Whales & Wildflowers Long Weekend

Your 3 Night 4 Day Whales & Wildflowers Long Weekend package includes:

• 3 nights deluxe accommodation, with breakfast daily
• Entry to Albany's Historic Whaling Station and Regional Botanical Gardens
• Entry to The National Anzac Centre
• Entry to Valley of the Giants Tree Top Walk
• A three-hour whale tour
• Albany Wildflowers Trails self-drive map
• National Park Entry Pass

Day 1:  Your Whales and Wildflowers Long Weekend starts with a warm welcome from the staff at The Ace. Spend your first afternoon exploring the central shopping precinct of York St, which abounds with charming cafes, quirky stores and historic landmarks. Drop into the Albany Visitor Centre to experience a virtual tour of the coast through VR headsets, collect your Wildflower Map, National Park Pass and activate the Amazing South Coast Pass.

Day 2:  Ryan’s Restaurant is the place to be for your early morning coffee and breakfast to set you up for a day of whales. Make your way down to the Albany Waterfront Marina where you will meet your Albany Ocean Adventures guide and step on board the premium vessel with multiple viewing areas for a once in a lifetime experience. Hear a live commentary about the wildlife that frolics in the region as well as some fascinating stories of the whaling that used to occur.

The afternoon is for a visit to the Regional Wildflower Garden at Discovery Bay is in order. The Garden includes the preservation and propagation of rare and endangered plants and showcases the unique biodiversity of this region on a scale that all visitors can appreciate and enjoy with over 100,000 indigenous plants to see. We continue to propagate and plant over 130 endemic West Australian plant species, which represent more than 80% of this regions top 11 plant orders. This one square kilometre contains more plant species than the entire European continent.  Through the walkways and paths visitors can explore these diverse gardens and experience the plant and birdlife of this amazing South West corner of Western Australia.

After the morning at the Regional Wildflower Garden, make your way to Stony Hill. It has a delightful 500m fairly level circular walk which offers spectacular 360 degree views of Torndirrup National Park. View Peak Head and the Great Southern Ocean facing directly south. Facing North, the Princess Royal Harbour and King George Sound can be seen surrounding the town of Albany. With binoculars it's possible to spot the artillery at the Princess Royal Fortress above Albany many kilometres away. An easy walk to the rocks, Stony Hill looks out over native heathland which is a popular for wildflowers.

The day wouldn't be complete without exploring The Gap and Natural Bridge. Visitors to The Gap can venture onto a new accessible viewing platform 40 metres directly above the surging seas in all but the worst weather conditions. From the gentle and mesmerising heaving of calm seas to the buffeting rush of wind and spray of winter storms the experience changes from day to day. A raised pathway leads from the parking and picnic area across the top of the exposed granite ramparts to reach the viewing platform at The Gap. The pathway gives safe access to the best views while protecting vulnerable plants and lichens on the rock surface from trampling.

Day 3: After fuelling up with a scrumptious breakfast at Ryan’s Restaurant, check out of The Ace before making your way over to the Valley of the Giants and the world famous for the Tree Top Walk suspended 40 metres high in the canopy of the ancient tingle forest. An internationally recognised nature-based tourism attraction, located in Australia’s South West, giving you a bird’s eye view of some of the biggest timber giants on Earth – Western Australia’s majestic tingle trees. Climbing 40 metres into the forest canopy and meandering through the treetops for 600 metres, the walk trail is the first of its kind, designed to maximise views and minimise impact.

Spend the afternoon exploring the National Anzac Centre, where you can immerse yourself in the Anzac Legend and follow personal stories through state of the art technology, multimedia and historic artefacts. Awarded TripAdvisor’s 2018 #1 Travellers Choice Award in Australia, #3 Travellers Choice Award in the South Pacific and the 2018 Certificate of Excellence the National Anzac Centre is one of Australia’s most important cultural pilgrimages. Located within Albany’s heritage listed Princess Royal Fortress, the centre overlooks the actual harbour from which over 41,000 men and women departed Australia for the Great War. Immerse yourself in the Anzac Legend and follow personal stories through state of the art technology, multimedia and historic artefacts. Prepare to remember, learn and explore.

Day 4: After starting your last day in Albany with a scrumptious breakfast, there is more to explore on The Amazing South Coast all within a short scenic drive. If time permits take a visit to Mt Romance and sample the heady scents of Sandalwood products. Ask our Booking team about availability of tours as this time of year is busy with harvest on The Amazing South Coast.  All too soon, it's time to head home with wonderful memories... until next time.