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Total Territory Top End & Outback

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Total Territory Top End & Outback

Was From $ 3,395 AUD
Now From $ 3,056 AUD
Sale!

Description

Embark on a Northern Territory adventure from Darwin to Alice Springs, taking in the region’s biggest and best draws along the way. Witness Uluru during a stunning sunrise, wander through the majestic canyons of Kata Tjuta and admire the views from Kings Canyon. Enjoy exclusive access to Arnhem Land and get a taste of the tropics in Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks, as well as Katherine Gorge. A region of exceptional landscapes and intriguing cultural attractions, this tail-to-top adventure through the Territory is a trip that will leave you with a profound appreciation of Australia’s raw and rugged natural beauty.

Trip Name
Total Territory Top End & Outback
Last Updated
2020-03-16
Days
11
Capacity
24
Highlights
  • Get back to basics with this classic overland adventure
  • Skip 1500km of straight driving between Darwin and Alice Springs in and fly with Qantas Airways, on an included flight
  • Enjoy authentic Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander experiences in the Top End and Red Centre and exclusive access to Arnhem Land
  • Discover the wonders of Kakadu National Park. Get adventurous on a 4WD tour to the spectacular Jim Jim Falls and see the ancient Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander rock art of Ubirr
  • See the sun rise over Uluru, walk the rugged rim of Kings Canyon, discover the highlights and national parks of Australia's Top End in authentic outback style.
  • Enjoy the flexibility of a private vehicle, the local knowledge of a passionate guide and the magic of camping under the great southern sky

Itinerary

ITINERARY CHANGES: Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It is important that you print and review a final copy prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in country. The order and timing of included activities in each location may also vary seasonally to ensure our travellers have the best experience. Your tour leader will keep you up to date with any changes once on tour. ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER CULTURAL EXPERIENCES & COMMUNITIES: Please note due to cultural sensitivities, entry to particular parts of local First Nations communities may be unavailable. Where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander guides are unavailable in the Red Centre an Intrepid guide will lead the interpretive cultural walk. Top End cultural experiences are only available during the dry season (May-Oct) as site is subject to flooding (contact our customer service team for availability). Participants may be absent due to cultural commitments with minimal prior notification and Intrepid reserves the right to amend the itinerary in these circumstances with no obligation to refund. WET SEASON ITINERARY A tropical summer itinerary applies in Kakadu April/May and September/October Itineraries may vary and/or attractions be substituted for any cause including seasonal conditions (including the opening and closing of Jim Jim Falls and other natural attractions), weather extremes, traditional owner and national park requirements. Itineraries may vary and/or attractions be substituted for any cause including seasonal conditions, weather extremes, and traditional owner/national park requirements. Note that the opening dates of waterfalls (including Jim Jim Falls) and attractions vary each year and can change on a daily basis in the wet and shoulder seasons. Visit this website to see live updates on which areas of the park will be open: http://kakaduroadreport.wordpress.com/ or contact our Reservations team. Due to National Park rules and road laws, we cannot guarantee the opening of Jim Jim Falls and other attractions at any time. Alternative activities will be substituted at the tour guides’ discretion, dependent on local conditions. The relationship between ATA and Intrepid Australia For over 25 years, Intrepid Travel and Adventure Tours Australia have been leading brands in the adventure travel business. With Intrepid’s global product range and Adventure Tours’ local knowledge, the two brands joined force in 2011 to provide the ultimate range of Australian product with Intrepid running all of it’s local trips under the Adventure Tours Australia name. Today we’re proud to bring Aussie-made trips to the world, both here with Adventure Tours and overseas through the Intrepid brand, so no matter which brand you have booked through, you’re travelling with the best.

