Outback Adventure
Outback Adventure
Outback Adventure
15 Days Starting in Adelaide and ending in Darwin
Visiting: Adelaide, Flinders Ranges, Port Augusta, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine, Kakadu National Park, Darwin
Tour operator:
Tour code:
NAADF25
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Tour Overview
How do you condense South Australia and the Northern Territory into two weeks? With the kind of skill that comes from operating in Australia for more than a century. This epic exploration traverses record-breaking canyons and gorges, national parks and World Heritage Sites. It’s nature writ large – small wonder TV and movie directors find inspiration here, as you will, too. And then there are the cities, from flavourful Adelaide and the wine country it covets, to steamy Darwin, where sunsets are as brash as the characters that call it home.
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Welcome To Adelaide
Location: Adelaide
Accommodation Name: Crowne Plaza Adelaide
At once cultured yet cool, Adelaide attracts foodies, historians, and art aficionados in equal measure. Explore it on a city tour, before meeting a local gourmand at the legendary Central Market, before joining your Travel Director for a Welcome Dinner.
Day 2: Adelaide - Flinders Ranges
Location: Adelaide
Accommodation Name: Wilpena Pound Resort
One of Australia’s oldest wine regions, the Clare Valley is all rounded hills, rippling vines and native forest. It’s the postcard-perfect setting for historic Knappstein Enterprise Winery, producing sweet-scented rieslings and mineral-rich reds. Next, enjoy a visit to artist Jeff Morgan’s gallery in Hawker, gateway to the Flinders Ranges. The best is yet to come, as you arrive at Wilpena Pound Resort in the shadows of a staggering natural amphitheatre.
Day 3: Flinders Ranges - Port Augusta
Location: Flinders Ranges
Accommodation Name: Majestic Oasis Apartments
The river red gums that envelop Hills Homestead will leave you lost for words. You get here on a leisurely walk along Wilpena Creek and continue to Wangarra Hill Lookout for views over the pound’s peaks and curves. The drama is echoed as you travel to Pichi Richi Pass and the historic town of Quorn, where with a Local Guide, you'll hear the importance of this town in the ANZAC's Gallipoli Campaign, before easing into Port Augusta.
Day 4: Port Augusta - Coober Pedy
Location: Port Augusta
Accommodation Name: Desert Cave Hotel
The main attraction in Woomera is a former rocket-testing site, today stocked with disused rockets and missiles. Speaking of space, you’ll think you’ve landed on the moon as you travel through sun-baked country to Coober Pedy, known as ‘the opal capital of the world’. Things get deep as you travel underground to visit the town’s headscratching subterranean facilities.
Day 5: Coober Pedy - Uluru
Location: Coober Pedy
Accommodation Name: Desert Gardens
Emerge from your cave and cross the border into the Northern Territory. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has World Heritage status for a reason; under the gaze of the world’s mightiest monolith, toast the end of the day with a glass of bubbles and a camera full of sunset photos.
Day 6: Uluru Sunrise - Kata Tjuta
Location: Uluru
Accommodation Name: Desert Gardens
Pre-dawn wake-up calls are worth it when you get to enjoy a Red Centre sunrise. Marvel at the majesty of Uluru as you circumnavigate its base or join a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole. This landscape takes you back to the beginning of time, a sacred place among the Anangu. More soul-salving landscapes await at Kata Tjuta, cool relief provided as you walk amid its domes to Walpa Gorge.
Day 7: Uluru - Kings Canyon
Location: Uluru
Accommodation Name: Kings Canyon Resort
Sleep in, or you might choose to rise early for Artist Bruce Munro's Field of Light (own expense) and another special sunrise over Uluru. Next chance to stretch your legs is at Kings Creek Station, the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia. All your senses will be activated at Kings Canyon, 440-million years in the making.
Day 8: Kings Canyon - Alice Springs
Accommodation Name: Doubletree by Hilton Alice Springs
Things are bigger in the NT outback, from the cattle stations to the MacDonnell Ranges, which stretch like a caterpillar toward Alice Springs. Alice Springs makes Australian history for her 1872 Telegraph Station, one of 11 along the Overland Telegraph Line between Adelaide and Darwin.
Day 9: Alice Springs
Location: Alice Springs
Accommodation Name: Doubletree by Hilton Alice Springs
Aboriginal culture is strong in Alice Springs, as you’ll fast find on a tour of the Alice Springs Desert Park. Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service, its base a museum that goes behind the scenes of the life-saving health services delivered to people in remote realms. One of the benefits of being this far-flung is the lack of light pollution. And at Earth Sanctuary World Nature Centre, this equates to epic stargazing. Your Be My Guest BBQ dinner here with the Falzon family is enlightening and uplifting - think stories of self-sufficient living and astronomy.
Day 10: Alice Springs - Tennant Creek
Location: Alice Springs
Accommodation Name: Bluestone Motor Inn
1.3 million square kilometres – that’s the eye-watering distance the School of Air’s lessons are broadcast across daily. If touring during the school term, you may be lucky enough to observe live educational sessions featuring children who otherwise may not have access to public education. Approximately an hour south of Tennant Creek is Karlu Karlu, the Devils Marbles. These boulders have formed over millions of years and continue to crack and change over time.
Day 11: Tennant Creek - Katherine
Location: Tennant Creek
Accommodation Name: Contour Hotel Katherine
Since the 1930s, the Daly Waters Historic Pub has been dishing up schnitzels, barramundi burgers and hearty steaks. The walls are lined with treasures that passers-by leave behind. ‘Land of the Never Never’ awaits at Mataranka. Visit a replica of the Elsey Homestead, used in 1982 Aussie drama We of the Never Never. Or wander palm-lined walkways to take a dip in the region’s thermal springs.
