Eastern Australia. The striking Blue-faced Honeyeater is an Australian endemic, occurring in the north and east of the continent Peter Taylor

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1 Eastern Australia BLUE MOUNTAINS, CAIRNS & O'REILLY'S LIMOSA HOLIDAYS TOUR INFO PACK The striking Blue-faced Honeyeater is an Australian endemic, occurring in the north and east of the continent Peter Taylor 2017 Thursday 9th - Monday 27th November (19 days) 2018 Thursday 8th - Monday 26th November (19 days) Small group tour with Peter Taylor Join Limosa's resident Aussie specialist Peter Taylor for the very best of Eastern Australia on this classic birdwatching tour. It s a journey that will take you from historic Botany Bay and the beautiful Blue Mountains around Sydney, north to Cairns, where we discover the bird-rich rainforests of tropical North Queensland and the marvels of the Great Barrier Reef. Mix in the magic of three nights at famous O Reilly s Rainforest Lodge in the scenic Green Mountains above Brisbane - plus a host of Australian endemic birds and mammals - and you have all the ingredients for a classic wildlife tour Down Under. Everything from cockatoos and currawongs to kangaroos and Duck-billed Platypus Southern Cassowary, Golden & Regent Bowerbirds, Superb Lyrebird seen on our 2016 tour... Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Noisy Pitta, Southern Emuwren & Victoria's Riflebird, too! Historic Botany Bay, where Captain Cook first set foot on these shores in 1770 Port Hacking boat trip - and early morning birding cruise on the Lower Daintree River The beautiful Blue Mountains, north to the rainforests of tropical Queensland Day trip aboard Ocean Spirit, out to Michaelmas Cay and the Great Barrier Reef The special magic of O Reilly s Rainforest Lodge - with daily muggings by parrots and rosellas! Small group tour - maximum of 7 participants Expertly led by Limosa s resident Aussie bird guide and naturalist, Peter Taylor What's Included? Limosa Tour Leader Flights - outbound London-Sydney and returning Brisbane-Sydney-London Domestic flights within Australia: Sydney-Cairns and Cairns-Brisbane 15 nights at comfortable hotels and wildlife lodges in Eastern Australia All main meals included - with drinking water provided during the day Three great boat trips - Port Hacking, Daintree River & the Great Barrier Reef All local travel, excursions, local guide fees, entry fees, tour based tips and taxes LIMOSA HOLIDAYS, West End Farmhouse, Chapelfield, Stalham, Norfolk NR12 9EJ (UK) TEL: +44 (0) info@limosaholidays.co.uk WEB: limosaholidays.co.uk

2 Outline Itinerary Days 1-2: Day 3: Day 4: Days 5-6: Day 7: Day 8: Days 9-10: Fly London Heathrow-Sydney Morning arrival in Sydney. We head to Botany Bay and visit the historic spot where Captain Cook first set foot on these shores in Port Hacking boat trip beside Royal NP. Jamberoo (2 nts) Barren Grounds, Budderoo and Minnamurra Rainforest Centre We explore the beautiful Blue Mountains visiting Mt. Victoria, Kings Tableland and Megalong Valley. Katoomba (2 nts) Bird specialities of Lithgow and Capertee Valley. Night Glen Davis We return to Sydney and fly north to Cairns, in tropical North Queensland. Afternoon visit to Cattana Wetland. Night Mossman We enjoy an early morning birding cruise on the Daintree River and explore Daintree National Park. Kingfisher Park (2 nts) Days 11-12: We head south into the Atherton Tablelands and visit the crater lakes of Barrine and Eacham. Evening watch for Duck-billed Platypus. Chambers Rainforest Lodge, Lake Eacham (2 nts) Day 13: Day 14: We watch for waders along Cairns famous Waterfront and visit Centenary Lakes. Cairns (2 nts) Full day aboard "Ocean Spirit" sailing out to Michaelmas Cay and the Great Barrier Reef Days 15-17: Morning visit to Redden Island. We then fly from Cairns-Brisbane and drive up into the lovely Green Mountains to experience the magic of O'Reilly's, where the birding is exceptional. O Reilly s Rainforest Retreat (3 nts) Days 18-19: We catch a morning flight from Brisbane-Sydney and onward connection to London Heathrow, arriving early next morning. Tour Overview Australia is truly a world apart. Isolated from the rest of the world s landmasses for over 60 million years, here evolution has taken a quite separate path. Most famous perhaps are the continent s two mammal groups: the marsupials and the monotremes - including the peculiar egg-laying Platypus, which we have been lucky enough to see on all our previous trips. Even more remarkable, almost half of Australia s 650 or so regular bird species are unique to the region - a greater proportion of endemics than is found in any other country. Journeying from the southern temperate zones up into the northern tropics, our birding tour to Eastern Australia tour commences in Sydney, where a visit to Botany Bay followed by a boat trip around Port Hacking and alongside the breath-taking Royal National Park should provide an excellent