Premium Red Centre & Uluru

Day 1: Alice Springs

Welcome to Australia’s Red Centre! On arrival at Alice Springs Airport, you’ll be met by a representative and transferred to your hotel. A welcome meeting will take place at 2pm today where you’ll meet your local leader and fellow travellers. Begin with an Acknowledgment of Country, then your leader will introduce you to the sights of Alice Springs. Start with a visit to the Araluen Arts Centre, then head out to the historical Telegraph Station, the site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs. Pay a visit to the grave of First Nations artist Albert Namatjira, finishing with a deeper understanding of the town and its history. Drive up to Anzac Hill and take in panoramic views of Alice Springs and the surrounding landscape. In the evening, head out for a dinner celebrating local bush foods.

Accommodation

• Double Tree by Hilton or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

• Alice Springs – Town Tour
• Alice Springs – Old Telegraph Station
• Alice Springs – Welcome Dinner
• Complimentary Airport Arrival Transfer
• Alice Springs – Anzac Hill

Meals Included

• Dinner

Special Information

Please advise your travel agent of your flight details at the time of booking so we can organise the arrival transfer for you. It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

Day 2: West MacDonnell Ranges / Alice Springs

After breakfast, hit the road once more and enjoy splendid views of the Western MacDonnell Ranges before stopping at the colorful ochre pits, learning about their place in Aboriginal culture. Continue to Ormiston Gorge. With a beautiful waterhole as its centrepiece, the gorge is the perfect place to stop for a relaxing lunch. Savour a meal of unusual, delicious, ethically sourced and organic bush foods enjoyed for over 60,000 years by the local Aboriginal communities in the area. Take a short walk to a lookout point to appreciate the landscape from a different perspective, then drive on to Ellery Creek Big Hole, where rugged cliffs plunge into a water-filled gorge below. There will be time for a swim here if you’d like to cool off (or just dip your toes if the water is too cold), then pay a visit to the Standley Chasm, a dramatic geological formation that is culturally significant to the Western Arrernte people. Return to Alice Springs for an optional dinner at the Northern Territory institution, Hanuman.

Accommodation

• Double Tree by Hilton or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

• Tjoritja-West Macdonnell Ranges – Standley Chasm
• Tjoritja-West Macdonnell National Park – Ellery Creek Big Hole
• Tjoritja-West Macdonnell National Park – Ormiston Gorge & Bush Foods Lunch

Meals Included

• Breakfast
• Lunch

Special Information

Today’s total driving time is approximately 3 hours. There are a number of shorter walks today, adding up to approximately 3 hours in total.

Day 3: Kings Canyon

Rise bright and early to begin the journey south towards Kings Canyon, one of the Northern Territory’s most spectacular sights. On arrival, get to know the incredible landscape on foot as your leader takes you on the iconic Kings Canyon rim walk, taking approximately 3-4 hours. First, climb the stairs to the top of the canyon (there’s plenty of places to stop for photos or to catch your breath!) then things get a bit easier. Walk through Priscilla’s Crack, made famous after featuring in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, a classic Australian film. Continue to the sandstone domes of the Lost City, resembling the remains of ancient civilisation. From here you can continue to explore the top of the canyon, or descend into the Garden of Eden, where a waterhole gives life to abundant flora and fauna. In fact, Kings Canyon is home to over 600 unique species of native plants and animals – your leader will point out some interesting examples as you walk. If you’re feeling like an easier walk you can also take the Kings Creek Walk by yourself – it’s shorter but won’t miss the spectacular views of the canyon. Return to your accommodation in the afternoon to get ready for dinner this evening – you’re in for a real treat! Dine under the stars for a true outback experience, and tuck into a fabulous five course meal made with seasonal and locally sourced products paired with complimentary wines.

