Northern Territory
Top End Adventure: Kakadu & Litchfield
A 6-day 4x4 adventure from Darwin: ancient rock art in Kakadu, crocodiles on Yellow Water and the waterfalls of Litchfield.
Northern Territory
Red Centre Spiritual Journey
Five days among the red sands of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon – travelling with respect for the world’s oldest living culture.
- 5 Days / 4 Nights
- From $2,950 USD
- Dinner under the stars
Full plan & description
The heart of the continent
Discover the spiritual heart of Australia on this immersive 5-day outback adventure. Begin in Alice Springs before traveling to the magnificent Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Witness the breathtaking sunrise and sunset over Uluru, learning about its cultural significance to the Anangu people. Hike through the majestic domes of Kata Tjuta and explore the rim of the stunning Kings Canyon. This is a journey of cultural discovery and dramatic, unforgettable landscapes.
The route covers about 1,000 km of outback highway in a small, air-conditioned coach, with your guide doing all the driving and interpreting. You will see two national parks – Watarrka (Kings Canyon) and the UNESCO dual World Heritage-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta – and catch two sunsets and a sunrise over the desert. Walks are graded easy to moderate and timed for the cooler parts of the day.
5Days
348Metres: Uluru’s height
36Domes at Kata Tjuta
3Guided walks
Day by day
Your Red Centre itinerary
Every day mapped out, from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock Airport.
Arrive at Alice Springs Airport (15 km from town) and check in to your outback hotel. In the afternoon your guide introduces Mparntwe, as the town is known to its Arrernte Traditional Owners, with a visit to the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, where the town began in 1872. Finish with sunset over the MacDonnell Ranges from Anzac Hill and a briefing on the days ahead.
- Meals: None (arrival day)
- Overnight: Alice Springs, 3-star hotel
- Travel: Airport to town ~15 km
An early start in your air-conditioned coach for the longest drive of the trip: roughly 470 km (5–6 hours with stops) south along the Stuart Highway, west on the Lasseter Highway and north on Luritja Road into Watarrka National Park. Breaks at roadhouses and a camel farm break up the journey, and your guide talks about desert plants, bush foods and the explorers who crossed this country. Late afternoon, stretch your legs on the gentle Kings Creek Walk (about 2 km return) along the canyon floor.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Kings Canyon, 3-star lodge
- Travel: ~470 km, 5–6 hours
Set off at first light on the guided Kings Canyon Rim Walk: 6 km and about 3–4 hours, starting with a steep climb nicknamed “Heart Attack Hill” before levelling out across beehive domes to the Garden of Eden waterhole. On days forecast to reach 36°C or more the walk must start before 9 am, so early starts are essential. After lunch you travel about 300 km (3.5 hours) to Yulara and reach the sunset viewing area in time to watch Uluru turn from ochre to deep red.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort), 3-star hotel
- Travel: 6 km walk + ~300 km drive
Be at the Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area for sunrise, then walk sections of the Uluru Base Walk with your guide – the full loop is 10.6 km, and you can choose the shorter Mala Walk (2 km) to Kantju Gorge. Spend the hottest hours at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre, where Anangu explain Tjukurpa in their own words. In the evening, the included “Sounds of Silence” dinner serves canapés and a bush-tucker inspired buffet on a dune top, followed by a guided tour of the southern night sky.
- Meals: Breakfast, dinner
- Overnight: Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort), 3-star hotel
- Travel: Local, ~50 km
Drive 50 km west to the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta – the name means “many heads”. Walk into the Valley of the Winds (Karu Lookout is 2.2 km return; the full loop is 7.4 km and closes from 11 am on very hot days) or the shorter Walpa Gorge (2.6 km return). The tour ends at Ayers Rock Airport by about 1 pm, in time for afternoon flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or Cairns.
- Meals: Breakfast
- Overnight: —
- Travel: ~110 km including airport
Anangu country
The cultural significance
Uluru and Kata Tjuta are not simply landmarks; they are living cultural places for the Anangu – the Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people who have cared for this country for tens of thousands of years. Their law, knowledge and stories are bound together in Tjukurpa, which explains how the land and its creatures came to be and how people should live. Many features of the rock are the physical evidence of Tjukurpa events.
The park was handed back to its Traditional Owners on 26 October 1985 and is jointly managed by Anangu and Parks Australia. It was World Heritage-listed for its natural values in 1987 and again as a cultural landscape in 1994.
No climbing
Anangu asked visitors for decades not to climb. The climb closed permanently on 26 October 2019, the 34th anniversary of the handback. Walking around the base is the respectful alternative.
Photography etiquette
Some sections of Uluru are sensitive sites connected to men’s or women’s business. Signs on the base walk mark where photography is not permitted – please put cameras and phones away there, and always ask before photographing people.
Leave it as it is
Take nothing away – not even a pebble or a handful of sand – and stay on marked paths. Listening to Anangu at the Cultural Centre is the best way to understand why.
Photo gallery
Scenes from the outback
Tap a photo to view it larger.
Be prepared
What to pack
The desert is a place of extremes: hot afternoons, cold nights in winter and very low humidity. Pack light, but pack smart.
- Wide-brimmed hat, sunglasses and SPF 50+ sunscreen
- A reusable bottle of at least 1.5 litres – drink a litre for every hour of walking in the heat
- Closed walking shoes with good grip for the Kings Canyon rim
- A warm fleece or down jacket for sunrise and the Sounds of Silence dinner (May–September)
- A fly net for your head – inexpensive and invaluable
- Light long-sleeved shirt, small day pack and a head torch
Tip: phone reception is limited between Alice Springs and Kings Canyon. Download maps and music before you leave town.
Price & inclusions
From
$2,950
USD per person
Twin share, summer departures.
| Season | Twin share | Single supp. |
|---|---|---|
| Summer (Dec–Feb) | $2,950 | $690 |
| Shoulder (Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov) | $3,150 | $720 |
| Cool season (May–Sep) | $3,290 | $760 |
What’s included
- 4 nights accommodation (3-star outback hotels/lodges)
- Daily breakfast
- 1 special "Sounds of Silence" dinner under the stars
- Guided walks at Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon
- Park entry fees
- Comfortable air-conditioned coach transport
Not included
- International and domestic flights to Alice Springs and from Ayers Rock
- Travel insurance
- Lunches and dinners other than Sounds of Silence
- Optional camel ride, scenic flight or Field of Light
- Drinks, tips and personal expenses
Questions
Frequently asked questions
No. The climb closed permanently on 26 October 2019 at the request of the Anangu Traditional Owners. You can walk around the base instead, which many visitors find far more rewarding.
May to September is cooler and comfortable for walking, though nights can drop close to freezing. October to April is hot, often above 35°C, so walks start very early and some trails close in the late morning.
Bush flies are common in the warmer months, especially from spring to early autumn. A head net weighs almost nothing and makes walking far more pleasant.
Yes, with a reasonable level of fitness. The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is the most demanding day; anyone who prefers can do the flat Kings Creek Walk instead.
It starts in Alice Springs and finishes at Ayers Rock Airport (Connellan) on day 5. A coach back to Alice Springs can be arranged if you prefer.
Heat warning: trail closures on very hot days are set by park management, not by us. Times above follow current Parks Australia guidance – check the official park website for updates.
Booking your Red Centre journey
Departures run year-round from Alice Springs. Send us your preferred dates and we will confirm availability, including the Sounds of Silence dinner, within one business day.
Enquire & book
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