Answers to commonly asked questions
We know planning an adventure vacation is no small decision, but we try to make the process as easy as possible for you. We’ve been doing this for quite a while, and we’ve heard it all! Either scroll down and have a browse through the questions and answers below, or click on the specific question you’d like to have answered.
Of course, every adventure vacation is different, so feel free to call us at 800.661.9073 if you’d like to talk to someone about your trip or have any concerns that aren’t answered here. We’d love to hear from you!
Getting to Australia | Basic questions about ACTIVE AUSTRALIA adventure vacation | Packing for this adventure vacation | What should I do with extra time in Australia | General questions about Australia
Can you help me find flights to Australia?
There are several airlines with regular, direct service to Australia from the United States, including Qantas and Air New Zealand. Sydney is the most common arrival destination within Australia for international flights, but many airlines will also fly direct to Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide. Most flights from the United States to Australia leave Los Angeles in the evening, and arrive in Sydney the next morning. Because the flights cross the international dateline, the arrival dates can be confusing. For instance, a flight leaving Los Angeles on Saturday evening will not arrive in Australia until Monday morning/afternoon. Conversely, flights back to the US from Australia often arrive on the same date as they left - so it's possible to fly out of Sydney at 9pm on a Friday, for instance, and arrive in Los Angeles at 2pm on that same Friday. This phenomenon allows you to do a full 14-day trip in Australia, leaving North America on Saturday afternoon, spending the 14 days from Saturday to Sunday on one of our trips, and be back at work on Monday morning.
If you are coming from Europe or elsewhere, you can connect through Los Angeles, but also check out services run by Emirates, British Airways, Singapore Airlines and KLM which may come via Asia, connecting through Singapore or Hong Kong, for example.
For flights from the US, we strongly recommend contacting Down Under Answers, in Seattle. DUA is very good at finding decent airfares, on account of the large volume of US-Australia and US-Australia flights they book. They know all about matching up flights with ACTIVE AUSTRALIA trips and can often offer our clients really good rates so make sure you tell them that you are looking at taking an ACTIVE AUSTRALIA trip and they will probably find you the cheapest airfare in North America! Unfortunately, flights to Australia are never really cheap, as it's a small place on the bottom of the world. You can expect your flights to range from about US$800 to US$1600, depending on the season. You should never have to pay much more than the last figure, and for most of our summer season you should be able to find flights for about US$1400 or so. You can call Down Under Answers from the US or Canada on 800 788 6685. For a recommendation in countries outside North America, contact us directly.
What about domestic flights within Australia?
Qantas is the main domestic carrier within Australia, along with its "budget" arm, Jetstar. Virgin Blue, part of the Virgin Empire, is another. There are several regular daily flights between the main cities of Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and Hobart, and also regular departures to the holiday destinations such as Cairns, Alice Springs and Yulara.
Can you tell me where and when the trips start and end so I can reserve my flights?
Here's a table of start and end times & places on all our trips. Please note that we have provided two times - the recommended times and the acceptable or "OK" times. The recommended times allow you to arrive and depart with a little more grace - but the start times marked OK are the LATEST acceptable start times - and the OK departure times are the FIRST acceptable end times. You can book flights leaving 45 minutes after our first acceptable end times. We're afraid we can't wait any longer, or arrive any earlier, than these times. We know it's sometimes difficult to find the perfect flights, due to limited airline capacity to and within Australia , so we'll do our best to ensure you are picked up, shuttled, dropped off, etc., if you can't find the perfect flights for them and have to arrive late or leave early - just let us know and we'll sort it out!
| TRIP |
STARTS |
Rec'd Arrival |
OK |
ENDS |
Rec'd Departure |
OK |
| Emu |
Sydney |
10 am |
11 am |
Melbourne |
4 pm |
3 pm |
| Wombat |
Hobart |
10 am |
11 am |
Launceston |
4 pm |
3 pm |
| Platypus |
Brisbane |
10 am |
11 am |
Mackay |
4 pm |
3 pm |
| Kookaburra |
Melbourne |
10 am |
11 am |
Melbourne |
4 pm |
3 pm |
| Koala Family Trip |
Sydney |
10 am |
11 am |
Melbourne |
4 pm |
3 pm |
| Dingo |
Yulara |
10 am |
11 am |
Alice Springs |
4 pm |
3 pm |
| Bandicoot |
Perth |
10 am |
11 am |
Perth |
4 pm |
3 pm |
For the exact locations of where the trips start and finish, see the answer to the Where do I meet up with my group? question below.