introduction to the birds of southeast Australia. On the New South Wales coast, the famous Barren Grounds heathland should be near the peak of its spring wildflower displays. The range-restricted Eastern Bristlebird and Pilotbird frequent this habitat and we ll make a special effort to find the scarce Ground Parrot - a seldom seen species that's active only at daybreak and dusk. Climbing up into the beautiful Blue Mountains, Turquoise Parrot, Flame Robin, Superb Lyrebird and the endangered Regent Honeyeater are among a range of specialities to watch for, along with flocks of rowdy and impressively big Yellowtailed and Glossy Black Cockatoos. Leaving Sydney, we next fly north to Cairns. One of Australia's top birding spots, shorebirds are outstanding on the Waterfront here, with everything from Great Knot to Beach Thickknee. We continue inland to try for the elusive Cassowary and superb Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, and explore the bird-rich jungles of the Atherton Tablelands, the haunt of the beautiful Golden Bowerbird, Tooth-billed Catbird and the iridescent Victoria s Riflebird. A dawn cruise on the Daintree River may reward us with Little Kingfisher and Great-billed Heron, whetting our appetites for a fitting finale to our info@limosaholidays.co.uk

3 stay in tropical North Queensland: a trip out from Cairns aboard Ocean Spirit, to savour the marvels of Michaelmas Cay and the Great Barrier Reef, with their breeding seabirds and exuberant marine life. Flying south from Cairns to Brisbane, our tour concludes with three nights at the incomparable O Reilly s Rainforest Retreat, where the birding is simply superb! Wallaby-like Red-necked Pademelons forage on the lawn, and wellstocked feeders (not to mention inattentive birdwatchers with food in their hands!) attract immaculate Regent and Satin Bowerbirds, along with crowds of colourful Crimson Rosellas and King Parrots. Our resident Aussie guide Peter Taylor joined the Limosa team in 2008 and has since led all of our Australia tours. Pack your swags and join us for very best of Eastern Australia on this classic birdwatching tour Down Under! Daily Itinerary If you wish, this tour can easily be incorporated into your own private visit to Australia. For those who d prefer to travel out early and rest up a little ahead of the tour, or make their own arrangements to stopover in Australia before or after our tour, we can organise your flights out / back on almost any day you choose. Please ask for details and a quote at time of booking. Alternatively, a 'land only' price is shown below (see page 7) for those who prefer to book their own flights, joining the tour in Sydney (on day 3) and leaving it in Brisbane (on day 18). Days 1-3 FLY SYDNEY BOTANY BAY, CAPTAIN COOK MONUMENT, PORT HACKING CRUISE & ROYAL NATIONAL PARK Our birdwatching tour to Eastern Australia commences with a British Airways evening departure from London Heathrow bound for Sydney, crossing several time zones (and with a refuelling stop in the Far East) before arriving on Australia's east coast early on the morning of Day 3. We'll be met on arrival in Sydney by our guide Peter Taylor and head directly to Botany Bay and the historic spot where Captain Cook first set foot on these shores in Here, the Kamay-Botany Bay National Park offers a gentle but excellent introduction to Australian birdlife. Avian delights might include stunning Rainbow Lorikeets, Red-browed Finches, Australian Magpies, New Holland Honeyeaters and the dazzling Superb Fairywren. Next, we take a leisurely cruise from nearby Cronulla, sailing out across Port Hacking and following the unspoilt coastal wilderness of Royal National Park - the second oldest in the world (after Yellowstone, USA). We should encounter some exciting new birds, too. The big Australian Pelican, Greater Crested Tern and up to three species of cormorant are possible, while regal White-bellied Sea Eagles soar high above. Later, as we head south towards Jamberoo, our destination for a two-night stay, we ll pause to explore more of this massive park, hoping to find the raucous Sulphur-crested Cockatoo and gaudy Crimson Rosella along with numerous honeyeaters, wattlebirds and thornbills. Quite likely, we ll hear the astonishing whip-crack of the Eastern Whipbird from deep within the undergrowth. Night Jamberoo Day 4 BARREN GROUNDS & MINNAMURRA RAINFOREST Our birding begins in earnest today with a visit to Budderoo and the Barren Grounds, where we have a chance of finding the remarkable Ground Parrot. This highland area above the coastal escarpment is similar to European heathland and should be nearing the peak of its wildflower displays about now. Some of the special birds here include Eastern Bristlebird, Pilotbird and Southern Emuwren. Nearby is the Minnamurra Rainforest Centre, where we can follow the boardwalks through a range of rainforest environments and, if we re quiet, may well catch sight of Superb Lyrebirds that forage through the litter on the forest floor. Also present here are Large-billed Gerygones, the aptly named Top-Knot Pigeon and bizarre Green Catbirds that genuinely miaow! info@limosaholidays.co.uk

