FAQs

For tourists, we recommend that you stay at least two to three days to fully explore many of the great and iconic buildings and facilities in the city. We recommend you start your first full day joining The Highlights of Canberra Tour, a fun day tour that captures the very best experiences that you could have in Canberra in a single day. This tour can help you identify the places you would want to visit for the duration of your stay.

Canberra is a mix of both old and new. While there are still a lot of undiscovered places, wildlife and nature to take in, signs of progress are everywhere – from the architecture to the technologies used to build Canberra throughout time.

Canberra is well known for its national institutions which highlights many aspects of Australian culture, and life. In addition to these places, Canberra has many locations which relate to the personal achievements of Australians, the artistic abilities of Australians and the cultural and belief systems of many Australians. Canberra has a wide diversity of experiences from the very iconic institutions to the simple pleasures that we can enjoy.

There are many reasons why both tourists and Australians should visit Canberra. Here are the three important factors:

• Canberra is extremely well located
  Canberra is only a 3 hour drive in a car from Sydney and a 6 hour drive from Melbourne. If you don’t have a car or prefer not to drive, buses leave for Canberra from Sydney at almost every hour of the day. There’s also a bus service from Melbourne to Canberra. Once here, everything is extremely accessible – from wildlife, national institutions, and accommodation.
• Every corner of Canberra has a story to tell.
  Canberra’s rich history can still be seen in the city. A great example of that is the Anzac Parade, Parliament House, The Australian War Memorial, and even the roads and paths around Lake Burley Griffin. Uncover past political secrets and visit historically significant locations with a knowledgeable guide when you join The Highlights of Canberra Tour. You can also plan your own bespoke tour by joining a private half or full day tour.
• Canberra has a thriving nature and wildlife scene.
  From birds, to platypuses, and kangaroos. With numerous birdwatching hotspots, springtime’s vibrant colours, and even snow, there are loads of fun nature and wildlife trips you can do in Canberra. We highly recommend joining our Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour to see many iconic Australian animals in the wild.

Canberra is Australia’s capital city that is bursting in history, culture and soul. It has great iconic and symbolic features that are of great interest and pride to all Australians. It is also known for its breathtaking nature reserves, thriving wildlife, and a well-established and award-winning wine region just on our doorstep.

The two places are very different, so saying one is better than the other is, most of the time, highly subjective. However, Canberra is only a 3 hour drive from Sydney, and there are plenty of public transport options going to Canberra and back to Sydney.

Canberra does have unique qualities and features which are unlike any other city in Australia or indeed any other city around the world. In fact, to quote the designer of Canberra, Walter Burley Griffin, he said in 1912: “I have planned a city that is not like any other in the world.” For these reasons, Canberra is different and in that sense better than any other city you’re likely to visit.

For tourists, we do encourage you to visit both locations and decide for yourselves.

Canberra is great to visit at any time of year. There is always something to see or do in Canberra all year round. However, it’s best to come in clothes and tools appropriate for the season.

Canberra has four distinct seasons. Unlike many other parts of Australia, and in each season, there are features of the city that are of interest and can delight a visitor. Whether it be the floral festivals of spring, the wonderful change of colour of the trees in autumn or the cosiness and accessibility of the ski fields in the winter.

We have made a special video about just this topic which you can view on our YouTube Channel here.

Canberra is a very economic and affordable city to visit both in terms of its closeness to other destinations in Australia and in the wide range of accommodations that are available within the City to meet all budgets. Tour experiences in Canberra are also relatively inexpensive. People on all budgets can find a way to experience Canberra to travel to and experience Canberra in a way which suits their budget.

A weekend, or any two days in Canberra would best be spent joining the Highlights of Canberra Tour with Canberra Guided Tours on the first day. This will give tourists a range of options, locations, and ideas on what they can do on their second day. This will greatly depend on the personal tastes and preferences of each person or group.

We highly recommend the Highlights of Canberra Tour, especially for first time visitors. This will allow you to maximise the experiences you can attain in your day and spend it in some of the most historically significant and breathtaking spots in the city.

Kangaroos are common in Canberra, and you’re bound to see kangaroos around the city and suburbs.

Canberra is well known to be the bush capital of Australia. And as a consequence has large numbers of kangaroos living throughout the city and indeed, throughout the suburbs. The best way to see kangaroos in a short visit to Canberra would be to do a Highlights of Canberra Tour and ask the guide to point out kangaroos.

