Central Australia Camping Adventure

Alice Springs - Yulara - Uluru Today, you will be picked up from your meeting point in Alice Springs, before we set off towards Uluru. Along the way, we pause at the Mt Connor lookout – a striking flat-topped mountain often mistaken for Uluru – and make a short stop at Curtin Springs. After lunch, we will have more travellers joining our tour from Yulara Resort and Ayers Rock Campground.

In the afternoon, we visit the Aboriginal Cultural Centre to learn about the stories, traditions, and environment of the Red Centre. From there, we begin our exploration of Uluru on a base walk, discovering ancient rock art, family caves, and sacred sites that hold deep cultural significance. We also visit the Mutitjulu Waterhole or Kantju Gorge, where a seasonal waterfall flows and natural food sources have sustained people for generations.

We finish the day watching the colours of Uluru shift at sunset before sharing dinner with our fellow travellers.

Please note: You will need to arrive in Alice Springs the day before the tour begins. The itinerary and route may be adjusted in response to seasonal weather conditions or park closures due to traditional landowner ceremonies.

Meeting point: Stay at Alice Springs Hotel, 11 Leichhardt Terrace, Alice Springs Northern Territory 0870, Australia, before 6:30 AM.

Driving Distance: 460 KM
Hike Distance & Time: 2-3 KM & 2-3 hours

Please note: Safari tents are only available for twin share (two travellers on the same booking) and are permanent tents; solo travellers will stay in a bush swag, a self-contained canvas bed roll with mattress designed for sleeping outdoors on the ground under the stars.

Please note: This is a participation-style tour where travelers will assist with shared meal preparation and clean-up duties. Please refer to the trip notes for further information.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park - Kings Canyon. Early this morning, we will enjoy a breathtaking sunrise over Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park while having breakfast. Afterwards, we set out to explore Kata Tjuta, marvelling at its towering rock domes. We take a walk through either the Valley of the Winds or Walpa Gorge, where the scale and beauty of these formations leave a lasting impression.

From here, we continue our journey towards Kings Canyon. Tonight, we camp at a remote safari site on the lands of the Wanmarra community, one of the most isolated places in the world. We end the day gathered around the campfire for a hearty meal, followed by stargazing beneath a vast outback sky unlike any other.

Driving Distance & Time: 406 KM & 4.5 hours
Hike Distance: 2-6 KM & 2-4 hours, weather permitting

Kings Canyon - Watarrka National Park - West McDonnell Ranges National Park. We have another early start as we set out to explore the mighty Kings Canyon, known as Watarrka. This ancient landscape holds deep cultural significance for the Ulpanyali and Lilla people. With water bottles filled and walking shoes ready, we begin our hike through dramatic sandstone cliffs and deep chasms, taking in views that make this canyon one of the most remarkable walking trails in Australia.

If conditions allow, we tackle the rim walk or another seasonally suitable section of the trail, giving us the chance to experience the canyon from unique perspectives. After our walk, we rest as we travel north, following remote routes such as the Mereenie Loop or Ernest Giles Road. By evening, we arrive at our private bush camp near Mount Sonder, where we enjoy another night under the stars.

Driving Distance & Time: 370 KM & 4 hours
Hike Distance & Time: 4-6 KM & 3-4 hours

West McDonnell Ranges National Park - Alice Springs. Today, we continue our journey through the West MacDonnell National Park, beginning with breakfast surrounded by the towering red walls of Ormiston Gorge. As we enjoy this remarkable setting, we take time to appreciate the natural forces that shaped the landscape and look out for wildlife stirring with the morning light.

We then make our way to Ellery Creek Bighole, known to the Arrernte people as Udepata. Here we cool off with a swim in the permanent waterhole, a welcome break in the heart of the outback. From there, we travel to Standley Chasm, or Angkerle Atwatye, where sheer rock walls rise dramatically above a narrow path carved through the range.

Our final stop is Simpsons Gap, a striking feature of Tjoritja, the West MacDonnell Ranges. This site is home to a permanent waterhole and is culturally important as the meeting point of several Aboriginal dreaming trails.

With our time in the Red Centre complete, we return to Alice Springs and drop you off at our designated drop-off point at approximately 6:30 PM.

Drop-off point: Stay at Alice Springs Hotel, 11 Leichhardt Terrace, Alice Springs Northern Territory 0870, Australia, at approximately 6:30 PM.

Driving Distance: 250 KM & 3 hours
Walking Distance: 3-4 KM