Australian road trip, from $824

updated 11:32 a.m. ET June 20, 2008

The Real Deal: Four nights' accommodations, car rental with unlimited mileage, and tickets to see a sound and light show, from $824 per person—including taxes.

When: Depart daily, except Thursdays, through Mar. 31, 2009.

The fine print: Included are two breakfasts, a buffet-style dinner, hotel taxes, and a performance of the "Blood on the Southern Cross" sound-and-light show. A five-day Hertz compact (group C) car rental with unlimited mileage; a kit with maps, directions, and coupons for roadside stores; and access to the Goway Sydney toll-free Australia-wide assistance line in case of emergencies are also included. Mandatory vehicle insurance starts from an extra $21 a day. (Click here for more information.) Car upgrades start from $2 per day, depending on vehicle. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $554. Airfare is not included. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal.

Book by: No deadline; based on availability.

Contact: Goway, 800/387-8850, goway.com.

Why it's a deal: The cost of this package breaks down to about $206 a day, and it includes hotel accommodations, a five-day car rental with unlimited mileage, and a sound-and-light show. Aside from benefiting from free detailed maps, you will save time and money by not having to make separate arrangements for hotels and transportation. Plus, all of Goway's self-drive itineraries are tested by the company's staff to prevent any unpleasant surprises and ensure a smooth trip.

Trip details: The package includes a four-night stay divided between four hotels along the road and a five-day car rental.

The journey begins in Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria and Australia's second-largest city. Pick your rental car up at the airport or at a Hertz location downtown, then drive about 2.5 hours through Geelong and Torquay to Apollo Bay. The quiet fishing village is slowly turning into a popular vacation destination, thanks to its crescent-shaped beach, rolling hills, and prime location at the gateway to the Otway National Park rain forest. Stay overnight at Chris's Beacon Point Villas, a hotel and gourmet restaurant that overlooks Bass Strait from its location high up in the Otway Mountains above the Great Ocean Road.

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From Apollo Bay, drive another 2.5 hours to Port Fairy. You'll pass through Otway National Park before continuing along the coast until you reach Port Campbell National Park, most famous for the Twelve Apostles, ancient stacks of rock created by the sea over the course of some 20 million years. You'll spend the night at Hearns Cottage Suites (now part of the Victoria Hotel) in Port Fairy, a coastal historic town about 45 minutes from the park.

Leave Port Fairy and continue on for another 2.5 hours to Cavendish, a town settled in 1853. Stop along the way at Grampians National Park, a rugged landscape of rocky hills and hidden valleys popular for its spectacular views, rock climbing, and diverse plant and animal life. The area is also home to Stawell, also settled during the gold rush of 1853, and some of the country's leading winemakers, including Great Western and Seppelt. You'll also get a chance to learn about the aboriginal heritage of the Grampians region, which goes back some 5,000 years. You'll stay the night at Glenisla Homestead, a historic property adjacent to Grampians National Park.

The final stretch of the trip before you return to Melbourne is a two-hour drive from Cavendish to Ballarat, a historic gold-mining town settled in 1838. One look at the town's lavish buildings and you'll note that the effects of the gold rush are present to this day. Plus, there is Sovereign Hill, a re-creation of an 1860s gold-mining town.

On the last evening of your trip, you'll enjoy a sound-and-light recreation of the Eureka Rebellion known as the "Blood of the Southern Cross." You'll stay overnight at Oscar's Hotel, a 13-room art deco-style boutique property.

From Ballarat, you'll spend about 1.5 hours driving back to Melbourne, where you'll drop off the car and board your homebound flight.

Not ready to head back just yet? Goway gives you the option to extend your stay in Melbourne from $132 per room per night at the 250-room Hotel Ibis and from $146 per room per night at the 275-room Travelodge Southbank Melbourne Hotel. The cost to extend the car rental starts from $61 per day.

For more tips on what to do in the area, visit the official tourism sites for Australia, Victoria, and the Great Ocean Road before you go.

Getting there: According to a recent search on Kayak, the lowest Melbourne-bound round-trip fares we found for departures in mid-August start from $1,209 from L.A. (multiple carriers), $1,420 from Miami (multiple carriers), $1,471 from New York (Qantas), and $1,764 from Houston (multiple carriers).

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