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Trip Style
First Choice
Accommodation
4 - 4.5 Star
Max. Group Size
49
Guide Level
Fully Guided
Trip Code
NAA
Overview
Read 2 reviews and enjoy exclusive savings on AAT Kings 10 Day Outback Explorer. This journey takes you into the very heart of Australia. The ancient and awe-inspiring Flinders Ranges and Kings Canyon provide a dramatic introduction to the rugged landscapes of the continent's interior – and the jewels in its crown, magnificent Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). Close encounters with local people add an enriching layer to your outback experience.
Itinerary
On arrival in Adelaide today, explore the major sights of the city before joining a local food expert for a guided tour of the vibrant Adelaide Central Market. Meet the traders and share the history and secrets of this 140 year-old icon. This evening, relax with your Travel Director and fellow travellers at a Welcome Reception and dinner at La Boca Bar and Grill. (D) Stay: Crowne Plaza Adelaide
Today, drive through the rolling hills of the Clare Valley for a wine-tasting at the historic Knappstein Enterprise Winery before stopping at the township of Clare for lunch. This afternoon your journey continues to Hawker, home of the Jeff Morgan Gallery where you’ll get to meet Jeff and experience his spectacular 30 metre panoramic painting of the Flinders Ranges! Your last stop for the day is at Wilpena Pound Resort, nestled in the shadows of this remarkable natural amphitheatre. (B/D) Stay: Wilpena Pound Resort
Take a walk with your Travel Director to the faithfully-restored Hills Homestead, then enjoy panoramic views over Wilpena Pound from Wangarra Lookout. Later, journey through Pichi Richi Pass and the historic town of Quorn, known for its beautiful historic railway station, on your way to Port Augusta, a natural harbour on the Spencer Gulf. Visit Wadlata Outback Centre before dining at a local restaurant. (B/D) Stay: Majestic Oasis Apartments
Visit Woomera, a remote site used for testing space rockets during the 1950s and 60s. Then travel through salt-lake country and observe the transformation to a stark, barren landscape as you near the settlement of Coober Pedy, regarded by many as the opal capital of the world. Coober Pedy is also renowned for its underground shops and dwellings, called ‘dugouts', which provide shelter from the extreme daytime heat. View an opal demonstration with a local expert, who'll then lead you through some of the town's iconic underground buildings, including a church and a private residence. (B/D) Stay: Desert Cave Hotel
Cross the border into the Northern Territory and continue to dual World Heritage listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Uluru is sacred to the local Aboriginal inhabitants and is thought to have begun forming around 550 million years ago. Sparkling wine is served this evening as you watch the sun set behind Australia's most recognised natural landmark and witness the spectacular phenomenon of the changing colours on the massive sandstone monolith. (B) Stay: Sails in the Desert (2 nights)
Rise early this morning to experience a majestic Uluru sunrise. After a tour of the base of Uluru, you may like to take either a self-guided stroll around its full eleven-kilometre perimeter, or a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole, a pool so calm and still that it looks like glass. Your Travel Director will explain the significance of Uluru's ancient Aboriginal rock paintings, and you'll also learn about the area's flora and fauna and the culture of its traditional owners, the Anangu people. This afternoon's journey takes you to Kata Tjuta, a stunning series of thirty-six magnificent domes of red-hued sedimentary rock, where you can toast a magnificent sunset with a glass of sparkling wine. (B)
Awe-inspiring Kings Canyon is your destination today. Stop for a lunch break at Kings Creek Station, a cattle station which is also the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia, and hear the intriguing story of owners Ian and Lynn Conway and their dedication to Aboriginal children in the region's remote communities. Continue to Kings Canyon, a spectacular natural formation whose sheer sandstone walls soar to a height of over 100 metres. A 6km ‘rim walk' around the canyon will reward you with marvellous views of Watarrka National Park. An easier walk along the canyon's boulder-strewn creek bed is another option. (B/D) Stay: Kings Canyon Resort
Travelling past vast cattle properties today, you'll develop a true appreciation of the enormous magnitude of the Australian outback. On arrival in Alice Springs, visit the historic Telegraph Station established in 1872, which revolutionised communications on the island continent. (B) Stay: Crowne Plaza Alice Springs (2 nights)
Join a local Aboriginal guide at the Alice Springs Desert Park to learn about the culture and traditions of the local Arrernte People. Then visit the headquarters of the Royal Flying Doctor Service to see how this iconic facility provides lifesaving medical assistance in the outback. This evening, join the Falzon family at Earth Sanctuary World Nature Centre for a home-cooked Be My Guest barbecue dinner. You'll hear from the Falzon brothers, Tom and Danny, about the sustainable lifestyle they have established. (B/D)
Say farewell to your fellow travellers when your holiday comes to an end after breakfast. (B)
Trip Inclusions
- Go behind the scenes with local experts at the Adelaide Central Market, meet some traders and taste local produce.