Can you help me redeem frequent flier miles for tickets or an upgrade?
Many of our clients have managed to get the international portion of their airfare or an upgrade to business or first class by trading in miles. There are two rules for doing this:
1. Get in early! Like really early - the fares open up a year or more before travel, so if you feel an exciting adventure coming on, call your airline frequent flier programme NOW!!
2. Things change! If you've called your airline, and they've said there's no availability for your frequent flier miles, don't worry too much. Call them back the next day. And the next. And the next… Calvin Coolidge said that persistence is the most effective human quality, and that is never more true than with frequent flier programmes!
If you DO manage to redeem your frequent flier miles, you'll probably only get a free flight from Los Angeles to Auckland, in the North Island. If you're joining one of our South Island trips, keep in mind you'll need a further round-trip ticket to Christchurch or Queenstown to meet up with us.
Do I need a visa? What about shots?
Citizens of the US, Canada, Britain, Germany and most other Western
countries will need a valid passport and an Electronic Travel Authority
(ETA) to enter Australia. The ETA is used instead of a visa and
can usually be obtained from your local travel agent when you purchase
your airline ticket (a small fee may apply). You must obtain your
ETA before departure. Check if you're eligible to apply online for
one at www.eta.immi.gov.au.
As for immunization, Australia is one of the safest countries in the world. No shots are required to come to Australia and none are currently recommended by the World Heath Organization.
Do you recommend buying travel insurance?
We strongly recommend that all travellers obtain suitable insurance at the time of booking to provide cover in the event of illness or injury, medical evacuation, theft, trip interruption, loss of luggage and personal effects, cancellation or other travel mishap. Trip cancellation insurance and other insurance types can be obtained through local travel agents, or online brokers such as www.travelguard.com or www.worldnomad.com.
Where do I meet up with my group?
Generally, depending on the number in the group, we will either pick you up from your accommodation, or meet at a central point. We will let you know closer to the start of the trip. If you are flying in on the day, we will pick you up from the airport (see the recommended arrival times above, or click here).
How many people are there on each trip?
We generally take up to 14 people per trip and all our trips have at least 2 of our staff to look after you. We have found that our trips tend to attract a particular kind of person and many people have commented that the social scene was one of the highlights of their trip!
What are the accommodations like?
We use a wide variety of accommodations depending on the trip you have chosen. In the 6 years we've been running trips, we think we've found most of the coolest places to stay! Each of our trips has a slightly different focus in terms of accommodations.
In general, our accommodations are selected for their stunning setting and adventuresome feel. You'll love the places you'll stay in on our trips, but it's not designed as a tour of the fanciest hotels in Australia. You'll stay in some nice B&Bs and lodges -- but you won't find a phone by your bed in the mountain huts ! Because there's such a variety of accommodations on this trip, some places will have ensuite bathrooms, and some will have shared bathrooms. We also occasionally make changes to the night stops (i.e. accommodation), because the nature of the places we use is such that they are not 100% available.
Will I be getting an ensuite or will I have to share bathrooms?
Because there's such a variety of accommodations on our trips, some places will have ensuite bathrooms, and some will have shared bathrooms. However, on all trips, we will be asking you to share a bathroom with others on occasion.
What are the different room types?
Our trips are based on a twin-share rate, which means that if you don't have a travel partner we'll match you up with another person of the same gender to share a room. If we can't find a roommate for you, we don't charge you a single supplement.
- A "twin share room" in Australia means 1 room with 2 separate beds, usually single beds.
- A "double bed room" in Australia means 1 room with 1 bed usually a double bed, or sometimes a queen bed.
- If you are travelling on your own, and you would prefer not to twin-share, you can request your own private room if you like, dependant on space availability. For this you'll need to pay a private room fee - see below for more details.
Here in Australia things are definitely "less grand", compared to the USA (we tend to like smaller cars too)!
What is the private room supplement?
If you request a private room, you'll have your own bedroom everywhere on the trip where available. For example, on the Wombat trip, single rooms are not available in the mountain huts. Our accommodations are chosen for their unique character and location, so as a result there's a great deal of variety in the accommodations. In some of the places we stay you'll have ensuite bathrooms, and in other places we'll be asking you to share a bathroom. But I'm sure you're aware that our trips are not a tour of the great hotels of the world, and we find that our people usually love the places we stay!
What if I need a special diet?
