Welcome to Uluru

Overnight: Desert Gardens Hotel, 2 Nights

Today is one of colours. The ochre soil spiked with cycads as you come into land. The endless blue sky. The russet hues of Uluru… And that’s all before the enchanting hour. Come sunset, the landscape changes with every click of your camera. If you can stop snapping, have a glass of bubbles and some nibbles with your fellow adventurers Hotel: Desert Gardens Hotel, 2 Nights

Uluru Sunrise – Kata Tjuta

Meals: Full Breakfast

Help protect the highlights of Australia's wilderness through your bucket list visit to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. You'll encounter the iconic Uluru, or ‘the Rock,’ half a billion years old, standing 348 meters high and taller than the Eiffel Tower. If you’re looking for a reason to roll out of bed before dawn, make it an Uluru sunrise. We’re not saying it’s better than the sunset. But rising with the birds certainly has benefits. Like being cool when you tour the base of the world’s biggest monolith. A circumnavigation is 11 kilometres, if you’re up for it. Or you can join a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole, a sacred spot decorated with millennia-old Aboriginal rock paintings. Dive even deeper into First Nations traditions at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. Then wander through Kata Tjuta and Walpa Gorge, with more bubbles to serenade the day’s end. Included Meals: Breakfast

Uluru – Kings Canyon

Overnight: Kings Canyon Resort • Meals: Full Breakfast, Two Course Dinner

Sleep in, or you might choose to rise early for Artist Bruce Munro's Field of Light (own expense) and another special sunrise over Uluru. Next chance to stretch your legs is at Kings Creek Station, the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia. All your senses will be activated at Kings Canyon, 440-million years in the making. Hotel: Kings Canyon Resort. Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Kings Canyon – Alice Springs

Overnight: DoubleTree Hilton Alice Springs • Meals: Full Breakfast

Things are bigger in the NT outback, from the cattle stations to the MacDonnell Ranges, which stretch like a caterpillar toward Alice Springs. Alice Springs makes Australian history for her 1872 Telegraph Station, one of 11 along the Overland Telegraph Line between Adelaide and Darwin. Hotel: Doubletree by Hilton Alice Springs, 2 Nights. Included Meals: Breakfast

Alice Springs Sightseeing

Start your day with a scenic drive to the stunning West MacDonnell Ranges. Marvel at the rugged beauty and unique rock formations as you explore Simpsons Gap, a picturesque gorge with towering cliffs and a secluded waterhole. Return to Alice Springs for a visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre, where you’ll learn about the incredible medical services provided to remote Australian communities. The afternoon is yours to enjoy at leisure. Unwind by the hotel pool, soaking up the...

Alice Springs – Tennant Creek

Overnight: Bluestone Motor Inn • Meals: Full Breakfast, Two Course Dinner

1.3 million square kilometres – that’s the eye-watering distance the School of Air’s lessons are broadcast across daily. If touring during the school term, you may be lucky enough to observe live educational sessions featuring children who otherwise may not have access to public education. Approximately an hour south of Tennant Creek is Karlu Karlu, the Devils Marbles. These boulders have formed over millions of years and continue to crack and change over time. Hotel: Bluestone Motor Inn. Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Tennant Creek – Katherine

Overnight: Contour Hotel Katherine • Meals: Full Breakfast, Two Course Dinner

Since the 1930s, the Daly Waters Historic Pub has been dishing up schnitzels, barramundi burgers and hearty steaks. The walls are lined with treasures that passers-by leave behind. ‘Land of the Never Never’ awaits at Mataranka. Visit a replica of the Elsey Homestead, used in 1982 Aussie drama We of the Never Never. Or wander palm-lined walkways to take a dip in the region’s thermal springs. Hotel: Contour Hotel Katherine. Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Katherine – Kakadu National Park

Overnight: Mercure Crocodile Hotel Kakadu, Jabiru • Meals: Full Breakfast, Two Course Dinner

The Jawoyn have called Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge home for millennia. Find out about the ancient story of the cicada, embodying the spiritual connection between the Jawoyn people and their land. Traversing across the land in into Kakadu National Park. The Yellow Water billabong cruise is a mesmerising journey through this ancient landscape, guided by knowledgeable locals. Hotel: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel. Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Kakadu – Darwin

Overnight: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin • Meals: Full Breakfast

Decisions, decisions: a morning flight over Kakadu (own expense), or a sleep in. We vote for the former before you venture toward Ubirr and its ancient Aboriginal rock art. The night is yours in steamy Darwin, where the characters are as large as the shadows cast at sunset. Hotel: 2 Nights: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin. Included Meals: Breakfast

Darwin Free Day

Your final full day in the Northern Territory is fittingly warm and tropical – embrace the relaxed rhythm of the Top End. Spend the morning your way, whether it’s sleeping in before indulging in a tropical breakfast or setting off on an optional experience. Explore Litchfield National Park, a spectacular blend of magnetic termite mounds, cascading waterfalls, and refreshing waterholes (seasonal swimming). Alternatively, venture to the Tiwi Islands, where First Nations guides offer deep insigh...

Farewell from Darwin

Meals: Full Breakfast

Eleven days. Countless adventures. A bunch of new friends. And a renewed appreciation for the wild side of Australia. What a journey.. Included Meals: Breakfast