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Rock to croc safari This Alice Springs to Darwin tour is the ideal trip for Australia first-timers. It combines an unforgettable trip to the country's Red Centre with a road trip to Darwin. You'll take a croc-spotting cruise and learn about the Aboriginals at the world's second largest national park, Kakadu National Park. During our Alice Springs to Darwin tour, you'll travel in a small group led by an Australian guide, but you'll also have plenty of time to explore on your own.The tour is built from three separate elements, so you may be travelling with different people and a different guide for each element. Over 10 days, you'll see so much more at a more affordable price, than you could while travelling on your own. We believe this is the ideal way to explore the remote Northern Territory, while also being able the cosmopolitan East Coast and Great Barrier Reef. As all the necessary facilities will be made available to you, this trip is comfortable even for those who have never camped before, during the Outback section of the trip. |
| Duration |
10 days/ 9 nights Departs: April to June and July 28 to September 26 -Mon, Wed, Thurs, Sat and Sun September 28 through March 31 -Wed, Fri and Sun |
Accommodation |
6 nights in permanent camps (maximum 4 people per tent) and shared facilities, 3 nights in double occupancy rooms with private bathroom. Comfort level 1 and 2 (see accommodation). |
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Price |
£974 per person - based on 2 people sharing |
Includes |
Transport, accommodation, English speaking Australian guide, meals during tour and excursions as mentioned. |
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Transport |
6 days by minibus and 4 days by 4x4. |
Excludes |
Entrance fee for Yulara National Park, Twin Falls, and Kakadu National Park |
Day 1: Alice Springs - Ayers RockAt 6:30 this morning, your Alice Springs to Darwin tour will begin, and you'll travel from the James and Waterhouse Ranges to Mount Connor, through the salt pans to Uluru. Along the way you'll stop and perhaps even go for a short camel ride at the Outback Camel Farm. Around lunchtime you'll arrive at your comfortable tented camp of the Ayers Rock hotel resort. Your first stop in the afternoon is Kata Tjuta (Aboriginal for ‘many heads’), where you'll find 28 deep red round rock domes. The largest, Mount Olga, is even 200m taller than Ayers Rock. If the weather is fair, you'll go for a three hour hike through the nearby Valley of the Winds, past deep red rocks and through green valleys, spotting the occasional wild parakeet on your way. After your hike you'll return to Ayers Rock in time for an unforgettable sunset, watching the magical rock turn from orange to deep red to deep purple. Next, you'll dine at the camp (Yulara) and sleep in a comfortable tent beneath an immense starry sky. Lunch and dinner are included. |
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Day 2: Ayers Rock - Kings CanyonOn Day 2 of your Alice Springs to Darwin tour, you'll wake up early for a spectacular sunrise at Ayers Rock. Some travellers choose to climb to the top of the rock; a 1.6km steep climb which will give you an incredible wide view of the area. The Aboriginals consider this mountain to be holy and do not approve of people climbing it, so if you would like to respect the Aboriginal culture, you can take a 9.4km hike around the foot of the rock instead. During the hike, you'll come across beautiful caves filled with rock drawings and your guide will tell you all about the land and centuries of Aboriginal rituals. The well maintained Aboriginal museum in the Visitor's Centre is a real eye-opener - you'll learn about the cultural history of Uluru and the Aboriginal 'dream time' stories. After a visit to the museum and lunch, you'll board a bus to Kings Canyon, about 300km further down the road. Once you arrive at you next camp you'll have a camp oven dinner by the campfire and get to know your fellow travellers better. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included. |
Day 3: Kings Canyon - Alice SpringsThis morning you'll grab your walking boots and head out to explore the awe-inspiring rock formations at Kings Canyon. The pastel coloured sandstone walls of the canyon are about 200m tall and you'll find a variety of plants growing there, such as rare ferns. You'll take a 4 hour hike past beautiful rock walls and formations called ‘the Amphitheatre’ and ‘The Lost City’. In one particularly green gorge, you'll find the Garden of Eden. You'll be able to go for a swim in this small, warm pool surrounded by rock walls in the desert. After lunch, you'll travel through the sand dunes and the rugged desert back to Alice Springs. On your arrival in Alice around 19:00 you'll be take to your motel.Ever had kangaroos, emu or crocodile for dinner? If not, this is your chance. Try dinner at the 'Overlander Steakhouse', where every traditional Australian dish can be found on the menu. While you dine you'll be treated to typical Aussie music, such as Waltzing Matilda. Breakfast and lunch are included today. |
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Day 4: Alice SpringsToday, you can explore Alice Springs at your own pace. 'Alice' was founded in 1871 as a sub-station for the telegraph line from Adelaide to Darwin. The 'Todd' River is named after the head of the postal service at that time, Mr. Charles Todd. The city was named after his wife, Alice.Alice Springs is now a small town with approximately 20,000 inhabitants located in the middle of the flat desert, surrounded by the MacDonnell mountain ranges. The city has a pioneering atmosphere, and the sunshine casts an almost heavenly glow on the white buildings in the red and yellow landscape. You can visit the Flying Doctors Service, the historic telegraph office and the ANZAC war monument. You can also take a short hot air balloon ride above Alice for an incredible panoramic view of the desert. |
Day 5: Alice Springs - Banka Banka Cattle StationToday, you'll leave Alice behind and to head towards your next destination. En route, you'll travel along the empty roads of the Outback and cross the Tropic of Cancer. You'll make a pit stop in the mini town of Ti Tree. There are many Aboriginal communities nearby. If you would like to take a typical Australian souvenir home with you, then this is the place to buy a painted didgeridoo or boomerang. Afterwards, you'll visit the extraordinary 'Devil's Marbles' - an interesting red granite rock formation that, according to Aboriginal myth, was thrown down on the ground by the 'Rainbow Serpent’. You'll then continue to Tennant Creek, the centre of the Australian gold rush in 1930.Today's final destination is the Banka Banka Cattle Station, where you'll meet some real ‘Aussie cowboys’. If the weather permits, you'll be able to take a refreshing dip into the farm's waterhole. Lunch and dinner are included today. |
