Stay in The Wildlife Retreat within the Taronga Zoo, interact with indigenous animals, explore a national park, stroll a botanical garden and visit a laid-back beach town – all while enjoying Sydney’s stunning natural beauty.
Special Notes:
•This program includes quite a bit of walking (mostly flat surfaces). It is not recommended for guests with mobility restrictions.
•If you have any food intolerances or special dietary needs, please inform us prior to your departure for review by our local vendors.
DAY 1
Upon arrival at the Sydney International Airport, you will pass through customs, collect your luggage and meet your private driver outside the gates shortly afterwards. You will then transfer to the Wildlife Retreat; your eco-friendly accommodation located inside the Taronga Zoo.
Check-in at the retreat is 3:00pm. Although every effort will be made to have rooms available sooner, this cannot be guaranteed. For guests arriving early, you may wish to book an extra night so that a room is available upon your arrival.
Once checked in, guests will be free to explore Taronga Zoo when it is open, from the day you arrive through the day you depart. The zoo closes at 4:30pm in the winter and 5:00pm in the summer. You can enter the zoo directly from the Wildlife Retreat. No extra passes are required. Your room key will provide entry into the zoo and back into the retreat throughout your stay.
Your Bushland room has views overlooking a variety of native trees and flora. Keep an eye out for the wild birds amongst the bush.
In the evening, dinner is included at the Me-Gal restaurant onsite and can be enjoyed at your leisure. Guests just need to drop by or call the reception desk to confirm a preferred dining time.
Note: A guide will not be staying with the group at the hotel. However, during your stay, you will be assigned a Regent representative and provided with contact details should you require anything that the hotel staff cannot assist with. The Wildlife Retreat is a non-smoking property. A valid credit card and photo identification matching the name on your reservation is required to check in to the Wildlife Retreat. The Wildlife Retreat is a cashless facility and accepts credit card payments only.
DAY 2
Following breakfast in the Me-Gal Restaurant, you will meet your guide in the hotel lobby and transfer to the ferry terminal, where you will take a boat shuttle across Sydney Harbor and into the downtown.
Start with a walk to the Sydney Botanical Gardens, where you will have the opportunity to learn about vast species of Australian plant life that are located in the middle of the city.
Next, visit the Art Gallery of New South Wales for a guided tour of the newest Sydney Modern Project, which showcases both modern art and remarkable works by Aboriginal artists.
For an insight into the history of Sydney and the arrival of the first settlers in 1788, you will walk through the historical and cultural area known as The Rocks. There in a pub, you will enjoy an Australian pizza for lunch with a glass of beer or wine.
In the afternoon, you will return to The Wilderness Retreat and tour The Sanctuary with a park ranger. You can expect an up-close and personal experience with indigenous animals such as koalas, wallabies and echidnas. The ranger will provide you with exclusive access to areas of the park not accessible to the general public, allowing you to meet these remarkable animals and have a real conversation with the experts on the conservation and protection of these unique species.
The evening is yours to enjoy at leisure. Dinner is included at the Me-Gal restaurant.
Note: Today will include a fair amount of walking, therefore we recommend that you wear comfortable walking shoes and light, loose clothing along with lots of sun protection. Also note, animals may not be held in the state of New South Wales.
DAY 3
Following breakfast in the Me-Gal Restaurant, you will meet your guide in the hotel lobby and set out for a tour of the Ku Ring Gai National Park.
Here you will find a multitude of gum trees, also known as eucalyptus. Your guide will share stories and showcase how life was for the original inhabitants prior to colonization of the country. Be sure to look for various rock-art sites while you drive through the park.
Continuing on, arrive to Broken Bay Pearl Farm, where you will meet a group of passionate oyster and pearl cultivators. The visit will provide you with an insight into the area’s natural beauty on land and during a cruise on the Hawkesbury River, where you will see the saltwater paddocks. Learn why the environment there is ideal for growing oysters of all varieties and in turn how oysters give back to people and place.