4 We'll return at twilight when - with any luck! - the uncommon Ground Parrot becomes active. In the evening, we can also go spotlighting for arboreal mammals, including Sugar Glider - and we might even be lucky to see or hear a Greater Sooty Owl. Night Jamberoo Days 5-6 THE BLUE MOUNTAINS We begin the day with an optional pre-dawn start for those who want to try again for the exceedingly elusive Ground Parrot. The nearby rainforest will also give us another opportunity to look for Australian Logrunner and other tricky species we might have missed before. Leaving Jamberoo, we head north towards the Blue Mountains, where we first visit Kings Tableland. This is cockatoo country par excellence and we will hope for flocks of rowdy Glossy and Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoos as well as Gang-gang Cockatoos and a host of smaller birds such as Beautiful Firetail. Our destination this evening is Katoomba, where we stay for two nights. Next morning, in the vicinity of Mt. Victoria, Blackheath and Katoomba, we'll seek out some of the really localised specialities of the region, including Rock Warbler, Superb Lyrebird, Pilotbird and Flame Robin. We'll head into the lush rainforest of the Megalong Valley for a chance to find the lovely Rose Robin, Russettailed Thrush and Red-browed Treecreeper. Satin Bowerbird also occurs in the area and we'll have the first of many chances to find a bower, most likely seeing the artisan in attendance, guarding its display of bright blue treasures. This area is also renowned for its spectacular scenery, while after dark we can again go spotlighting for mammals such as Common Wombat, Common Brushtail Possum, Common Ringtail Possum and Greater Glider - and the possibility of seeing owls and frogmouths. Two nights Katoomba Day 7 CAPERTEE VALLEY, GLEN DAVIS Today we head out of the Blue Mountains towards Capertee, stopping along the way at the productive Lithgow Sewage Ponds with chances of Blue-billed, Pink-eared and the very unusual Musk Duck amongst a good range of waterfowl. The Capertee Valley is well known amongst Australian birders as a stronghold for a number of rare and threatened bird species. A fabulous variety of specialities here could include the smart but endangered (and tricky to find!) Regent Honeyeater, the superb Turquoise Parrot, Diamond Firetail, Hooded Robin, Speckled Warbler, Little Lorikeet, Black-chinned, Fuscous and Yellow-tufted Honeyeaters, Whitebrowed Babbler, White-backed Swallow and many more. We should also encounter some fascinating reptiles, perhaps finding a Bearded Dragon or the huge Lace Monitor. After lunch we continue to explore the valley, arriving back in time to watch the array of honeyeaters, parrots and pigeons coming to a waterhole for their afternoon drink. Here we should also see good numbers of Eastern Grey Kangaroos, with perhaps Red-necked Wallabies and Wallaroos also becoming active as the setting sun turns the majestic cliffs gold and red. Our accommodation tonight is at lovely Glen Davis. We stay in a historic grand hotel, which has been beautifully renovated with amazing views from each room of the towering escarpments of the ancient Wollemi National Park. Not all rooms are en suite here, but the hotel is in such a magnificent setting that we think you ll agree it is more than worth it. In addition, this is the only way to experience sunset and sunrise right in the valley - and it gives us more chance of seeing kangaroos, too! Night Glen Davis Day 8 FLY SYDNEY TO CAIRNS, REDDEN ISLAND & MOSSMAN Today is mainly a travel day, so after an early walk around historic Glen Davis and a hearty breakfast, we ll be on the road. Traffic permitting, we'll return to Sydney via the celebrated Harbour Bridge, which dwarfs the equally famous Opera House. From Sydney, we catch an early afternoon flight north to Cairns, in tropical North Queensland. Flight schedules permitting, on arrival at Cairns info@limosaholidays.co.uk

5 there may be time for a quick visit to Cattana Wetlands, a man-made system of interconnected pools where we may find our first Green Pygmygeese, the prehistoric looking Orange-footed Scrubfowl and flocks of Metallic Starlings and Helmeted Friarbirds. From here, we head directly to our accommodation in Mossman, a short drive up the coast. Night Mossman Days 9-10 DAINTREE RIVER CRUISE & KINGFISHER PARK, JULATTEN We begin with an early morning cruise on the Lower Daintree River - a wildlife experience not to be missed. Birds we'll be looking for here include Great-billed Heron, Papuan Frogmouth and Little Kingfisher. The massive Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodile also frequents this spot! After breakfast, we cross the Daintree River and search the forest on the northern side for the elusive