Make Australia Your Next Adventure with Swain Destinations

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A Black man smiles back at a white woman as they carry wine glasses down outdoor stairs. Uluru is a red monolith on the horizon.

Short getaways, from relaxing weeks at the shore to spontaneous weekend road trips, help us recharge throughout the year. But journeys to further-flung locations are the trips that open our eyes to new experiences and inspire us to dream bigger.

International trips are currently on the rise, with travelers seeking transformative, expedition-style adventures to take them out of their day-to-day (and deliver some truly stunning social-media content). If you’re ready to plan your next trip abroad, it can help to call in the experts. 

Take Swain Destinations, a boutique, family-run travel company with a mission: to create one-of-a-kind travel experiences that stay true to its ethos, “luxury with heart.” That credo is the throughline of Swain’s itineraries, which have taken travelers on expertly curated vacations across the globe since 1987. Swain offers personalized itineraries in locations spanning New Zealand, Africa, the Middle East, Antarctica, the South Pacific Islands, and notably Australia. Swain is owned and operated by an Australian family – they started their first tours close to home, and it remains one of the crown jewels of their itineraries. 

And when you book a trip with Swain Destinations using your Platinum Card® through American Express Travel®️ , you can earn 2X Membership Rewards® points with Platinum Destinations®️ Vacations*, getting you that much closer to your next dream trip using Pay with Points.*

Swain has Australian tours that can be customized to fit any taste. Australia offers a rich variety of experiences and activities, from food- and wine-focused itineraries to wildlife excursions and more. 

Ready to plan your adventure Down Under? Let’s take a look at a few of the many reasons Australia with Swain Destinations should be your next big trip. 

If you want to spend some quality time in Sydney…

A group of tourists is silhouetted on the metal walkways of a bridge as they pause to look over the harbor at the Sydney Opera House.

There’s plenty to do in Sydney, if you’d like to spend a few days acclimating to the new time zone. In addition to attractions like the famed Sydney Opera House and the Royal Botanic Garden, Swain can help plan more curated experiences. Thrill seekers can safely scale one of the city’s most famous bridges with the Bridge Climb adventure, a breathtaking experience that elevates you 427 feet above sea level for sweeping views of the city. If you’d prefer to explore Sydney on the ground, take Sydney’s Classic Bicycle Tour, during which you’ll visit more than 30 locations including the Opera House, scenic Darling Harbour, and the Parliament House – plus a stop at a local pub to drink a quaff – by bike.  Or you might hop a boat to explore Sydney by sea with Swain’s half- or full-day Sydney Harbour Cruises

After a few days spent exploring the city, you’ll be acclimated and ready to choose your next Australian adventure.

If you want to get up close to wildlife…

A brown wallaby looks over tall grass toward the camera, out-of-focus trees providing shade in the background.

Australia is home to a wide array of species, from the national animal of Australia – the kangaroo – and koalas to wallabies, bandicoots, emus, and penguins. Animal lovers can plan an immersive itinerary that might begin 90 minutes outside of Sydney with the Blue Mountains Tour; you’ll spot flora and fauna on a walk through an ancient rainforest, traverse mountain trails to take in staggering mountain valley vistas. You can also visit Featherdale Wildlife Park, home to Australia’s largest collection of native animals, and feed baby wallabies and visit with emus, Tasmanian devils, wombats, and crocodiles (from a safe distance). Take a day trip from Melbourne to Phillip Island, where you’ll observe one of the area’s cutest rituals, the sunset Penguin Parade, when the island’s little penguins march up the beach to their nests for bedtime. In South Australia, you have the chance to mingle with the ‘roos at Kangaroo Island and take a guided tour of Seal Bay, where a local naturalist will walk you through the third-largest colony of Australian sea lions. If you’re visiting Tasmania, feed the rescued wombats and koalas at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and book a visit to Freycinet National Park, where you’ll spot more than 49 native species – and take in breathtaking views of Wineglass Bay. Swain’s tours can also take you to Queensland, where you can snorkel the Great Barrier Reef to get a fishbowl view of the coral and brightly colored marine-life that make up the incredibly biodiverse reef system. 

If you want to hit the epic hiking trails…

At sunrise at Freycinet National Park, a hiker stands overlooking Wineglass Bay and the orange-tinged shrubbery covering the ground.

