Your itinerary
Day 1
Day 1: Welcome to Adelaide
Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over a drink. Take a guided tour of Adelaide’s highlights, including a behind-the-scenes visit to the Central Market with a local gourmand and tastings at its stalls.
Day 2
Day 2: Adelaide - Flinders Ranges
Travel from Adelaide through the Clare Valley to Hawker. Visit artist Jeff Morgan’s gallery to see his large-scale works and memorabilia, then continue to Wilpena Pound Resort in the natural amphitheatre of the Flinders Ranges for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 3
Day 3: Flinders Ranges - Port Augusta
Walk along Wilpena Creek past Hills Homestead to Wangarra Hill Lookout for views across Wilpena Pound. Travel through heritage-listed Quorn and Pichi Richi Pass to Port Augusta, where you visit the Wadlata Outback Centre.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 4
Day 4: Port Augusta - Coober Pedy
Visit Woomera’s aerospace park, then travel to Coober Pedy. With a Local Guide, explore underground opal mines and learn about mining before seeing the town’s subterranean homes and facilities.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 5
Day 5: Coober Pedy - Uluru
Leave Coober Pedy for Uluru-Kata Tjuta. Watch the sunset change the colours of Uluru while enjoying a drink and bites. An Uluru Barbecue Dinner is available as a pre-booked optional experience.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Day 6: Uluru Sunrise - Kata Tjuta
Watch the Red Centre sunrise, then join a guided walk at the base of Uluru to Mutitjulu Waterhole, a place sacred to the Anangu people. Continue to Kata Tjuta and walk into Walpa Gorge, home to rare plants, spearwood trees, birds and other wildlife.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 7
Day 7: Uluru - Kings Canyon
Optionally visit the Uluru Field of Light before dawn. Pass Attila (Mt. Conner), stop at Kings Creek Station, where camel burgers are an outback lunch option, and take the Kings Canyon rim walk among sandstone domes, plateaus and rock pools.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
Day 8: Kings Canyon - Alice Springs
Drive toward Alice Springs through the landscape of the MacDonnell Ranges. Visit the 1872 Telegraph Station, then take in views of the town and surrounding country from Anzac Hill.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 9
Day 9: Alice Springs Sightseeing
Drive to the West MacDonnell Ranges and explore Simpsons Gap. Return to Alice Springs to visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre. Spend the afternoon at leisure, with time for the hotel pool, local shops or art galleries.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 10
Day 10: Alice Springs - Tennant Creek
Visit the School of the Air; during the school term, you may see a live educational session. Leave Alice Springs and walk among the boulders of Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) before continuing to Tennant Creek for the night.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 11
Day 11: Tennant Creek - Katherine
Stop at the Daly Waters Pub, then continue to Mataranka. Visit the replica Elsey Homestead, or stroll along palm-lined walkways and soak in the thermal springs, before arriving in Katherine.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 12
Day 12: Katherine - Kakadu
Cruise through Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and learn about the Jawoyn people’s connection to the land. Travel into Kakadu National Park for a guided Yellow Water Billabong cruise through wetlands where you may spot crocodiles and birds, including sea eagles, brolgas and kingfishers.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 13
Day 13: Kakadu - Darwin
Take an optional morning flight over Kakadu, then visit Ubirr’s Aboriginal rock art galleries and climb for views across the floodplains and escarpments. Continue to Darwin and visit the Mindil Beach Sunset Market in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast
Day 14
Day 14: Darwin Free Time
Spend the morning at leisure or choose an optional experience in Litchfield National Park to see magnetic termite mounds, waterfalls and waterholes, with swimming available seasonally. Gather for a farewell dinner in the evening.
Meals: Breakfast,Dinner
Day 15
Day 15: Farewell from Darwin
Farewell your fellow travellers and depart from Darwin.