The most visited place in Canberra is the Australian National War Memorial.

There are koalas in Canberra, but they are rare in the wild. However, there are small numbers in Tidbinbilla nature reserve and the parks authorities have a small captive colony which they are reintroducing to the reserve.

You can see koalas at Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve along with other Australian native animals like different bird species, kangaroos, and wallabies. This nature reserve is a main location we visit on our Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour.

Wombats are common in bushlands around Canberra. However, they only come out at dusk and do not appear within the city proper.

You may travel the bushlands around the city at dusk to see wombats, but be sure to take necessary precautions.

they’re not active during the day and typically come out just at dusk and you have to be patient to see wombats. They don’t appear within the city limits; they only occur in bushland around the city. So you need to be patient to see wombats and travel carefully on bushland tracks in rural tracks in the early evening. On occasions we see wild wombats on our Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour.

July is the coldest month in Canberra, with daytime highs around 12°C (54°F). If you are travelling to Canberra from May to August, be sure to pack clothes suited for cold weather.

People from Canberra are called Canberrans. However, recently in popular social media Canberrans have tongue in cheek referred to themselves as “Kenbehrens”.

Canberra is well known for its high quality water that can be drunk without treatment. Canberra has the best water catchment in the continent of Australia.

Canberra has a wide range of shopping centres and markets open to the public. Most shops are open from 9am to 5.30pm on weekdays, and hours vary on weekends.

The Australian National War Memorial, Australian Parliament House, and the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. These locations are in several of our tour offerings, and we highly recommend you visit them.

Tucked away in the corners of Canberra are some relatively unknown but fascinating places including a church that was relocated in Canberra from Sydney, a chapel that was rebuilt from the prisoner of war camp in Changi, Singapore. And a beautifully decorated Greek Orthodox Church, to the home of AFL and Cricket in Canberra, at Manuka Oval.

There are a lot of things to do in Canberra. But if it’s your first time in Australia’s capital city, you should definitely begin your trip with a tour or service from Canberra Guided Tours.

We also offer private, bespoke tours and a step-on guide service if you already have a set itinerary.

We get lots of daily inquiries about pickups and drop-offs to certain hotels. The general answer is, we can arrange pickups from any hotel or accommodation in central Canberra, even those that are not on the list below. You can enter your accommodation address details when booking your tour.

Below is a list of main hotels & locations we pickup from:

• Diplomat (Ramada Diplomat Canberra) – 2 Hely St, Griffith ACT 2603, Australia
• East Hotel – 69 Canberra Avenue, Griffith ACT, Australia
  Hyatt Hotel Canberra – 120 Commonwealth Ave, Canberra ACT 2600, Australia
• Mercure Canberra – Ainslie Avenue & Limestone Ave, Braddon ACT 2612, Australia
• Canberra Rex Hotel – 150 Northbourne Ave, Braddon ACT 2612
  Pacific Suites Canberra – 100 Northbourne Ave, Canberra ACT 2612, Australia
• Avenue Hotel Canberra – 80 Northbourne Ave, Braddon ACT 2612, Australia
• Crowne Plaza Canberra – 1 Binara St, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia
• Madison Capital Executive Apartments – 108 Northbourne Ave, Braddon ACT 2612, Australia
• Jolimont Bus Station – 65 Northbourne Ave, Canberra ACT 2601
• Novotel – 65 Northbourne Ave, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia

We do also allow pickup requests from other local hotels & centrally located accommodation. You can enter your accommodation address details when booking.

You can view our pickup locations guide.

Try to arrive at your tour’s starting point at least 20-30 minutes prior to the scheduled time. In the event that you are running late, please call our booking concierge on 0408 483 770 as soon as possible. We will try to wait for you, as long as the other passengers are not being inconvenienced.

Please also make sure that your clock is turned to the right timezone. You can always ask your hotel concierge for the current time.

You can request to change the date of a seat-in-coach tour (the Highlights of Canberra Tour, the Canberra Floriade Tour, the Canberra Wine Tour and the Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour) up to 24 hours prior to tour commencement. For a private tour or charter, request the change up to 7 days prior to tour commencement. Please note, however, that many of our tours sell out weeks in advance and changes of tour dates will be accepted only upon availability.

