Sydney Opera House and Birding Tour

The Sydney Opera House and Birding Festival 

This will be a 7-day tour which starts and ends in Sydney, Australia.  We will stay at the Pullman Hyde Park Hotel for 6-nights.  This hotel overlooks Hyde Park and an excellent location for daytime activities. During the day we will go birding in and around the Sydney area, and travel to birding areas that are within a 1-hour drive from Sydney.

Evening Events:  There is an option to visit the Sydney Opera house and other venues for evening performances.

• Travel Dates: September 14 - 20, 2026
• Group Size: 8 travelers, spots left = 2
• Trip Length: 7 days
• Rates:   Rate per person = $3,750* (based on double occupancy, an extra $1,700 for single)
• Rates include:  Lodging, breakfast, lunch and dinner on days 2 - 6, daily birding tours, airport transfer to/from Sydney, basic travel insurance.
• Not included: Airfare to the Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (SYD), snacks, alcohol, evening events, lunch and dinner on days 1 and 7, and trip cancelation insurance.
• Adventure level:  Easy, please check the "Welcome" page for definition
• Reservations: To reserve a spot on the trip, a non-refundable 50% deposit is required, and the non-refundable balance is due six months prior to the trip.  

2026 Itinerary

September 14:  Arrival at the Sydney Airport

• Shuttle transfer from the Sydney Airport (SYD) to the Pullman Hyde Park Hotel where we will stay for the next 6-nights.  The Sydney Airport is a 20-minute drive from our lodging.
• No activities for the day.  Lunch and Dinner on your own. 

September 15:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding sites within Sydney:  Royal Botanic Gardens, Centennial Park, Landing Lights, and Hyde Park.
• 7:00pm:  My Fair Lady musical at the Joan Sutherland Theater Sydney Opera House

September 16:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding the northern beaches: Dee Why Lagoon, Long Reef Headland, Warriewood Wetlands, Irrawong Reserve, and Chiltern Trail.
• Evening Event: TBD

September 17:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding Blue Mountains, Lithgow Wastewater Plant, Wentworth Falls, and Woodford Dam. 
• Evening Event: TBD

September 18:  Birding and Musical Event

• Birding the central coast: Ourimbah rest stop, Tuggerah Lake, Pioneer Dairy, and McPherson Swamp.
• 9:00pm:  Suzanne Vega in the Concert Hall 

September 19: Birding and Musical Event

• Birding Royal National Park 
• 7:00pm:  Dessner's Trembling Earth in the Concert Hall 

September 20:  Fly home

• Shuttle to the airport for your flight home 

Mike Barrow:  

Originally from the UK, Mike has called Australia home for the past 35 years, immersing himself in the country’s diverse ecosystems and developing an unparalleled understanding of its avian inhabitants. He is recognized as one of the leading birders in Sydney and surrounding regions.