Australia Travel FAQs
Planning a trip to Australia can raise plenty of questions. Australia is a large country, distances can be greater than expected, and the best way to travel depends on where you want to go and how you like to travel.
At Australian Custom Tours, we create personalised Australian holidays combining private touring, self-drive, rail, flights, accommodation and carefully selected experiences.
Below you'll find answers to some of the most common questions about planning and travelling around Australia.
Planning | Custom Tours | Transport | Accommodation | Costs & Booking | Travel in Australia | Australia & New Zealand
Planning Your Australian Holiday
Good planning is especially important in Australia, where distances and seasons can greatly affect your itinerary.
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There isn't one best time to visit all of Australia because the climate varies considerably between regions.
Southern Australia is generally warmest from December to February, while Australia's tropical north has distinct wet and dry seasons.
Where you want to travel is therefore just as important as when you want to travel. When we design your itinerary, we consider the season, expected temperatures and regional conditions as part of your route planning.
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For most international visitors, we recommend allowing at least 10 to 14 days. Three weeks or longer provides considerably more opportunity to experience different parts of Australia at a comfortable pace.
Australia is enormous, so for longer distances we will often combine private touring or self-drive sections with domestic flights.
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Yes. Two weeks can provide an excellent Australian holiday when the itinerary concentrates on a sensible number of destinations.
Rather than trying to cover the whole country, we usually recommend selecting two or three regions that work well together.
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Absolutely.
We can combine domestic flights with private drivers, rental vehicles, trains, transfers and organised experiences to connect different parts of Australia efficiently.
The important part is allowing enough time in each destination rather than simply adding more places.
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Yes. You don't need to have your entire trip worked out before contacting us.
Tell us your approximate dates, how long you have, the number of people travelling and the things you enjoy.
From there, we can recommend destinations and design a realistic route.
About Our Custom Australian Holidays
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A custom Australian tour is an itinerary designed around you rather than a fixed tour that everyone follows.
We consider your travel dates, interests, preferred destinations, accommodation style, budget, mobility, pace and preferred way of travelling.
Your itinerary can include private guides, self-drive sections, rail journeys, flights, cruises, transfers and pre-arranged experiences.
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They can be.
If you prefer private touring, we can arrange private vehicles and guides for appropriate parts of your journey.
However, your entire holiday doesn't need to be private. Many travellers combine private touring with selected shared experiences such as cruises, scenic flights and rail journeys.
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Yes.
We can arrange accommodation, domestic transport, rental vehicles, private touring, transfers, activities, rail travel and domestic flights where required.
International flights to and from Australia are normally arranged separately.
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We create Australian journeys for couples, families, groups of friends and multigenerational families.
Some guests want luxury accommodation and private drivers, while others prefer self-drive travel and comfortable four-star hotels.
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No. The itineraries shown on our website are designed to provide inspiration and show what is possible.
We can change destinations, add extra nights, adjust accommodation, remove or add experiences, or create a completely different itinerary around your interests, travel dates and preferred pace.
Private Touring, Self-Drive & Transport
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Yes. We can arrange private drivers and guides for part or all of your Australian journey.
Private touring is ideal if you prefer not to drive, want more flexibility during the day or would like the benefit of local knowledge along the way. For longer distances, we may recommend flying between regions and arranging another private vehicle at your next destination.
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Absolutely. In fact, combining different styles of travel can be one of the best ways to experience Australia.
You might enjoy private touring in a city, collect a rental vehicle for a scenic road trip, then fly to another region and continue with another private experience. We design the combination around your itinerary, comfort and preferred pace.
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Yes. We can create a complete self-drive holiday including your route, accommodation, rental vehicle and selected activities and experiences.
We also make sure the daily driving distances are realistic, with enough time to enjoy the places you are visiting rather than spending your entire holiday behind the wheel.
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Yes. Australians drive on the left-hand side of the road, and vehicles are generally right-hand drive.
If you are visiting from overseas, you should also check the current licence requirements for each Australian state or territory you intend to drive in.
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Often, yes. Australia is a very large country, and distances between destinations are one of the things international visitors most commonly underestimate.
When we plan a self-drive itinerary, we consider actual driving times, suitable stops and how long you should stay in each destination. Where distances become too great, we may recommend a domestic flight instead.
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Yes. We can include Australian rail journeys as part of your personalised itinerary.
Train travel can be a wonderful way to experience Australia and works particularly well when combined with accommodation, private touring, transfers and flights before or after the rail journey.
I’d keep these six exactly in this section. They explain very clearly that Australian Custom Tours is not just a private-tour company or just a self-drive company — you can combine the different travel styles to suit the guest.
Accommodation
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We can arrange a wide range of accommodation throughout Australia, from comfortable hotels and apartments to boutique properties, resorts and luxury lodges.
We recommend accommodation based on your preferred standard, location, itinerary and budget, rather than simply choosing the most expensive option in every destination.
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Yes. If there are particular hotels, resorts or lodges you would like to include, just let us know.
Alternatively, we can recommend properties that suit your travel style, preferred location and budget. We can also combine different accommodation styles throughout your journey.