South Australia’s rugged landscape makes it a prime destination for hiking, with challenging terrain and spectacular vistas that make the effort more than worth it. Swain will work with you to create a custom itinerary to get in those steps while enjoying (and photographing) the stunning scenery. Those who prefer a more moderate experience can walk the River Torrens Linear Trail, a winding 22-mile path along the River Torrens to scenic Henley Beach. Cool off with a swim in the clear waters and reward yourself with a treat from one of the bustling beachside cafés. Or work up a sweat on the Heysen Trail – at 746 miles, it’s Australia’s longest walking trail and sure to test your endurance as you traverse coastal bushland, mountainous peaks, and vineyards. Speaking of wine, consider the Riesling Trail, a strollable 15.5 miles that takes you through several vineyards where you can taste the eponymous wine – and drink in panoramic views of the Clare Valley. Swain offers a variety of walking and hiking excursions, like the Maria Island Walk, a gentle four-day camping journey through a national park in Tasmania, an island south of the mainland. You’ll explore the natural terrain during the day and enjoy gourmet meals and fine wines at night, after which you’ll retire to sleep to the sounds of the ocean. Or embark on an easy-to-moderate three-day hike, exploring Cradle Mountain’s glaciers and waterfalls with Swain’s Cradle Mountain Experience.

If you want to sample the local wine…

A group of adults of various races, wearing dark clothes except for one woman in a white sweater, stands around a fire pit drinking wine.

Australia is rife with vineyards producing world-class wines, and Adelaide Hills, just a three-hour flight from Sydney, has a particularly high concentration. There’s a reason the South Australian region is one of American Express Travel’s 2024 Trending Destinations

Just east of Adelaide, the lush, mountainous area boasts more than 60 wineries. The temperate region is known for its cool climate wines – including sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, chardonnay, and shiraz – and has become a must-visit destination for in-the-know oenophiles. Choose an itinerary that will take you on an exploration of the region’s many vineyards, like the 15-night Wine and Wildlife Discovery tour. It starts in Sydney and includes many adventures beyond visits to notable wineries like Hahndorf Hill, Shaw and Smith, Petaluma Wines, and Méthode Champenoise Cellars. The tour takes you past Adelaide Hills to sample the grapes at wineries across Australia, including producers in Tasmania and Melbourne. Plus, you’ll visit local farms, take a trip to Kangaroo Island, and enjoy lunch beneath towering waterfalls. Right outside Melbourne, those who love a flute of bubbles will particularly enjoy a day exploring Yarra Valley with a wine expert who’ll explain the region’s signature sparkling wine production – and provide tastes of Australia’s best bubbly. You can also head to Perth, located in Western Australia, on Swain’s Swan Valley Tour, a shorter wine-focused tour during which you’ll visit tasting rooms throughout Western Australia’s oldest winemaking region – and stop for a sweet treat at the Margaret River Chocolate Company.

If you want to immerse yourself in the Outback’s beauty…

Vacationers wear protective earwear and look around in awe as a fanboat driver steers them through a waterway covered in floating leaves.

A trip to Australia wouldn’t be complete without experiencing the Outback – the vast, largely unpopulated region that comprises 70% of the Australian mainland – and with Swain, you can do it in style. Opt for the Outback Luxury tour, which starts in scenic Melbourne before heading to South Australia’s Flinders Ranges and Arkaba. You can hop on a mountain bike to explore the rugged trails on two wheels or tour the area by car. Next, you’ll venture into the Northern Territory, where you can experience the spiritual wonder of Uluru, a sandstone monolith sacred to the Anangu people, when you set up for the night at luxury base camp accommodations in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed park in the heart of the desert. There, you’ll take in the red domes of Kata Tjuta, also considered a sacred site. From desert to wetlands, you’ll journey on to Kakadu National Park where you can experience the Outback through immersive wildlife experiences, luxurious boat tours, and active safari adventures. The tour concludes in Sydney, where your adventures just might inspire you to give surfing famed Bondi Beach a try.

If you’re feeling inspired to explore Australia with Swain Destinations, call American Express Travel today at 800-525-3355 to book your custom vacation with your Platinum Card and get 2X points to make the journey that much more rewarding.

Must be 21 years of age or older to consume alcoholic beverages. Please drink responsibly.

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