5 Day Spirit of Adventure

Choosing the Alice Springs Holidays 5 Day Spirit of Adventure tour will enable you to experience the remoteness of Central Australia. Using luxury expedition vehicles and small groups will allow you to travel off the beaten track and take in the natural beauty of the Red Centre. Over your 5 day touring experience you will see some of Australia's most famous and majestic sights such as Uluru (Ayers Rock), Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Kings Canyon, Palm Valley and Gosse Bluff.

Take the opportunity to visit Wallace Rockhole Aboriginal community and learn first hand from a local guide the stories and history behind the Aboriginal rock art and culture surrounded by natural landscape that inspired great Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. There is time to visit the local gallery and purchase your own piece of Aboriginal art.

Itinerary

Day 1 West MacDonnell Ranges: Today we venture west to experience the magnificence and grandeur of the vast West MacDonnell Ranges. It is a day of panoramic mountain scenery, tranquil waterholes, and rocky gorges. Our tour will take us to Simpson's Gap, an area that is home to the local species of Black footed Rock Wallaby. Then on to the breathtaking Standley Chasm, a cool, shady retreat filled with cycads, ferns and graceful red river gums. We will visit the dry river bed, water hole and rock formations of Ormiston Gorge. There will be time to swim in cool waterholes and explore walking trails, with your guide on hand. A stop at the Ochre Pits where a rare palette of coloured ochre lies exposed in a dry creek bed, offering a fascinating insight into a source of the natural pigments that feature in Aboriginal culture and art. The grave of Flying Doctor pioneer Rev John Flynn provides a poignant reminder of the remoteness of Central Australia, and the vastness of this land. Returning to Alice in time to relax with a drink or take a swim before dinner. Overnight at Alice Springs.

Day 2 Palm Valley: Your Spirit of Adventure experience continues with a day of adventure, exploring the Finke Gorge National Park. On route we will see much of the natural landscape that inspired Albert Namatjira, the first of the famous indigenous painters. Making our 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. We 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 late afternoon. Overnight at Alice Springs.

Day 3 Alice Springs - Kings Canyon: Leaving the Alice, main highways and settlements behind, we 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 a stroll to admire the towering crater walls. We 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. With the option to join the Sounds of Firelight Dinner (own expense).

Day 4 Kings Canyon - Uluru: We begin our 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. Our next stop is Uluru, and enroute we pass through expansive terrain, featuring vast salt lakes and the mesa-like formation of Mt Connor. Arrive Ayers Rock Resort and check into your hotel. This afternoon we 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. Overnight at Ayers Rock Resort.

Day 5 Kata Tjuta - 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. We 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 approximately 6.00pm.

Highlights

West MacDonnell Ranges Palm Valley Gosse Bluff Kings Canyon Uluru Kata Tjuta Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre

Inclusions

4 Lunches 5 Refreshments 4 Nights Accommodation in your choice of: Standard (Orangewood B&B & Kings Canyon Resort Hotel - Deluxe Room & Sails in the Desert - Standard), Superior (Novotel Outback Inn & Kings Canyon Resort - Deluxe Spa Room & Desert Gardens Hotel - Deluxe Room), Deluxe (Lasseters Hotel - Deluxe Room & Kings Canyon Resort - Deluxe Spa Room & 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: Monday, Wednesday and Saturday 8.00am Alice Springs
Returns: Approximately 6.00pm Alice Springs

Additional Information

Instant Quote: Provides rates in Australian Dollars including GST
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