EARLY PREVIEW - DETAILS OUT JUL

OVERVIEW

Solos Only

SOUTHERN HIGHLANDS SOLO TRAVEL TOUR

The Southern Highlands at its best!  Sip, taste, relax, explore & laugh, all in the company of other solo travellers. Switch off for three days, and have all the organising taken care of for you, showing you the top spots of the highlands.

Mix it up on this three day break; wine, beer or both; visiting a few of the best Southern Highlands wineries and quenching a thirst at a local craft beer brewery. Throw in a bit of cricket culture at the Bradman Cricket Museum, and kick back for some laughs at the pub, even try your luck at the pool table.

Staying in Bowral, we visit Berrima and Burrawang, highlands villages dating back to the 1800’s and experience their iconic Aussie pubs for lunch.
 
Your escape is packed full of value while still having the time to chill and absorb the charm of our boutique hotel.  If you’ve not ‘done the Southern Highlands’ this is the perfect start, and if you’re coming back, there’s plenty more to discover or enjoy again.

Your local Coach Captain will guide you around, and Encounter Travel host will take care of the detail, all while enjoying soirées in  in the evenings and local discoveries in the days.

PACKAGE DETAILS
  • Ages:
    45+
  • Duration:
    3 Days
  • Status:
    Early preview
  • Region:
    AustraliaNZPacific
  • Destinations:
    Australia
  • Travel Style:
    Discovery
  • Accommodation:
    Hotel
  • Prices from:
    Due out July
  • Transport:
    Private coach
  • Pace:
    2
  • Max Group Size:
    36
REVIEWS

'I would highly recommend a holiday with Encounter Travel. My trip was well organised and the co-ordinator was fun and helpful and full of energy. I met some great people of all walks of life. There is a good mix of organised activities and free time. I had a blast.'

Linda, Victoria

'Thank you for your organisation of a great holiday. As a first time traveller with Encounter, I didn't know what to expect. The Red Centre is indescribably beautiful and should be on every Australians' bucket list. We saw every sensational attraction in just the right order - each new experience was more incredible than the last. Thank you for recruiting such a great group of people for my travelling companions. The hotels were clean and very comfortable and it was a pleasure to be transported across such an amazing landscape so comfortably. I learnt so much about our wonderful country and wished I had done such a trip years earlier.'

Sarah, 52 years, Sydney, Australia
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INCLUSIONS

 

ACCOMMODATION & MEALS

  • 2 nights boutique hotel accommodation
  • 2 breakfasts
  • 1 lunch
  • 2 dinners including

 

SIGHTSEEING & GUIDES

  • Winery visits & tastings
  • Brewery tour & tastings
  • Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame
  • Fitzroy Falls
  • Group host from Encounter Travel

 

TRAVEL

  • Return transport by road, Sydney city to Bowral
  • All transfers, Southern Highlands 

Travel insurance is a mandatory requirement for joining this tour and is in addition to the package price.

Not included: 

  • Airfares to/from Sydney (unless requested)
  • Airport Transfers if booking a tour only package
  • Travel insurance
  • Excess baggage
  • Visa fees
  • Any tips or porterage at airports, hotels, drivers & local staff
  • Meals and beverages not specified on itinerary
  • Items of a personal nature such as laundry & medical expenses
  • Incidental expenses such as taxi fares, telecommunications

Departure Dates for this tour

Departure
Status
Price from
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17 - 19 JUL 21
Early preview
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Trip Code: shbreak21-7

Itinerary

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Superb boutique hotel stay in the heart of The Southern Highlands
  • Lunches at historic pubs across the region.
  • Beautiful dining at one of the best local restaurants of The Southern Highlands
  • Winery visits & tastings
  • Eden Brewery tour & tastings
  • Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame
  • Fitzroy Falls
  • Optional Gin Tasting experience
  • Time to chill and make your own discoveries
  • Group host from Encounter Travel

 

DAY 1 -  SATURDAY 

Depart Sydney. Tour Southern Highlands.

