Compare Northern Territory Encompassed Northbound ex Yulara by Adventure Tours Australia vs Tasmanian Explorer by Intrepid Travel

Day 1: Yulara and Uluru (Ayers Rock)
After you land in this Red Centre of the country, it’s on to the boulder-strewn landscape of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas). Wandering through the site’s gullies and crevices, you’ll learn a little about the area’s geological and ecological significance from your guide. Make back to camp as the sun starts to set, arriving in time for our very special 1,000 Star Dinner.

Notes: Total driving time is approximately one hour. Total walking time is around an hour.

Accommodation
Permanent tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities
Uluru sunset drinks
1000 Star Dinner
Uluru & Kata Tjuta National Park Fee

Meals Included
Dinner

Day 2: Uluru Sunrise
There’s no better way to start today than an early morning walk around the world’s biggest rock. With the cool night air still lingering and day-trippers not yet arrived, this is Uluru at its most atmospheric. It might be hard to believe when gazing up this 600 million-year-old monolith from the ground, but the bulk of this rock is believed to lie below the surface. A local indigenous guide will explain a little about the mythology surrounding the area during a guided interpretive cultural walk. There’ll be time to see the traditional arts and crafts on display at the nearby Cultural Centre before traveling to our campsite in Watarrka National Park.

Note: Total driving time today is around three and a half hours. Total walking time is approximately two hours.

Accommodation
Permanent tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities
Uluru Cultural Centre
Mala cultural interpretative walk
Uluru Base Walk

Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

Day 3: Kings Canyon rim walk
While Kings Canyon is only one of the many attractions within Watarrka National Park, Kings is so impressive that more people know it than the park. After a quick breakfast, we’ll venture into the canyon and start the Rim Walk. Beginning in the vast natural Amphitheatre (where you’re free to test out the acoustics), we’ll enter upon the Lost City and descend down into the fern-shaded rock pools of the Garden of Eden. A visit to the imposing North and South Walls is another must before lunch. Then we drive on to Glen Helen in the Western MacDonnell ranges where we camp for the night.

Note: Total driving time takes around five hours. Total walking time is approximately three hours.

*Trips departing post 01 August 2016 will have an itinerary change on this day. Please refer to 'itinerary disclaimer' in the essential information section of this trip*

Accommodation
Permanent tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities
Kings Canyon Rim Walk

Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

Day 4: Western MacDonnell Ranges
Watch the Australian wilds waking up on a morning drive in The West MacDonnell Ranges. We’ll follow the Waterhole trail through Ormiston Pound to Ormiston Gorge – a tranquil little rock pool surrounded by ochre-coloured rock walls and white-trunked eucalypts. Black-footed rock wallabies often pop down here for a drink, so keep those peepers peeled. Next up is Ellery Creek, where there’s the chance to cool off with a dip. Following lunch, it’s on to Simpsons Gap. Known as Rungutjirpa to the Arrernte people, this deep gorge, often partly filled with water, is associated with goanna, eagle and rock wallaby dreamings. See the colours of the ranges change as the sun starts its descent, perhaps from the back of a camel on an optional sunset ride. Head back to Alice Springs to check into your Motel for the night.

The total driving time will be about half an hour, and you will walk up to 5km.

Optional Activities
Sunset Camel Ride (Child) - AUD40
Sunset Camel Ride (Adult) - AUD70

Included Activities
Western MacDonnell Ranges

Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 5: Flight Travel Day Alice Springs to Darwin
Today, skip the 1,500km of driving which is about 24 hours by road, and fly from Alice Springs to Darwin with Qantas Airways. Qantas was Australia's first commercial airline, and stands for "Queensland and Northern Territory Ariel Services" and is now one of the world's best International airlines.

We'll arrange your air tickets and issue them a couple of weeks prior to your departure. On arrival in Darwin, someone will be waiting to transfer you to your hotel. Tonight, you’ll be staying at the Value Inn. (no meals included)

Accommodation
Hotel (1 night)

Meals Included
There are no meals included on this day.

