5 Day Spirit of the Outback

Join Alice Springs Holidays on their 5 Day Spirit of the Outback tour. Taking in all the must see and do sights of the beautiful red centre and more. This tour will see you heading off the beaten track and travelling in small personalised groups throughout the Australian Outback.

Beginning and returning in Alice Springs, this tour is a convenient one stop shop for travellers that want to see all the best sights and stay in great accommodation with minimal hassle. Take in Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Palm Valley and Finke Gorge National Park, Gosse Bluff, Mt Connor (Atila), Alice Springs Desert Park, Kings Canyon, Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre and a cultural tour with a local guide from the Wallace Rockhole Aboriginal Community.

Itinerary

Day 1 - Alice Springs: Welcome to Alice Springs! On arrival, you will be met by an Alice Springs Holidays representative for a complimentary transfer to your hotel. Following check in, Desert Park Transfers will take you to the Alice Springs Desert Park. Enjoy a relaxing stroll through the 3 major desert habitats, complete with walk through aviaries. The Desert Park is home to the world's largest nocturnal house and breeding programmes for many endangered species of the Australian bush. Be enthralled by the free flying raptor display at Nature's Theatre.

Day 2 - Palm Valley: Your Red Centre experience continues with a day of adventure, exploring the Finke Gorge National Park. On route, you will see much of the natural landscape that inspired Albert Namatjira, the first of our indigenous painters. Making your way along the mostly dry bed of the Finke River, you'll marvel at the dramatic evidence of its awesome flood history. Further along the track, the magnificent Amphitheatre at the Kalarranga lookout provides a stunning opportunity for photography, before finally reaching Palm Valley itself. Experience a walk amongst the rare Red Cabbage Palms, relics of a previous climate many millions of years past. After a gourmet picnic lunch, travel back along the track to the sealed road to visit the Hermannsburg Historic Precinct, founded by Lutheran missionaries in 1877, and birthplace of watercolour painting in the region. Returning to Alice Springs in the glow of the late afternoon sun.

Day 3 - Alice Springs to Kings Canyon: Leaving the Alice, main highways and settlements behind, travel through mountain valleys to the Wallace Rockhole aboriginal community. Here experience a rock art and culture tour with a local guide. Visit the gallery, which provides an opportunity to purchase a variety of local art. The adventure continues on the 4WD track into the Gosse Bluff comet impact crater. Not just an astro-geological wonder, but also a fantastic setting for our picnic lunch. Stroll around and admire the towering crater walls. After lunch return to the dirt road traversing the Mereenie Wilderness Area, where mountain valleys give way to open plains, before arriving at the Kings Canyon Resort in the late afternoon.

Day 4 - Kings Canyon to Uluru: Begin your day with an exploration of the majestic Kings Canyon, with a choice of activities. The energetic will find the hike around the Canyon rim a stimulating option, offering panoramic views and in parts steep climbs. Alternatively, experience a gentler stroll through the Canyon floor, amid abundant bird life and ancient cycad plants. Next stop is Uluru, enroute enjoy a picnic lunch amidst the expansive landscapes of changing eco systems, vast salt lakes and the mesa-like formation of Mt Connor. Arrive Ayers Rock Resort and check into your hotel. This afternoon visit the Uluru - Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, followed by an exploratory tour with your guide, of the base of this unique monolith. The crowning touch to the day is a champagne sunset, featuring fine Australian foods and sparkling wine.

Day 5 - Kata Tjuta to Alice Springs: An early departure to enjoy the morning solitude and tranquillity as the subtle colours of another day dawning, wash over Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Your guide will take you for an informative walk around the massive domes of Kata Tjuta, a site of significance to the local Anangu people. Hear of the geology, history and ecological significance. Return to the resort in time for lunch (own expense) and your transfer to the airport for your departure and onward flight to your home port or next adventure. Alternatively you may choose to extend your stay at the Ayers Rock Resort or return to Alice Springs arriving late afternoon approx 6.00pm.

Highlights

Alice Springs Desert Park Palm Valley Gosse Bluff Kings Canyon Uluru Kata Tjuta Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre

Inclusions

3 x Lunches 4 x Refreshments 4 Nights Accommodation in your choice of: Superior (King Canyon Resort - Deluxe Spa Room & Desert Gardens Hotel - Standard Room), First Class (Alice Springs Resort - Deluxe Room, Kings Canyon Resort - Deluxe Spa Room and Sails in the Desert - Standard Room) all entry fees small group touring (maximum 15 passengers) on board library naturalist tour guide luxury air-conditioned vehicles

Times

Departs: 1.00pm Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at Alice Springs
Returns: 6.00pm approx Alice Springs

Additional Information

Children: 5-12 years child rates apply. Infants 0-4 years will require a seat on extended tours, a nominal charge will be required
What to Bring: Casual comfortable clothing is recommended for daywear. Warm layered clothing for winter. Covered walking shoes, hat, camera, sunscreen, and bottled water
Luggage Restrictions: Maximum weight of all luggage is 20kg
Operated By: Alice Springs Holidays