8 Day Adelaide to Uluru Adventure and Cultural Tour

Day 1 Adelaide to Flinders Ranges

1. 1

   15 min

   Your eight-day outback adventure begins in Adelaide at 5.30 am, where your Storyteller Guide will greet you. After a caffeine stop at the coastal town of Port Wakefield, take in some epic views at Hancock's Lookout.

2. 2

   15 min

   A little bit further down the road, we arrive at the outback town of Quorn. Stretch your legs while you look at the famous Pichi Richi Railway and some unique silo art.

3. 3

   1 hour Admission ticket included

   After a lunch stop at Hawker, arrive at Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park and embark on a rewarding hike at Arkaroo Rock, a significant cultural site for the local Adnyamathanha people.

4. 4

   Skytrek Willow Springs Station

   14 hours Admission ticket included

   This afternoon, arrive at Skytrek Willow Springs Station. This 70,000-acre working sheep station features secluded bush camping and is our base while we unearth the Flinders Ranges. After a tasty dinner prepared by your Guide, kick back and enjoy front-row seats to one of the most spectacular light shows on Earth. The Flinders Ranges is famed for having some of the clearest skies in the Southern Hemisphere. So, what better place to opt for an optional stargazing experience with an expert astronomer and physicist? Take a short drive from camp and, using a 10-inch reflecting telescope, view constellations, globular clusters, nebulae, and the planets Saturn and Jupiter. Experiences range from $90 to $190pp and can be arranged with your Guide on the day.
   Tonight, roll out your swag under a blanket of stars twinkling over the ancient landscape.
   The driving distance today is approximately 510km.

Day 2 Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park

1. 1

   3 hours

   After breakfast, we'll travel to nearby Wilpena Pound to meet local Park Ranger and proud Adnyamathanha man John from Ngai Nhina Yuras. After a Welcome to Country, walk with him in a place where the sun and moon create magic as you listen to the fascinating stories of the Adnyamathanha People. Learn about Culture and Traditions, Bush Mai (food), artefacts, and medicinal plants, followed by a cultural smoking protocol.

2. 2

   Skytrek Willow Springs Station

   13 hours Admission ticket included

   With a better understanding of Aboriginal culture, spend the rest of the afternoon exploring more of the ancient Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park. Take in the incredible outback views on the Buneryoo Scenic Drive. And at Brachina Gorge, we might spot some rare yellow-footed rock wallabies if we're lucky. After bushwalking and connecting with nature, chill out around the campfire with dinner and stories with your newfound friends.
   Driving time today is approximately 3 hours.

Day 3 Flinders Ranges to William Creek via the Oodnadatta Track*

1. 1

   15 min Admission ticket included

   Today we’re taking the bus off the beaten path and travelling along a section of one of Australia’s most iconic unsealed roads, the iconic Oodnadatta Track.

2. 2

   15 min Admission ticket included

   Drive through eerie and moonlike desert scenery as the landscape uncovers highlights, like the Mutonia Sculpture Park.

3. 3

   15 min Admission ticket included

   Visit Australia's largest salt lake.

4. 4

   30 min Admission ticket included

   Wabma Kadarbu Mound Spring Conservation Park

5. 5

   William Creek

   15 hours

   Come late afternoon, arrive in the tiny outback settlement of William Creek. In the middle of nowhere, on the way to somewhere, this quirky town with a population of ten is an icon of the South Australian Outback. After dinner, you might like to enjoy a cold drink in the heritage-listed William Creek Hotel, which opened in 1887. Then curl up in your swag under the stars in the campground.

6. 6

   Oodnadatta Track

   15 hours

   * The Oodnadatta Track is an unsealed dirt road, and the conditions of the track depend heavily on the weather. If the road is deemed unsafe for our bus to drive on, or there is a possibility that sections of the road will close after we have commenced driving on the track, our Guide reserves the right to alter the itinerary and take a different route. If, for safety reasons, the decision is made not to travel on the track, the itinerary for day three will be changed as follows;
   Port Augusta | Coober Pedy via Stuart Highway | Josephine's Kangaroo Orphanage & Gallery | Coober Pedy township | Umoona Opal Mine & Museum | Overnight Coober Pedy.

Day 4 William Creek to Coober Pedy

1. 1

   1 hour Admission ticket included

   After breakfast, journey to the famous underground town of Coober Pedy. The opal capital of Australia features a sun-baked lunar landscape, fascinating history and a unique way of life. Visit the town's main attraction, Umoona Opal Mine & Museum. Go 'noodling' or fossicking and learn about these precious stones during an opal-cutting demonstration.