- Explore the mining town of Coober Pedy with a locally guided tour through underground homes and its famed opal mines.
- Learn how the Rainbow Serpent gouged out the Gorges to make the Flinders Ranges, and experience Uluru's rock art.
- Through contributions to National Parks and Wildlife, you will be protecting Australia's wilderness – including Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
- 'First Choice' Inclusions & Accommodation
- Quality accommodation
- Travel by luxury coach
- Experienced Travel Director and Driver Guide
- Airport transfer in Adelaide (see flight information below)
- 9 Full buffet breakfasts
- 1 Be My Guest dinner
- 5 Dinners with wine
- Comfortable walking shoes
- Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
- Water bottle
- Warm layers in cooler months
- Day 1 – Flights to arrive prior to 12.30pm into Adelaide Airport
- Day 10 – Flights to depart anytime from Alice Springs Airport
- Moderate level of fitness required for walks at Wilpena Pound, Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon
- Walking on uneven surfaces is required to complete the walks, though there are alternate options available
- Accommodation, itinerary and inclusions subject to change.
- Prices are for land/cruise and internal flights as specified only. Flights not specified are not included.
- Airport transfer in Alice Springs is no longer included on this tour.
Trip Reviews (2) Most Recent 'Outback Explorer' Reviews
4.5
5 Star
4 Star
3 Star
2 Star
1 Star
Outback Explorer 1
Helen & David, VIC, Australia, Apr 2022
It was a wonderful trip show casing the wonderful outback from the flinders rangers to Uluṟu the Olga’s the wonderful kings canyon to Alice Springs. From the tour guide Christine and the bus drivers great driving skills and to the wonderful guest on the tour we all got on well and had many a laugh. To Georgie again for great organising of our trip everything ...read more went extremely well - she is the best.
Fantastic Taste of the Australian Outback - Has inspired me to see more of Australia! 3
Michelle, NSW, Australia, Jun 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this tour as I love outback country. All travel is on sealed roads. Be prepared for a few long travel days, as there are some big distances to cover, but we had good stops at least every couple of hours on those long days. There are a number of very early mornings, and if you’re doing the tour in winter, make sure you have your ...read more winter woolies, as it was very cold, particularly to watch the sunrise at Uluru!! Accommodation was excellent all the way. The rooms at Wilpena Pound Resort were more basic than the others, but they were comfortable and clean, and in a beautiful bush setting. Meals were fabulous, with plenty to choose from the set tour menu for each course, even for me being GF. Breakfasts in SA were by preorder due to COVID19 restrictions on buffets, but there were great buffet breakfasts in NT.
As can be expected due to the isolation, costs for food/drinks/snacks/coffees at the outback roadhouses/shops are fairly high. If you need special dietary snacks/biscuits, I would suggest buying these at the supermarkets along the way, as not many of the roadhouses have these available.
Strangely we saw only a handful of kangaroos the whole trip, but we did see a herd of about 20 camels as we drove out to Uluru, which was a treat. Huge flocks of wild budgies and cockatiels were seen all the time rising from the trees or off the road. The 3 hour walk at Wilpena Pound was lovely, and you can do as much as you like. It’s only at the end that you can choose to climb up an uneven rock path to get to the lookout over the pound before you head back down along the same flat track. I did the 11km Uluru base walk and thoroughly enjoyed it. The walk is completely flat on a dirt/sand track. Most of it isn’t right at the base, but this gives you better views from a distance. You are given 3.5 hours to do the walk, and once you start walking, you’re committed, as the bus won’t pick you up from anywhere other than where they drop you off! A few of our group did the 3 hour King’s Canyon Rim Walk which they said was great, with views down into the canyon, however it starts off with 500 steep and uneven rock steps, so you need to be able to handle the steps and definitely not be afraid of heights if you want to take on that loop walk! The rest of us did the lovely canyon floor walk which took us just over an hour. We marveled at the amazing red canyon walls, beautiful white gums in the dry riverbed, and beautiful birds.
