Courier April/May Courier | Page 48

COMPASS South Pacific COMPILED BY GABE WEBB “What we do well is align the interests of the traveler to the things they wish to experience when they visit Australia,” says Nayaz Noor, CEO of Safir Tours. His company, based near Melbourne, creates wholly customized itineraries for groups and FITs. Safir Tours often designs its packages based on a group’s point of origin, says Noor. “North American itineraries typi- cally include a visit to Sydney—to see the iconic opera house and the Blue Mountains—besides Cairns or Port Douglas to see the Outer Great Barrier Reef and, time-permitting, the Daintree Rainforest.” Noor also highlights visits to Uluru and the extension of its popular Field of Lights installation, which will now run until 2020. The company is promoting new itineraries that showcase Australia’s stunning scenery and luxury offerings. “The Top End, covering Kakadu National Park, Litchfield National Park, Arnhem Land and Katherine, is for those who really wish to see the Outback a little differently,” says Noor. Highlights of the tour include a Yellow Water cruise for travelers to see billabongs, waterfalls, sandstone escarpments and wildlife. Safir Tours is finalizing a coast-to-coast tour between Perth and Sydney, with departures in both directions. Guests will travel on the Indian Pacific Train (a three-night journey), with offbeat excursions along the way. The itinerary also includes time to explore its coastal origin and destination points. Three Sisters, the Blue Mountains Safir Tours offers Australia for all “Because we are a family-owned company, [we] lay a lot of emphasis on the quality and delivery of service and go out of our way to make our guests feel comfortable,” says Noor. “Our personalized attention to the requirements of travelers and our versatility in handling all sorts of itineraries—from hon- eymo