Central Australian Discovery

Arrive into Adelaide airport, where you will be met on arrival and transferred to your hotel.

This evening, get to know your fellow travellers and Driver-Guide as you enjoy a Welcome Dinner at your hotel. Stay: Adelaide, The Playford Hotel (D)

• Visit the highly acclaimed Watervale Hotel for a delightful meal featuring local produce from their organic, bio-dynamic farm in the Clare Valley.

This morning is yours to explore at leisure. Perhaps take a scenic flight over Wilpena Pound to gain a true appreciation of this natural wonder (additional expense). Or alternatively embark on a self-guided walk to the spectacular Wilpena Pound, a natural amphitheatre of mountains in the heart of the national park. After Lunch, venture into Flinders Ranges National Park and follow in the footsteps of Douglas Mawson as you spend the afternoon in the geological site of Brachina Gorge, an important refuge for the endangered yellow-footed rock wallaby. (B/L/D)

This morning farewell the Flinders Ranges. Stop for lunch at the Prairie Hotel. Later, arrive at Marree and stay at your historic hotel that dates back to 1883. Stay: Marree Hotel (B/L/D)

• Drive to the edge of Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre and look out to the seemingly endless salt flats.
• Journey along the iconic Oodnadatta Track, keeping an eye out for the 5,614-kilometre Dog Fence.

Make your way to the Umoona Opal Mine, where you will watch an informative award-winning documentary presented in an underground theatre. You will learn about the different types and quality of opals, as well as visiting a mine that was worked in the 1920s. Farewell South Australia; and cross the border into the Northern Territory.

Later arrive at Uluru. In the heart of the Red Centre, the luxury of Sails in the Desert complements the surrounding natural beauty.

This evening, enjoy dinner at your resort. Stay Two Nights: Uluru, Sails in the Desert Hotel, Ayers Rock Resort (B/L/D)

• Tonight, indulge in the Sounds of Silence dinner under the stars. Savour a glass of sparkling as the sun goes down, then help yourself to a ‘bush tucker' buffet accompanied by the music of a didgeridoo.

After breakfast, explore the incredible Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Visit Kata Tjuta - the Olgas, consisting of 36 majestic domes, which form deep valleys and steep-sided gorges. An important Indigenous cultural site, Kata Tjuta translates to ‘many heads'. Continue to explore the immense red walls of Walpa Gorge.

Later arrive at Kings Canyon Resort. Set in the Watarrka National Park, just nine kilometres from Kings Canyon, Kings Canyon Resort will be a stay to cherish. Stay: Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon (B/L/D)

• Journey into the heart of pristine Watarrka National Park and embark on the Kings Canyon Rim Walk.

Head to Simpsons Gap, just one of the scenic areas that pierce the West MacDonnell Ranges. This sacred area is an important spiritual site to the Arrarnta Aboriginal people, where several dreamtime stories have said to take place. The area also contains one of the most prominent waterholes in the region. Here, be sure to keep an eye out for Black-footed Rock-wallabies.

Continue to the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park, a vast and spectacular section of the ranges. This is an outstanding example of ancient landscapes shaped over time by climatic elements. Here, cool scenic gorges are important refuges for a collection of plants and animals from the harsh elements, many of which are found only here. (B/L/D)

Today, make your way to Tennant Creek. Along the way, stop at Karlu Karlu – Devils Marbles. A living cultural landscape, be in awe as the golden sunlight shines upon these giant granite boulders. Geologically, the marbles were formed from an upsurge of molten rock that cooled and became solid beneath a layer of sandstone. Over time water infiltrated the cracks of these solid structures, breaking down the sandstone, and then the granite. As a result, rounded granite boulders perched on top of each other have been revealed.

Karlu Karlu is also recognised as of great cultural importance, with nearly the entire Reserve a registered sacred site, with many stories and traditions associated to this area. Arrive at Barkly Homestead and enjoy dinner. Stay: Tennant Creek, Barkly Homestead (B/L/D)

• Enjoy a scenic flight over the unique rock formations of the Lost City. A series of sandstone outcrops, the Lost City evokes the remains of an ancient civilisation.

Travel to Katherine via the natural Mataranka Thermal Pool, where you can unwind in the warm crystal-clear waters, which are said to have healing properties for aches and pains. Stay: Mataranka Territory Manor Motel (B/L/D)

• Board a cruise through Katherine Gorge and marvel at the network of gorges carved from centuries-old sandstone.

Your amazing adventure draws to a close. After breakfast, you will be transferred to Darwin airport for your onward flight. (B)