Outback Contrasts

Discover the stories of Alice Springs as you settle into the heart of the Red Centre. Meet your Driver Guide, whose insights bring this remote town and its character to life, then visit the historic Overland Telegraph Station for a glimpse into the region’s past. Later, deepen your connection to Country during a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience with Rayleen Brown, who shares her knowledge of Aboriginal native foods and the traditions behind them. Rayleen’s recipes have featured in Australian cookbooks, and she has appeared as a guest judge on leading culinary television shows. Naturally, there’s also the chance to taste the many flavours of the region’s bush tucker.

Leave Alice Springs behind and journey towards Kings Canyon, pausing at Erldunda Roadhouse, known as the ‘Centre of the Centre’, where the Stuart and Lasseter Highways meet. Continue to Kings Canyon Resort in Watarrka National Park, where modern comforts sit amid dramatic outback scenery. This evening, dine under the stars during the ‘Under a Desert Moon’ experience, a five-course dinner featuring locally sourced produce and Australian wines. It’s a memorable end to a day that brings you deeper into the landscapes of the Red Centre.

Rise early for a sunrise walk at Kings Canyon, where towering sandstone walls, the domes of the Lost City and the lush Garden of Eden reveal the grandeur of this ancient landscape. Or take a gentler stroll along the canyon creek bed, following a path once used by the Luritja people, who found sanctuary among the itara trees below. Then visit the Wanmarra Community for the Karrke Aboriginal Cultural MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, where you’ll learn about the spiritual connection the Luritja and Pertame people have to the land, along with the bush foods and medicines used for healing and spirituality. Continue across sweeping desert landscapes to Curtin Springs Station before arriving at mighty Uluru. Later, spend time at the Cultural Centre to uncover the foundations of Anangu culture and the creation stories that shape this sacred place.

Choose a slower start, or rise before dawn for the optional Sunrise Field of Light experience by artist Bruce Munro. Later, head to Kata Tjuta, where a walk through Walpa Gorge reveals the scale and beauty of these ancient rock formations. After free time for lunch, return to Uluru for a tour around its base and gain a deeper understanding of the cultural significance of this sacred site. As the day draws to a close, enjoy sunset drinks while the colours of the outback shift and Uluru glows in the fading light. The evening is at leisure, with the option to pre-book an exclusive Uluru Barbecue Dinner.

Travel through the vast outback, where desert landscapes stretch to the horizon and camels, cattle and Atila, also known as Mt. Conner, punctuate the view. Pause at Stuart Wells, an authentic outback roadhouse, before continuing towards Alice Springs. Along the way, divert into the West MacDonnell Ranges to explore Simpsons Gap, where rugged cliffs and a permanent waterhole create one of Central Australia’s most striking natural settings. Back in Alice Springs, there’s time to relax before dinner.

Your Red Centre journey comes to an end this morning. For one final perspective on the outback, you may choose to join an optional hot air balloon ride and watch the landscapes unfold from above before your onward journey.