Destination: Central Australia
Tour Highlights:
Day 1
Depart Melbourne to Adelaide by private coach. Stop on the way for a short break and lunch. Upon arrival in Adelaide, check-in to a bunkhouse accommodation for overnight.
Day 2
Depart early morning from Adelaide and travel to Coober Pedy, “The Opal Capital of the World”. As most of the locals, you will stay in an underground accommodation. Enjoy a guided tour of the town, visiting typical underground homes and take part in an opal cutting and polishing demonstration.
Day 3
Another early morning departure for travel to Uluru. After a long drive of approximately 8 hours, arrive at Uluru and enjoy an early dinner at the campsite, before sunset. Get your cameras ready for an incredible sunset over Uluru.
Day 4
Travel to Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park this morning and visit the Cultural Centre to learn about Anangu, the traditional custodians of the land, and their Aboriginal lore. Afterwards, enjoy an educational ranger experience, before taking a 10 km bike tour around Uluru base, which will take approximately 2 hours.
Return to your camp base for a BBQ dinner at the Camel Farm. Take a short camel ride and learn the important role camels had during early settlement and exploration. Enjoy a leisurely evening with an Uluru sunset close to camp.
Day 5
Sunrise at Kata Tjuta this morning means an early start. Take your time to complete the Valley of the Winds Walk and be awestruck by the 36 conglomerate domes. Unravel extraordinary geological mysteries with your local guide.
Drive back to the Cultural Centre and take part in dot painting workshop with Maruku Arts, where students learn in the company of Anangu.
This evening enjoy “Field of Lights”, another spectacular way to spend a night in the Red Centre. The 50,000 mesmerising solar lights are sure to excite your students.
Day 6
This morning, enjoy breakfast at your campsite, before beginning your 300km drive toward Kings Canyon. Upon arrival, climb to the top of the Kings Canyon and enjoy a spectacular view of this magnificent area.
A short drive away is Lilla Community, where you will camp tonight. Use the late afternoon to explore Luritja country on a guided cultural discovery walk. Enjoy a night by the fire and under the stars.
Day 7
Enjoy breakfast and further exploration of Lilla, before heading to Karrke for an authentic Aboriginal cultural experience. Explore the hands-on displays as cultural knowledge is shared on bush tucker, tools, art practices, bush medicine, desert survival and much more.
In the afternoon, travel at leisure to Alice Springs and set up for a 2 nights camp.
Day 8
Head out early morning to ANZAC Hill, to watch a memorable sunrise over the Alice Springs township nestled among the ranges. Venture into the magnificent West MacDonnell Ranges, to visit Stanley Chasm and take an Aboriginal guided cultural walk to appreciate the spectacular Chasm and its glorious botanical surroundings.
Next stop is Royal Flying Doctor base, where you will learn about the history and the activities of the pilots, engineers, doctors and nurses, and the experiences of the patients, that are carried and cared for each day.
Afterwards, visit the Old Telegraph Station, the birthplace of Alice Springs township.
Head next to Alice Springs School of Air, and appreciate the unique and first of its kind educational facility that provides classes to children living in remote locations.
This evening, visit The Earth Sanctuary for an astounding astronomy tour experience. Spend an hour marvelling at and learn about the night skies, before returning to your campsite for overnight.
Day 9
Enjoy another morning exploring Alice Springs and visit the Alice Springs Desert Park for 1.5hr interpretative tour, to learn about the local desert ecology and the unique animals that call this region home.
The group will be transferred to Alice Springs airport, for the flight back home.