and entirely unpredictable Southern Cassowary before heading inland towards our next stop: Kingfisher Park, at Julatten. Named after the beautiful Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher that breeds within the grounds, Kingfisher Park is a comfortable birdwatchers retreat set within a patch of remnant rainforest. Boasting a remarkable diversity of birds, the likes of Double-eyed Fig Parrot, Lesser Sooty Owl, Emerald Dove, Pied Monarch and Yellowbreasted Boatbill are among more than two hundred tropical Australian species recorded at or around the lodge. Accommodation at Kingfisher Park is in comfortable but simply furnished cabins, each with a veranda looking out over the rainforest grounds. We spend two nights at this superb wildlife spot! Two nights Julatten Days ATHERTON TABLELANDS, LAKE BARRINE & LAKE EACHAM We take an easy drive south into the Atherton Tablelands and visit the crater lakes of Lake Barrine and Lake Eacham. This rich volcanic area harbours some of the best rainforests in Australia, festooned with epiphytic ferns and mosses where mighty birdwing butterflies flit through the shady understorey and enormous strangler figs drape their roots over their host trees. The stocky Tooth-billed Catbird, aptly named Golden Bowerbird and beautiful Wompoo Fruit Doves calling their name are among a wealth of rainforest birds to watch for. We stay at a superbly situated lodge amidst pristine rainforest, where iridescent Victoria's Riflebirds display and Red-legged Pademelons graze the lawns. We plan to go spotlighting in the forests after dark looking for nocturnal mammals and birds, and also have a chance of seeing the shy and elusive Duck-billed Platypus as it swims out along a favoured stream at dusk. Two nights Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodge Day 13 CAIRNS WATERFRONT & CENTENARY LAKES After some final birding around Yungaburra today we return to Cairns this afternoon, where we ll stay for the next two nights. Considered by many to lie at the centre of Australia's very best birding area, Cairns offers wonderful wetland birding right on the doorstep. Its celebrated waterfront is a splendid wader habitat, where shorebird possibilities include Terek and Sharptailed Sandpipers, Grey-tailed Tattler, Great Knot and Greater and Lesser Sand Plovers. Nearby Centenary Lakes can also be highly productive, with a variety of honeyeaters and the sinister Black Butcherbird to watch for, while Orange-footed Scrubfowl scratch about for food on the tangled forest floor. Night Cairns Day 14 PELAGIC BOAT TRIP TO MICHAELMAS CAY & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF From Cairns we take one of the renowned Ocean Spirit cruises today, out to the largest continuous stretch of coral on earth: the Great Barrier Reef. Passing Black-naped Terns, which appear stunningly white against the bright blue tropical waters, we go ashore on Michaelmas Cay, a sandy islet crammed with breeding seabirds, including wide-awake Sooty Terns and Brown Noddies. Brown Boobies loaf on buoys near the island and Great Frigatebirds hang menacingly overhead info@limosaholidays.co.uk

6 Despite all these wonderful birds, for some the chance to snorkel over the reef itself - or simply to view the shimmering colours and vast range of underwater life from a glass-bottomed boat - may perhaps be the ultimate experience. It will be with great reluctance that we leave this window on to another world, with its multi-hued fish and corals, noddies and tropical islets, and return to the mainland for dinner and a second overnight stay in Cairns. Night Cairns Days REDDEN ISLAND, FLY CAIRNS- BRISBANE, O REILLY S RAINFOREST RETREAT Just north of the city, Redden Island, on the shores of the Coral Sea, is a jewel of a reserve comprising mangroves, beaches and eucalypt woodlands. The lovely Rose-crowned Fruit Dove and Little Bronze-cuckoo are possible here, and we have a good chance of finding the huge but secretive Great-billed Heron along the creek. We depart Cairns around lunch time on a flight south to Brisbane. Leaving the heat of southern Queensland s Gold Coast lowlands behind, we are soon winding up into the cooler upland rainforests of the bird-rich Lamington National Park, in the beautiful Green Mountains. We spend three nights here, staying at the world famous O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat. With its fine network of forest trails, O Reilly s offers excellent opportunities to see a whole range of rainforest specialities, such as Noisy Pitta, Green Catbird and Australian Logrunner. This is wonderful bowerbird country, with the stunning black and gold Regent Bowerbird a fitting emblem for the lodge and the dark blue Satin Bowerbird that loves to adorn its bower with bright blue objects. Both species are ridiculously easy to see at O'Reilly's as they come readily to the feeding areas - and may even perch on you! It's impossible to avoid getting 'mugged' here by hordes of