If you find yourself in Sydney, you have a wonderful opportunity to combine several of the region's must-do excursions into one unforgettable journey around Australia, without retracing a single kilometre.

If you look at a map of the states of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, you'll see that this unique tour from Sydney traces a genuine ring of natural treasures, strung with the jewels of the Grand Pacific Drive and Jervis Bay National Park, Canberra's parliamentary triangle, and the historic towns and boutique wineries of the Southern Highlands.

The result of your two-day photo and video session will be an enormous collection of scenic landscapes, wildlife and birds, historic towns and Canberra's unusual architectural design.

Day 1

In the Footsteps of Captain Cook along the Grand Pacific Drive (230 km)

The story of Australia's settlement begins in Sydney - with its southern ocean coastline and Botany Bay, where Captain Cook's ship, the Endeavour, first came ashore

You will visit and see:

• Botany Bay, with its golden beaches - the historic site of Captain Cook's landing
• Eucalypt forests in the oldest national park, the Royal National Park
• The Australian Wildlife Park, where you can get up close with unusual animals
• The panoramic lookout at Bald Hill - a favourite spot for hang-gliders
• A drive along the picturesque Grand Pacific Drive, with its spectacular bridge and numerous sandy beaches
• The largest Buddhist monastery in the Southern Hemisphere, with 10,000 Buddha statues and a wishing bell
• The historic town of Kiama (lunch stop)
• The mesmerising sight of a natural blowhole in the coastal cliff, with a walk across ancient lava
• The famous Hyams Beach, listed in the Guinness World Records for the whitest sand in the world. This beach lies within the picturesque Jervis Bay and is part of a national park with ancient flora and fauna. From a distance the sand looks like whipped cream or icing sugar, while up close it feels like flour or cornstarch, squeaking underfoot. The sand is so dazzlingly white that it glows even at dusk, and in daylight it's almost impossible to look at without sunglasses

Overnight stay in the rainforest glamping (luxury tent accommodation amid nature) or at one of the region's hotels.

Day 2

A Trip to Australia's Capital, Canberra, Returning to Sydney via the Southern Highlands (485 km)

Morning

On the way from Jervis Bay National Park to Canberra (198 km)

You will see and visit:

• The picturesque Tianjara Falls (65 metres), with panoramic views of the Morton National Park valley
• The historic town of Braidwood, uniquely set among large boulders in the foothills of Mount Gillamatong (85 km from Canberra, or 1 hour 20 minutes). This town was the first in New South Wales to be listed as a heritage conservation area, in 2007

Arrival in the capital, Canberra, and a sightseeing tour of the city:

• The best lookout points with panoramic views of Australia's unusual capital design
• The distinctive design of the embassy buildings, each built in the style of its home country
• Historic and modern architectural landmarks: the National Museum of Australia, the National Library, the High Court, the National Gallery, the Carillon, Old Parliament House, the Questacon science museum and many other government institutions
• The Australian War Memorial
• The picturesque Lake Burley Griffin, with its powerful and spectacular Captain Cook Memorial Jet
• The Australian Parliament and its House of Representatives and Senate

Afternoon

• The road from Australia's capital back to Sydney (286 km) passes through national parks, the Southern Highlands with its historic towns and local wineries, rolling valleys with pastoral landscapes, and the mysterious Lake George, famous for the puzzling way its water appears and disappears
• A stop at the world's largest sheep - a monumental sculpture housing a two-storey souvenir shop

Return to Sydney by evening

Entrance tickets, hotels, breakfasts, lunches and dinners are paid separately