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Yes. We can arrange family-friendly accommodation including apartments, interconnecting rooms, multi-bedroom properties and larger rooms where available.
For families, we also consider practical details such as location, room configuration, kitchen facilities and how easy it is to access the activities included in your itinerary.
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Yes. Australia has an excellent range of luxury hotels, resorts, lodges and unique properties.
Where appropriate, we can incorporate exceptional accommodation into your itinerary while balancing it with other properties where spending more may offer less benefit. This allows us to create a journey that feels special without adding unnecessary cost.
Costs, Booking & Payments
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The cost of a custom Australian holiday depends on your travel dates, destinations, accommodation standard, number of travellers, activities and how much private touring is included.
Once we understand how you would like to travel, we can design an itinerary and provide pricing based on your requirements.
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Because our itineraries are designed to be personalised.
The same journey can vary considerably in price depending on the season, accommodation, room configuration, transport, activities and number of travellers. The itineraries on our website are therefore designed as inspiration rather than fixed packages.
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Yes. Knowing your approximate budget helps us recommend a realistic combination of destinations, accommodation, transport and experiences.
We can also help you decide where spending a little more may genuinely improve your trip and where a more economical option may work just as well.
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For most international holidays, we recommend planning around 6 to 12 months in advance.
Booking earlier is particularly helpful if you are travelling during Christmas, New Year, Australian school holidays or major events, or if your trip includes luxury lodges, rail journeys or experiences with limited availability.
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Once you are happy with your itinerary, we will explain the booking and payment process and begin confirming the accommodation, transport and experiences included in your journey.
You will then receive confirmation of your arrangements, and before travelling we will provide detailed itinerary information to help keep everything together while you are in Australia.
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A 20% deposit, plus the cost of any flights, is normally required to confirm your holiday. The remaining balance is due 70 days before you travel.
Practical Questions About Australia
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Most international visitors need an appropriate visa or travel authority before travelling to Australia. The type you need depends on your passport, nationality and circumstances.
We recommend checking the current requirements directly with the Australian Government Department of Home Affairs before travelling.
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We strongly recommend comprehensive travel insurance for your Australian holiday.
Your policy should be suitable for your personal circumstances and the activities included in your trip, with appropriate cover for medical expenses, cancellation, delays, lost luggage and other unexpected events.
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Australia uses the Australian dollar (AUD).
Credit and debit cards are widely accepted throughout Australia, although carrying a small amount of cash can still be useful, particularly when travelling in smaller towns or more remote areas.
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Tipping is not compulsory in Australia.
If you receive exceptional service from a guide, driver, restaurant or hotel team, you are welcome to leave a tip, but it is not expected in the same way it is in countries such as the United States.
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Australia has several different climate zones, so the weather can vary considerably depending on where and when you travel.
Most southern regions experience four seasons, while tropical northern Australia has distinct wet and dry seasons. For example, Australia's summer is from December to February, while winter is from June to August.
When planning your itinerary, we consider the season and expected conditions in each region rather than treating Australia as having one climate.
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In most cases, yes.
Please let us know about any dietary requirements or food allergies when we are planning your itinerary. We can pass these details on to accommodation providers, tour operators and experiences where meals are included.
While we cannot guarantee that every request can be accommodated everywhere, particularly in remote locations, we will do our best to plan appropriately.
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Yes. Australia is an excellent destination for older travellers when the itinerary is planned at the right pace.
We can reduce long driving days, allow additional nights in key destinations, arrange private transfers and touring, and select activities that suit your preferred level of comfort and mobility.
If you have any mobility requirements, let us know when we start planning so we can take them into account.
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Absolutely. Australia is a fantastic destination for families, with wildlife encounters, beaches, outdoor adventures, cultural experiences and activities suitable for a wide range of ages.
We can design the itinerary around your children's ages, the amount of travelling your family is comfortable with and the experiences you would most like to include. Family-friendly accommodation and room configurations can also be incorporated into your journey.
Australia & New Zealand Holidays
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Yes. Australia and New Zealand work very well together, especially for international travellers making a long journey to this part of the world.
We can design the trip as one complete itinerary, combining the highlights of both countries while making sure the pace and travel times remain realistic.
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Around three weeks is a useful starting point, while four weeks or longer allows for a much more relaxed journey.
If you have less time, it is usually better to focus on a smaller number of regions rather than trying to see too much of both countries.
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Yes. We can arrange your Australian and New Zealand travel as one complete journey.
This can include accommodation, private touring, self-drive sections, rail travel, transfers, activities and domestic transport in both countries, helping everything work together smoothly from start to finish.
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Yes. Where appropriate, we can include flights between Australia and New Zealand as part of your itinerary.
We can also coordinate these flights with your accommodation, transfers and touring so the journey flows smoothly between the two countries.
Ready to Start Planning Your Australian Holiday?
You don't need to know exactly where you want to go.
Tell us your travel dates, how long you have, who is travelling and the experiences that interest you. We'll help work out what is realistic and design the journey around you.