colourful Crimson Rosellas and Australian King Parrots during the day - keep any food items firmly under wraps! While Sugar Gliders and other mammals, including abundant Red-necked Pademelons, take their place at night. Two of the local rainforest specialities are Albert's Lyrebird and Paradise Riflebird. At slightly lower elevations, O Reilly s dry eucalypt forests hold a wealth of new of species - both birds and mammals - including the surreal but elusive Glossy Black Cockatoo and the delightful Whiptail Wallaby. In short, the O'Reilly's experience is simply fabulous and richly deserves its reputation as one of the world's best birdwatching lodges. We think you ll agree with us, there s no finer place to finish our classic Eastern Australia tour! Three nights at O'Reilly's Rainforest Retreat Day 18 RETURN TO BRISBANE, FLY LONDON Taking an early breakfast this morning, we bid a reluctant farewell to remarkable O'Reilly's Rainforest Lodge and wind back down through the Green Mountains to Brisbane. Bidding a final "G day mate!" to Peter, we catch a morning flight to Sydney with onward connection there to our British Airways flight home. Day 19 ARRIVAL LONDON Early morning arrival at London Heathrow, where our birdwatching tour to Eastern Australia concludes. Trip Information Group Size 7 participants & 1 leader Birds species Mammals species Accommodation We stay at a varied selection of comfortable Aussie hotels, motels, lodges and cabins. All rooms are en suite except for our one night at lovely Glen Davis and two at Kingfisher Park, where all bedrooms are separate but some bathrooms may be shared with another room. Meals All main meals are included in the tour price, commencing with lunch following arrival in Australia on Day 3 and concluding with breakfast there on Day 18. Aussie food is good! info@limosaholidays.co.uk

7 Walking Easy walking, no more than a mile or two at any one time. Sturdy thornproof walking shoes or boots with corrugated soles for grip are recommended. Weather Tropical in the north (Cairns to Brisbane), where it is hot and sunny all year round (25-33C/77-91F). It can be humid at times, especially at the coast; typically cooler and more pleasant early and late in the day in the hills, as well as further south with temperatures in Sydney ranging from 16-23C (61-74F). November is one of the driest months of the year but some rain possible over the coast and hills. Flights We fly with British Airways, outbound London-Sydney and returning Brisbane-Sydney- London. Our tour price also includes domestic flights within Australia, from Sydney-Cairns and Cairns-Brisbane. Ground Transport By Toyota minibus or similar. Private coach transfers to and from O Reilly s, where our birding excursions are on foot and/or O Reilly s own 'wildlife bus'. Boat Trips Our tour cost includes three mustdo boat trips: a birdwatching cum sightseeing trip beside Royal National Park at Port Hacking (Cronulla); a dawn wildlife cruise on the Daintree River; and an all-day pelagic visit to Michaelmas Cay and the Great Barrier Reef with Ocean Spirit Cruises (North Queensland). Photos Some wonderful photographic opportunities on this tour - birds, mammals, butterflies and scenery, especially at such places as O Reilly s Rainforest Lodge. Tour Cost * (19 days): 6195 (inc flights from London) Land only cost: 5345 *2 Deposit: 800 Single Supp: (19 days): 6195 (inc flights from London) Land only cost: 5345 *2 Deposit: 800 Single Supp: 700 Cost includes Services of our expert guide Flights outbound London-Sydney, and returning Brisbane-Sydney-London Oz domestic flights Sydney-Cairns and Cairns-Brisbane 15 nights accommodation in Australia All main meals (with drinking water provided) Minibus transport Three boat trips (Port Hacking, Daintree River, Michaelmas Cay & Great Barrier Reef All local travel, excursions, local guide fees, entry fees, tour based tips and taxes Map & Limosa checklist of birds. Cost excludes Insurance, Aussie evisitor visa (see p9), drinks, airport meals/snacks and other personal expenses. * prices provisional, TBC summer 2017 *2 Please note: our land only price includes the cost of the domestic flights with the group from Sydney-Cairns and Cairns-Brisbane, but NOT the flight from Brisbane-Sydney which forms an integral part of the international return ticket. About Your Guide Peter Taylor Peter is our man in Australia. Although originally from Stockport in the UK, Peter spent his teenage years at Adelaide in South Australia and has since birded extensively across this great continent. For more than the last dozen years he has lived in the tall timber country of Manjimup (south of Perth), Western Australia - a hotspot for endemic birds and plants. Having forsaken a comfortable career info@limosaholidays.co.uk