Meals: Breakfast
What’s included
What’s not included
Additional information
Dining Summary
- 14 Breakfast (B)
- 3 Dinner (D)
Fitness Requirement
- Medium level of Fitness Required for the Wilpena Pound hike. This 6km hike to the Homestead will be suitable for most guests however the track has uneven surfaces and is rocky in places. Retractable hiking poles may be useful. A shuttle bus is available (at own cost) to transfer guests to the start of the 3 km return track.
High level of fitness required for the Kings Canyon Rim Walk. This 6km hike will not be suitable for all guests. The first 30-minute incline is considered “Difficult”. The Tour Director will offer guest an easier alternative along the creek walk for those that are unable.
Medium Level of Fitness Required for the climb to the top of Nadab Lookout at Ubirr in Kakadu National Park will not be suitable for all guests. To get to the lookout guests are required to scale up uneven rocky paths and steps to get to the lookout. There is an alternate route on a fairly flat gravel path for those unable climb to the top so they will not miss out on Rock Art.
Flight information
- Day 1: Flights to arrive prior to 12.30pm into Adelaide AirportDay 15: Flights to depart anytime from Darwin Airport
Airport to Hotel transfers are available to purchase on request.
Flights to and from your tour are not included in the tour price.
What to Bring
- Comfortable walking shoes
Warm layers in cooler months
Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
Water bottle
Camera
Kata Tjuta & Walpa Gorge Walk
Walk into Walpa Gorge at Kata Tjuta, where towering sandstone domes form a sheltered corridor. Look for spearwood trees, birdlife and plants adapted to the conditions of Australia’s arid interior.
Kata Tjuta, part of the World Heritage-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, is deeply significant to the Anangu people. The walk lets you experience the domes at ground level, where shade, stone and pockets of vegetation create a distinct sense of place.
Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre
Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service Visitor Centre in Alice Springs to learn how medical care reaches communities across remote Australia. Discover the work involved in serving places where a hospital may be hundreds of kilometres away.
The service is closely tied to the realities of life in the Outback. This visit adds a human dimension to the vast distances on the tour, highlighting the people and practical systems that help sustain isolated communities.
Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) Walk
Walk among the rounded granite boulders of Karlu Karlu, some standing several metres high above the surrounding country. View the striking shapes at close range and photograph the balance of stone against the open sky.
Often called the Devils Marbles, Karlu Karlu is a culturally significant place for its Traditional Owners, not simply a geological curiosity. Weathering over immense spans of time has helped shape the boulders seen across the reserve today.
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AAT Kings
Adelaide City Tour & Central Market Tasting
Explore Adelaide on a guided city tour, meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over a drink, and visit the Adelaide Central Market with a local food expert. Go behind the scenes and taste your way between stalls.
Trading since 1869, the market brings growers, makers and cooks together beneath one roof. Its produce and multicultural food traditions offer a flavourful introduction to South Australia.
Regional Australian Wine Tasting
Sample regional wines during your journey through South Australia, a state whose vineyards produce styles ranging from crisp whites to richly flavoured reds. Wine tasting is listed among the experiences included on this tour.
The route passes through the Clare Valley, particularly known for Riesling and its landscape of rolling vineyards. The tour details do not specify a winery or tasting venue, so the precise setting may vary.
Jeff Morgan Gallery, Hawker
Visit Jeff Morgan’s gallery in Hawker to view large-scale works inspired by the surrounding Outback. A collection of memorabilia adds another perspective on the people and places of the Flinders Ranges.
Hawker has long served as a gateway to this ancient mountain country. Morgan’s depictions invite a closer look at the colours, scale and weathered forms of a landscape that can feel quite different from the road.
Wilpena Pound Hike & Wangarra Hill Lookout
Walk beside Wilpena Creek to Hills Homestead, beneath river red gums and the enclosing ridges of Wilpena Pound. Continue towards Wangarra Hill Lookout for sweeping views across this vast natural amphitheatre in the Flinders Ranges.
The walk is part of a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. The full hike is about 6 km over some rocky, uneven ground; an at-own-cost shuttle can shorten the walking distance. The outlook reveals the scale of this ancient landscape.