Day 1 - Darwin – Arnhem Land
Welcome to Darwin, the Northern Territory’s tropical capital. There’s no time to waste, so get cracking at 6.50 am and hit the road to Wulna Country, where your Limilngan-Wulna hosts – the land’s Traditional Owners – will greet you with a Cul Cul or ‘Welcome to Country’. Learn about their culture during bush tucker talks and didgeridoo and basket weaving demonstrations. Continue to the border of Kakadu and Arnhem Land for a Guluyumbi cruise along the East Alligator River with a Bininj guide. Learn about the cultural importance of the East Alligator River to the Bininj people and take in the tranquillity and rugged beauty. Back on land, jump in a private vehicle and drive to Arnhem Land’s Mawurndaddja. This sacred complex (only recently opened to visitors) has a spectacular series of rock art that research indicates is over 50,000 years old. Spend the afternoon exploring this atmospheric site and learning about its history from your guide. Head to Kakadu for an overnight stay.
Day 2 - Kakadu National Park
After fuelling up with an early breakfast, head to Jim Jim Falls, Kakadu's most iconic natural attraction. Take a challenging walk through monsoon forest and over boulders, then recharge with a cooling dip in the clear waters beneath the falls. After lunch head to Anbangbang, another incredible site that features ancient art on what was originally Warramal land. Sadly, there are no surviving Warramal people, so the care of the site is maintained by the neighbouring Mirarr and Djok communities. This afternoon, you have the option of taking a scenic flight over Kakadu or visiting the Bowli Cultural Centre.
Day 3 - Kakadu National Park
After breakfast, head to either Gunlom Falls or Maguk (Barramundi Gorge) for a swim in another pristine waterhole. Maguk flows down the steep walls of rugged gorge into a beautiful natural plunge pool, while the steep climb to the Gunlom Falls plunge pool is rewarded with sweeping views of Kakadu and the welcome shade of gum trees. Neither option will disappoint. After a relaxing morning, it’s time to hit the road. Stop in the old gold-mining town of Pine Creek for lunch before continuing for another 3 hours to your private campsite on the doorstep of Nitmiluk National Park. Once comfortable, have dinner with the group before settling in under the stars for the night.
Day 4 - Nitmiluk National Park – Litchfield National Park
Spend the day exploring the deep Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge and greater Nitmiluk National Park, a wonderland of colours, ancient rock art, waterfalls and wildlife. While here, you can explore on foot or choose to take a cruise or rental a kayak to get a closer look. Keep in mind that these optional activities are seasonal and at your own expense. In the afternoon, travel to Edith Falls, a hidden oasis of clear, cool waters surrounded by bronze boulders. After a quick swim in the huge rock pools, continue to tonight’s camp located at the edge of Litchfield National Park, where dinner awaits.
Day 5 - Darwin
After breakfast, head to Litchfield National Park. A bit of a local secret, Litchfield is awash with tropical rainforest, gorgeous waterfalls and crystal-clear waterholes. Visit Florence Falls, Wangi Falls or Bluey Rockholes, then tuck into a picnic lunch. Enjoy a stroll through the steamy rainforests and refreshing dip in one of the park’s gorgeous swimming holes. In the afternoon, make the two-hour drive back to Darwin where the trip ends on arrival. If you decide to stay an additional night in Darwin, perhaps enjoy an optional night out with the group to celebrate the end of a fantastic trip. Total driving time: about three and a half hours (approximately 250 km) Total walking time: about one hour
Day 6 - Darwin - Alice Springs Flight
Today, skip the 1,500km of driving which is about 24 hours by road, and fly from Darwin to Alice Springs with Qantas (QF). Qantas is Australia's first commercial airline and is now recognised as one of the world’s best International airlines. We'll arrange your air tickets and issue them a couple of weeks prior to your departure.  On arrival in Alice springs please look for your transfer vehicle (operated by Alice Wanderer - green and yellow bus) to transfer you into Alice Springs. The rest of the day is free to explore.
Day 7 - Alice Springs to Uluru