8 with the government to follow his true passion for birds and birding, Peter works full-time as a naturalist and bird and wildlife tour guide. A naturalised Australian who emigrated as a child with his parents from the UK to Oz as 10 tourists in the 1960s, he s the perfect guide for Limosa s tours Down Under. Peter has led this annual Eastern Australia tour for us since 2008 and also guides our trips to Western, Northern and Southeast Australia, as well as our unique railway-based holiday across the Red Centre. Tour Extensions Should you wish to extend your visit to Australia before and/or after our tour, this is easy to do. Internal flights are nowhere near as expensive as they once were and although Limosa does not itself offer 'tailormade' arrangements (these are best made through a specialist travel agent, such as Austravel, Trailfinders or Travelbag), it is usually possible for us to arrange your flight out and back to the UK on different dates and/or from a different city than the one in which our tour ends. For those who prefer to make their own arrangements for flights, we offer a land only price enabling you to join our tour in Sydney and leave it again in Brisbane. If you plan to book your own flights however, please be sure to contact us first to check that the times fit with the current itinerary! Financial Security Limosa Holidays is a fully bonded Tour Operator and a member of the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO). We hold an ATOL (Air Tour Operators Licence) granted by the CAA, providing for your protection in the event of Limosa Holidays' insolvency. Our licence number is ATOL For tours not including the cost of a flight from the UK or for holidays booked by you as Land Only, all payments made to us are fully bonded through the Association of Bonded Travel Organisers Trust Limited (ABTOT). Our ABTOT membership number is For details please see our brochure or website: Limosa Loyalty Discount We are proud of the number of loyal customers who travel regularly with us. As our way of saying thank you, we offer a Frequent Travel Discount. Under the scheme, everyone who takes four trips with us is entitled to claim a 5% discount on their 5th trip *3. Remember to request your discount at time of booking! *3 Please note: This offer applies to the basic tour cost only and excludes certain commissionbased trips, extras such as additional flights, private extensions and cancellations. Discounts cannot be given in lieu of tour deposits or off the cost of single room supplements. How To Book Check availability on our website or with our office. We are happy to hold Provisional Reservations for up to 7 days. After this, we do require a Booking Form and deposit to confirm your place on tour. Any unconfirmed space will be released. Book Online, by Phone or by Post You can book and pay the deposit simply and securely Online via our website, using the Book This Tour button on the relevant tour page or the Booking tab at the top of the page. Telephone bookings must be confirmed in writing by completion of a Booking Form (there's one tucked inside every brochure or as a PDF download from our website), which can be mailed to us in the time honoured way. Be sure to read our Booking Conditions and General Information (found at the back of our brochure, on our website or available from our office on request) prior to booking. When to Book Early booking is advised since flights and accommodation are much more easily secured well in advance. To encourage early booking, we are pleased to offer an Early Bird Discount - see our current brochure or website for details info@limosaholidays.co.uk

9 Our tours are limited to small group sizes. So they can fill up quickly - sometimes even before our new brochure comes out! Single rooms in particular can often be in short supply and among the first to go, so do try to plan well ahead if you definitely require one of these. Last-minute Bookings: We inevitably receive a few unexpected cancellations over the course of a season so it is always worth enquiring about vacancies on any tour - even for those departing in just a few weeks! Payments The amount of booking deposit per person is shown alongside every tour. We accept deposit payments by debit card, cheque (payable to Limosa Holidays and drawn on a UK bank in GB Pounds Sterling) and BACS (please ask for our bank details). We also accept Visa and MasterCard credit cards, with no transaction charge on payment of tour deposits. Full payment of the balance is due not later than 12 weeks prior to departure. We will send you an invoice before the balance is due. We accept payment for balances (and interim payments) by cheque, BACS or UK debit card. We also accept balances (and interim payments) by credit card or overseas debit card but with a charge of 2.5% of the transaction amount to help offset card company charges. [Note we do not retain your card details, which are destroyed once used. This means we may need to phone you again for details for subsequent payments.] Payment by overseas customers must be in GB Pounds Sterling and may be made by transfer to our bank (please ask