From The Top End To The Outback

To Darwin & SightseeingDay1

On arrival into Darwin Airport meet your tour crew and transfer to your accommodation to set up camp. Afternoon orientation tour of Darwin visiting the waterfront Stokes Hill Wharf and see the fish feeding at Doctors Gully. Enjoy fish and chips on the wharf. A great way to get a view of the famous Darwin Sunset.

Meals:

Dinner

Accommodation:

Lee Point Village Resort – tents

Darwin to Kakadu National ParkDay2

Depart Darwin and travel along the Arnhem Highway stopping at Windows on The Wetland, an informative wetlands viewing platform and refteshment stop, then a brief stop at the Bark Hut Inn with its typical NT atmosphere. Continue through the world-renowned Kakadu National Park, home to a profusion of birds and other native fauna.

View the ancient Aboriginal rock paintings at Ubirr, which has been added in its own right to the World Heritage List because of its anthropological and archaeological value. An afternoon stop in the town of Jabiru where you can photograph the crocodile shaped hotel.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Jabiru Camping Park – tents

East Alligator River Cruise, Bowali Visitor Centre, Nourlangie & Warradjan Cultural CentreDay3

This morning board the Guluyambi East Alligator River Cruise for a unique Aboriginal cultural experience. See crocodiles, step off the boat to stand in Arnhem Land and your Aboriginal guide will throw spears into the river to try and catch a Burramundi or two. Visit the Bowali Visitor Centre that contains a wealth of information about Kakadu including a theater, library and interpretive display.

Stop at Nourlangie, A 1.5km circular walk that takes you past an ancient Aboriginal shelter and several outstanding art sites. The lookout provides impressive views of Kakadu’s escarpment. The most famous rock art picture at Nourlangie is called Namondjok and for some Aboriginal groups he is a Creation Ancestor. Visit Warradjan Cultural Centre with informative displays where the traditional Aboriginal land owners (Bininj) of Kakadu National Park tell stories of their culture through the displays and exhibitions.

Return to your overnight accommodation in Jabiru.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation:

Jabiru Camping Park – tents

A Day to Explore Stunning GunlomDay4

Head East on the Kakadu Highway for Gunlom (Goon-lom) where some scenes of Crocodile Dundee were filmed. Located close to the carpark with a short walk is the main plunge pool below the seasonal waterfall. A 2km return steep climb takes you to the top of the waterfall and rock pools and a lookout with breathtaking views over southern Kakadu.

Depart afternoon for Katherine.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Nitmuluk Caravan Park – tents

Katherine Wild River Country, Gorge Cruise & To MatarankaDay5

Join the 9am Nitnit Dreaming Cultural Cruise. On this Katherine Gorge cruise discover the cultural significance of 2 gorges to the traditional land owners, the Jawoyn people. Be enlightened by the history and traditions of the indigenous inhabitants.

After the cruise take some time to browse through the Nitmiluk Visitor Centre. The Display Centre and Heritage Museum features large scale models illustrating the flora, fauna and rock formations of the Park. Photographs, memorabilia and traditional Aboriginal artefacts are also on display. The Centre has a range of souvenirs and artefacts handmade by the Jawoyn people.

Depart Katherine for Mataranka, famous for its natural hot thermal springs. View the replica of the original homestead from the movie that was filmed there “We of the Never Never”. The film can be shown to the group at the Bistro on request – please contact Austour to organise. Spend an enjoyable afternoon and evening in the thermal pools that bubble at a constant 34°C.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Mataranka Homestead Campground – tents

Mataranka, Outback Settlements To Kelly’s RanchDay6

Travel on the Stuart Highway south to Kelly’s Ranch stopping at the famous Daly Waters Pub. Pass through other settlements and large cattle stations including Dunmarra, Newcastle Waters, Elliott, Renner Springs and the larger gold mining town of Tennant Creek.

Detour to nearby Kelly’s Ranch. Owner, Jerry Kelly, is an Indigenous Australian and a Traditional Owner of the Region who takes pleasure and pride in providing you with an understanding of his traditional culture, the stockman’s life and life in the bush. Be entertained with outback stories told by Jerry, while enjoying billy-tea and homemade damper cooked on an open fire.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Kelly’s Ranch Camp Site – tents

Kelly’s Ranch To Devil’s Marbles (Karlu Karlu) On To AliceDay7

Farewell to Kelly’s Ranch travel further south on the Stuart Highway and see large road trains transporting the cattle to the markets. Stop at the Devils Marbles known as Karlu Karlu a sacred place to Aboriginal traditional owners and according to Aboriginal lore is the site where the Rainbow Serpent laid her eggs. This remarkable site is an unforgettable place to visit.