Meet up with the group, coach captain and your host in Sydney, and set off for the Southern Highlands, arriving mid-morning. We start our break with a superb visit to Peppergreen Estate with an olive oil tasting. This is no ordinary tasting room; and you’ll be impressed by this transformation of an old antique store to a wine and olive oil cellar door.

Take in some history today with lunch at The Surveyor General Inn; established in 1834, it’s the oldest continuously licensed Inn, in Australia and in 2007 won the Australian Hotels Association Award for ‘Best Heritage Hotel’. A trip to the Southern Highlands would not be complete without visiting the historic Surveyor General Inn.

We visit Centennial Vineyards, Bowral’s showpiece winery for some wine tasting before heading to our beautiful hotel for a two night stay, with some hours free; hit up your touring buddies for a game of pool, chill in the lounge, or take an easy walk to the Bowral high street. Later this evening we head out one of Bowral’s renowned local pubs for dinner.

SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED: 

  • Group transfer; Sydney to Southern Highlands
  • Peppergreen Estate Olive Oil Tasting @ the superb cellar door
  • Berrima Courthouse visit
  • Free time to explore Berrima
  • Lunch @ the historic Surveyor General Inn, Berrima
  • Experience Centennial Vineyards and enjoy wine tasting
  • Some afternoon free time in Bowral
  • Local pub night out with pub meal included

Surveyor General Inn, Berrima

The Surveyor General Inn, Berrima 

FREE TIME EXTRAS:

  • Take a swim at indoor pool at our hotel
  • Play a game of pool at our hotel

Meals: Lunch, Dinner

Pool room, Berida Hotel, Bowral

 Time for a game of pool at our hotel today.

DAY 2 -  SUNDAY

Southern Highlands 

It’s Sunday morning; and there’s some time set aside for a bit of a sleep in (or early birds can enjoy the time to take a local walk) and time to relax over breakfast at our hotel. Mid morning we set off for the renowned and grand Bendooley Estate; a vineyard, cellar door, restaurant and bookstore, all on the one estate spreading across 200 acres. Lunch follows or wine tasting at Bendooley Estate and this afternoon we quench our thirst and desires for craft beer at a local brewery in Mittagong. Less is more today; with some free time this afternoon before meeting up for some drinks at our hotel and dinner in house at the impressive Bistro Sociale.

SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED: 

  • Transfers for all touring for the day
  • Wine tastings @ Bendooley Estate
  • Lunch @ Bendooley Estate
  • Eden Valley Brewery visit and tastings session
  • Afternoon free time
  • Local pub night out with pub meal included
  • 3 course dinner at Bistro Sociale 

FREE TIME EXTRAS:

  • Optional Gin Tastings session
  • Take a swim at indoor pool at our hotel
  • Play a game of pool at our hotel

Meals: Lunch, Dinner 

 

DAY 3 -  MONDAY

Southern Highlands. Return to Sydney

Centrally located in Bowral The Bradman Museum & International Cricket Hall of Fame brings cricket to life and is an impressive collection of Bradman’s history and more. After the museum, enjoy our final hours in the highlands, we take in the views from Fitzroy Falls, and visit the quaint little village of Burrawang, with time for lunch at the Burrawang Village hotel, built back in the 1800’s and recently renovated maintaining the character of the original building.

Bradman Museum, Bowral

We make our way back with an easy drive to Sydney, arriving at the end of the day.

SNAPSHOT – WHAT’S INCLUDED: 

  • Transfers for visits today
  • Bradman Cricket Museum visit and entry
  • Visit Fitzroy Falls lookout points
  • Visit the historic Burrawang Village Hotel
  • Transfer Southern Highlands to Sydney 

Meals: Breakfast

View Full Itinerary

ACCOMMODATION

BERIDA HOTEL, BOWRAL

Originally built as a home in 1925, and located just moments from the main street of Bowral, the Berida Hotel is the perfect venue for a short escape. The Berida Hotel, like the town of Bowral, radiates history and character with luxury comforts, décor and design.

