Outback Safari

Today is one of colours. The ochre soil spiked with cycads as your plane comes into land. The endless blue sky, from horizon to infinity. The russet hues of Uluru that appears on just about every Australian postcard… And that’s all before enchanting hour. Uluru has been home to the Anangu for millennia. You will discover their connection to the land when you arrive in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park at sunset watching the shifting colours transform the desert. Not ready to return to your hotel yet? Elevate your evening with our exclusive Uluru Barbecue Dinner (own expense).

Help protect the highlights of Australia's wilderness through your bucket list visit to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. You’ll encounter the iconic Uluru, half a billion years old, standing 348 metres high and taller than the Eiffel Tower. If you’re looking for a reason to roll out of bed before dawn, make it an Uluru sunrise. We’re not saying it’s better than last night’s sunset. But being up with the birds certainly has its benefits. Like being cool when you explore the base of Uluru, the world’s biggest monolith. A circumnavigation is 11 kilometres (that’s your step-count sorted for the day) if you’re up for it. Or join a shorter guided walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole, a sacred spot decorated with millennia-old Aboriginal rock paintings. Dive even deeper into First Nations traditions at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre – you won’t be able to resist a purchase, opening your wallet sweetened by the fact that you’re supporting local Aboriginal communities. Then wander through Kata Tjuta’s Jurassic domed rock formations into Walpa Gorge between the two tallest Kata Tjuta domes. More bubbles to serenade the day’s end at your Kata Tjuta sunset?

The only other reason to get up before dawn is to glimpse the Uluru Field of Light, a dazzling installation by British artist Bruce Munro that sees 50,000 stem-like globes blanket the Uluru soil (own expense). It’s optional – we won’t judge you for sleeping in, steeling yourself for today’s adventures. But if you’ve come this far, it would be a shame to opt for shut-eye over eye-popping. Speaking of which, did you know Australia has the largest population of wild camels in the world, and Kings Creek Station, your next stop at lunchtime, is the largest exporter of these d-eyed creatures? Next stop is Kings Canyon, part of the immense Watarrka National Park. Walk off those carbs and enjoy perspective-resetting views over the Red Centre. Feeling fit? Get your heart pumping on the 500 step climb on the 6km rim walk or take it easier on the creek bed walk.

Cattle stations are the size of small nations in the Northern Territory outback, as you’ll discover on your journey toward Alice Springs. The other ‘big’ thing in these parts is the MacDonnell Ranges, the stark mountain massif undulating across the red earth like a caterpillar's spine. Back in 1872, Alice Springs was a hive of activity, as a Telegraph Station – one of 12 – was built here to connect Adelaide and Darwin as part of the Overland Telegraph Line. Sweat and tears went into the country-spanning project, as you’ll discover browsing the grounds, now an intimate museum. Finally – panoramas from Anzac Hill steal the scene.

Visit Alice Springs Desert Park. It's home to a vast range of plants and wildlife native to the area. You can really appreciate the beauty and diversity of this incredible landscape. In remote parts of Australia, community is everything, whether to ensure stories of the Arrernte people are not forgotten (you’ll learn all about them today), or to help those who, well, need urgent help. The passionate Royal Flying Doctor Service health workers commute hundreds of kilometres every day to provide aid to those living in far-flung corners of Australia. Their stories are at once uplifting and inspiring. End your day on a high at Earth Sanctuary World Nature Centre, where the Falzon family host a BBQ Be My Guest dinner under the stars. This is a lesson in off-the-grid, sustainable living. Let it inspire you to follow suit back at home.

The whole of Peru covers 1.3 million square kilometres – the same size playing field that the School of the Air broadcasts daily classes to. If you are lucky enough to be there during school term you might see a live session with kids in some of Australia’s most remote reaches, providing them with educational tools that would otherwise be unavailable. We can understand why they would want to call this pocket of the country home. It’s beautiful in a hypnotically mesmerising way. Undeniably otherworldly are the precariously balanced boulders that characterize Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) and the landscapes surrounding gold-rich Tennant Creek.

When you’re not working hard in the Australian outback, you’re having a lot of fun. Case in point the Daly Waters Historic Pub, where the food – schnitzels, burgers – comes second to the atmosphere. Follow the lead of those here before you and leave a memento to add interest the walls; since the 1980s, visitors have been redecorating with everything from bras to boots. If you were a fan of 1982 Australian TV drama We of the Never Never – an autobiographical film about Jeannie Gunn’s life in the outback – you’ll recognise your next destination without pause: the (replica) Elsey Homestead in Mataranka. Explore the grounds, or soak in the palm-shrouded thermal springs.

Explore the natural beauty of Nitmiluk National Park on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience cruise along Nitmiluk Gorge. You’ll wind through this gorge carved through ancient sandstone alongside steep cliff walls, watching for lush rainforest gullies in giant cracks, and maybe a freshwater crocodile or two on the banks. You can almost feel the spirits yawning as they created this landscape on Jawoyn land, part of Nitmiluk National Park. A sprinkling of crocs, a flutter of rare birds, the ripples on the water. It takes your breath away. More wildlife lurks in Kakadu’s Yellow Water Billabong, which is a mecca for sea eagles, brolgas and little kingfishers – and yet more crocs in the muddy shallows.

The best way to grasp the immensity of Kakadu National Park? From the air, should you wish to take a scenic flight (own expense). You won’t regret it – perspective is always enlightening. Speaking of which, Ubirr’s Aboriginal rock art dates back an eye-watering 20,000+ years. Your guide will share stories behind the murals you see, revealing Aboriginal Creation stories passed down through generations. If this part of the Northern Territory looks familiar, that’s because it starred in classic Aussie rom-com, Crocodile Dundee. This part of Australia was clearly made for film-sets. Get your Darwin bearings on a quick city tour, then explore at your leisure – we want to give you as much time as possible to enjoy the Mindil Beach Sunset Market.

It’s fitting that your final full day in the Northern Territory is sultry – the steamy climate demands it. Today, go your own way. That might mean sleeping in then heading out for a delicious tropical breakfast. Or 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, not to mention the waterholes where you can cool off with a refreshing dip (swimming is seasonal and opening is controlled by NT Parks). 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.

‘Ma Muk’ (‘See you later’), as the Larrakia people would say. This Outback adventure is over for now, but we’re positive your memories will last forever.