We are accustomed to catering to the following special diets:
- vegan (no meat or animal products)
- vegetarian (no meat products)
- pescatarian (vegetarian, but eat fish)
- no red meat (eat chicken & fish)
- gluten intolerant (no wheat, bye, barley or oats)
- lactose intolerant (no dairy products)
You will get the opportunity to specify your particular requirements when you fill in our pre-trip questionnaire. If you have any other dietary requirements please let us know well in advance, via email or the online questionnaire.
How much spending money should I bring
Our trips include all transportation, guiding, meals (except where indicated on the itinerary - such as in Queenstown where people like to try the local restaurants), and activities (unless it says it's "optional"). For most trips, you could literally bring US$100 and go home with change, but most people like to bring a little extra to cover a round of drinks at the pub, take home some souvenirs, book a tour and eat out on their free day in Queenstown, and tip our guides if they've had a great time.
As far as spending money goes here are a few ideas:
- ATM cards - There are plenty of ATMs in New Zealand so as long as your card has a pin number and a "cirrus" or "plus" symbol on the back of it you should no trouble withdrawing local currency from your US account. Check with your bank for overseas transaction fees.
- Credit cards - accepted in most places & have the best exchange rate. They are recommended for purchases, but not for cash advances due to instant interest, but check with your bank for overseas transaction fees.
- Travellers cheques - probably the next best form of exchange with reasonable exchange rates as long as you don't exchange them at shops!
- US cash - not very readily accepted by shops, and generally carry the worst direct exchange rates (vs credit cards/travellers cheques).
- US charge cards - can be difficult to use in New Zealand, not recommended.
- We recommend withdrawing/exchanging a larger amount of money (US$100-200) when in larger towns, or every few days as required, as some of the smaller, more remote places that we get to may not have any banking facilities.
- Banks are generally open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm in most places, exchange centres have longer hours & open weekends.
- Airport Banks generally guarantee the same rate as the downtown banks.
Where can I get Australian dollars?
You can change some money at the airport, when you arrive. The exchange rate isn't always very good, but for small amounts of cash it doesn't make much difference. Credit cards generally have the best rate of exchange. Travelers' cheques are nearly as good, and US cash is the worst.
Is tipping expected in Australia?
Tipping is neither required nor routinely expected in Australia, but it is appropriate for very good service. So in Australia you don't usually tip in restaurants, or if you take a taxi, or get a haircut. Many of our clients do choose to tip our guides, at the end of an awesome trip.
Will I be able to call home?
Although telecommunications in Australia are pretty good, you'll find we don't spend much time near phones! We certainly don't spend much time near faxes or computers with email! The easiest way to make calls within Australia is to buy a phone card (available everywhere in $5, $10, $20 and $50 amounts) and use Cardphones, which are the most common public phones. To make calls home, it's usually cheaper to use a US based phone card, but check the rates with your company before you leave home! Some US based companies charge more than US$5 a minute. Be careful!
Will I have access to the internet?
There are a several internet cafes in all tyhe major cities and towns we visit, and you may be able to send an email home from a few other of the places we pass through on the trip. We encourage you to leave the world behind for a couple of weeks, though!
Is there a number to call in an emergency. How can my family, friends or colleagues contact me?
If you have any difficulties in making the rendezvous for your trip, please call Katy Shorthouse, our Australian Operations Manager, on the following numbers;
Office: +64 3 450 0418
This is also the emergency contact number for your friends and family if necessary. Please use this number, rather than the US or NZ 800 number, as these are not checked regularly during the weekend.
What is your cancellation policy?
We require a US$500 deposit per person to secure your place on your chosen trip/s. This deposit is non-refundable and non-transferable to another departure date or trip. In the event that it becomes necessary for you to cancel the trip, the balance of the trip cost will be refunded according to the following schedule:
- Prior to 60 days before the commencement of the trip: full refund of balance.
- Within 60 days before the commencement of the trip: 50% refund of balance.
- Within 30 days before the commencement of the trip: no refund.
Do you have a gear list of the stuff I need to bring?
You'll find a gear list attached here. As you can see, we provide just about everything you'll need except warm clothes and good boots.
Do I need a sleeping bag?
Wombat and Kookaburra - You will need a sleeping bag for the overnight backpacking sections. If you would prefer not to bring one, we have sleeping bags available for rent for US$35 plus tax per person per trip.
Do I need a backpack, and if so, how big?
