Australia North: Kakadu, Kimberley & the Outback (Natural Habitat Adventures)

Arrive in Sydney, cosmopolitan capital of New South Wales, and transfer to our hotel in the heart of The Rocks, a district steeped in ancient Aboriginal history and the site of the first European fleet landing in 1788, when ships carrying convicts arrived from England. After displacing the Gadigal First Nations people, British colonists established Australia’s first town on this rocky point, creating the colony of New South Wales. This evening, join your Expedition Leader on a short walk to your welcome dinner at a waterfront restaurant overlooking Sydney Harbor, with an orientation to all the adventures ahead.

With your Expedition Leader, walk over to Circular Quay this morning to board the ferry across Sydney Harbor to Manly. Here, we join an expert local guide for a private walk at North Head Sanctuary, an Australian Wildlife Conservancy property that is an urban reserve of extraordinary biodiversity. Hidden on top of North Head in this oceanside suburb, the important scrub heath vegetation is a remnant of native bushland and the site of important reintroduction programs to restore biodiversity, including the return of three locally extinct species. Numerous walking trails lace the scrubland that is home to echidna, bandicoot, pygmy possum and lizards, plus a host of birds including the wattlebird, wagtail, wren and raven.

After lunch in Manly, ferry back to Sydney and continue to the Royal Botanic Garden. On an Aboriginal bush tucker tour, hear from our Indigenous guide about native bush plants, how they were traditionally used by the Gadigal people, and how they have been adapted to modern palates. On this site, First Nations people lived off the land for centuries before European settlement, and we learn about their initial contact with those aboard the 11 boats that arrived from England in 1788. The rest of the afternoon is at leisure before dinner at The Glenmore, a 1921 heritage-listed building with one of the best views of Sydney Harbor and the city skyline from the rooftop terrace, including the iconic Sydney Opera House.

After breakfast, we depart to meet our flight from Sydney to Ayers Rock Airport, then continue to our hotel where a light lunch awaits. This afternoon, we have our first encounter with Uluru: the legendary red sandstone monolith that rises in striking solitude 1,142 feet above the flat grasslands where we find an abundance of springs, waterholes, rock caves and ancient paintings. Uluru, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is sacred to the Anangu, the Aboriginal people of central Australia who are the original inhabitants of this region, with a presence established for more than 60,000 years. European explorers first arrived here in 1872. A year later, a surveyor observed Uluru and named it Ayers Rock in honor of the Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. In 1993, Australia adopted a dual naming policy to recognize both the traditional Aboriginal name and the English name of landmarks, and Uluru/Ayers Rock became the first official dual-named feature in the Northern Territory.

On a guided walk to Mutijulu Waterhole, hear traditional Creation stories from the Dreamtime, then drive around the base of Uluru before returning to our desert resort hotel with time to relax. Tonight we gain another perspective on Uluru during the only evening dining experience inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Sample traditional local foods including native apple, bush tomato and quandong flavours, and savor renowned Australian barbecued steak, kangaroo and seafood, accompanied by Australian wines. After dinner, stargaze with a local expert under some of the darkest skies on Earth.

Accompany a traditional Uluru family to their homeland, called Patji, and spend intimate time learning about the oldest living culture in the world. A unique and exclusive experience for visitors, Patji is located just outside of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Explore this extraordinary environment by 4WD with your Aboriginal guide, stopping along the way to hear personal stories from our Uluru family hosts, including how they survived in this desert environment prior to the advent of tourism, and how the Uluru inhabitants fought for land rights to their Aboriginal domain. Continue to a private sand dune for a panorama over the great expanse of desert overlooking Uluru and the rock formations that comprise neighboring Kata Tjuta. Later, head to a viewpoint to see the sun set over Uluru, watching the rock turn a multitude of colors as the light gleams and fades.

Rise before dawn to witness the wonder of sunrise over Uluru. We drive across the desert landscape to reach our vantage point on the mighty rock formation, watching the sun’s rays illumine Uluru’s hulk, casting a golden glow that turns the sandstone a luminous red. As the sun ascends, continue to Kata Tjuta—also known as the Olgas—for an Outback picnic breakfast. Afterward, walk with a local guide into Walpa Gorge, named for the wind (walpa) that whistles between the massive conglomerate rock walls and domes that comprise Kata Tjuta, the result of eons of weathering. Learn how the forces of nature have shaped these dramatic formations over millions of years, as well as the cultural significance of this sacred ceremonial site.