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Day 6: Banka Banka Cattle Station - Katherine GorgeAn Alice Springs to Darwin tour wouldn't be complete without a visit to the famous Daly Waters Pub. So... we've made this your first stop. The pub is a part of the Daly Waters roadhouse and it is filled with souvenirs and currency notes left behind by travellers from every corner of the globe. Not only is the pub a favourite amongst international tourists, it's also a thriving local pub for many Aussies, built by cowboys driving their cattle through the area more than 100 years ago. To this day, it is still a bank, postal office and police office.Next, you'll continue your trip to Mataranka, which has been a reserve since 1967. A dive into the crystal clear thermal baths here is pure delight. The springs are a constant 93º F/34ºC and 22.5 million litres of water flow through them each day. At the end of the day, you'll reach the camp at Katherine Gorge National Park. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today. |
Day 7: Katherine Gorge - DarwinKatherine Gorge National Park is known for its impressive gorge (actually there are 13 gorges spread out over 12km). You'll have all morning to explore the national park on your own. You can spend half a day kayaking (AU$ 45 for half a day); peddle between the gorge's high walls and pass by small and remote islands as you go along. With a little luck you may even see a small freshwater crocodile pass you by from time to time. If you're not in the mood for being active, go on a relaxing cruise (approximately AU$ 49 for 1.5 hour) or hop on a helicopter and go sight-seeing in the park by air (from AU$ 75). After lunch you'll travel from Edith Falls and Adelaide River to Darwin. Edith Falls is a great place for a swim at one of the many falls. We considered this a wonderful place to stop for a while during the long drive. Once you reach Darwin you'll be taken to the motel where you'll spend the night. Breakfast and lunch are included today. |
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Day 8: Darwin - Mary RiverToday you'll take off early towards Litchfield National Park for a fresh start of the day. You'll have all morning to visit the many waterfalls in this park such as the 'Florence'. You'll also see the Buley Rockhole and you'll be amazed by the enormous, red clay, magnetic termite hills. Go for a refreshing dive in one of the many waterholes and have an open air shower beneath a waterfall. You'll then continue your journey to Mary River, where you'll go on a cruise through the Mary River Wetlands. The cool rainforest, scattered with billabongs (rivers and creeks) is home to a wide variety of animals, such as a large population of crocodiles (lovingly referred to as ‘salties’). This area is known for being a great spot to fish for the typical Australian barramundi. You're sure to find this fish on your plate some time during your trip. You'll spend the night in the remote Point Stuart Wilderness lodge, where you can walk through the monsoon forest with its unique species of plants. You'll dine and spend the night at a nearby camp that has a bar, bistro and swimming pool. Lunch and dinner are included today. |
Day 9: Mary River - KakaduToday you'll travel on to the famous Kakadu National Park. This national park is known as the home of crocodiles, creeks, mangroves and all types of wildlife. The park also has a very rich Aboriginal history and many rock drawings. The Ubirr Rock with its spectacular panoramic view of the surrounding flood plains of Arnhem Land is your first stop in the large national park. Ubirr, located approximately 280km east of Darwin, has an Aboriginal history that goes back an incredible 25,000 years. The diversity of the landscape and the social practices that were once common can still be found as rock-art on rock walls. In the afternoon you'll trek across dirt roads through the park to the Barramundi Gorge. After a nice hike, you can treat yourself to a refreshing swim surrounded by rugged nature. If you swim across the 'pool' to the Maguk waterfall, you'll get an excellent back massage. You'll spend the night in a camp in the heart of the Kakadu National Park. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included today. |
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Day 10: Kakadu - DarwinGet ready for some 4x4 action on route to the 213m high Jim Jim Falls. You'll reach the falls in a remote spot in the park by way of an adventurous dirt road. Accompanied by a guide you'll hike to the foot of the falls and you'll have time to enjoy the beautiful natural surroundings. After lunch a boat will take you to the more remote Twin Falls. During this boat ride you'll undoubtedly be humbled by the beauty of the deep canyons, green valleys and powerful waterfalls. Your reward is being able to enjoy the impressive falls while getting a wonderful tan on a secluded river beach. In the afternoon you'll travel along a bumpy dirt road back to the paved road to Darwin. You'll arrive at your hotel in Darwin around 20:30 after an adventurous trip through the heart of Australia. Breakfast and lunch are included today.The day's programme may differ during the tropical summer months of December through May (depending on the weather, which is uncertain of course). The Jim Jim and Twin Falls are often closed during these months since the road leading to the falls usually becomes impossible to drive on. However, one advantage of visiting the park during these months is that the park is quiet. It's important to know that Twin Falls is located in Aboriginal territory. The boat service to the falls is run by the Aboriginals; they can decide single-handedly to close the falls at will. |
| The day's programme may differ during the tropical summer months of December through May (depending on the weather, which is uncertain of course). The Jim Jim and Twin Falls are often closed during these months since the road leading to the falls usually becomes impossible to drive on. However, one advantage of visiting the park during these months is that the park is quiet. It's important to know that Twin Falls is located in Aboriginal territory. The boat service to the falls is run by the Aboriginals; they can decide single-handedly to close the falls at will. |
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