Here's a unique, once-in-a-lifetime Australian experience: An hour after daybreak on November 14, North Queensland will be plunged into two minutes of utter darkness as the moon glides entirely in front of the sun for a total solar eclipse. The next eclipse will not take place until March 2020.
Zicasso is offering a unique private tour that will let guests watch the eclipse from a hot air balloon or a luxury sailing vessel. In addition to eclipse viewing, this customizable 14-day trip through Sydney, Melbourne, Port Douglas, and The Great Barrier Reef explores Australia’s cities, nature, wildlife, and outdoor adventure options.
The adventure begins in Sydney, where guests will stay four nights at the Four Seasons. Nature lovers can take a day tour of the Blue Mountains, including breakfast with the koalas at a wildlife park.
Continuing south, travelers will spend three nights at The Grand Hotel Melbourne on the shores of Philip Bay. Guests may also choose to wind down their day by sampling the Yarra Valley's wine offerings, after driving along Great Ocean Road to view Australia’s coastal scenery, or an evening of penguin watching on the beaches of nearby Philip Island.
Moving north to Port Douglas, visitors will spend the next four nights at Shantara Resort & Spa, where they can explore the Great Barrier Reef in a luxury catamaran, take the Kuranda Scenic Rail, or learn to beach hunt and spear throw along the mangrove trail taught by the aboriginal Kubirri Warra brothers.
When eclipse-time comes, thrill-seeking guests may choose to greet the dawn from a hot air balloon, enjoying a relaxing pre-departure breakfast and pilot briefing before taking to the air above the verdant Atherton Tablelands. The unobstructed route across the quiet Mareeba valley ensures that flyers will have a prime view of the Eclipse, its peak two minutes of viewing time at 6:38 AM, falling right in the middle of the flight. Those who prefer to be on the water can choose to view the eclipse from the deck of a luxury sailing vessel. Departing off the coast of Port Douglas around 5:30am, the vessels will be cruising along Four Mile Beach, allowing passengers to see both the sky and a mirror image of the event in the calm waters of the Coral Sea.
For more information, visit www.zicasso.com.