Wombat and Kookaburra - You'll need a large pack for the overnight backpacking sections. We recommend packs that are around 60-70L (3500-4500 cubic inches) in size for the backpacking section. You will need to carry your sleeping bag, rain gear, clothing, some water, your toiletries and a small portion of the group food. The rest of your gear is left behind and we store it for you. A day pack is not big enough but you probably won't need a full trekking pack either. Many people find a weekend pack works well for them. If you have your own pack which you know fits you well, then I would recommend bringing it, otherwise we can rent you one for US$35 plus tax, per person.
Do I need hiking boots or are hiking sneakers okay?
Wombat and Kookaburra - You will need proper hiking boots - Trail shoes are not good enough. We'll be taking you to some awesome places where you'll be hiking over a variety of terrain, including uneven surfaces, slippery rocks, and tree roots. Your boots should have boots with full ankle support and a stiff sole with high profile tread. Waterproof boots are a good idea if you have them as there's a good chance you'll be crossing streams and rivers too. As far as your gear goes it's a great idea to get those boots broken in - as far as the boot type goes, as long as they have with full ankle support and a stiff sole with high profile tread they should be fine. I wouldn't be too worried about goretex liners but if that's the ones you want then go for it!
What kind of clothing should I be packing?
In general the best way to pack for Australia is to have a layered clothing system - this way you're prepared no matter what the weather as it can change quite considerably throughout the day. Also bear in mind that you can wash your clothes approximately every 4 days, if that helps with your packing.
What should I wear for hiking?
We recommend wearing clothes made from the quick drying, "breathable" fabrics. There are a wide variety of these types of clothes available at outdoor stores such as REI (Recreational Equipment Incorporated). Brands such as Marmot, Patagonia and North Face are quite popular, although some "no-name" brands can be just as good and more economical. We recommend you don't wear jeans for any activities as they get very heavy & uncomfortable if they get wet, which you will at some stage during your trip. The same clothing can be worn for hiking, cycling and kayaking. We recommend wearing hiking pants or shorts, and shirts or t-shirts made from these quick drying, "breathable" fabrics. In cooler weather we recommend using thermal underwear - these are worn under your pants & t-shirts for an extra layer of warmth. On top we recommend sweaters made from fleece or wool - again because they keep you warm even when you are wet. As an outer layer we recommend a medium weight waterproof jacket - a poncho is not suitable as it is too lightweight and a sailing jacket is generally too heavy for hiking in. Jackets made from Goretex or Marmot's PreCip are highly recommended.
What should I wear for biking, and what is provided?
During the trips we'll provide you with modern 21 speed mountain bikes. We'll also provide you with helmets which are required by law here in Australia, as well as bright safety vests so you're obvious to other road users. Our bikes mostly have pedals with cages/toe baskets. If you'd like to bring your own pedals and shoes for cycling that's fine - I would also recommend bringing the tool for switching your pedals too, as we don't always carry them on our trips. For this activity we recommend bringing cycling shorts & cycle gloves if you have them, and running shoes, otherwise regular hiking gear (NO COTTON!) will do fine.
What should I wear for kayaking, and what is provided?
We'll provide you with modern two person sea kayaks, and all the necessary safety equipment, including 'Dry Bags' to keep the essentials dry. You will basically need to wear similar clothing to if you were hiking. We suggest the following: quick drying shorts & t-shirts, thermal underwear, fleece or wool sweater (stays warm if wet), sandals such as Tevas, or some old running shoes that you can get wet & NO COTTON!
Do I need dress clothing for going out to dinner or to a club?
Not really. Australia is a very casual country and you would be comfortable and appropriately dressed for almost any dining establishment or club in jeans or khakis.
Will I be able to do laundry during my trip?
You will have access to laundry facilities approximately every 4 days. You won't need to bring laundry soap as it's provided.
How much luggage can I bring?
We recommend bringing one medium sized piece of luggage and one daypack per person. If you are doing the Wombat or Kookaburra, you could just use your hiking backpack, otherwise a duffle bag or suitcase would be fine.
I need to bring extra luggage with me to Australia. Where can I store my extra gear?
As far as extra luggage goes, if there's not too much (such as one small extra bag per person) then it shouldn't be a problem to fit it in our luggage trailer during the trip. If you've got more than that, then all major aiports in have luggage facilities available on a weekly basis. If you are staying at a hotel pre-trip then they may be able to store it for you until you return too.
Do I have to carry everything I bring during the backpacking?
No, you don't have to carry everything you bring to Australia with you while you are backpacking. You will need to carry your sleeping bag, rain gear, clothing, some water, your toiletries and a portion of the food. The rest of your gear is left behind and we store it for you.