Following your visit, return to The Wildlife Retreat for an afternoon at leisure. This is the perfect time to visit the zoo or perhaps head back to the city center to explore on your own. Ferries depart between the zoo and Circular Quay (downtown Sydney) approximately every 30 minutes.
The evening is also at your leisure with dinner included at the Me-Gal restaurant.
DAY 4
Following breakfast in the Me-Gal Restaurant, you will check out and meet your guide in the hotel lobby.
Driving north, you will explore the more uncrowded beaches of Sydney. Your destination is Palm Beach, a quintessential beach town where the Australian show “Home and Away” was filmed. Affectionately known as “Palmy” by locals, Palm Beach is located at the end of a long peninsula and boasts beautiful golden sand and clear water, which has inspired the wealthy to build their holiday homes there.
You will have time to enjoy the vistas before sitting down to lunch in a beach-style restaurant, allowing you to take in the vibe and culture of this beach community.
Afterwards, you will return to the cruise terminal in Sydney and embark the ship.
Note: Your luggage will be taken directly to the ship while on tour today. Keep any valuables, medications and documents with you.
Land Program Step by Step
•The order of sites visited may vary to avoid congestion. Program timings are approximate, given here for general reference purposes and subject to change.
•Itineraries with up-to-date details will be issued when you are emailed your final cruise documents 21 days prior to sailing. You will receive a final itinerary from our ground operator with a Welcome Letter upon arrival or at your hotel. Please carefully review the Welcome Letter and final itinerary for amendments.
•The hotel used for your land program will be the hotel listed in this document unless you have been advised otherwise in advance of the land program start date.
•Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered no-shows and their hotel space will be released.
Extra Nights
•If you book extra nights through the cruise line, you will be met as per the flight details provided and transferred to your hotel. Check-in is 3:00pm (subject to change). Meals other than breakfast, as well as activities, are on your own until Day 2 of the program.
•If your flight arrives early in the day, you may wish to book an extra night, as your room will not be ready for occupation until approximately 3:00pm.
•If you book extra nights on your own, transfers are not included.
DAY 1
Arrive at the Sydney International Airport
Collect your luggage, pass through customs and meet the representative outside the gates.
Transfer to your hotel
3:00pm Check into your hotel, free time to explore
Although every effort will be made to have rooms available sooner, this cannot be guaranteed
Free time to explore the zoo
TBA Dinner included at Me-Gal Restaurant. See the hotel concierge to make your dining reservation
Overnight at The Wildlife Retreat
Meet and Greet and transfers
•Final cruise documents will be emailed 21 days prior to sailing. The telephone number of our local ground agent will be on Page 1 if you can’t locate your meet-and-greet contact upon arrival. Many guests will be arriving on the same flight and the representative may be assisting someone else when you exit customs or the luggage claim area.
•Be sure to look for someone holding a sign with the cruise line logo and possibly your name. If in doubt, check with airport staff to be directed to the meeting area for transfers or to page our representative.
•Meet and Greet and transfers for guests arriving on Day 1 of the land program, or for extra nights booked through the cruise line, are arranged based on the flight details we receive from guests at least 14 days before sailing.
•If we have not received your flight details or your flights have changed, and the Destination Services Land Team is not notified, a transfer cannot be provided. Guests will then be responsible for getting to the land program hotel at their own expense. Please immediately contact our Reservations Department for any flight changes before departure.
