Australia is the smallest of all continents. A country famous for its high temperatures, kangaroos and venomous, exotic spiders. Increasingly, people in Europe are taking this direction. How much do tours to Australia cost? Which is more profitable: use the services of a travel agency or organize the trip yourself? If you want to know the answers to these questions, you will find them later in the article.
A bit of Australian history
Due to the location and number of islands around Australia, it is difficult to set a single, final date for the discovery of this continent. For centuries, sailors who set sail on the wide seas, sometimes deliberately, sometimes less, have explored the smaller islands of Oceania. The official discovery of Australia was made by James Cook, who in the eighteenth century set off south to conquer other lands on behalf of the English King George III. However, careful historical analysis has revealed that it is most likely that the first discoverer of Australia was the Dutchman Willem Janszoon, who sailed to the east coast in 1606. The indigenous people of Australia are aborigines, unfortunately they have been exterminated or expelled to the interior of the continent and now make up less than 3% of the population.
Why is Australia worth seeing?
Australia is an extremely interesting country, where you can see both big cities with beautiful monuments and wild nature with a whole range of exotic creatures. And while the country is notorious for its venomous spiders, data shows that no one has died from a spider bite since 1979. Australia is a perfect country for road trips – the list cannot miss Canberra, which has been the capital since 1908, as well as Sydney and Perm, which, although located at two ends of the continent, are both worth seeing. Another element that should be on the list is the endless terrain and the coral reef.
A trip to Australia cannot be done without visiting the nearby islands. The best and cheapest option is to buy a tour from one of the local travel agencies or buy a boat trip.
Prices for trips to Australia
If you decide to organize the tour yourself, it will be best to divide the stages and costs into separate expenses (flight, stay, sightseeing on site). The advantage in this case is certainly the reduction of the cost of the expedition. One of the disadvantages is a lot of responsibility in independent planning, which can be problematic if you don’t have enough practice. Tips for each of the elements:
- It is best to book a flight well in advance, depending on the destination, prices start from 3000 PLN to cities such as Sydney – wait for promotions, it will certainly pay off – you can check one-way flights and land on the east coast, and have a return flight from the west coast
- stay on the spot, here it is best to use internet search engines that will help you book a hotel or apartment – a night in affordable conditions can be found for as little as PLN 200 / person, there is also the possibility of renting on the spot, prices at local residents may turn out to be even lower, and you will gain the opportunity to see how Australians live
- sightseeing on site – many Australian travel agencies offer various tour packages, prices for day trips to more interesting tourist places start from $200, before departure check the prices of nearby museums, zoos or other attractions that are in your area of interest
- It is worth considering in advance how to get to the airport. Most flights to Australia are from Warsaw, and the most convenient way is to get there by car.
A trip with a travel agency? This is a good solution for people who don’t like to plan and worry about the next day and itinerary. The prices of organized trips range from 20 000 PLN per person. The price usually consists of a round trip (e.g. through Asia, Bali or Oceania), accommodation and transport. Sometimes also food. All additional costs (such as entrance to the monuments or additional provisions) are not covered by the organizers. Pros? A fully organized tour and you can explore this beautiful country with peace of mind. The downsides are, of course, the price.
The best idea for a road trip?
If you have a driver’s license, are not afraid of driving in a foreign country, and want to explore half of the Australian continent, renting a car will be the best option. Of course, the cost of renting is not small, but there is a solution for that as well. Well, in Australia, the distances between individual metropolises are so great that there are many car rental companies there. It happens that customers rent a car on one side of the coast and leave it in a completely different place, thousands of kilometers away. In such a case, the agency must bear the cost of an employee delegated to bring the car to the company’s headquarters. Most often, these are considerable expenses for the plane and accommodation on the way back. So they came up with a way that pays off for both customers and companies. Well, you can rent a car for a nominal fee of $1 per day (sometimes the fees are higher, you should monitor the market on an ongoing basis) in exchange for… Taking the car to the home rental company. What does the agency receive? It saves the expense of bringing in the machine. What does the customer gain? It is possible to rent a car for a nominal amount and a designated time to drive the way back, with the possibility of sightseeing as much as you want, as long as you arrive at the indicated address on time. Doesn’t that sound wonderful?