2. 2

   1 hour Admission ticket included

   Afterwards, visit Josephine's Gallery & Kangaroo Orphanage. Established in 2008 to take in orphaned kangaroos from the far north of South Australia, it is about the size of Germany! The gallery here is a world-class Aboriginal Art Gallery with an extensive range of Aboriginal artefacts and significant works by many of Australia's best-known Indigenous artists.

3. 3

   Coober Pedy

   19 hours

   The rest of the day is yours to do whatever you please, and there is plenty to explore. Stay in a unique underground bunkhouse tonight and grab dinner at one of the many underground eateries.
   Today, the driving distance is approximately 170km.

Day 5 Coober Pedy to Watarrka/Kings Canyon

1. 1

   19 hours

   Today we have some distance to cover. Travel north, past the Dingo Fence and the Aboriginal Heritage site, The Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, where you will be mesmerised by the scenery of the Moon Plains.

2. 2

   30 min

   Lunch stop

3. 3

   Kings Canyon

   13 hours

   Then, crossing into the Northern Territory, travel onwards to Watarrka National Park, the site of Kings Canyon.
   Come late afternoon, arrive at our campsite at the Kings Creek Station. Relax, soak up the serenity, and, on warmer days, enjoy a swim in the pool. Have your camera ready for a stunning desert sunset from the sunset viewing platform before dinner at the Station restaurant eatery and settling in for the night.
   Today, we drive approximately 770km.

Day 6 Watarrka/Kings Canyon to Uluru

1. 1

   Kings Canyon

   3 hours 30 min

   It's an early start this morning for the spellbinding Kings Canyon Rim Walk, which is guaranteed to be one of the most magical experiences of your life. With its 300-metre-high sandstone walls, hidden waterholes, fern forests, chasms, canyons and caverns, Watarrka National Park is central Australia's answer to an oasis. Take in the 360-degree views and journey through Priscilla's Crack, made famous by the classic Australian movie Priscilla Queen of the Desert. From there, see the sandstone domes known as the Lost City and the lush greenery and watering hole of the aptly named Garden of Eden.

2. 2

   Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

   45 min

   After lunch, rest your legs on the drive to our final destination, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Late this afternoon, watch an unforgettable sunset over Uluru before retreating to camp for dinner.

3. 3

   Ayers Rock Campground

   12 hours Admission ticket included

   Roll out your swag upon the red Earth and under billions of stars after dinner at camp.
   Driving today is approximately 350km.

Day 7 Uluru

1. 1

   Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

   3 hours

   An early start is rewarded with a spellbinding Kata Tjuta sunrise. Translating to the Pitjantjatjara word for 'Many Heads', the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta are a defining feature of the Red Centre landscape both topographically and spiritually. Rising 546 metres above the surrounding plain, its tip is the highest point for miles, while the site's ridges and ravines are closely connected with numerous Indigenous creation-time stories. Many of these stories are kept secret from outsiders, but you'll learn a little about the local Anangu culture and appreciate the beauty of their land on a rewarding hike on the Valley of the Winds Walk.

2. 2

   Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

   1 hour 30 min

   This afternoon experience a fun and inspiring dot painting workshop with a talented local Anangu artist and interpreter. During this wonderful 1.5-hour authentic experience, you will learn about ancient symbols used in Anangu art and teachings and will be taught some introductory Pitjantjatjara words (the local language spoken by Anangu). Use this knowledge to create your own artwork to take home and treasure forever.

3. 3

   Ayers Rock Campground

   15 hours Admission ticket included

   Afterwards, visit the Cultural Centre to deepen your understanding of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. You can learn about Anangu culture and the park's natural environment through exhibits and free presentations with Anangu and park rangers.
   Today, we drive around 180km.

Day 8 Yulara

1. 1

   Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

   2 hours 30 min

   Rising early, breathe deep and soak up the serenity of a sunrise over Uluru. As the sunlight plays with the landscape, the rock formations change colour before your eyes. Next, it's time to get close to this natural wonder. At 348 metres high and some 550 million years old, feel a powerful presence the moment you set eyes on it. A guided 10km Uluru base walk is your best opportunity to connect with Uluru and learn its stories. Relax beside tranquil waterholes, take a break under a magnificent Sheoak tree and peer into hidden caves. Shorter walks are available for those who do not want to do the whole base walk.
   Your outback adventure ends in the late morning on our return to the Desert Gardens Resort in Yulara. For those departing from Uluru Airport, complimentary transfers are available from the resort. There are also bus transfers from Yulara to Alice Springs. See the Know Before You Go information below to learn more.
   The driving distance today is approximately 85km.