AAT Kings: Outback Contrasts 2024

Immerse yourself in the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station precinct and learn about the overland telegraph line as you discover its historic buildings. Explore the West MacDonnell Ranges on a walk through the dramatic Simpsons Gap. Relish spectacular views across Alice Springs from Anzac Hill before some free time to explore the town or relax by your resort pool. Join your fellow guests at the Tali restaurant for a Welcome Dinner.

Staying in:

• Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters (1 night)

We head off along the 4WD Giles Track, crossing dry riverbeds and outback landscapes, to Kings Canyon Resort. The flickering glow of this evening's fire, dancing under the canopy of a starry Southern Hemisphere sky, is the perfect accompaniment to your Local Dining Experience Under a Desert Moon. This degustation menu with matching wines is the perfect end to the day. Sit back and listen to the sounds of the outback come alive at night in the company of new friends.

Staying in:

• Kings Canyon Resort (1 night)

Gaze across the deep chasm at the edge of Kings Canyon as you embark on a sunrise 6km rim walk past the domed ‘Lost City' and down into the luscious ‘Garden of Eden'. Immerse yourself while visiting the Wanmarra Community with local Aboriginal people and learn about the Luritja and Pertame people’s spiritual connection to the land. Discover bush food and bush medicine used for spirituality and healing. Wandering across desert landscapes leaving Kings Canyon behind and arriving for lunch at Curtin Springs Station, a vast farming property. Feel the stirring of something bigger than you as you arrive in Ayers Rock Resort, your launchpad to Australia's fiery heart in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. This afternoon, travelling to Uluru as the day fades, the outback sun bids a fiery farewell. This is the perfect backdrop for included sparkling sundowners while overlooking Uluru.

Staying in:

• Sails in the Desert Hotel (1 night)

Enjoy a relaxed start to the day before exploring, and learning about the spiritual connection the local Anangu caretakers have with the land. Skirt the red walls of Uluru, hear ancient tales and see rock art, when visiting the Mutitjulu Waterhole. Relax by the resort pool or take to the skies to see Uluru from above before an afternoon visit to Kata Tjuta for a walk through Walpa Gorge. The evening enjoy dinner at Ilkari Restaurant.

Staying in:

• Sails in the Desert Hotel (1 night)

Observe the shifting lights of Bruce Munro’s impressive Field of Light art installation as the desert awakens and the sunrise lights up across Uluru. Traverse the vast and fascinating outback before arriving in Alice Springs. Enjoy free time to wander around the town. The Todd Street Mall has cafés and Aboriginal art galleries to explore. This evening, immerse yourself against the backdrop of the outback at our open-air bush BBQ Celebration Dinner. Located off the beaten track in the heart of the East MacDonnell Ranges, you'll enjoy drinks as a bush balladeer sings classic Australian songs and shares stories of outback living, under the Southern Hemisphere’s Milky Way.

Staying in:

• Crowne Plaza Alice Springs Lasseters (1 night)

Relax this morning as your journey comes to an end. You might choose to take a hot air balloon ride (own expense) to experience the scenic landscapes of the outback before your journey comes to an end.