Australia Itinerary 3 Weeks – Sorted!
Explore the land down under to the max with our action-packed 3-week itinerary for Australia!
There are many reasons why 5.9 million tourists visited Aus in 2023. Whether it’s the stunning coastlines, natural wonders or chilled vibes, the list is endless.
The biggest problem is trying to cram it all in!
Believe us when we say three weeks in Australia can provide an all-time experience beyond your wildest expectations, aspirations, and imaginations. But to make sure you make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, you want to draw up a plan and make some arrangements.
So, to make your life a little easier, we’ve put together an ideal Australia 3-week itinerary to make sure your experience is unforgettable.
Click images to see more.
Is 3 weeks in Australia enough?
If you’re visiting Australia but can’t manage a full one-year working holiday visa, three weeks is still an ideal time to experience our country without the hassle of working. And while we’re sure you’d love to spend more time here, we get not everyone can just up and leave their lives back home.
So, whether you want to dive deep into the Great Barrier Reef, take sight of the Sydney Opera House and Harbour Bridge or cruise down the Great Ocean Road, there’s so much you don’t want to miss in a country full of beauty, nature, and adventure.
The best thing for your three weeks in Australia is to plan and budget accordingly. While it doesn’t sound like the wildest thing to do, it’s the best way to ensure you make the most of your adventure without any dramas.
What is the best way to travel around Australia?
If you’re not aware yet, Australia is humongous! To be precise, it’s 32 times bigger than the UK (3,078% bigger)! So, you can’t just jump on a bus or train and be at the next big city in a few hours.
The solution?
The quickest way to cover long distances is to fly. But flying’s expensive and lacks the experience you’d get from a road trip with friends.
As a wise man once said, “It’s not the destination. It’s the journey.”
Hiring a campervan to travel from place to place not only gives you the wheels to move. It provides a home to cook your scran and kip for the night.
A camper will also save you a few quid too, and you get to see the country for what it is on the ground compared to looking out a plane window 30,000 feet above the clouds.
Australia itinerary: 3-weeks in a camper
Now for the meaty part.
The first thing to think about is your route. What do you want to see, and what kind of experience are you after?
For example, do you want to party?
Or witness nature like never before?
Maybe a bit of both?
It’s all possible, but to see it all will require rushing around and flying. Because of the sheer size of Oz, we recommend choosing between the East or West while avoiding being stranded in the middle.
East coast or West coast?
The East Coast of Australia promises the most action, with the lively states of Queensland, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria from top to bottom. This route offers incredible coastlines and popular places like Cairns, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Sydney, and Melbourne.
Over to the West in WA (Western Australia), we have places like Perth, Exmouth, the Margaret River, and Bremer Bay. The West has fewer cities than in the East. It’s much less hustle and bustle and ideal for a more laid-back camper experience.
But, with a five-hour flight from Sydney to Perth, you can still capitalise on your three-week visit by reaching both sides of the country. After all, heaps of campervan hire companies allow you to pick up your campervan and drop it off in another city where you can go catch a flight.
Start in Sydney: 3-4 days
Sydney is Australia’s largest city and boasts multiple attractions, such as the exquisite harbourside, Bondi Beach and the Royal Botanic Gardens.
It’s an ideal place to arrive and has all you need to start your Aussie adventure.
If you also enjoy the finer things in life, Sydney has numerous restaurants and cocktail bars in areas like Surrey Hills, Darling Harbour and the Inner West or Eastern Suburbs.
Aim to stay in Sydney for about three days and soak up the atmosphere of Australia’s most vibrant and famous city.
Our favourite way to travel is by campervan!
with RatPack Travel?
Drive North or South: 14-16 days
Now, after soaking up the Sydney life, you might encounter a fork in the road in whether to travel north to Cairns and the home of the Great Barrier Reef or head south to Melbourne and the Great Ocean Road.
Both trips are similar distances and offer multiple stops on the way. Heading north along the coast down the A1 and M1, you will encounter Port Macquarie, Byron Bay, the Gold Coast and Brisbane before reaching the Sunshine Coast into Queensland and Cairns.
Epic!
This route is a popular camper road trip for good reason and can be achieved at relative leisure within three weeks after spending some days in Sydney.
Expect captivating coastlines, surfing paradises and constant good times. And with some beachside locations providing free campervan parking [Link to ‘Campervan Parking Australia’ blog], you can save money as you travel to afford a few more cold ones as you sit back and savour the experience.
In the other direction from Sydney, you can drive South to Melbourne, visiting a few national parks along the way. From one metropolis to the next, you’ll arrive in (arguably) Australia’s trendiest city, where you can enjoy a similar city lifestyle to what you had in Sydney.
