Small group tour exploring Alice Springs and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Small group tour exploring Alice Springs and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Discover World Heritage values of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This safari includes spectacular desert scenery and explores the Outback’s precious and resilient nature at the continent’s heart. Discover the rich cultural (especially Aboriginal) heritage, while exploring some stunning parts of this red landscape.

This, like all Odyssey Traveller small group tours is limited to 15 people.

This Odyssey Traveller small group tour is designed for mature and senior travellers, in couples or travelling solo, who want an in-depth and informed experience of their travel destination in the Northern territory. Since 1983, we have specialised in bringing Australian travellers to the world: now, our goal is to let you again rediscover your own country.

Our Alice Springs and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park tour lasts for 13 days, delving into the colourful landscapes and impressive landforms, Aboriginal culture, and rich wildlife of the Southern portion of the Northern Territory.

We begin and end at Alice Springs, where we learn about its surrounding beautiful desert landscapes, Aboriginal culture, and unique wildlife. Alice Springs, or simply ‘Alice’ as it is known now colloquially, is famous for the ochre sands and mountain ranges that surround it, its many Aboriginal art galleries, and cultural events. The Arrernte people, who have lived in the Central Australian Desert in an around what is today Alice Springs for thousands of years, still today sustain a strong connection to this land and a rich culture.

We spend four nights in Alice Springs, before making our way to enjoy the various sites and wildlife of the national parks in the southern portion of the Northern territory. The UNESCO World Heritage Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a major highlight as we explore two of Australia’s most magnificent geological and landform features: Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). The renowned Uluru is a giant, red sandstone monolith dome rock, comprised of sedimentary rock with sandstone, granite, and basalt. At a massive 9.4 kilometres in circumference and standing 348 metres high, it stands symbolically as the physical and cultural heart of Australia. About 25km west of here is Katwa Tjuta, translated to mean “many heads”, a collection of 36 variously sized rock domes. The domes cover an area of 3500 hectares with the highest dome, Mount Olga, rising to approximately 546 metres above the surrounding plain. Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have sacred significance to the Anangu, the local indigenous people who have inhabited the land for more than 22,000 years. They believe both sites contain spirit energy, with the surrounding areas the home of their ancestors and inhabited by many ancestral ‘beings’. The park is also home to a fascinating array of plants and animals, including many rare species.

Other key highlights along the tour include trips to the spectacular canyons of Watarrka National Park, Finke Gorge National Park (home to a diverse range of rare plant species), the Aboriginal Community of Hermannsberg (once home to the great Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira), and the outstanding landscapes of both the West and East McDonnell Ranges (ancient landscapes sculptured over time by climatic elements and today refuges for many plants and animals).

Along our tour we take time to learn about the geology and biodiversity of the parks we visit as well as the different vibrant Aboriginal histories, cultures, traditions, and art styles. En route to our major destinations we also take stops at various locations to enjoy and learn about the dramatic surrounding scenery and sites along the way.

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature aged and senior travellers, click through on this link .

Odyssey Traveller acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and work. We pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.

Articles about Australia published by Odyssey Traveller:

• The Kimberley: A Definitive Guide
• Uncovering the Ancient History of Aboriginal Australia
• Aboriginal Land Use in the Mallee
• Understanding Aboriginal Aquaculture
• Mallee and Mulga: Two Iconic and Typically Inland Australian Plant Communities (By Dr. Sandy Scott).
• The Australian Outback: A Definitive Guide

For all the articles Odyssey Traveller has published for mature aged and senior travellers, click through on this link.

External articles to assist you on your visit to Alice Springs & Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

• The Significance of Uluru to Australian Indigenous Culture
• About Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park
• Top 6 Natural Wonders of the Red Centre
• Top 5 Indigenous Art Galleries in Alice Springs
• National Parks Around Uluru