Day 6: Darwin to Mary River, via Litchfield National Park
This morning, we'll pick you up from out the front of the Melaleuca at 6:50 am. Flush with waterfalls, swimming holes and some pretty gigantic termite mounds, Litchfield National Park encapsulates all that’s wonderful about the Top End. We’ll start off here checking out Florence Falls and the Buley Rockholes, then break for a picnic before traveling on to Wangi Falls for a final swim and leisurely stroll through monsoon forest. Leaving Litchfield, it’s on and into Mary River National Park. The species of saltwater crocodile found in Australia are the biggest in the world, and the Mary River wetlands are absolutely full of them. See how many you can spot on an afternoon river cruise. All tents are twin-share and come with a proper bed.

Note: Total driving time today is around five-and-a-half hours. There are also a few short, easy walks.

Accommodation
Permanent, furnished tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities
Litchfield National Park
Mary River cruise
Kakadu National Park Fee

Meals Included
Lunch
Dinner

Day 7: Kakadu National Park: Ubirr & Barramundi Gorge
In giving Kakadu National Park World Heritage-listing, UNESCO described it as a ‘living cultural landscape with exceptional natural and cultural values’. Indigenous people have lived here for more than 50,000 years, to which the ancient rock paintings of Ubirr can attest. Your guide will explain the significance of these artworks during an interpretative cultural walk that finishes on a rocky escarpment overlooking the Nardab floodplain. In the afternoon we head to either Maguk (Barramundi Gorge) or Gunlom Falls (seasonal choice). Swimming spots don’t get a whole lot more inviting than either of these spectacular sites.

Note: Total driving time today is around five hours. Total walking time is up to three and- a-half hours, depending on the trails taken.

Accommodation
Permanent, furnished tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)

Included Activities
Maguk (Barramundi Gorge)
Ubirr Rock

Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

Day 8: Kakadu to Katherine
Given that Kakadu covers approximately the same amount of land as Slovenia, the sky’s a pretty good place to see it all from. This morning you’ll have the option of taking a scenic flight over the billabongs, bushlands and floodplains that make up this ruggedly beautiful region. After a stop in at the Bowali visitors centre we head for the historic gold-mining town of Pine Creek which offers a very different side to Australian history. Back on the road again, there’s time for a dip in Edith Falls before pulling into our private campsite near Nitmuluk National Park.

Note: Total driving time today is around five-and-a-half hours. Total walking time is up to an hour-and-a-half.

Accommodation
Permanent, furnished tented camp (with shared facilities) (1 night)

Optional Activities
Flight (Fixed Wing Aircraft) over - Kakadu - from - AUD150

Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch
Dinner

Day 9: Katherine Gorge to Darwin
Back in the day (ok, it was 23 million years ago), the Katherine River flowed all the way from Arnhem Land to the Timor Sea. These days, the waters have subsided significantly: the Katherine River now flows along hemmed in on both sides by cliffs 70 meters high. It’s the highlight attraction of Nitmiluk National Park though, and you’ll have the opportunity to cruise through it by canoe or boat. Following lunch, we visit a private property next to an indigenous art gallery for some coaching in the ancient arts of boomerang throwing, fire making and traditional painting. Then it’s back to Darwin where the adventure winds up.

Note: Total driving time today is around four-and-a-half hours. Total walking time is up to three-and-a-half hours, depending on the group's choice of optional activities.

Optional Activities
Katherine Gorge Scenic Cruise - AUD87
Katherine Gorge Canoe from - AUD45

Included Activities
Top Didj Indigenous Experience

Meals Included
Breakfast
Lunch

Day 1 Launceston / Stanley / North-West Coast

After this morning's meeting you head from Launceston, one of Australia’s oldest cities, to the seaside town of Stanley, with plenty of scenic stops along the way. Visit Narawntapu National Park, whose coastal plains are home to stunning scenery and abundant wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies and a variety of bird species. Learn about the rich Aboriginal heritage of this area, where artefacts can still be found along the walking trails. Together, we’ll enjoy a platter lunch at an amazing cidery that is part of Tasmania’s Cradle to Coast Tasting Trail. You may opt to sample their local brews – perhaps a vintage pear cider, and if you have a sweet tooth, Anvers Chocolate may be calling you to taste its famous truffles! After a brief stop in the picturesque town of Penguin continue along the rocky coastline to Stanley. Climb the famous landmark The Nut, an ancient volcanic plug that juts out into the Bass Strait and offers outstanding views from the top. Wander down to the working wharf where some of the freshest seafood in Tasmania comes in each day. Continue to our accommodation in the rural countryside of Tasmania's remote north-west corner, and perhaps enjoy the onsite heated pool.

