Tour itinerary
Day 1 Alice Springs
Arrive in Alice Springs at any time.Alice Springs Its estimated population of 26,486 (in 2005) makes it the second largest settlement in the Territory (the only other towns of significantsize are Darwin, the capital, and Katherine). It is popularly described as "the Alice" or simply "Alice". Alice Springs is known as Mparntwe to its traditional inhabitants, the Arrernte. Alice Springs is best-known outside the region from the title of the Nevil Shute novel A Town Like Alice, even though little of the story takes place in Alice Springs, and because of its proximity to Uluru /Ayers Rock), the monolithic rock that is one of Australia's best-known natural landmarks and an important focus of Aboriginal culture. Originally named Stuart, the town was established almost as a frontier settlement for north-south travel by camel trains through the desert of the outback. A telegraph station was placed near a permanent waterhole called Alice Springs after the wife of Sir Charles Todd, Postmaster General of South Australia, after whom the Todd River (which is usually dry) was named. The Ghan railway from Adelaide reached Stuart in 1929, and the town moved away from the waterhole, but locals kept the name. In 1933, after much debate, the town of Stuart was officially renamed Alice Springs. The north-south road between Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide is still called the Stuart Highway. Almost in the exact center of the continent, Alice Springs is some 1200 km from the nearest ocean and 1500 km from the nearest major cities, Darwin and Adelaide. Alice Springs is now the midpoint of the Adelaide?Darwin Railway. During the 1960s it became an important defence location with the development of the U.S/Australian Pine Gap joint defence satellite monitoring base, home to about 700 workers from both countries, but by far the major industry in recent times is tourism.
Day 2 Yulara/Uluru
Nothing will compare to the sun setting at Uluru. Watch this famous place change colours right before your eyes. Settle in and wait for the sun set at Uluru. Watch this famous formation change colours right before your eyes. It's definitely worth the wait.Uluru / Ayers Rock Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is a large sandstone rock formation located in the Northern Territory of central Australia. It is found in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, 440 km southwest of Alice Springs. Uluru is sacred to the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara, the Aboriginal people of the area. It has many springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site for its natural and man-made attributes. It is one of Australia's best known natural wonders and tourist sites. Uluru is often referred to as a monolith, and for many years it was even listed in record books as the world?s largest monolith. That description is inaccurate, as it is part of a much larger underground rock formation. Uluru is notable for appearing to change colour as the different light strikes it at different times of the day and year, with sunset a particularly remarkable sight. The rock is made of arkosic sandstone infused with minerals like feldspar that reflect the red light of sunrise and sunset, making it appear to glow. The rock gets its rust colour from oxidation. The local Anangu do not climb Uluru because of its great spiritual significance. They request that visitors not climb the rock, partly due to the path crossing a sacred traditional dreaming track, and also a sense of responsibilityfor the safety of visitors to their land. The Anangu have a spiritual connection to Uluru, and feel great sadness when a person dies or is injured whilst climbing. In 1983, then Prime Minister of Australia Bob Hawke promised to forbid climbing, but access to climb Uluru was made a condition before title was officially given back to the traditional owners. Climbing Uluru is a popular attraction for visitors. A chain handhold added in 1964 and extended in 1976 makes the hour long climb easier, but it is still a long (800 metres) and steep hike to the top, here it can be quite windy. An above average level of fitness, and a high tolerance to the extreme hot desert conditions is required. Over the years there have been at least forty deaths, mainly due to heart failure whilst climbing Uluru, as well as non-fatal heart attacks and other injuries.
Day 3 Yulara/Kata Tjuta
We will rise early to great the sun at Uluru and experence this magnificent rock up close with a base walk before we visit the Culture Centre to learn about the history behind this famous wonder. We will continue onto The Olgas and walk through these massive rock formations before heading back to our base camp.Kata Tjuta / The Olgas Kata Tjuta, also known as Mount Olga (or colloquially as The Olgas), are large rock formations located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, 465 km southwest of Alice Springs. These domes cover 21.68 km² of Kata Tjuta National Park and are a magnificent sight. These rock formationsare a remarkable group of 36 domes (now only 28), made from a mixture of Granite, Basalt and Mudstone, no one is entirely sure how these three rock types have been mixed together, but anything is possible over such a long period of time. They are about 25 km from Uluru in the Northern Territory of Australia. The tallest of the group, Mount Olga, stands 545.4 m in height (197.3 m higher than Uluru). It is located at the eastern end of the Docker River Road. The Pitjantjajara name Kata Tjuta means 'many heads'. The site is as sacred to the Indigenous people as Uluru.The alternative name, The Olgas, comes from the tallest peak, Mt Olga. Many ceremonies were, and are still carried out here, particularly at night. One of these former ceremonies included a type of public punishment that in extreme cases included death. If a woman of the tribe who was molested or attacked and injured, named the attacker and he was found guilty, she was obliged to spear him through the leg as punishment.
Day 4 Kings Canyon National Park
Get your hiking shoes laced up as we hike the famous Kings Canyon. We will travel to Kings Creek Station where weill start our hike to the Lost City and the Garden of Eden.
Day 5-6 Alice Springs
Before we leave Kings Creek Station you will have some free time to take a camel ride or scenic flight. We will make our way back to Alice Springs where we will take the day exploring the West MacDonnell Ranges.
Day 7 Depart Alice Springs
Depart at any time today as there are no planned activities.