DAY 2
7:00am Buffet breakfast at Me-Gal Restaurant
8:00am Meet your guide in the hotel lobby
8:30am Transfer across Sydney Harbor by boat/ferry to the city
9:00am Walk through the Botanical Gardens, the Art Gallery and The Rocks
1:00pm Lunch at a restaurant/cafe
2:30pm Return to The Wildlife Retreat
3:00pm Sanctuary tour with park ranger
From 5:15pm Dinner at Me–Gal Restaurant
Overnight at The Wildlife Retreat
DAY 3
7:00am Buffet breakfast at Me-Gal Restaurant
8:00am Meet your guide in the lobby
9:00am Drive north through the Ku Ring Gai National Park to Broken Bay
10:00am Visit the Broken Bay Pearl Farm and cruise the Hawkesbury River
12:00pm Return to The Wilderness Retreat
Lunch on your own
1:00pm Afternoon at leisure to explore the zoo or perhaps venture into the city on your own
From 5:15pm Dinner at Me – Gal Restaurant
Overnight at The Wildlife Retreat
DAY 4
7:00am Buffet breakfast at Me-Gal Restaurant
10:00am Check out of the hotel
10:15am Meet your guide in lobby
11:00pm Explore the Northern Beaches of Sydney including Sydney Harbour National Park and Palm Beach
12:15pm Lunch in Palm Beach
2:00pm Transfer to the ship
3:00pm Arrive at the ship for embarkation
Expected Weather
During the summer (December – February), the average temperatures range from 18.6 - 25.8°C (65.5 - 78.4°F)
March is the beginning of Autumn in Sydney. You can expect temperatures to range from 22 - 23°C (72 - 73°F)
What to Bring
Comfortable clothing, good walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, camera, chargers
Local Currency:
Australian Dollar (AUD)
Electricity
230 volt with Australian-sized plugs. For Australia, the associated plug type is I, which is the plug that has three flat pins in a triangular pattern. We recommend bringing a universal travel adaptor for electric devices.
Documents and Visa Requirements
A passport that is valid for at least 6 months after travel is required.
An Australian visa may be required and should be checked before arrival into the country.
Please check with your local embassy for any visa requirements for your nationality.
Accommodation
The Wildlife Retreat
Taronga Zoo, Bradleys Head Road, Mosman, NSW 2088
Phone: 02 9969 2777
*We will only source different hotels in unforeseen situations. If similar hotels are required, they will be of equal ratings and standards, and you will be notified of the change. If you are not notified of any changes before your departure, then you will be staying at the hotel listed in this program.
Program Includes for guests:
•3 nights at The Wildlife Retreat - Bushlands Room
•3 dinners at Me Gal restaurant
•Buffet breakfast each day
•Lunch on Day 2 and Day 4
•2 beverages per lunch and dinner (this includes beer and wine)
•Access to the zoo during the open hours throughout your stay
•Transfers
•Tours and entrances per the itinerary
Please Note: Guests booking their own flights independently of the cruise line are responsible for ensuring that the cruise line has the updated arrival information, so your transfer can be arranged. If you book additional nights independently of the cruise line, an arrival transfer is not provided. If we do not receive flight details a minimum of 14 days in advance, transfers will not be provided.
Program Excludes for guests:
•Any additional experiences booked at the zoo beyond general entry
•Transportation into the city during free time
•Gratuities for drivers and guides
•Hotel incidentals including mini bar and room service
Please note: Land programs that encompass multiple days ashore customarily include extensive and prolonged activity, while those of shorter durations typically have more moderate activity levels. However, each program varies and participants should be prepared to negotiate a mixture of surfaces which may include inclines, cobblestones, sand, gravel and natural paths. There may also be a need to occasionally climb steps or stairs. Guests who utilize a wheelchair and those with mobility concerns are advised to check with the cruise line in advance to see if any portion of the tour program may not be considered suitable for their individual situation.
All land programs are capacity controlled and subject to availability. Programs falling under the minimum number of required participants are subject to cancellation. Pricing listed is also subject to change to meet unexpected cost increases for transportation, land arrangements or currency fluctuations. Once purchased, pricing is guaranteed and not subject to change.
Land programs must be purchased no later than 90 days prior to your sail date. Cancellations made within 90 days or less prior to the sail date are subject to 100% cancellation penalty. There are no refunds for unused portions of any program. Guests failing to arrive on Day 1 of a scheduled land program will be considered no-shows and their hotel space released.
Price: $2,799 per guest based on double occupancy.
Hotel and Land Program pricing is not combinable with FREE 1-Night Pre-Cruise Luxury Hotel Package. If applicable, please contact Regent Seven Seas Cruises or your travel agent for multi-night pre-cruise hotel pricing information. Land program promotions are subject to terms.
