Sydney - Uluru

DAY 1 SYDNEY TO THE BLUE MOUNTAINS Depart Sydney at 730am on track for the World Heritage Blue Mountains National Park. This National Park is an area of breathtaking views, sheer cliffs, towering tablelands, inaccessible valleys and thick forests teeming with wildlife. The Blue Mountains National Park consists of over one million hectares of mostly forested landscape on a massive sandstone plateau, located 60 to 180 kilometers inland from Sydney, New South Wales. Our first stop on this wonderfully scenic drive will be a visit to the famous Three Sisters rock formation, our personal guide will tell the local Aboriginal Dream Time story for their formation, as you absorb the truly breathtaking view. We will continue driving deeper into the Blue Mountains to Australia's most impressive limestone caves - the Jenolan Caves. There are nine caves open to the public with spectacular lighting, underground rivers and rock formations that will amaze you - these really are a must see destination for visitors to the Blue Mountains. We will spend the afternoon exploring some of the major cave sights such as the Devils Coach House and the Grand Archway.
Overnight at the Historic Jenolan Caves house.

DAY 2 BLUE MOUNTAINS TO BIRDSVILLE We depart the Blue Mountains after breakfast driving along the caves road to Oberon. Large grey kangaroos, badgers, eagles and a variety of parrots can be spotted during this scenic drive. The town of Oberon still retains the freshness and charm of a country town in rural New South Wales. After morning tea at the local bake house, we drive through the cattle and sheep farming country to Bathurst airport, where our pilots and aircraft will be waiting for you. We will depart New South Wales on track for Birdsville, on the edge of the Simpson dessert in outback Queensland. Birdsville came to importance in the 1880s when the drovers and station owners in western Queensland realized that moving cattle down the Birdsville Track to the railhead at Marree was the most efficient way to transport cattle to the coastal markets. We will fly low level along this famous road - the Birdsville track - which is notorious for its remoteness, dust storms and poor driving conditions. Today Birdsville has a population of about 100 people and acts like some kind of mysterious magnet to people who want to go to the most isolated place on the continent. No journey to the Australian outback is complete with out a visit to the Birdsville Pub.
Overnight Birdsville Pub.

DAY 3 BIRDSVILLE TO ULURU We depart Birdsville flying over the vast desert interior of Australia entering the Northern Territory on track for Yulara, Uluru and the Olgas. We will fly low level so you can take some great aerial photos of the World's largest monolith and arguably Australia's most famous natural landmark - Uluru. We will spend the afternoon in the World Heritage listed Kata Tjuta National Park visiting the famous "rock" and the Olgas listening to our guide's stories about Aboriginal myths and legends before we are treated to a sumptuous dinner under the stars just a stones throw from Uluru.
Overnight Pioneer Hotel.

DAY 4 ULURU TO KINGS CREEK STATION This morning we fly to Kings Creek Station where we join a tour to spend the day exploring Kings Canyon and the Watarrka National Park. The canyon itself is flanked by towering sandstone walls, which rise up from the valley of Kings Creek. The views from the canyon rim over the weathered rocks of The Lost City and the waterholes and lush vegetation of the Garden of Eden are simply marvelous. Kings Creek Station has had 36 documentaries filmed and has hosted Australian Geographic's fourth expedition. In 2001 the World famous Australian Safari travelled through and stayed at the station. Dinner tonight is again under the huge southern sky.
Overnight Kings Creek Station.

DAY 5 KINGS CREEK STATION TO ALICE SPRINGS We depart the magnificent scenery of Kings Creek this morning flying low across the bright red canyons, rock formations and craters on track for Alice Springs. A visit to the Royal Flying Doctor Base and the Telegraph Station is organized for you this morning. The rest of the day is yours to spend shopping for some special art work in the most famous of all Australian outback towns.
Overnight Alice Springs hotel.

DAY 6 ALICE SPRINGS TO LAWN HILL From the Alice we fly back into Queensland into the Gulf of Carpentaria to the beautiful Lawn Hill National Park.
Deep in the Savannah country, Lawn Hill National Park is a must see destination in North Queensland, it boasts two magnificent gorges full of emerald green waters, abundant wildlife and lush vegetation. You will enjoy some free time this afternoon, before enjoying a BBQ dinner.
Overnight Adels Grove

DAY 7 FREE DAY LAWN HILL Today you will continue exploring the Savannah country as our guide takes us canoeing and bush walking throught the Lawn Hill National Park. Again we will be treated to a BBQ dinner served around a camp fire under the outback stars.
Overnight Adels Grove

DAY 8 LAWN HILL TO KARUMBA TO UNDARA We depart Adels Grove to track across the huge river systems of the Gulf of Carpentaria to Karumba. Karumba is the prawning capital of Australia and lunch will be freshly caught seafood served on the waterfront. From Karumba we tack east across the Gulf Savannah to the Undara Lava Tubes National Park. The National Park protects the longest lava tube cave system in the World, the caves or "tubes" formed about 190,000 years ago when a large volcano erupted violently, spewing molten lava over the surrounding landscape. The lava flowed rapidly down a dry riverbed, while the top outer layer cooled and formed a crust the molten lava below drained outwards leaving behind a series of hollow tubes. We will join a two hour tour of the tubes before an evening around the outback camp fire. You will also be welcome to join the Savannah Guides for some spotlighting of the local nocturnal animals.
Overnight the Lava Tubes.

DAY 9 UNDARA TO COOKTOWN From Undara we track along the Great Dividing Range taking in the spectacular scenery which is far North Queensland. The massive rainforest clad mountains with cascading waterfalls tumbling through the World Heritage Rainforest is a site you will never forget. We fly down over the Cairns escarpment and along the Northern beaches of Cairns over Port Douglas and on to the Daintree Cape Tribulation National Park. From Cape Tribulation we fly low level along Weary Bay, the first place Captain Cook rowed his long boat to after colliding with the reef in 1770. From Weary Bay we see the Bloomfield River and Wujal Wujal Aboriginal Community, Mount Cook and the Endeavor river before landing in Cooktown. We arrive in Cooktown in time to visit the James Cook Museum, Charlotte Street, the resting place of Mary Watson and of course Grassy Hill.
Overnight Cooktown.

DAY 10 COOKTOWN TO LIZARD ISLAND TO CAPE TRIBULATION We depart Cooktown this morning tracking over Cape Flattery and some inner reefs for Lizard Island. Once on Lizard Island you are free to explore the beaches, snorkel on one of the many reefs surrounding the island or walk to the top of Cooks Look. The Island is surrounded by spectacular reefs teeming with marine life and boasting some of the most beautiful coral in Australia. We depart Lizard Island late in the afternoon to conduct a spectacular scenic reef flight down the Great Barrier reef to the World Heritage rainforest of Cape Tribulation. We over night in a rainforest lodge surrounded by several pristine rainforest streams.
Overnight Cockatoo Hill or similar.

DAY 11 CAPE TRIBULATION TO CAIRNS After a late breakfast you will join your private bus for a half day tour exploring the rainforests of the World Heritage area, before a cruise on the Daintree River to view salt water crocodiles and wild life along the banks of the Daintree River. From the Daintree the bus will drive you to Port Douglas for coffee before bringing you to your accommodation in Cairns where your tour is completed.