What's Included for the Team

The Team Tour Package 

• Roundtrip airfares departing RDU including associated taxes and 3 domestic stops in Australia ie: Sydney, Brisbane & Cairns (international flights are likely to be with QANTAS Airways). Also includes your travel visa for entry into Australia
• Accommodation: 8 nights hotel and 6 nights home stays with players who you are playing against
• 6-8 games against Australian Club teams including one tournament (if available)
• Pre-Game Gifts included: For international games it is a tradition that teams exchange a small gift prior to the game and often times also meet and socialize after the game (our gifts will probably be baseball caps)
• Full uniforms: Pants, two Shirts & Cap which are yours to keep as a tour souvenir
• Sanctioning with USA Baseball/Softball and the Australian Federation of Baseball/Softball
• Team accident insurance for any on-field baseball injuries. Please Note: It is also a requirement that each participant be insured for non-baseball related injury or sickness. Many family policies will cover members on overseas trips
• 31 Meal Package includes: 12 breakfasts, 14 dinners & 5 lunches. Players are responsible or buying 9 lunches and 1 (airport) breakfast
• Ground Transportation: 48 or 54-seat Luxury 5-star safety coach includes reclining seats each with a seat belt, air-conditioning, PA System, TV/video player and rest room. Note: We will also utilize some public transportation (train) in Sydney and 26 seat vehicles for our Daintree & Atherton Tablelands visit in Cairns (the big buses cannot do these day trips due to some rather tight corners)
• A two day pre-departure camp will be conducted late July/early August for players to get to know each other and formulate game strategy
• A pre-departure meeting (7-9 pm) will be conducted in April for all players and parents to meet each other as well as receive a 45 minute presentation on Australian History & Culture. We will also show a power point presentation for the trip and take questions
• Attend one day of classes at an Aussie HS with one of your home stay students and experience the daily life of an Australian student
• Guided Coach tour of each city you visit: Excellent for orientation to the city itself as well as highlights of the surrounding area
• Entry to Sydney’s World Famous Aquarium where you’ll be up close with sharks and see a variety of other marine life
• Sydney Harbour Highlights Cruise: A beautiful narrated cruise lasting 75 minutes with great photo opportunities

• Guided Walking Tour of The Rocks & Darling Harbour areas (Sydney)
• Entry to an Aboriginal Cultural Centre: Enjoy lessons throwing a boomerang & playing the didgeridoo as well as learn a little about Aboriginal culture, traditional foods, medicines, etc.
• Entry to Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo where you can have photos taken holding a koala & baby crocodile, pat kangaroos, see free flight bird and crocodile shows, as well as hundreds of other native Australian animals (9:00am – 3:00 pm)
• Entry to a professional Australian Football League (AFL) game, otherwise known as Aussie Rules Football or just “footy”
• Entry to a professional National Rugby League (NRL) Game
• Surfboard riding lessons with an accredited professional surf instructor (duration 75-90 minutes)
• Full Day Great Barrier Reef Excursion: From 8:30am-5:30pm you will enjoy a quality buffet lunch, one free introductory scuba dive & snorkelling gear included               
• Day visit to the Kuranda Ranges via SKYRAIL: You will ride the longest gondola (cable car) in the world which runs for 4.7 miles above the canopy of this pristine tropical rainforest. Also have time to walk through the forest & eat lunch in the mountain town of Kuranda
• Guided group tour in the rainforest onboard an Amphibious WWII USA Army Duck
• Full day trip to the Daintree National Park & Daintree River Crocodile Cruise: You will spend 60 minutes cruising the Daintree River where you will (probably) see Crocs in the wild
• Fun daily activities like bowling with Aussie students, enjoying an authentic BBQ, etc
• Sports Travel Academy Tour Guides led by Craig Douglass will travel with your group 24-hours per day for the duration of your tour. Our Australian-born tour leaders assist with tour logistics and provide suitable options for the group as required. Our tour leaders’ contacts, background, and local knowledge considerably enhance the quality of your group’s experience in Australia. Craig has led (apprx) 70 USA groups on Aussie tours since 1995
• Sports Travel Academy Aussie gift pack for each passenger will be distributed at the pre-departure camp. This includes a phone card with 90 minutes of talk-time back to the USA, five pre-stamped Aussie postcards to send home to friends and family, souvenir tour shirt, discount coupons, city maps & brochures for places you will visit and more