Day 12: Katherine - Kakadu
Location: Katherine
Accommodation Name: Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel
The Jawoyn have called Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge home for millennia. Find out about the ancient story of the cicada, embodying the spiritual connection between the Jawoyn people and their land. Traversing across the land in into Kakadu National Park. The Yellow Water billabong cruise is a mesmerising journey through this ancient landscape, guided by knowledgeable locals
Day 13: Kakadu - Darwin
Location: Kakadu National Park
Accommodation Name: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin
Decisions, decisions: a morning flight over Kakadu (own expense), or a sleep in. We vote for the former before you venture toward Ubirr and its ancient Aboriginal rock art. The night is yours in steamy Darwin, where the characters are as large as the shadows cast at sunset.
Day 14: Darwin Free Time
Location: Darwin
Accommodation Name: Hilton Garden Inn Darwin
Today, go your own way. That might mean signing up for optional experiences, like explorations into Litchfield National Park. This pocket of the NT is a staggering union of magnetic termite mounds and waterfalls (swimming is seasonal). Alternatively, head north to the Tiwi Islands, where you take a deep dive into Indigenous history and art with First Nations guides (both own expense). Whichever route you go, we’ll see you at the Farewell Dinner.
Day 15: Farewell From Darwin
Location: Darwin
Time to bid adieu and head home to sort through all those photos. Even better are the memories; two weeks of wild outback adventures.
What's Included
Mode of Transport
Travel in comfort with private arrival and departure transfers, and enjoy the convenience of a specialist team of two highly experienced Travel Director and Driver accredited with Uluru and Kakadu National Parks.
Accommodation
Stay in centrally located premium hotels including Crowne Plaza Adelaide, Wilpena Pound Resort, Majestic Oasis Apartments, Desert Cave Hotel, Desert Gardens, Kings Canyon Resort, Doubletree by Hilton Alice Springs, Bluestone Motor Inn, Contour Hotel Katherine, Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, and Hilton Garden Inn Darwin.
Check out our Q&As
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What unique experiences are included in the Outback Adventure tour?
The Outback Adventure tour includes unique experiences such as a Be My Guest dinner at Earth Sanctuary, tours with the Royal Flying Doctor Service and School of the Air, and a visit to the historic Knappstein Enterprise Winery. Additionally, you will have the opportunity to explore ancient rock art with an Aboriginal guide and stay at Wilpena Pound Resort, which contributes to local conservation projects.
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What kind of accommodation can I expect during the tour?
You will stay in centrally located premium hotels throughout the tour. Specific accommodations include Crowne Plaza Adelaide, Wilpena Pound Resort, Majestic Oasis Apartments, Desert Cave Hotel, Desert Gardens, Kings Canyon Resort, Doubletree by Hilton Alice Springs, Bluestone Motor Inn, Contour Hotel Katherine, Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, and Hilton Garden Inn Darwin.
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Are there any special environmental or cultural contributions made during the tour?
Yes, the tour includes MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences that contribute to sustainable economic futures and conservation efforts. For example, your stay at Wilpena Pound Resort helps support the Adnyamathanha people and regional conservation projects. Additionally, your visit to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park helps protect Australia's wilderness.
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What are some of the highlights of the tour in terms of natural attractions?
The tour highlights include visits to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Kings Canyon, MacDonnell Ranges, Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, Yellow Water Billabong in Kakadu, and Litchfield National Park. You will also have the opportunity to see ancient Aboriginal rock art at Ubirr and enjoy a Darwin Harbour Cruise.
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What kind of guided experiences are included in the tour?
The tour includes guided experiences such as a tour of Adelaide's Central Market with a local gourmand, a guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole at Uluru, and a tour of Quorn with a Local Guide to learn about its importance in the ANZAC's Gallipoli Campaign. Additionally, you will have guided tours at the Alice Springs Desert Park and the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum.
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What meals are included in the tour?
The tour includes a Welcome Dinner in Adelaide and a Be My Guest BBQ dinner at Earth Sanctuary World Nature Centre in Alice Springs. Other meals are not specifically mentioned, so it is advisable to check with the tour operator for more details.
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Are there any optional activities available during the tour?
Yes, there are optional activities such as a sunrise tour to Bruce Munro's Uluru Field of Light and an optional morning flight over Kakadu and Arnhem Land. These activities provide additional opportunities to enhance your experience.
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Who will be my travelling companions on the tour?
The beauty of taking a holiday with us is you’ll have the opportunity to meet and travel with people from all over the globe.
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Can I join the tour once it has departed?
It is important to adhere to departure times while on tour for the comfort of everyone on-board, and to make sure no one misses out on the planned experiences. The coach will not be able to wait for you, and in some instances, if you miss a departure time you will need to make your own way to the next destination to re-join the tour.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
AAT Kings operated Guided Holidays have competitive single supplement rates available if you prefer to confirm your own room. Or we can match you to share with a guest of the same gender at no extra cost. If we fail to match you, we will accommodate you in a single room at no extra cost.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Over 100 years
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What documents will I receive before I travel?
We will email your documents to you approximately four weeks before your departure date provided you have completed your pre trip registration using the My Travel Portal. If you’ve booked through a travel agent, your documents will be emailed directly to your agent.
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Free Date Changes
CTS demo white label allows you to make 20 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 0 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
CTS demo white label requires a minimum deposit of 55% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 30 days before departure.
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