Australia Odyssey: An 11-Day Northern Territory Explorer

Today is about getting your Darwin bearings on a city tour revealing the events that have shaped the city over the decades, from wars to natural disasters. You’ll be a Darwin expert after visiting attractions like East Point Military Reserve and the Darwin Museum. The afternoon is at your leisure. If you’re at a loss for ideas, we can point you in the direction of the Royal Flying Doctor Service Tourist Facility, perhaps, or the Mindil Beach Sunset Market, loaded with 200+ stalls. Grab a bite and watch the day end with your feet in the sand.

Aboriginal culture is strong in this part of Australia, and its kept alive by Traditional Landowners on this morning’s tour. Dive deep into Aboriginal heritage on a family-owned experience highlighting art, music and bush tucker. Your next deep dive is into the heart of Kakadu, a World Heritage listed national park that is one of Australia’s most important living ecosystems. Today’s Kakadu tour will whet your appetite for a full day of wildlife immersion tomorrow.

Kakadu is vast, spanning almost 20,000 square kilometres. The best way to gain appreciation for just how immense it really is from the air on an optional (but highly recommended) morning flight. Now that you have your bearings, take to the land to discover ancient Aboriginal rock art and cruise the wildlife-packed Yellow Water Billabong to search for enormous saltwater crocs – your eagle-eyed guide knows where to look. End your Kakadu tour on a high, watching the sun set over floodplains.

From one glorious national park to another… today’s backdrop is the end-of-Earth escarpments of Nitmiluk National Park, carved by rivers millions of years ago. Cruising through Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge is a humbling experience even before you know the region’s history. Small wonder freshwater crocs and all manner of birds call the cavern home. See how many sets of eyes you can see peering at you from the water’s surface.

If the Elsey Homestead looks familiar, that’s because it starred in the 1982 Aussie drama We of the Never Never. Today it’s better known for its Mataranka thermal hot springs. Pop on your swimsuit and have a soothing soak, the magical setting surrounded by palms. The only thing more refreshing is a cold beverage at the Daly Waters Pub, self-declared as Australia’s ‘original outback pub’. You can imagine the kind of swagger the locals bring. Visitors are encouraged to leave their mark as well; a memento, perhaps, or autograph on the walls. You’ll arrive in Tennant Creek with a new appreciation for country life.

The Stuart Highway is long (2,700 kilometres), very straight and very flat. Which makes the appearance of Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles) on the horizon all the more dramatic. These massive granite boulders pock the countryside. But they’re not just a pretty sight – they’re a sacred place for the Aboriginal community, created by the fossilised eggs of the Rainbow Serpent. Get the lay of the land atop Alice Springs’ Anzac Hill. From this vantage, the East and West MacDonnell Ranges appear to stretch to the horizon.

Sleep in, take to the skies in a hot-air balloon as the desert awakens, explore the West Macs on a guided tour… this morning is yours to spend as you choose. Save some energy for this afternoon’s Alice Springs tour and visit to the historic Telegraph Station – the reason the town was formed, to connect the country and allow smooth communication. It’s still not always easy to communicate in the outback, with many children getting an education through remote learning. Discover how the School of the Air operates, ensure that all kids have access to information and skills needed in later life.

From the moment you wake up until the last of day disappears, spiritual Aboriginal culture is all around on today’s Northern Territory tour. Get set to be in awe over Dreamtime stories about the creation of Uluru, the world’s largest monolith. It’s particularly pretty at sunset when the fading rays change the desert’s colour with every sip of your sparkling wine.

There aren’t many things worth getting up in the dark for. Sunrise over Uluru is one. It’s a magical time of day, the shifting light casting the countryside aglow. Exploring the base of ‘the Rock’ on an Uluru tour, you’ll begin to understand why this part of the country is so special to the Anangu people, who have called the region home for millennia. Go at your own pace this afternoon. We wouldn’t blame you for taking a dip in the resort pool to cool off. But if you want to see the monolith in another different light, opt to chopper around it, in a helicopter or on the back of a Harley. Either way, you’ll have plenty of stories to tell over your Farewell Dinner.

Another reason to rise early: to catch the (optional) Field of Light art installation that blankets the desert floor. Your spirit will glow just as brightly as you bid farewell to this epic Northern Territory tour.