AAT Kings has unveiled the launch of its new Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour, as part of the group’s new 2024/2025 touring season. The limited season, Australia-first Indigenous focused guided holiday features must-see destinations from city to outback across Melbourne, Uluru, Sydney and Cairns over 13 days, with a focus on local connection, cultural immersion, sustainable footprints and wildlife and nature.

The Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour has been developed in response to Tourism Australia’s consumer insights, outlined in the global ‘Future of Demand’ research project released late 2022. The report highlighted the latent demand for Indigenous experiences. However, at present, understanding of First Nations tourism is low. Demand increases sharply when audiences are exposed to Indigenous experiences and understand the unique insights they deliver.

Fittingly, the AAT Kings team has collaborated closely with Discover Aboriginal Experiences (part of Tourism Australia’s ‘Signature Experiences of Australia’) to identify and curate Indigenous operators and experiences that form part of the new season itinerary, showcasing a unique and immersive blend of top locations, Australian highlights and Indigenous owned businesses.

The Australian-first tour highlights 16 compelling experiences including:

• Sunset drinks at Uluru, including an exclusive BBQ dinner and Dot Art Painting experience.
• A behind the scenes Sydney Opera House tour, Dreamtime Walking Tour of the rocks and Indigenous Harbour Cruise in Sydney 
• Great Barrier Reef trip with Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel
• A show-stopping lunch at Big Esso by Mabu Mabu in Melbourne’s Federation Square with cuisine by renowned Torres Strait chef Nornie Bero.

Both Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel and Big Esso by Mabu Mabu are two of four projects within this tour supported through AAT Kings Groups’ MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences and The TreadRight Foundation, alongside Maraki and Koorie Heritage Trust.

The tour also features a number of optional tours to cater for international markets and appeal to a broad range of travelers including:

• The iconic Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles or an Aboriginal Heritage Walk in the Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne
• The BridgeClimb Sydney with an option to experience the Burrawa – Aboriginal Climb and a Royal Botanic Gardens Aboriginal Bush Tucker tour in Sydney
• A Daintree Dreaming Aboriginal Art and Culture tour or Madingalbay Ancient Indigenous Cultural Cruise in Cairns

The Aboriginal Culture & Australia Highlights tour will have limited departures in 2024 and 2025. Travelers can currently save up to 15%* as part of the AAT Kings New Season Sale which, until October, 31, 2023. share. The tour will commence in Melbourne and conclude in Cairns. For more information and to book visit: aatkings.com/amsc.