At midday, take a private chartered flight from Ayers Rock to Alice Springs, with a spectacular view of Uluru from the air. “Alice” is a remote town in the middle of Australia, located halfway between Darwin and Adelaide. It’s called the gateway to the Red Center, the arid interior desert known for its rusty sandstone geological features. On arrival, we tour Alice Springs’ most notable sights, including the Royal Flying Doctors Service, bringing medical care to the most far-flung sectors of the Outback; The School of the Air, facilitating distance learning for Australia’s most remote students; and the Telegraph Station, the site of the first European settlement in Alice Springs. Established in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide along the Overland Telegraph Line, the station connected Australia to the undersea telegraph network of the British Empire, allowing a message to reach London in as little as five hours versus the 3-4 months it took by ship. Our tour concludes with a panorama of the town and MacDonnell Ranges from Anzac Hill.

Then it’s time to embark on one of the world’s great railway adventures: board The Ghan, Australia’s historic train that inaugurated service in 1929, for the journey across the Outback. The Ghan was named for the pioneering cameleers who blazed a permanent trail into the Red Center of Australia more than 150 years ago; its full route from Adelaide in the south to Darwin in the north spans 1,850 miles. We travel nearly half of it on our northbound journey to Katherine, enjoying luxury accommodations in a comfortable sleeper cabin, Aussie beers and wines in the Outback Explorer Lounge, and fine meals in the Queen Adelaide Dining Room, whose art deco atmosphere harks back to the train’s original ambience.

Wake early for breakfast aboard The Ghan before arriving in Katherine, where we disembark the train. Entering Nitmiluk National Park, take a boat cruise on the Katherine River between the sheer sandstone cliffs. Learn about the region’s history and culture through interpretations of Indigenous rock art dating back 40,000 years. Hear Dreamtime stories about the Creation and the significance of the gorge in the lives of its traditional owners, the Jawoyn people. A short walk to the top of First Gorge reveals a stunning rock art site where paintings remain even after thousands of years of exposure to the elements, evidence of the Jawoyn culture in the area during the last Ice Age.

This afternoon, drive north from Katherine to Jabiru in Australia’s “Top End,” with lunch en route and a stop to look for hooded parrots. Entering Kakadu National Park, we find the tropical side of the remote Australian Outback, home to one of the world’s largest saltwater crocodile populations. On the coastal floodplains of Australia’s most northerly reaches, the Greater Kakadu region contains stunning biodiversity, including 68 mammal species, more than 120 reptile, 26 frog and 300 tidal and freshwater fish species, some 2,000 plant species, more than 10,000 insect species and one-third of all Australian bird species, including an annual migration of over 100,000 magpie geese. Kakadu’s giant crocodiles are the world’s largest living reptiles, having thrived unchanged for nearly 200 million years. Endemic to Australia, they live in floodplains, billabongs, gorges and coastal waters, and we expect to see plenty of them.

While Kakadu is known for its wild nature, it is equally renowned as a living cultural landscape. Aboriginal people have called Kakadu home for more than 65,000 years. In fact, there are so many wonders within the 7,700-square-miles of Kakadu National Park that it received dual UNESCO World Heritage designations for outstanding natural and cultural features. Kakadu is Aboriginal land, and the Bininj/Mungguy owners work hand in hand with Parks Australia to jointly manage it using traditional knowledge and modern science. We encounter both dimensions of the park over two full days as we explore with our Expedition Leader and local Aboriginal guides.

The East Alligator River, a tidal estuary packed with crocodiles, bounds the vast Aboriginal Arnhem Land. On the Kakadu side, we discover the wonders of Ubirr, where ancient people camped beneath its cool rocky shelters and used plants and animals from the nearby floodplain for food, tools and medicine. Ubirr’s rock art galleries are some of the most celebrated in the world, with fine examples of X-ray painting as well as contact art from the time when Indigenous people first encountered Europeans. Much of it features fish, turtles, goanna and other important food sources. One image shows a thylacine, or Tasmanian tiger, which became extinct on the mainland more than 2,000 years ago. An optional hike to the top of Ubirr Rock showcases magnificent views across Kakadu, Arnhem Land and the Nadab floodplains.

