- Pricing From TBA
- Single Supplement FREE*
- From Sydney
- Duration Easy Going
- Max Group Size 20
- Activity Level Easy Going
- Commences Sep 2025
- Concludes Sep 2025
Bill Peach Journeys invites you to join us on a garden lovers dream. Transfer to the picturesque Southern Highlands, a region known for its colourful gardens, diverse landscapes, fascinating history and heritage. Explore Tulip Time Bowral, one of Australia’s oldest and most beautiful floral festivals with over 80,000 hand-planted tulips on spectacular display in Corbett Gardens. Enjoy a private tour of the National Trust treasure, Retford Park and wander its beautiful gardens. Savour the culinary delights of the region at acclaimed Bendooley Estate and take in a private cheese workshop with famed local cheese-monger.
Take a private tour of the major Gauguin exhibition at the National Gallery featuring some of his most recognised masterpieces. The highlight for many no doubt will be Floriade and Nightfest, the biggest floral festival in Australia, a spectacular celebration of spring, set in Canberra’s Commonwealth Park. The breathtaking garden beds, made up of more than a million blooms, create large-scale floral pictures to reflect the annually changing theme. Exceptional dining, fascinating touring and luxury accommodation at Peppers Manor House and the Hyatt Hotel Canberra will ensure that this Floriade journey will sell out in no time!
Always a beautiful Sojourn, the 2025 Floriade & Tulip Time journey will also visit the stunning privately owned Tulip Top Gardens
Highlights
- Enjoy Tulip Time in Bowral’s Corbett Gardens, one of Australia’s oldest floral festivals, explore the divine Tulip Top Gardens in Sutton and discover the spectacular floral displays of Floriade during both day and night festivals
- Stay 2 nights at the elegant Peppers Manor House on it’s own private estate nestled in the beautiful Southern Highlands & 2 nights at the multi award-winning Hyatt Hotel Canberra - A Park Hyatt Hotel
- Tour the historic National Trust treasure, Retford Park
- Take a private tour of the major exhibition at the National Gallery of Australia
- Discover the culinary delights of the Southern Highlands including a private cheese workshop
- All meals - breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Uncover the beauty of Floriade and Tulip Time with new friends yet enjoy your own room with no single supplement charge
- Escorted throughout by a dedicated Journey Director
Tour Departures
Hotels
Bill Peach Journeys understands the importance of selecting the right accommodation to complement each journey. In this case, the Four Seasons Singapore has been chosen to showcase the incredible destination visited throughout this journey as a luxurious base to return to each afternoon after touring.
Peppers Manor House
An elegant country retreat located in the beautiful Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Peppers Manor House offers simple pleasures and an escape from city life. Offering a touch of country glamour, Peppers Manor House will sweep you up in its charm with an open fireplace roaring in The Great Hall. Katers Restaurant is full of timeless decadence, with a wholesome, award-winning country menu, showcasing locally sourced produce. With its well-appointed lodgings of sophisticated rooms which give a nod to their 1920’s heritage, Peppers Manor House offers a real country experience with more than a touch of luxury.Hyatt Hotel Canberra
This Heritage hotel interweaves the hidden mystique of the 1920s with modern Art Deco designs offering an escape within a heritage-inspired setting. The traditional furniture styles as well as garden and park views are all enhanced with modern conveniences. Hyatt Hotel Canberra with its Park Hyatt touches proves this luxurious hotel is second to no other in the nation’s capital. With luxurious interiors and deluxe amenities coupled with exemplary service, encounter the finest in luxury accommodations.
This morning you will meet at a designated departure point at Sydney Domestic Airport or the Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport. Upon meeting, the group will depart for the picturesque Southern Highlands. Arriving in beautiful Berrima, we enjoy a delightful Welcome Lunch at the acclaimed Bendooley Estate. Enjoy a delicious meal surrounded by the Estate’s heavenly gardens and vineyard as you savour flavoursome cuisine inspired by the seasons of the Southern Highlands.
Following lunch, enjoy a visit to the magnificent Tulip Time display in Bowral, one of Australia’s oldest and most beautiful floral festivals. Over 100,000 tulips and 25,000 annuals are planted each year to transform Bowral’s Corbett Gardens and other parks across the shire into stunning arrangements of sweeping spring colour. Next, we check into our elegant accommodation for this evening, Peppers Manor House on it’s own private estate. Your welcome dinner will be hosted by your Journey Director tonight.
