Outback Contrasts

Meet your Journey Director who will share their take on what life is like in such an isolated town as Alice Springs. Visit the historic Overland Telegraph Station and hear how the north and south of Australia were connected by a single wire. Then the stunning landscapes of the West MacDonnell take centre stage, as you embark on a walk though Simpsons Gap, and later view Alice Springs and surrounds from the top of Anzac Hill. This evening join your fellow travellers for a Welcome Reception at Tali Restaurant.

We head off along the 4WD Giles Track, crossing dry riverbeds and outback landscapes, to Kings Canyon Resort. The flickering glow of this evening's fire, dancing under the canopy of a starry Southern Hemisphere sky, is the perfect accompaniment to your Local Dining Experience 'Under a Desert Moon'. This degustation menu with matching wines is the perfect end to the day. Sit back and listen to the sounds of the outback come alive at night in the company of new friends.

Gaze across the deep chasm at the edge of Kings Canyon as you embark on the spellbinding 6km sunrise Rim Walk, past the sandstone domes of the 'Lost City' and down the stairs to the lush 'Garden of Eden'. Or you can opt for a gentler stroll along the canyon creek bed, treading in the footsteps of the Luritja people who once found sanctuary amidst the Itara trees at the canyon's base. Then we head off towards Uluru, visiting the local Wanmarra Community to learn about the Luritja and Pertame people's spiritual connection to the land at the Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience. Discover bush food and bush medicine used for spirituality and healing. Now you'll wander across desert landscapes arriving at Curtin Springs Station, a vast farming property, for lunch. Feel the stirring of something bigger than you as you arrive at Ayers Rock Resort, your launchpad to Australia's spiritual heart in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. As the day fades, the outback sun bids a fiery farewell. Uluru towers over the Northern Territory's remote landscape, the perfect back drop for this evening's sparkling sundowners.

Enjoy a relaxed start to the day before exploring, and learning about the spiritual connection the local Anangu caretakers have with the land. Skirt the red walls of Uluru, hear ancient tales and see rock art, then visit Mutitjulu Waterhole. Relax by the resort
pool or take to the skies to see Uluru from above before an afternoon visit to Kata Tjuta for a walk through Walpa Gorge. This evening enjoy dinner at Ilkari Restaurant.

Observe the shifting lights of Bruce Munro’s impressive Field of Light art installation as the desert awakens and the sunrise lights up across Uluru. Traverse the vast and fascinating outback, before arriving in Alice Springs. Enjoy free time to wander around the town. The Todd Street Mall has cafés and Aboriginal art galleries to explore. This evening, immerse yourself against the backdrop of the outback at our open-air bush BBQ Celebration Dinner. Located off the beaten track in the heart of the East MacDonnell Ranges, you'll enjoy drinks as a bush balladeer sings classic Australian songs and shares stories of outback living, under the Southern Hemisphere’s Milky Way.

Relax this morning as your journey comes to an end. You might choose to take an optional hot air balloon ride to experience the scenic landscapes of the outback before your journey is completed.