Ubirr is one of the few places where it is possible to see the dainty short-eared rock-wallaby. Occasionally, we see black wallaroo. Special bird sightings include the blue-winged kookaburra, brolga, pheasant coucal and peaceful dove, among many others. Look for wildlife on the Bardedjilidji Walk, a path that winds among towering sandstone pillars and small pockets of rain forest along the paperbark-lined riverbank. Learn how the Kakadu Escarpment was formed millions of years ago as we scout for native species that include the elusive northern quoll, short-beaked echidna, white bellied sea-eagle and sulphur-crested cockatoo. Then, gain a different perspective on this pristine wilderness as we cruise up the East Alligator River, anticipating close-up views of crocodiles. Our Aboriginal guide provides insight into local culture, mythology, the river’s rich food chain, traditional uses for many plants and animals, and bush survival skills. On the Arnhem Land side, disembark to view traditional hunting & gathering implements. During the heat of the day, return to our hotel to relax and swim before heading out later to look for wildlife around Lake Jabiru. We often see large colonies of flying foxes departing for the evening, huge flocks of little corellas coming in to roost, and many species of finches.

Head out early this morning for a cruise on the Yellow Water Billabong. Exploring this serene wetland, we look for saltwater crocodiles and prolific birdlife—about one-third of Australia’s bird species are found in Kakadu National Park, with at least 60 right here. Then tour the Warradjan Aboriginal Cultural Center, an interactive museum, art exhibit and gathering place to meet the traditional owners of these lands. On a walk to the Nanguluwur rock art site, we often see an incredible array of bush birds, from tiny finches to the large red-tailed black cockatoo. Rare chestnut-quilled rock pigeons may come to drink at a small spring nearby, and we sometimes spy partridge pigeons and red-winged parrots. We also visit the Nourlangie rock art site, which contains some of the most powerful Aboriginal paintings in Australia, including a depiction of the Lightning Man. Birds here may include emerald doves and sandsone shrike-thrush, and we might spy endemic black wallaroos. Afterward, head back for a siesta before returning to the bush to watch the sunset over the Kakadu escarpment from Nawurlandja lookout. At twilight, tens of thousands of fruit bats wing their way silently through the tropical dusk—an incredible sight.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for our private chartered flight from the Northern Territory to the East Kimberley region of Western Australia, one of the most ancient and untouched corners of the country. The remote Kimberley is known for its stunning scenery, comprising a massive central plateau of dissected sandstone ranges and an extensive limestone range formed from an ancient barrier reef.

Survey the dramatic landscape as we fly across the Victoria River District, circling the Bungle Bungle Range before landing at a remote airstrip in World Heritage-listed Purnululu National Park, which lies within Gija and Jaru Country. These Indigenous groups are the custodians of this land, and we are met by our Gija Woolah guide with tea, coffee and freshly baked damper with bush honey. She welcomes us with a water ceremony, then regales us with stories of the country, bush tucker, and the medicinal use of bush plants on a walk through 360-million-year-old gorges. Following live-giving creeks, we explore Echidna Chasm and Mini Palms Gorge this morning, stopping for a picnic lunch under the shade of the bloodwood trees. Look for some of Purnululu’s 130 bird species, as well as unique animals including the nailtail wallaby and short-eared rock wallaby.

Late this afternoon, take a helicopter flight over the Bungle Bungles when the light on the range is best. One of the planet’s most fascinating geological landmarks, the beehive-shaped cones consist of stacks of ancient seabed layered with dolomite in orange and gray stripes, rising a thousand feet above savanna. After our flightseeing adventure, we have a sundowner toast in the bush before returning to our wilderness lodge, where dinner awaits on the deck. Once darkness descends, sit around the campfire and listen to our guide’s stories of the Kimberley as you trace the stars’ movements across the night sky.