Originally built as a home in 1925 and extended throughout the years, the Berida is not your typical Hotel, it is filled with history, charm and unique features at every turn. The hotel is elegantly restored with the charm and character of what you’d expect for The Highlands.

Enjoy the hotel’s facilities during your stay including a beautiful guest lounge, a pool table room, an indoor swimming pool, and the renowned Bistro Sociale restaurant.

Petite Queen Berida Hotel

Petite Queen

Deluxe Classic

Deluxe Classic


More About Accommodation

GETTING THERE

Starts In:
Ends In:

JOIN FROM SYDNEY

Depart:    8:35am sharp from Central Station, Sydney 
Return:    Approximately 4:30PM Central Station, Sydney

Travellers will need to be ready at a nominated coach bay at Central Station by 8:25am for coaching boarding.  Details of the meeting point will be sent with your final itinerary issued by email about 10 days prior to departure. 

Travel to the Southern Highlands is around 100 minutes from the city of Sydney by coach.

HOTEL NEAR CENTRAL STATION
If joining us from regional NSW or interstate and require overnight accommodation in Sydney the two nearby hotels to the pickup point are:

  • Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Central, 2 Lee Street Sydney·       
  • Mercure Sydney 818-820 George Street Sydney

    Both are in easy walking distance to the coach parking bays by Central station which will be the group departure point. Adina Apartment Hotel Sydney Central is the closer of the two.

JOIN FROM BOWRAL (Self Drive or Train)
If joining us from other regions such as south of Sydney there is the option to join the group from The Southern Highlands (rather than travel from Sydney) 

Self-Drive
Park at the group hotel. Then make your way to the Imperial Hotel, Bowral; the pick up point for ‘self-drive’ group members.

Train
Bowral Train Station is centrally located and in easy walking distance (200 metres) of The Imperial Hotel; the pick-up point on day 1.

Meet @ Imperial Hotel
234 Bong Bong Street, Bowral NSW 2576 On the final day before we head back to Sydney anyone that joins from Bowral will be dropped back to our group hotel or Bowral train station before the group travels back to Sydney.

DETAILS

Read on for other key trip information that you should know before you decide on joining the group.

TRIP AVAILABILITY
If this trip seems right for you then we encourage you to book early and secure your place with a deposit.  Tour space is limited. Also, many services on this tour must be booked well in advance. To ensure your place, please check trip availability at your earliest convenience

FELLOW TRAVELLERS 
You will enjoy this group experience with a maximum of 36 travellers. This is a Solos Only tour.
You are welcome to join with a friend, but couples do not join this tour.

TRAVELLER REVIEWS

'I would highly recommend a holiday with Encounter Travel. My trip was well organised and the co-ordinator was fun and helpful and full of energy. I met some great people of all walks of life. There is a good mix of organised activities and free time. I had a blast.'

Linda, Victoria

'Thank you for your organisation of a great holiday. As a first time traveller with Encounter, I didn't know what to expect. The Red Centre is indescribably beautiful and should be on every Australians' bucket list. We saw every sensational attraction in just the right order - each new experience was more incredible than the last. Thank you for recruiting such a great group of people for my travelling companions. The hotels were clean and very comfortable and it was a pleasure to be transported across such an amazing landscape so comfortably. I learnt so much about our wonderful country and wished I had done such a trip years earlier.'

Sarah, 52 years, Sydney, Australia

'Did a Red Centre solo 7 day tour absolutely fantastic, Uluru and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), Kings Canyon, Palm Valley you have to see it and experience it. The coach drivers were professional, excellent knowledge and with a great sense of humor.'

David, Eschol Park, Sydne, New South Wales
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