Overnight: Peppers Manor House
After breakfast, take a private tour of National Trust treasure, Retford Park. Built in 1887 by the Hordern family and lavishly redesigned by James Fairfax in the 1960s, Retford Park is a place of great heritage significance located in the heart of Bowral. Following the tour of this elegant Victorian Italianate homestead, there will be time to stroll among its charming gardens.
After lunch, step back in time as you explore the fascinating Dirty Jane’s Antique store and enjoy time to wander Bowral’s delightful township. This afternoon take a private cheese workshop with expert local cheese-monger before dinner in town.
Overnight: Peppers Manor House
Leaving the Southern Highlands, we travel south and arrive at the breathtakingly beautiful Tulip Top Gardens, showcased on Better Homes and Gardens. Acres of stunning world class gardens framed by weeping willows, and 1000 blossoms, paints the scene for almost a million tulips, daffodils and other flowers creatively planted.
Continue on to Canberra where we visit the National Gallery of Australia for a private tour of the current major exhibition. Check-in to our hotel following the exhibition where we enjoy dinner and the elegant comfort provided by our accommodation, the Hyatt Hotel.
Overnight: Hyatt Hotel Canberra
Depart this morning for a private tour of Floriade. Over 1 million bulbs and annuals are used each year in varying designs so that it is constantly changing as the different plants come into flower. Enjoy new types of blooms every year as Floriade showcases exciting new bulb varieties. Exotic sounding names such as Tulipa Black Diamond, Violetta Tiny Tots, Blueberry Banana and Tulipa Top Parrot bloom together to create sweeping designs of colour throughout the park. This afternoon, visit the Australian War Memorial before returning to the hotel. Our farewell dinner this evening is at the acclaimed Water’s Edge Restaurant.
Transfer to the magnificent sight of Floriade Nightfest after dinner. Explore the whimsy and the beauty in outdoor lighting design and production, a parkland full of impressive lighting installations which will excite and delight as it compliments the stunning flowers.
Overnight: Hyatt Hotel Canberra
Following a leisurely breakfast, transfer to Canberra Airport for your flight home. Saying a fond farewell to new friends, this simply delightful Sojourn concludes.
About Sojourns
Our Sojourn programmes are short break journeys put together in conjunction with themes, events or experiences. These programmes range from cruising New Zealand’s North Islands to world-class sporting events and unique experiences throughout Australia and New Zealand.
About Single Traveller Journeys
We recognise the specific requirements of single travellers and that’s why a number of our journeys are single supplement free, affording you the benefit of your own single room, without any, or with significantly reduced extra cost. In fact, over 40% of our guests travel alone and return to Bill Peach Journeys again and again. In this way, you can enjoy the camaraderie of your fellow travellers during the day, along with the safety and security of travelling with an escorted group, but still retire to your own personal room in the evening. Note: The single supplement free offer cannot be taken in conjunction with any other offer.
Fully inclusive
This journey includes accommodation, all meals as specified, touring throughout, transfers, services of a dedicated Journey Director and admission tickets to Floriade.
Coaches
The coaches that we use for the ground component of this journey are fully air-conditioned.
Pre Tour
Flights from your home port to Sydney are not included in the journey price. Should you require flights to Sydney and from Canberra, we can provide a competitive quote on airfares and pre and post tour accommodation in Sydney, at the commencement of your journey and in Canberra at the conclusion of your journey.
For anyone who would like to stay in Sydney the night before the tour begins, we are happy to offer a very special discounted price at the Stamford Plaza Sydney Airport of $260 per night per room for singles which includes accommodation, breakfast, porterage & transfers from the airport. $280 is the price per night per room for twin share which includes accommodation, breakfast, porterage & transfers from the airport.
Level of Fitness Required – Easy Going
These journeys are not physically demanding unless you want them to be. They include easy guided walks, which are mainly on flat ground. There will be times when you are required to board a launch for shore excursions. You must be able to walk up to 500 metres unaided and will not need any foreseen assistance throughout the journey. For all clients to fully enjoy this travel experience, excellent health and mobility is required by all.
Travel Insurance
We strongly recommend that you purchase travel insurance to cover you against such things as personal illness or accident, cancellation, loss of baggage etc. Please make sure you carry a copy of your Travel Insurance policy with you at all times.
Terms and Conditions
Please refer to the T&C’s for more information. Terms & Conditions (PDF)
*Conditions Apply: The Free Single Supplement Offer is strictly limited and cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. The Savings afforded by the Single Supplement Free offer is valued at over $795.
^Please note: While this journey is timed to coincide with spring blossom season, fully bloomed flowers cannot be guaranteed in each location.