for our bank details), or by overseas debit or credit card with a 2.5% transaction charge. Please note we do not accept cheques on US Banks in US Dollars, or cheques in Euros or Eurocheques. Late Booking Payments: In order for us to guarantee your airline seats, hotels etc., full payment is required at time of booking for all late bookings (i.e. bookings made within 12 weeks of departure). Other Things You Need To Know Passports & Visas All participants must be in possession of a valid passport. IMPORTANT! Although Australia does not have a minimum passport validity requirement we strongly recommend that your passport is valid for a minimum of 6 months after your intended date of return home - see following: If you are transiting another country en route to or from Australia, BE SURE TO CHECK the entry requirements for that particular country. If you intend onward travel to other countries in the region, please note you are advised that entry into some countries may be refused, and airlines may not carry you if your passport has less than 6 months validity. This also applies to passengers transiting certain countries en route to and from Australia (i.e. if they pass through immigration and enter the transit country), such as Singapore. For further information on entry requirements you should check with the Embassy or High Commission in London of the country you intend to visit/transit well before you travel. VISAS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL TRAVEL TO AUSTRALIA. The requirements for these have been updated in recent years. British citizens can obtain the following types of electronic visitor visa: An online evisitor visa direct from the Department of Immigration & Citizenship. There is no visa application charge or service fee for this. Information about this type of visa can be found online here: To acquire an evisitor visa, you do not need to visit an immigration office and you will not receive a stamp or label in your passport. However, you will be given a confirmation for your records. An evisitor is an electronically stored authority for travel to Australia. evisitor info@limosaholidays.co.uk

10 can be accessed by airlines, travel agents and Australian border agencies. If you don t have access to the internet to apply online yourself, you can apply for the evisitor visa via a travel agent or airline (please note as tour operators Limosa is unable to do this for you). There is no visa application charge, but the travel agency or airline will usually charge a fee - expect to pay around 20 per person, to cover the agency s costs plus a A$20 ETA service fee. All other nationalities should check online or contact the nearest Australian embassy or consulate to check whether or not they require a visa. If a visa is required, you will need to apply locally. Please ensure that you apply in good time but not so early that your visa expires before the tour. If the embassy or consulate requires you to provide a letter confirming you are booked on an all-inclusive tour, please contact our office and we will be happy to provide one. Health & Vaccinations Compulsory vaccinations: None (but note that a yellow fever certificate IS required if you are arriving within 6 days from infected areas - see summary below: Yellow Fever is a quarantinable disease in Australia. Entry into Australia requires all persons over one year of age to hold an international yellow fever vaccination certificate IF within the six days prior to their arrival in Australia they have stayed overnight or longer in a declared yellow fever infected country in any of the African or South American countries listed here: in Africa: Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cote d'ivoire (Ivory Coast), Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Sudan. In South America: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Peru, Venezuela). Recommended vaccinations: None. For travel everywhere (even within the UK) however, we recommend you check you are up-to-date with protection against tetanus, polio and hepatitis A. Malaria: There is no malaria risk in Australia. The above information, together with that contained within our Travel Information sheets (sent to everyone who books), outlines health requirements for this tour. Please note that these details are given for guidance only - and are only for certain diseases - and you must consult your doctor in good time prior to travel as to what immunisations (if any) are needed for your chosen holiday. For full and up-to-date health information we urge everyone to consult The National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) website prior to booking any overseas holiday. NaTHNaC is funded by the UK Government s Health Protection Agency and provides health information for both health professionals and travellers, with information compiled by its own clinical and scientific team. You can search for individual country requirements, which are