From Melbourne, you can head down the iconic Great Ocean Road, marvelling at the 12 apostles and sunning some stunning beaches on your way to Adelaide.
Perth or Uluru (Ayres Rock) 3-4 days
Finally, with just a few days left, it’s up to you whether you want to go west for some more incredible coastline or travel inland to Uluru and see one of the greatest natural wonders in the world.
Because after travelling the East Coast, you probably won’t have enough time to visit the Northern Territory and West Coast unless you break up your campervan hire with flights along the way.
Standing taller than the Eiffel Tower at 348 meters high above the surrounding plain, Uluru remains one of Australia’s most recognisable icons. From Melbourne or Cairns, you can fly to Alice Springs, where you can enjoy a night or two in a lively outback town before making your way to Uluru.
Alternatively, you can experience some of the clearest water and whitest sandy beaches in the world with another road trip but this time along the West Coast, starting in Perth and heading north or south.
Either way, get stoked for a sick time!
Need a hand hiring a camper for your Aussie Adventure?
Now you have your Australia 3-week itinerary sorted, it’s time to book your campervan.
At RatPack Travel, we prioritise your experience with a personalised service that can guide you on your way with the best spots and the most reliable campervan providers.
And the cherry on top? We’re Cheaper than booking via any online comparison and have received more 5-star reviews since 2016 than any other Aussie travel agent.
So, if you’re ready for a campervan experience of a lifetime down under, get in touch today and speak to one of our friendly crew.
From our RatPackers
Reuben was fantastic..he walked me thru how to do everything on line!! I'm computer illiterate 😔 explained everything re gear, insurance, etc..I was so impressed..recommend this company to anyone Ratpack also does all the searching for you for the best deals, a win win situation ..
I’m really glad to find this service. Reuben, the agent that helped me, was really helpful, communicative and informative about my travel needs and requirements. He found for us the best price for a campervan in the market (we also did our own research, but for sure he got the best option) and he made sure to follow up, answer my questions and call me to give me information about what we were looking for. Thank you very much!
I had Ben talk me through the entire process of booking a campervan, it was very seamless and he was beyond helpful. I strongly recommend this company for any future adventures.
Ben did everything to make sure we got the best deal! He was very kind, friendly and made sure we got everything we needed for our trip. Everything went quick and somooth and we can't wait for our east coast road trip!
Jenna rescued our trip! Her incredible support, coupled with excellent communication and a positive approach, made all the difference. I highly recommend reaching out to Ratpack for an exceptional experience. :)
Jenna was so lovely and so helpful to help me book a campervan for my first time going to WA!! Would 100% recommend this service. Thanks Jenna!
Excellent communication. Fantastic response to all enquiries I made, Joe was great from the beginning would recommend highly 👍
Rat pack (Joe is the man!) was an incredible resource for my friend and I to book a camper van for our upcoming trip next month. We had tried looking ourselves but vans were disappearing FAST and despite our worries, Joe hooked us up with a great option and discount. He was patient, well-informed, professional, and reassuring - just what we needed. Thanks rat pack, keep up the amazing (and free!) services… you’ve started us out on the right foot for an amazing adventure ahead!
I can't thank them enough for how quick and personal my booking was! They really got me the best deal even with a last minute booking and made the booking keeping in mind everything that we wanted! 100% going to us them to book ny next trip!!
Really straightforward system to book our camper, Gregg was really helpful and thorough - looking forward to our trip!
*Incredible service* *they don’t lie about the discount (around £500 for us!!)* *Easy* I just sent them a WhatsApp message, loosely detailing mine and my girlfriends plan. I got a response the same day, we then scheduled a phone call to discuss our plans further. Gregg was the chap who helped us out, and he couldn’t have made it any easier. We explored all options, types of motor, dates, prices, route of the trip. We covered all bases and within 30/40 mins we confirmed our travel. We will 100% be using these guys again for our following trip! Thanks:)
Jenna was amazing and so so helpful at getting us organised so late minute. And even directed me to another colleague to help me organise my activities when travelling up the coast. Super exited for our adventure now 🚐
George made the whole booking experience super easy and smooth for me. Would definitely recommend!!
Fair play to Reuben he made my experience of booking a campervan so easy! Great guy, found the best rates and went out of his way to make sure I had the best option! Highly recommend
Service impeccable avec Ben! On cherchait un van depuis quelques semaines déjà et on commençait à se perdre au travers toutes les compagnies et options possibles. RatPack nous a vraiment permis de trouver un van qui correspondait à ce qu’on voulait. Ben a répondu à toutes mes questions avec patience et gentillesse. Je recommande 100%