Make a brief stop at Wycliffe Well Holiday Park the UFO capital of Australia. Here this unique Roadhouse has UFO paraphernalia, alien statues and souvenirs.

Continue on to Alice Springs arriving late afternoon. This evening meet with our Indigenous colleagues Damian and Uncle Arthur who will talk about their culture, bush tucker and the traditional lifestyle of their ancestors. Cook and sample kangaroo tail and a chance to try playing a didgeridoo.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation:

Desert Palms – multi share bunk rooms

Alice Springs Visits & SightseeingDay8

Visit Alice Springs Desert Park. An Indigenous guide will take you through the park. See the feeding of the Birds of Prey, a nocturnal house with Australian native marsupials on the verge of extinction as well as a variety of desert environments. Travel to Standley Chasm and through the West MacDonell Ranges.

Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Anzac Hill for an excellent panorama of the West MacDonnell Ranges and the town of Alice Springs. Some free time in the town of Alice to visit the Todd Mall and the many souvenir shops and art galleries.

Enjoy an evening with Rex the reptile man from Alice Springs Reptile Centre.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Visit Alice Springs Desert Park. An Indigenous guide will take you through the park. See the feeding of the Birds of Prey, a nocturnal house with Australian native marsupials on the verge of extinction as well as a variety of desert environments. Travel to Standley Chasm and through the West MacDonell Ranges. Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service and Anzac Hill for an excellent panorama of the West MacDonnell Ranges and the town of Alice Springs. Some free time in the town of Alice to visit the Todd Mall and the many souvenir shops and art galleries. Enjoy an evening with Rex the reptile man from Alice Springs Reptile Centre.

Alice Springs to Kings Canyon StationDay9

Depart Alice Springs with our first stop on the Stuart Highway at Stuarts Well where the opportunity exists for a camel ride (at own expense). Visit Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse which is also an outlet for the artwork produced by members of Imanpa community. The building houses an art gallery showcasing the items made by people from the bush community, such as paintings, traditional wood carvings, and necklaces fashioned out of nuts and seeds.

Stop to photograph desert oak forests before arriving at Angas Downs, ex Ranger Head quarters. Angas Downs Ranger Headquarters is a pastoral lease held by the Imanpa Development Association. Welcome by some of the Imanpa Community members. Campfire dinner.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner

Accommodation:

Angas Downs – tents

Kings Creek Station To Kings CanyonDay10

Farewell to Angas Downs and travel to Kings Canyon, Watarrka National Park to begin your self-guided rim walk around the canyons sandstone walls, which formed when small cracks over time eroded to create the spectacular canyons we have today.

Travel onto Ayers Rock Resort with stops on the way including Mt Conner a 300 metre high flat topped and horseshoe-shaped monolith and often mistaken for Uluru. Opposite and short climb up the sand dune to see Lake Amadeus a huge salt lake and many desert oak forests. Arrive at Ayers Rock Resort Campground to set up camp and with time permitting travel into the National Park and photograph spectacular Uluru at sunset.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Ayers Rock Resort Campground – tents

Discovering Uluru and Kata TjutaDay11

A day to explore Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Wake up early to travel into the National Park to see Uluru from the new sunrise viewing platform whilst enjoying a light breakfast. Visit the Cultural Centre and meet with a National Park Ranger for an informative talk and briefing, then walk, explore and learn about the legends and mythology of Uluru including the Mala Walk and Kuniya Walk.

This afternoon embark on the Valley of the Winds walk at Kata Tjuta and return to the viewing lookout to witness both Uluru and Kata Tjuta for a spectacular sunset.

Meals:

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Accommodation:

Ayers Rock Resort Campground – tents

Homeward BoundDay12

View Uluru from the camp ground lookout. Catch the free shuttle bus or take a leisurely walk over the sand dunes to the Ayers Rock Tourist Information Centre and Town Square for some last minute souvenirs and maybe a chance at throwing a spear or boomerang with the Resort’s Indigenous activities.

Return to the camp ground for your transfer to Ayers Rock airport for flight home.

Meals:

Breakfast