A full day of exploring the beehive domes of the Bungles Bungles awaits, accompanied by our Expedition Leader and local Aboriginal guide. This area is of of enormous significance to Gija and Jaru people, and we learn about their intimate connection to this land since time immemorial. Wake at dawn for a quiet walk into the sandstone domes as we savor the awakening day. Return to our wilderness lodge for a barbecue bush breakfast before heading deep into the southern sector of the Bungle Bungle Range for one of the most famous walks in Purnululu National Park. Hike first to Piccaninny lookout, then on to Cathedral Gorge, a huge natural amphitheater where shrubs dangle from the vertical walls. Among the sandstone towers, observe the creek beds, gaps and crevices, evidence of wet-season waterfalls, and ponder how nature’s forces have sculpted and scoured this setting over millions of years. Along the way, learn about traditional bush medicine as we observe native plants that have been used in human healthcare for thousands of years. Highlights include a picnic lunch in Cathedral Gorge, and, as the day winds down, our local guide takes us to one of her favorite spots for sunset drinks before we return to camp for dinner.

After breakfast, return to the airstrip for our private chartered flight from Purnululu to the Mitchell Plateau. Our course tracks across the northern massifs and over the Argyle Diamond Mine, crosses the Pentecost and Durack rivers, and continues onto to the Kimberley Plateau with views of the rugged ocean coast beyond. You will truly comprehend your remoteness from the air before we come in for a landing among the ancient Livastona palms on the Mitchell Plateau.

At our lodge, we’re met by our local Aboriginal guide for morning tea before heading off in 4x4 vehicles down to the King Edward River for a day of exploring the rock art, the river ecosystem, bush tucker, swimming, and a picnic lunch. We meet up with local guides from the Kandiwal community in an area rarely visited by guests. Survey our environs over afternoon drinks on the King Edward escarpment before the drive back up to our lodge, with time to relax before dinner on the deck. Enjoy dining on the deck. Then, retire to the campfire with a glass of wine for stargazing and Dreamtime stories.

The Kimberley region’s dramatic landscape features a number of dramatic waterfalls, and we'll focus on some of them today. In this exquisite setting, where rivers carve through sandstone and drop precipitously, we may swim in waterholes and splash beneath waterfalls—there's no better form of refreshment in the simmering heat! With interpretation from our local Aboriginal guide, we also visiting rock art galleries that showcase some of the world’s oldest pictographs, dating back 45,000 years. After a picnic lunch, it’s time for an even more thrilling waterfall vantage via a scenic private helicopter flight. Surveying the river, cascades and pools from the air, a thin stripe of water cuts into the vast plateau, gives a sense of scale for just how vast our natural environs are. The helicopter drops us back at our wilderness lodge where drinks await on the deck. Soak up the glow of another Outback sunset and watch the sky darken, illumined by glittering stars. After dinner, it’s time for a good night’s sleep before our departure to Darwin tomorrow.

After breakfast, head back into the bush for a final adventure, walking in to enjoy peaceful Aunauyu—also known as Surveyors Pool—with a chance to try your hand at net fishing for black bream. Our local guides will light the fire, boil the billy and cook any fish that lucky anglers land. There's one more opportunity to swim or relax under the rushing waterfall before returning to the lodge. Once we change clothes, it's time to transfer to the airstrip for our private chartered flight to Darwin. En route, we follow the stunning Kimberley coastline, a jumble of crenellated sandstone indented with rugged gorges, with waterfalls pouring off the plateau into turquoise bays. After a quick refueling stop in Kununurra, we reach Darwin by late afternoon, where we check in to our hotel, then join our Expedition Leader to walk to our farewell dinner on the Darwin waterfront.

Darwin, a former frontier outpost that is the capital of the sparsely populated Northern Territory, is located on the Timor Sea just below Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. With roots into Aboriginal Dreamtime, Darwin’s Indigenous heritage extends back tens of thousands of years. More recently, Darwin was an important transportation hub from the early days of European settlement and a strategic Allied base during World War II. Today the city blends Aboriginal, Australian and Asian cultures in a lively melange. Spend the night at our hotel overlooking the harbor just steps from the waterfront esplanade.

Your grand Australia Outback tour concludes after breakfast this morning, with a transfer to the airport included to meet your departing flight.