Our tour director Dave Overton was fantastic - very friendly, helpful and funny, and he gave just the right amount of interesting commentary, without overloading us. Tom our driver was also excellent and friendly, and a very safe and careful driver. The bus had very comfortable leather seats, plenty of leg room, big windows for sightseeing, and a toilet on board if needed. Although they do have free Wi-Fi on board, it’s quite spasmodic, and on some days you can go hours without any internet or phone reception.
It wasn’t until the start of the tour that I found that AAT Kings always run 3 different tours concurrently, so you may find that on the bus there will be guests doing the full Adelaide to Darwin tour, some are only doing the Adelaide to Alice Springs tour, and other guests will join you at Uluru for the Uluru to Darwin tour, so don’t be surprised if there are guests coming and going on the bus!
Thanks to Georgie Walpole and the team for their assistance in keeping me appraised of things with my booking, and also with the ease that they transferred another booking to 2022 for me. This is the second time I’ve used Global Journeys, and I will continue to do so in the future.
As can be expected due to the isolation, costs for food/drinks/snacks/coffees at the outback roadhouses/shops are fairly high. If you need special dietary snacks/biscuits, I would suggest buying these at the supermarkets along the way, as not many of the roadhouses have these available.
Strangely we saw only a handful of kangaroos the whole trip, but we did see a herd of about 20 camels as we drove out to Uluru, which was a treat. Huge flocks of wild budgies and cockatiels were seen all the time rising from the trees or off the road. The 3 hour walk at Wilpena Pound was lovely, and you can do as much as you like. It’s only at the end that you can choose to climb up an uneven rock path to get to the lookout over the pound before you head back down along the same flat track. I did the 11km Uluru base walk and thoroughly enjoyed it. The walk is completely flat on a dirt/sand track. Most of it isn’t right at the base, but this gives you better views from a distance. You are given 3.5 hours to do the walk, and once you start walking, you’re committed, as the bus won’t pick you up from anywhere other than where they drop you off! A few of our group did the 3 hour King’s Canyon Rim Walk which they said was great, with views down into the canyon, however it starts off with 500 steep and uneven rock steps, so you need to be able to handle the steps and definitely not be afraid of heights if you want to take on that loop walk! The rest of us did the lovely canyon floor walk which took us just over an hour. We marveled at the amazing red canyon walls, beautiful white gums in the dry riverbed, and beautiful birds.
Our tour director Dave Overton was fantastic - very friendly, helpful and funny, and he gave just the right amount of interesting commentary, without overloading us. Tom our driver was also excellent and friendly, and a very safe and careful driver. The bus had very comfortable leather seats, plenty of leg room, big windows for sightseeing, and a toilet on board if needed. Although they do have free Wi-Fi on board, it’s quite spasmodic, and on some days you can go hours without any internet or phone reception.
It wasn’t until the start of the tour that I found that AAT Kings always run 3 different tours concurrently, so you may find that on the bus there will be guests doing the full Adelaide to Darwin tour, some are only doing the Adelaide to Alice Springs tour, and other guests will join you at Uluru for the Uluru to Darwin tour, so don’t be surprised if there are guests coming and going on the bus!
Thanks to Georgie Walpole and the team for their assistance in keeping me appraised of things with my booking, and also with the ease that they transferred another booking to 2022 for me. This is the second time I’ve used Global Journeys, and I will continue to do so in the future.
Prices & Dates
There are currently no departures available on this trip. Either it's the end of the season and new departures will be released shortly, or this itinerary has been changed and will no longer continue. Feel free to contact us for information about when next seasons dates will be released or click here to view the general release dates for all destinations.
Note
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by AAT Kings. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from AAT Kings. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
Tour & cruises prices are per person. Prices shown have savings applied, are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Pricing and trip details are correct at this point in time, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking and are subject to change by AAT Kings. For cruise itineraries, cabin images are sourced from AAT Kings. These should be treated as indicative only. Cabin inclusions, upholsteries and room layout may differ to the image(s) shown depending on the ship selected and your sailing dates.
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