Australian Pacific Tours

Centre Top End, 15 day, Camping Safari

Tour Code: DB15

Departure Dates
2000: 1 & 15jan, 12 & 19feb, 4 & 18mar, 8apr, 20may, 24jun, 19aug, 7, 14, 21 & 28oct, 4nov, 23dec
2001: 17feb, 24mar, 7apr, 19may, 23jun, 18aug, 6, 13, 20 & 27oct, 3nov, 22dec, 
Legend: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner

Price: au$ 2590 Twinshare pp / au$ 2820 Sole Tent use

Day 1 Sat. Riverina District: Depart Melbourne or Sydney for the Riverina town of Narrandera. Camp tonight on the shores of Lake Talbot where kangaroos and koalas abound.

Day 2 Sun. Mildura-Renmark (BLD) :Follow the Murray River, passing historical towns and vineyards. Travel through Mildura. Camp: Renmark Caravan Park, on the banks of the Murray River.
  • Stay Spear Creek Cattle and Sheep Station
  • Cruise the Mary River Floodplains - Wildman Conservation Reserve
  • Stay Coober Pedy - Opal Capital
  • Beef & Barramundi Night
  • Visit Hermannsburg Historic Precinct
  • Sunset viewing Ayers Rock
  • Explore Kata Tjuta (The Olgas)
  • Watarrka National Park - Kings Canyon
  • Standley Chasm & Simpsons Gap
  • Guided cruise Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge)
  • Kakadu National Park -
  • World Heritage Area
  • Nourlangie Rock Aboriginal Art Site
  • Stay 2 nights Alice Springs
  • Stay 2 nights Darwin Hotel
Day 3 Mon. Spear Creek Station (BD): Adelaide and Perth passengers join Burra. Travel to Spear Creek Station, a working station set on 6 000 hectares in the Flinders Ranges. Experience station life as you tour the property aboard 4-wheel drive vehicles. See natural flora, fauna and some of the 4000 sheep and 200 cattle. Enjoy a sheep shearing demonstration, then as nightime approaches, gather around the warmth of our camp-fire. Camp: Spear Creek Station.

Day 4 Tue. Coober Pedy (BD): Tour the fascinating mining town of Coober Pedy, Australia's opal centre. Visit an underground home, church and Umoona Opal Mine. Witness opal-cutting and polishing demonstrations. Overnight: Coober Pedy, Umoona Opal Mine, underground dug-outs!

Day 5 Wed. Ayers Rock (BLD): Cross the border into the Northern Territory via the vast cattle stations of Erldunda, Ebenezer and Curtin Springs. See Mt. Conner en route to the mighty monolith Ayers Rock, rising from the plain. Camp: Ayers Rock Campground for 2 nights. Tonight, enjoy pre-dinner drinks and watch the many colour changes of Ayers Rock as the sun sets.

Day 6 Thur. Uluru National Park- Ayers Rock-Olgas (BD): Opportunity to climb Ayers Rock and view the vast Australian Outback. Tour the base of the Rock, see ancient aboriginal rock paintings and caves, and hear the tales of Uluru. Visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. Explore the Olgas, a group of massive rock domes, known to the aboriginals as Kata Tjuta.

Day 7 Fri. Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park (BLD): Travel via Curtin Springs and Angus Downs through remote desert terrain to Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park. An escorted walk to the canyon rim will reward you with views of the sheer red rock face, towering 300 metres high, and the lush "Garden of Eden". Camp: Kings Canyon Resort.

Day 8 Sat. West MacDonnells (BLD): Travel on the Mereenie Loop Road through some of Central Australia's most spectacular country to Hermannsburg Historic Precinct. Tour the West MacDonnell Ranges and see the sheer cliffs of Standley Chasm. Continue to Alice Springs, visiting the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Camp: Alice Springs, Red Centre Resort for 2 nights. Tonight your Tour Director will host pre-dinner drinks including champagne, to celebrate the "Turn of the Century".

Day 9 Sun. Alice Springs (B): What better way to greet the early morning than an optional hot air-balloon flight. Enjoy the day at leisure to explore Alice Springs on your own. Relax by the pool, perhaps some shopping, or visit the unique Desert Park. Tonight you might like to "Take a Camel to Dinner" (own expense).

Day 10 Mon. Devils Marbles (BLD): Venture north to Central Mt. Stuart, the geographical centre of Australia. Explore the Devils Marbles, a cluster of gigantic boulders, then through Tennant Creek. Enjoy a Beef and Barramundi dinner tonight at the historic Daly Waters Pub. Camp: Daly Waters.

Day 11 Tue. Nitmiluk Cruise (BD): Cruise Katherine River as it winds quietly between the sheer sandstone walls of spectacular Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge). Camp: Nitmiluk National Park. The park abounds with kangaroos at nightfall.

Day 12 Wed. Nourlangie Rock-Kakadu National Park (BLD): Travel north to Pine Creek on our way to Kakadu National Park, inscribed on the World Heritage List for both outstanding cultural and natural universal values. Visit Warradjan Cultural Centre, the ancient art sites at Nourlangie Rock, and Bowali Visitor Centre. Camp: Jabiru, Frontier Kakadu Lodge and Campground, in Kakadu National Park.

Day 13 Thur. Wildman Mary River Cruise-Crocodile Farm (BL): Discover the beauty of the Mary River floodplains this morning as we cruise through the Wildman River Conservation Reserve. This remote region is off the tourist track and home to many species of birdlife, salt and freshwater crocodiles and a variety of water lilies. This afternoon, visit the Crocodile Farm. Witness feeding, and see hundreds of crocodiles in display pools and breeding ponds. Overnight: Hotel Darwin for 2 nights. Tonight you might like to visit the famous Mindil Beach Markets featuring craft and exotic food stalls (open May to October).

Day 14 Fri. Darwin At Leisure: Today is free for you to soak up the tropical beauty of Darwin. Relax by the pool or perhaps go shopping.

Day 15 Sat. Home: Own transfer arrangements to Darwin Airport for flight home.