11 Day Outback Safari
AAT Kings Premium Outback Safari Tour visits Ayers Rock, The Olgas, Kings Canyon and Kakadu National Park over 12 spectacular scenic days.
INCLUDED HIGHLIGHTS
- Sunset at Uluru (Ayers Rock)
- Uluru base walking tour
- Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)
- Climb Kings Canyon
- Alice Springs Desert Park
- Visit Simpson’s Gap
- Battery Hill at Tennant Creek
- Mataranka Thermal Springs
- Cruise on Katherine Gorge
- See Aboriginal rock art
- Explore Kakadu National Park
- Yellow Water Billabong cruise
- Orientation tour of Darwin
- Visit Litchfield National Park
- Visit Crocosaurus Cove
- INCLUDED Aboriginal cultural experience
- ‘You are invited’ experience
PREMIUM HOLIDAY INCLUSIONS
Quality Touring
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Professional Team
Included Meals
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SAMPLE ITINERARY – Itineraries are subject to change
Day 1: Arrive Ayers Rock
On arrival in Ayers Rock you will be transferred to your hotel. Meet your Tour Director this evening and enjoy a complimentary glass of wine as you watch a spectacular sunset at Uluru.
Hotel: Desert Gardens Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort, 2 nights.
Day 2: Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)
Rise early to view sunrise at Uluru. Join a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole and stop at the Uluru – Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. Visit Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Walpa Gorge. We’ll take in the magnificent outback sunset while enjoying a complimentary glass of sparkling wine. B
Day 3: Kings Canyon
Travel to Kings Canyon this morning. For the energetic, a guided climb to the canyon rim will be rewarded with magnificent views of Watarrka National Park. Or you may prefer to explore the boulder-strewn canyon floor, an easier walk.
Hotel: Kings Canyon Resort, Kings Canyon. B D
Day 4: Alice Springs
Leaving Watarrka National Park behind, we travel through to Alice Springs. See the sights including the School of the Air and the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
Hotel: Chifley Alice Springs Resort, Alice Springs, 2 nights. B
Day 5: Aboriginal Culture
This morning spend time with a local Aboriginal guide at the Alice Springs Desert Park and learn about the life of the Arrernte People, including bush food and the search for water. We learn about Australia’s unique desert marsupials and reptiles. Later visit the historic Telegraph Station and Simpson’s Gap, a prominent waterhole in the West MacDonnell Ranges, with its striking gorges and river red gum scenery.You are invited to join us on a discovery tour at the Earth Sanctuary Nature Centre near Alice Springs. After a barbecue dinner you’ll hear from the Falzon brothers Tom and Danny, about the sustainable lifestyle they have established. They may even lead you on a sing-a-long accompanied by the didgeridoo and guitar. B D
Day 6: Tennant Creek
Travelling north we arrive at mysterious Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles). There is time to walk around these precariously balanced boulders. On arrival in Tennant Creek we join a local guide for a tour of the historic Battery Hill Precinct. Tour an underground mine and experience the life of an early miner. At the Battery Hill Mine Centre enjoy a delicious barbecue dinner.
Hotel: Bluestone Motor Inn, Tennant Creek. B D
Day 7: Mataranka Thermal Springs
Travel across vast outback stations. Visit the historic Daly Waters Hotel before continuing on to Mataranka, ‘Land of the Never Never’. On arrival at Mataranka Homestead you can take time to visit the replica of the original Elsey Homestead, used in the filming of ‘We of the Never Never’. Alternatively, you may take the beautiful palm lined walkway for a swim in the famous thermal springs. Travel on to Katherine, the third largest town in the Northern Territory, often described as the place ‘where the outback meets the tropics’.
Hotel: Paraway Motel, Katherine. B D
Day 8: Katherine Gorge
We join our local guide on an early morning cruise through Katherine Gorge. You have the opportunity to see wildlife and prolific birdlife. Our cruise through the gorge takes us past sheer sandstone walls and all manner of flora and fauna. We then continue deep into Kakadu National Park. Join a cruise on the famous Yellow Water Billabong. We should see a variety of bird life and with luck may see the feared estuarine crocodile basking in the muddy waters.
Hotel: Gagudju Crocodile Holiday Inn, Jabiru. B D
Day 9: Kakadu National Park
We stop at the Bowali Visitor Centre. The displays here will take you on a journey through Kakadu’s varied habitats and landscapes. Travel to Ubirr and view Aboriginal rock art dating back some 20,000 years. A climb to the top of Ubirr is rewarded with superb views of the surrounding wetlands and escarpment country. Later we travel to Darwin and enjoy a sightseeing tour of this tropical city on arrival, including Parliament House, Fannie Bay Gaol, the Botanic Gardens and a visit to the Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory, which houses stunning permanent collections of Aboriginal art.
Hotel: Mantra Pandanas, Darwin, 2 nights. B
Day 10: Litchfield National Park
We travel to Litchfield National Park. Our first stop is the amazing stand of Termite Mounds, architectural feats complete with arches, tunnels and nursery chambers. Then travel to view beautiful Florence Falls from a high vantage point before we visit Tolmer Falls for a magnificent view of the water cascading down to the steep waterhole below. Venture on to tropical Wangi Falls for a relaxing swim in the large crystal clear pool. A great day for taking many interesting photos! Return to Darwin this afternoon. Dine out this evening at Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove. Enter the world of the awesome Northern Territory saltwater crocodile. See the largest display in the world of Australian reptiles, a two storey fresh water aquarium, a turtle sanctuary, as well as local Aboriginal art and culture displays. B HD
Day 11: Depart Darwin
Your tour concludes this morning after breakfast. You will be transferred to Darwin Airport to connect with your onward flight. B
THE GHAN
Why not add a journey aboard The Ghan from Darwin to Alice Springs or Adelaide to the end of this tour? Ask your travel agent for details.