Accommodation

• Kings Canyon Resort (1 night)

Included Activities

• Kings Canyon – Dining Under a Desert Moon Experience
• Kings Canyon – Rim Walk

Meals Included

• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner

Special Information

Today’s total driving time is approximately 5.5 hours. Please note that the rim walk at Kings Canyon is graded 4 in terms of difficulty. The 6km loop takes about 3-4 hours to complete. If you would like to opt out the leader can suggest an alternative and easier walk for you. The leader may recommend a shorter hike for the group if the heat is too intense.

Day 4: Kings Canyon / Uluru / Yulara

Say goodbye to Kings Canyon and make the short drive to Karrke on the edge of Watarrka National Park. Here you’ll gain a unique insight into First Nations culture as you join a guide to learn about the landscapes, bush tucker, bush medicines and how they are used for healing and their spiritual significance to the Luritja and Per­tame people. Then, carry on to Mt Conner and stop at a viewpoint where you can admire the flat-top mountain’s unusual shape. Stop off at an ancient salt lake then carry on to Yulara, your gateway to the enormous sandstone monolith of Uluru. Tonight’s Feature Stay accommodation is really something special. Modern, bright and airy, the hotel combines first-class service with a relaxed atmosphere, providing a perfect base for your explorations. After settling in, get out to experience the big rock for yourself – join an Anangu guide for a walk to the beautiful Mutitjulu Waterhole at the base of rock. Your guide will explain what makes this waterhole sacred while sharing stories of the incredible landscape and its connection to the Anangu people. Seeing this iconic formation for the first time is a memory that will stay with you. This evening, make the most of your first night near Uluru. Sample canapes while watching the sun set over the majestic Field of Lights. Seeing the colours of the landscape change as day turns into night is really something else. The Field of Lights is an art installation of more than 50,000 artificial lights which illuminate the landscape as far as the eye can see.

Accommodation

• Sails in the Desert or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

• Uluru – Base Walk
• Uluru – Sunset & Field of Lights
• Watarrka National Park – Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience

Meals Included

• Breakfast
• Lunch

Special Information

Today’s total driving time is approximately 4.5 hours. Please note that there is no shade for the duration of the walk.

Day 5: Kata Tjuta / Uluru / Yulara

This morning, drive to Kata Tjuta, an impressive series of massive red domes. Here you’ll embark on a fascinating 2-hour walk into the Walpa Gorge, alive with pink flowers and native wildlife. Your leader will be on hand to point out rare plants, and if you’re lucky, you may see wallaroos hopping around the rocks! Head back to your accommodation to relax and get ready for a dinner experience like no other, the Sounds of Silence. Sit down to a fantastic meal created with native bush ingredients. Set beneath a sky full of stars and to the sounds of the didgeridoo, this is the perfect finale to your Premium Red Centre adventure.

Accommodation

• Sails in the Desert or similar (1 night)

Included Activities

• Kata Tjuta – Morning Excursion & Walpa Gorge Walk
• Uluru – Sounds of Silence Dinner

Meals Included

• Breakfast
• Dinner

Special Information

Today’s total driving time is approximately 1.5 hours. Today’s walk into Walpa Gorge is an easy 3km return hike.

Kata Tjuta is a highly culturally sensitive area. To avoid revealing any sacred places, Anangu ask that you keep both sides of the gorge in frame when you film, paint, draw or photograph Walpa Gorge. By respecting these wishes, you will be contributing to the protection and continuation of some of the world’s oldest spiritual and cultural beliefs.

Day 6: Uluru / Yulara

Before your tour concludes, perhaps take the opportunity to join your leader on a sunrise walk around Uluru, for one last experience of this impressive sandstone formation. Return to your accommodation, at which point your Red Centre adventure comes to an end (unless you have pre-booked your trip to finish in Alice Springs in which case your trip will end upon arrival there at around 5:30pm).

Included Activities

• Uluru – Sunrise Base Walk

Meals Included

• Breakfast

Special Information

For those departing from Yulara Airport today, your leader can drop you at Yulara Airport before 12pm. If you’d like to arrange a transfer to Alice Springs (approximately 5 hours) on the last day of the trip please get in touch ahead of time as we can book this for you (at an additional cost).