, may be required before traveling to some destinations, partaking in the Tour, and/or participating in certain Tour activities, and it is my responsibility to consult a physician and the Center for Disease Control regarding immunizations or other precautions to protect against travel related illness. I recognize that while an AAWT or HHH staff representative may assist me with obtaining medical care in event of an illness or emergency, neither AAWT nor HHH is responsible or liable for my care.
I recognize that HHH is not in the position to evaluate, and therefore cannot evaluate, whether the Tour will take place in a safe and secure environment. These are judgments that I recognize I must independently make, and I have made my own investigation of these risks, understand these risks, and assume them knowingly and willingly. I have been warned of possible travel industry bankruptcies and medical and climatic disruptions, as well as the possibility that I may be unable to travel as scheduled because of personal emergency. I understand that specific AAWT, national, state, local and/or municipal health and safety protocols will apply to my Tour. I have reviewed all applicable protocols and Tour terms and conditions provided, including terms and conditions regarding cancellations, refunds, health and safety, vaccination, and insurance, prior to finalizing my reservation. I understand and acknowledge that HHH and/or AAWT are not responsible for changes to my Tour or for losses, expenses, damages, or injuries resulting from my Tour or travel incidents related thereto.
I understand that, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, local and state governments may be enacting border, travel, and stay-at-home restrictions; and that the trajectory of the COVID-19 virus at the local, national, and international levels is unpredictable. Moreover, local health care systems in many areas of the United States either are overwhelmed or are at risk of becoming overwhelmed by COVID-19 cases. I further understand that travel can increase my chances of getting and spreading COVID-19, and that my participation in this Tour means I may be subjected to potential risks, illnesses, injuries, and even death as a result either of contracting COVID-19 or of any actions or omissions of governments, private entities, or other parties with respect to COVID-19. I responded accurately to any Assumption of Risk questions posed to me regarding health and safety guidelines (including those relating to the COVID-19 vaccine), and that it is my responsibility to follow and abide by these guidelines at all times during my Tour. I have reviewed and understand the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s travel advisories (https://www.cdc.gov/travel/destinations/list/) for my destination(s), if any, and any additional pertinent information available from the World Health Organization website (https://www.who.int/) and local health authorities. With full knowledge of this information, I have made my own investigation of the risks associated with this Tour, understand these risks, and assume them knowingly and willingly.
I have been advised and understand that HHH does not provides insurance coverage or indemnification for any accident, injury, illness, damage, loss, expense or mishap suffered by any travel participant in connection with my Tour or travel arrangements. I have been required to obtain appropriate insurance coverage against these risks on my own, at a level with which I am comfortable.
I understand that HHH does not represent or act as an agent for, and cannot control the acts or omissions of AAWT, a transportation carrier, hotel, or other providers of food, goods, or services involved in the Tour. I understand that HHH is not responsible for matters that are beyond its control, and that it cannot warrant the safety or convenience of the circumstances under which I will be traveling. I understand that I am subject to the cancellation and refund policies set by AAWT and provided for the Tour in which I am enrolled, and I have carefully read such policies prior to making my reservation. I further understand that I will not receive any refunds beyond what is stated in these Terms and Conditions.
I agree that my deposit is my unconditional confirmation that I (i) have considered all risks (foreseen and unforeseen for this trip), (ii) have or will obtain adequate and proper insurance covering risks (and will provide evidence of the receipt of such insurance immediately upon request by Hammond-Harwood House Association or Adventures Abroad World Travel, Ltd., as the case may be), and (iii) will defend, indemnify and hold Hammond-Harwood House Association and Adventures Abroad World Travel, Ltd. harmless from any claim, action, suit, loss or any damages or costs and expenses of any kind or nature incurred by Hammond-Harwood House Association or Adventures Abroad World Travel, Ltd.
I agree that this agreement is to be construed under the laws of the State of Maryland (without regard to its conflicts of laws principles), which shall be the forum for any lawsuits filed against Hammond-Harwood House Association under or incident to this agreement. I agree that this agreement is to be construed under the laws of British Columbia (without regard to its conflicts of laws principles), which shall be the forum for any lawsuits filed against Adventures Abroad World Travel, Ltd. under or incident to this agreement. If any portion of the agreement is held invalid, the balance of the agreement shall, notwithstanding, continue in full legal force and effect.