Wadlata Outback Centre, Port Augusta
Visit the Wadlata Outback Centre in Port Augusta to explore stories spanning prehistoric life, the formation of the Flinders Ranges and the region’s more recent history.
Port Augusta sits at a meeting point of coastal and inland Australia, making the centre a useful window onto the country ahead. Its exhibits place the landscapes of the Outback in geological and human context, from immense changes over time to the lives shaped by this environment.
Woomera Aerospace Heritage
Discover Woomera’s aerospace history at the former rocket-testing town, whose aerospace park displays reminders of Australia’s role in missile and space research.
Established in the twentieth century, Woomera became closely associated with testing in the remote South Australian desert. Its equipment and stories offer a striking contrast to the natural landscapes of the Outback, showing how isolation also made this region significant to scientific and technological projects.
Coober Pedy Opal Mines & Underground Life
Go beneath the surface with a local guide in Coober Pedy to learn how opals are mined. Explore the town’s underground homes and facilities, built into the earth as a practical response to the desert’s extreme heat.
Known as an opal-mining centre, Coober Pedy is shaped as much by the people who work its mineral-rich ground as by its unusual architecture. The visit reveals the ingenuity behind everyday life in this isolated setting.
Uluru Sunset with Sparkling Wine
Watch sunset at Uluru as changing light shifts the colour of the sandstone. Take photographs beneath the open Red Centre sky while enjoying sparkling wine and bites with your travelling companions.
Uluru stands within the World Heritage-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and holds profound significance for its Anangu Traditional Owners. Watching from a dedicated sunset setting offers time to appreciate both the rock’s immense form and the desert landscape around it.
Uluru Sunrise & Guided Mutitjulu Waterhole Walk
Witness sunrise over Uluru before joining a guided walk at its base to Mutitjulu Waterhole. See the sandstone at close range and experience the quieter atmosphere of a place sacred to the Anangu people.
This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience brings the landscape’s cultural meaning into focus. Uluru rises about 348 metres above the surrounding plain, while the waterhole offers a more intimate setting for learning about Anangu connections to Country.
Kings Canyon Rim Walk
Tackle the Kings Canyon Rim Walk for views of steep sandstone walls, weathered domes and hidden rock pools in Watarrka National Park. The approximately 6 km route begins with a demanding climb and requires a high level of fitness.
The canyon’s layered rock preserves a long geological history, while its sheltered spaces support life in an otherwise dry landscape. Travellers unable to manage the rim ascent can discuss an easier creek walk alternative with the Tour Director.
Alice Springs Telegraph Station & Anzac Hill
See the Alice Springs Telegraph Station up close and take in views from Anzac Hill across the town and surrounding ranges. Together, the sites reveal both the scale of Central Australia and a chapter of its communications history.
Established in 1872, the station was one of the links along the Overland Telegraph Line connecting Adelaide and Darwin. Anzac Hill provides a broad outlook over the settlement and the landscape that has inspired generations of local artists.
Simpsons Gap, West MacDonnell Ranges
Explore Simpsons Gap on a scenic visit to the West MacDonnell Ranges near Alice Springs. See sheer rock walls framing a tranquil waterhole and take time to appreciate the shapes and colours of the surrounding terrain.
The gap cuts through an ancient range that stretches west of town. Its sheltered setting offers a close-up view of the rocky Central Australian landscape, contrasting with the wide horizons encountered elsewhere on the journey.
Alice Springs School of the Air
Visit the Alice Springs School of the Air to see how lessons reach children living across a vast area of remote Central Australia. During the school term, you may have the chance to observe a live educational session.
The school’s teaching area spans approximately 1.3 million square kilometres. Its approach to distance learning shows how families and educators maintain a classroom community despite the immense spaces separating their homes.
Daly Waters Historic Pub
Step into the Daly Waters Pub, an Outback institution whose walls are covered with keepsakes left by travellers. Browse the eclectic collection and take in the character of a meeting place with roots in the 1930s.