What types of plugs and voltage do you use in Australia?
Australia voltage is 240 AC. On the right is an illustration of the socket type used in Australia.
Can I use my laptop PC for the internet in Australia?
If you're bringing your laptop pc and want to collect your e-mail, you will need to make sure you bring the correct adapter plug for your modem - in Australia apparently our telephone cables are wired in reverse to the US's and you will need an adapter lead. Contact your modem supplier for info on this. You'll also need to contact your ISP before you come down here and make sure you have all the necessary dialup and server settings to access your mail from Australia.
Will my cell phone work in Australia?
Your cell phone may or may not work in Australia full stop - a lot of cell phone companies say they will but they're wrong - but there's certainly very little coverage on our trip routes. And if I were you, I'd put the thing in a suitcase and not look at it for two weeks! You may like to bear in mind that a lot of our clients have come to Australia on one of our trips to ESCAPE call phones, emails, faxes, etc!
Do I need to bring anything to purify water for drinking?
No, it's always okay to drink the tap water and just about always OK to drink from streams and rivers when you're hiking. There will be signs posted if the water is not safe to drink.
Can you book a hotel for us before or after our trip?
We offer accommodations at a selection of high quality establishments (depending on availability) in all of the places our trips start or finish for US$130/night. You are welcome to contact any of these hotels directly, as you may be able to take advantage of special seasonal or weekend rates if you do.
Can I rent a car to travel around on my own before or after my trip?
Avis or Hertz are international companies with locations in Australia and you can arrange a booking yourself from the US. Due to competition, their rates are very competitive with the smaller local operators. Also they have offices located throughout Australia both at airports & in the cities.
How big is Australia?
It is difficult for overseas visitors to imagine the sheer size of the Australian continent. Even Australians sometimes find it hard to grasp the enormous distance between Darwin and Adelaide, or between Perth and Sydney, or between Alice Springs and anywhere on the coastline.
Well over half of Australians live within one hour's drive of the eastern seaboard of the continent, from Queensland to South Australia. There is another, smaller concentration of population in the south-west corner of Western Australia.
Australia is the sixth largest country in the world. It's about the same size as the 48 mainland states of the USA and 50 per cent larger than Europe, but has the lowest population density in the world - only two people per square kilometre.
What will the weather be like?
Like all countries located south of the Equator, Australia's seasons follow a different sequence and quite different weather patterns to the Northern hemisphere:
- Summer: December to February (celebrate Christmas in shorts and a T-shirt!)
- Autumn: March to May
- Winter: June to August
- Spring: September to November
Because Australia is such a large country, the weather varies significantly in different parts of the continent. In general, the tropical regions in the north (Queensland and part of the Northern Territory and Western Australia) feature high temperatures, high humidity and distinct wet/humid and dry seasons. In the centre of the country are dry, desert regions with high to extremely high daytime temperatures and very little rain. The temperate regions in the south (Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales) feature moderate rainfall and a much wider range of temperatures. But even the lowest temperatures during the “winter” here are quite mild compared to other parts of the world because Australia doesn’t have huge mountains and enjoys the presence of warming oceans around the coast.
Can you recommend any books to read?
There is a real surfeit of guide books out there for Australia. The two we highly recommend are "The Lonely Planet Guide to Hiking in Australia" (N.B. Different from the Lonely Planet for Australia itself) and also the Sierra Club has a great book called "Adventuring in Australia". I think you can get them both from Amazon.com.
Can you recommend any movies/videos to watch?
Australia has featured in so many films and TV series that it would be impossible to list them all here. Below is a small list of just a few of the movies and TV series that have been made in Australia. Many of these are big budget Hollywood productions.
- Muriel's Wedding
- The adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
- Japanese Story
- The Castle
- Crackerjack
- Chopper
- Dirty Deeds
- The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, & The Matrix Revolutions
- Crocodile Dundee
- Dark City
- Farscape (TV)
- Independence Day
- Mission Impossible 2
- Moulin Rouge
- Planet of the Apes
- Red Planet
- Star Wars Episode 2
- Star Wars Episode 3
What time is it right now in Australia?
There are a few different time zones in Australia ranging from GMT+8 for Sydney on the West coast to GMT+11 for Perth on the East coast.
To find out the current time for the following cities, just click on the name of the city: Sydney; Melbourne; Brisbane; Perth; Alice Springs.