You must always come with comfortable walking shoes, a water bottle to keep hydrated, and clothing suitable for the weather on the day of your tour. Hats are highly recommended, especially during the summer months. Here’s a video worth watching to prepare yourself for any of our tour offerings.

We offer a full refund on a seat-in-coach tour as long as you cancel 24 hours before the tour begins. For a private tour or charter, we offer a full refund as long as you cancel more than 7 days before the tour begins. We can also reschedule your tour to another time if that is convenient for you. Please contact bookings@canberraguidedtours.com.au or call our booking concierge number 0408 483 770 in the event of a cancellation.

Flight and operation of drones is prohibited in all ACT parks and nature reserves (Nature Conservation Act 2014). Drone flight may be approved for some purposes, such as conservation research, though you will need to secure the proper licences and paperwork. We do not recommend you bring drones on the tours.

We do not have an active policy for tipping / gratuities – we leave this matter up to clients.

You can enjoy a 10% discount on your total order when you book any two of the Highlights of Canberra Tour, the Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour and the Canberra Floriade Tour together in the same checkout process on our website via a desktop. To take advantage of this special promotion, follow these steps:

1. Visit our website on a desktop device (the offer is not available on mobile).
2. Select the ‘Highlights of Canberra Tour’, the ‘Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour’ or the ‘Floriade Tour’, select a tour date, and click “Book Now.”
3. This brings up a new pop-up window for you to enter in your name details.
4. On this pop-up, on the right hand side, look for the option to “Add this product to get 10% off”.
5. Click on “Book Now” to add this other tour to your booking.
6. The 10% discount will be automatically applied to your total order at checkout.

Don’t miss out on this fantastic opportunity to experience the best of Canberra while saving on your adventure!

The vehicle frequently used in Canberra Guided Tours seats up to 14 people comfortably, but most of the time, it does not get filled. Charter tours usually incur a larger number of participants than our regular Canberra day tours & the appropriate sized vehicle will be used.

There is no toilet on the transport itself. However, we have regular bathroom stops throughout the tour, and toilets available on most of the tour stop locations.

Our vehicles have automobile cigarette outlets. We suggest you bring a charger compatible with these outlets or your own power bank to be able to charge your phone on the vehicle.

Meals and refreshments are usually not included in the price of the tours. However, our tour guides will arrange for a place where everyone can buy their own food and drinks during the appropriate tour.

As tour guides, we try to find places in every tour where people can purchase food inclusive of all dietary requirements and preferences.

If you have any allergies or strict dietary requirements that need to be followed, please let us know ahead of time so we can put it in consideration while planning your tour.

For our regular tours (also known as “seat in coach” tours), no, we don’t offer this service as we’re not able to guarantee the time of arrival & ensure we’re able to start our tours on time.

If you happen to book one of our private tours – then yes, this can certainly be arranged as the tour will be just for you/your group.

Yes, we can arrange this. However, the only constraint is for our regular tours (also known as “seat in coach” tours), drop off occurs at the end of the tour as to not disrupt other customers.

Timings of when the tours conclude can be found on the tour pages.

For any charter or private tours – we of course can accommodate any drop off or pickup time to suit.

We do our best to ensure the safety of everyone on the tour, and while we don’t have a medical professional on board the vehicle, there is no need to worry as the entire tour occurs close to major medical facilities in Canberra.

Yes, because it’s self-directed when it comes to mobility. As mentioned, light walking is to be expected, but you can stop at any time for any reason.

Yes, the tour is wheelchair accessible.

A range of clean and comfortable vehicles will be used, from 25-seater coaches down to vans for smaller groups.

All the Canberra Floriade tours will be led by English-speaking tour guides.

Yes, there are restrooms available at every stop of the tour.

Yes, strollers are allowed.

No. The Canberra Floriade Tour is highly recommended for families with children of any age.

No, pets are not allowed on the tour.

You are welcome to document your tour and take photos.

Yes, you can. However, your request will be subject to the availability of the slots on your preferred dates.

We try our best to accommodate all requests and preferences of our customers upon booking, However, answering impromptu tour requests will highly depend on its availability on the locations visited.

You can leave the tour after visiting the Floriade Festival, and choose not to participate in the final leg of the tour: Tulip Tops Estate, which is located outside of Canberra. However, once you have commenced with the travel to Tulip Tops, it would not be possible to leave the tour except at your own expense by taxi.