updated regularly. Your Safety & Travel Advice An unavoidable aspect of travelling abroad nowadays is the risk it may pose to your safety and security. The best advice on current risks is provided by the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). In order to assess and protect against any risks in your chosen destination we strongly recommended that you refer to the relevant FCO Travel Advice - both prior to booking and regularly before you travel. See It is standard Limosa policy for our office to send a copy of the relevant FCO Travel Advice about the tour to all participants along with their Final Letter (ca. 2-3 weeks prior to the trip). Travel Aware - staying safe and healthy abroad - is a travel safety campaign run by the FCO, and another useful resource. Go to: Travel Insurance Good travel insurance is essential before setting off on any overseas trip. In common with all responsible tour operators, it is a condition of booking that all clients are fully and adequately insured before travelling overseas with us info@limosaholidays.co.uk

11 Your travel insurance should cover against cancellation, curtailment, missed departure, delay, personal accident, death, loss of baggage and valuables (see note below), personal liability and legal expenses. Most importantly, your insurance must cover you fully in respect of medical care and repatriation should you become too ill to continue with the tour, including the cost of emergency evacuation by helicopter or air ambulance should this be necessary. Note that passenger liability insurance covering the transportation that we hire, particularly in Third World countries, may be inadequate; it is therefore important that your insurance cover includes sufficient provision for your dependents in the event of an accident. We recommend that you obtain travel insurance as soon as possible after booking your holiday to ensure you are protected right from the word go in the event of unexpected cancellation prior to departure due to accident or illness. You must inform your insurers of any pre-existing medical conditions (including those of persons not necessarily travelling but upon whom your holiday may depend) that may require treatment during a period of overseas travel or might cause you to cancel the trip. Once you have arranged your insurance, please be sure to send us the following essential details: name and contact details of your insurance provider, your policy number, expiry date and your insurers 24hr Emergency Assistance number. Important Things to Note about Insurance Travel Insurance does not normally provide sufficient cover for valuable optical equipment, which is often best protected under your own household insurance policy. If in doubt ask your insurers for advice prior to travel. Most travel insurance policies limit the amount of cover, typically up to a maximum tour cost of 5000 per person. If the cost of the tour you are booking exceeds this amount, additional cover can usually be provided upon payment of additional premium. We recommend all travellers check their individual policy limit to ensure the full cost of their holiday is covered. Arranging Your Insurance: due to UK Government legislation, under Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulations, we are not allowed to offer or recommend travel related insurance to customers. Premiums can vary widely according to your age, needs, health, choice of destination and other factors, while many people nowadays have Annual Travel Insurance cover. For these reasons, we leave you free to shop around and pick your own policy, one best suited to your own individual needs. General Information Our website gives easy access to detailed tour itineraries (Tour Info Packs), trip reports, trip photos and the latest Limosa News. Special Diets & Other Requests We pass on all such requests to the airlines, hotels and other suppliers, and do our best to ensure (but of course cannot guarantee) that your needs will be met. Please be sure to tell us about these (in as much detail as possible) at the time of booking, to allow good time to make the necessary arrangements. Smoking Almost all of our clients prefer a smoke-free environment. For the enjoyment and comfort of all, we ask that smokers refrain from smoking in proximity to the group and respect our NO SMOKING policy in the vehicle, at meal times and when watching wildlife. Any Questions? If you have any questions at any time, you ll find our office staff friendly, efficient, approachable - and just a phone call away, eager to assist you in every way. Our office is open hrs Mon-Fri, and can also be reached by fax and . In the event we are unable to take your call, please leave a message on our answerphone (24 hrs) and our office will contact you as soon as we can. Thank you for your interest in our tours. We do hope that you will be able to join us - and we look forward to hearing from you again! revptck info@limosaholidays.co.uk