Kick off your Australian Outback adventure in either Alice Springs or Yulara. Make tracks across the sunburnt plains to the captivating domes of Kata Tjuta. These massive red rock formations are believed to be 500 million years old. Continue to Australia’ most iconic landmark, Uluru, arriving in time to witness a magical sunset then continue to your camp, where a hearty dinner awaits. Total driving time: about five and a half hours Total walking time: about one hour
Day 8 - Uluru Sunrise
Wake early to catch an unforgettable Uluru sunrise, then get a closer look at this massive sandstone monolith on an unguided walk around its base. After your stroll, walk to the cave paintings near Mutitjulu Waterhole, where you will be met by an Anangu guide. Your guide will shed insight into the ancient rock etchings and the stories they tell, as well as the traditions of the land’s Traditional Owners. Next, visit the nearby Cultural Central to browse its extensive collection of Aboriginal arts and crafts. After a local lunch, set off on a three-hour drive to your exclusive campsite within Watarrka National Park. (Kings Canyon). Get acquainted with your surroundings, enjoy an on-site dinner and settle in for the night. Total driving time: about three and a half hours Today walking time: about two hours
Day 9 - Kings Canyon
After breakfast, pull on your hiking shoes and set off to explore Kings Canyon. Plunging 270 metres/885 feet to the canyon floor, walking its rim reveals incredibly beautiful sandstone formations carved by wind and water. Discover its Amphitheatre, Lost City, North and South Walls and the surprisingly lush Garden of Eden, which owes its cycads and plant life to a permanent waterhole down in the canyon. After lunch, there’s time to relax for a bit before heading along an iconic Red Centre dirt track to the Western McDonnell Ranges. Today driving time: about five hours Today walking time: about three hours
Day 10 - West MacDonnell Ranges
Spend the afternoon exploring the Outback scenery of the West Macdonnell Ranges. Visit one of the most photographed places in the Red Centre – Ormiston Gorge. Keep your eyes peeled for wallabies while admiring the colourful, sweeping walls surrounding its waterhole. Continue to Ellery Creek Big Hole, a popular spot for a refreshing dip. After a satisfying day spent exploring the MacDonnell Ranges, your tour leader will find a suitable place to set up your bush camp for the night. Total driving time: about 45 minutes Total walking distance: up to 10 kilometres/6.2 miles
Day 11 - Eastern MacDonnell Ranges/Alice Springs
Often overlooked for its western counterpart, the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges just might be one of the Outback’s best kept secrets. This is the home of the Arrernte people, the Traditional Owners of the land. Learn about their caterpillar dreamtime story on a short walk to Emily Gap, an important spiritual site to the Arrernte containing galleries of ancient rock paintings. Drive to Trephina Gorge, where you’ll set off on a one-hour guided walk to see its quartzite cliffs and rich birdlife. Afterwards, it’s time for lunch; grab a bite at the historical Ross River Homestead before continuing to the ‘Ghost Town’ of Arltunga where you’ll learn about the mistaken gemstone that lead to a mining rush here in 1887, and also precipitated its abandonment. After exploring the best of the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges, it’s on to Alice Springs where your Outback adventure ends upon arrival in the late afternoon.

Trip Dates

StartEndPrice FromRoom Type
07-04-202017-04-2020AUD $ 3,395-
05-05-202015-05-2020AUD $ 3,395-
12-05-202022-05-2020AUD $ 3,395-
19-05-202029-05-2020AUD $ 3,395-
26-05-202005-06-2020AUD $ 3,395-
02-06-202012-06-2020AUD $ 3,395-
16-06-202026-06-2020AUD $ 3,395-
23-06-202003-07-2020AUD $ 3,395-
30-06-202010-07-2020AUD $ 3,395-
07-07-202017-07-2020AUD $ 3,395-
14-07-202024-07-2020AUD $ 3,395-
21-07-202031-07-2020AUD $ 3,395-
28-07-202007-08-2020AUD $ 3,395-
04-08-202014-08-2020AUD $ 3,395-
11-08-202021-08-2020AUD $ 3,395-
01-09-202011-09-2020AUD $ 3,395-
29-09-202009-10-2020AUD $ 3,395-
06-10-202016-10-2020AUD $ 3,056-

Accommodation

Bush Camping (with minimal facilities) (2 nights),Permanent tented camp (with shared facilities) (6 nights),Mixed gender dorm (2 nights)

Transport

All Terrain vehicle,Private vehicle

Map