Boots, clothing and other mementos turn the pub into an informal record of journeys through the Northern Territory. The visit offers a glimpse of road culture and the social life of a small, remote community.
Mataranka Thermal Springs or Elsey Homestead
Experience Mataranka through a choice described in the itinerary: stroll to the thermal springs for a soak or visit the replica Elsey Homestead. Palm-lined paths and warm water offer one way to enjoy the setting; the homestead offers a connection to a well-known Australian story.
The replica is associated with We of the Never Never, the tale also adapted for a 1982 film. These are presented as alternatives rather than two guaranteed visits.
Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge Cruise
Cruise through Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge, travelling between towering sandstone walls and along the waterways that shape this dramatic part of the Top End. Learn about the Jawoyn people’s connection to Country during this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience.
The gorges lie within a landscape that has held meaning for Jawoyn people for millennia. Seeing them from the water brings their scale into focus while cultural stories add depth to the scenery.
Yellow Water Billabong Wildlife Cruise
Cruise Yellow Water Billabong in Kakadu National Park with local experts, scanning the wetlands for crocodiles and birds such as sea eagles, brolgas and kingfishers. The waterways and vegetation offer an absorbing view of the Top End’s wildlife.
This MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience takes place within Kakadu, a World Heritage-listed landscape recognised for both natural and cultural significance. Wildlife sightings vary, but the billabong’s shifting light and rich wetland habitat are central to the experience.
Ubirr Rock Art & Nadab Lookout
Explore the Aboriginal rock art galleries at Ubirr in Kakadu National Park, where images on the stone speak to enduring connections with Country. Travellers able to manage the climb can continue to Nadab Lookout for broad views across the floodplains and escarpment.
The lookout route involves uneven rocky paths and steps and requires a moderate level of fitness. A flatter gravel-path alternative allows visitors who cannot make the climb to experience the rock art.
Mindil Beach Sunset Market
Browse the Mindil Beach Sunset Market in Darwin, where food stalls bring together flavours from a wide range of culinary traditions. Take in the lively tropical atmosphere near the shore as the evening light changes.
Darwin’s cultural mix is especially tangible through its food. This market visit gives you a chance to explore the stalls and choose what appeals to you; any food or purchases are separate from the included visit unless otherwise specified.
Farewell Celebration Dinner, Darwin
Gather with your travelling companions for a farewell dinner in Darwin, celebrating the landscapes and encounters shared across Australia’s interior and Top End.
More than a routine meal, this is a dedicated occasion to exchange stories from the journey—from desert walks to gorge and wetland cruises. The setting brings the small group together one final evening in the Northern Territory’s tropical capital.
Uluru Barbecue Dinner
Enjoy an Uluru barbecue dinner as an optional evening experience in the Red Centre. Share a meal with fellow travellers in the setting of the desert, where broad skies and the presence of Uluru lend the gathering its distinctive atmosphere.
This experience is at additional cost. The tour specifically recommends asking about pre-booking; check whether booking on tour remains available before relying on a place.
Uluru Field of Light
See the Uluru Field of Light before dawn, when thousands of illuminated stems spread across the desert floor. Walk among the glowing installation while the surrounding landscape is still dark.
Created by artist Bruce Munro, the work uses approximately 50,000 points of light to create a shifting field of colour near Uluru. This optional experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.
Scenic Flight over Kakadu
Take an optional scenic flight over Kakadu for an aerial perspective on the national park’s immense wilderness. From above, the scale of its wetlands, waterways and escarpments becomes easier to grasp.
Kakadu is a World Heritage-listed landscape with deep Indigenous cultural significance as well as exceptional natural diversity. Flight routes and views depend on conditions. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.
Litchfield National Park Exploration
Explore Litchfield National Park on an optional outing from Darwin, seeking out its magnetic termite mounds, waterfalls and waterholes. The park’s stone escarpments and tropical vegetation reveal another side of the Northern Territory.
Conditions shape what is possible: swimming is seasonal and depends on access and local safety guidance. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour, subject to availability.