Enclosed, comfortable walking shoes.

This is dependent on several factors such as traffic and the weather, but rest assured the total time in the vehicles will be less than the total time spent at the locations.

Both copies will be honoured and this will be for each customer to decide.

No, there will be no WiFi in the tour vehicle.

Yes, please inquire by email (bookings@canberraguidedtours.com.au) or through our website.

We keep all items we find after the tour, but inquiries would have to be made via the company phone number or email so we can help find your missing items.

Yes, please inquire by email (bookings@canberraguidedtours.com.au) or through our website.

As is already disclosed in the description of the tour, lunch is at your own expense, and there will be a wide range of public vendors at the Floriade Festival to provide meals at every expense to suit all tastes and dietary requirements.

Yes, we accept credit card payments.

No. We recommend each guest bring their water bottle or buy from the merchants at Floriade Festival at their own expense.

No, unless an emergency occurs that entails skipping parts of the tour.

The guide will be available on most parts of the trip for guidance, except for the exploration of the sites which will be at the guest’s own pace and discretion.

Yes, and guests of the tour are more than welcome to shop during their time of exploration.

Yes, just be sure to let us know beforehand.

Every vehicle we use for the tour will have a label indicating our company name and the name of the specific tour you signed up for, so it should be fairly easy to spot.

Yes. National rules apply.

Yes, you may bring snacks and even packed lunches.

Yes there are, and that is one of the reasons why this tour does not have an age requirement.

No, we suggest you pack light and leave your luggage at your hotels and accommodations.

Smoking is only allowed in designated areas, as per ACT law and venue rules.

No, all prices will be displayed on the website before you book.

Yes. Given that meals are self-selected from a wide range of public vendors at the Floriade Festival, you can opt to bring your own packed lunch to be safe.

Depending on the schedules booked, the tour itinerary includes visits to four to six wineries, typically with their own wine tasting menus. We may change the venues due to operational reasons, but the experience will always be of the same quality.

Visit our wine tour pages to view the typical wineries we visit.

Final selection of wineries is done on the day

Yes. In fact, we encourage you to as doing so supports the local and independent wineries in the area.

Most producers are naturally very happy to sell bottles to visitors.

Some wineries, but certainly not all, can arrange shipping.

Yes, there will be room to store your wine purchases within reason of course.

All wine tasting fees are included in the tour price.

There is no set time. It will depend on the size of the tour group and the wineries themselves, but the average time spent is about an hour at each winery.

Absolutely not. You don’t need to know a lot about wine to enjoy a Canberra Wine Tour. Whether you are a wine newbie or a sommelier, the tour will be just as fun and valuable, regardless. Everyone goes on a wine tour to learn about wine, or to learn more about wine.

What is included in the tour price is always specified in the tour Program. However specifically for wine tours,

What’s included:

• Transport in comfortable tour vehicle
• Expert Local Tour Guide
• Pickup at major hotel & motel chains
• Tasting fees

What’s NOT included:

• Lunch
• Personal wine consumption & purchases

We usually break for lunch at the Queens Terrace Café. A café with a variety of food options, sure to satisfy the most diverse tastes and dietary preferences.

Typically on the Highlights of Canberra Tour, guests will have 1-2 hours to spend at the Australian National War Memorial, including the experience of the last post ceremony.

What is included in the tour price is always specified in the tour Program. However specifically for Highlights of Canberra tours,

What’s included:

• Transport in comfortable tour vehicle
• Expert Local Tour Guide
• Pickup at major hotel & motel chains

What’s NOT included:

• Lunch

The Kangaroos and Koalas Experience Tour typically still operates regardless of light rain or winds.

However, if there are exceptional circumstances such as heavy snow or typhoons, the guide may contact those participating in the tour to discuss options for the tour.

Yes, you are guaranteed to see some wildlife. However, on any given day we do not know how many and which species you will see. You would be pleased to know that our wildlife tours have never not seen at least Eastern grey kangaroos, many species of colourful parrots, wallabies, platypuses and koalas.

Be sure to have comfortable walking shoes, a jacket and a hat because the tours run into the evenings it can get quite chilly.

No. In the ACT, the national park authorities do not allow wild animals to be fed by tourists or visitors for the safety of both parties.

No. In the ACT, the national park authorities do not allow wild animals to be touched by tourists or visitors for safety purposes.