Day 2 The Tarkine / North-West Coast

The Tarkine is home to the largest temperate rainforest in Australia and the second largest in the world. It is rich with geological wonders, Aboriginal history and unique creatures and habitats not found anywhere else on earth. Explore sites like the hidden Trowutta Arch and the Lake Chisholm sinkhole, both examples of fascinating geological change. Other highlights along the Tarkine Coast include Marrawah, famous for its big wave surfing, and the desolate Edge of the World, marking the longest stretch of ocean on the planet – from here, there’s no land until Argentina. You’ll enjoy numerous short walks to explore the sites, with a picnic lunch along the way. Later return to our accommodation for the night.

Day 3 North Coast / Corinna

Today you travel to Corinna via Rocky Cape National Park, home to windswept heathlands, sea caves, rock pools and twisted rocks that have formed over millions of years. Discover the cultural and spiritual connection to this area among the Aboriginal community. Continue to the historic lighthouse at Table Cape and on to the stunning Boat Harbour Beach before stopping for lunch at either the spectacular Hellyer Gorge or in the historic town of Waratah. Take a short walk (approximately 1.5 hours roundtrip) to see the pretty Philosopher Falls. In the remote, rural town of Corinna, settle into your accommodation in restored miners’ cottages and put away your phone – there’s no service out here anyway. Here you will enjoy a lovely dinner with your fellow travellers.

Day 4 Corinna / North Coast / Devonport

Get active today with opportunities for kayaking and hiking around the Corinna area, exploring the Pieman River and Tarkine rainforest. After lunch in Corinna, begin your return towards to the North West coast, with another stop along the Cradle to Coast Tasting Trail to enjoy a whisky tasting tour at Hellyers Road Distillery. Once in Devonport you'll stop at Mersey Bluff where you'll see Aboriginal petroglyphs and learn about the importance of this landscape to the palawa peoples, who are the traditional owners of the land on which Devonport is now located. Continue to your hotel where you'll spend the night.

Day 5 Cradle Mountain National Park / Launceston

Head back to Launceston, via the one of Tasmania's outdoor art galleries, the Sheffield Murals. After this you will spending time in the stunning Cradle Mountain National Park. With many options to enjoy the breathtaking peaks, you can take a walk around the lovely Dove Lake in Cradle Valley or hike up to Marion’s Lookout for breathtaking views across the area - the options are open for you. Keep your eyes peeled for wombats at Ronny Creek. Along the way to Launceston, there will be more optional stops for tastings and shopping, including for locally grown raspberries, cheese and ice cream.

Day 6 Hobart / Richmond / Tasman Peninsula

After an early breakfast, make the drive to Hobart (nipaluna in the language of the muwinina and palawa peoples, who are the traditional owners of the land on which Hobart is now located). Here a meeting will take place to welcome any new travellers joining you for the next part of your journey. Then head to the historic town of Richmond. With over 40 heritage buildings, Richmond gives you the impression that you’ve landed back in the colonial 1800s. Join your group for lunch at Pooley Wines then drive to the Tasman Peninsula where you may like to visit the aptly named Remarkable Cave. Or, you may want to explore the Port Arthur Historic Site, a former convict settlement with a horrific past (extra cost). After you have checked into your hotel at Eaglehawk Neck, join your group for a delicious, included dinner.

Day 7 Tasman Peninsula / Hobart

Drive down the beautiful Tasman Peninsula, passing through the narrow sliver of land that is Eaglehawk Neck. Stop at Tasman Arch, Devil’s Kitchen and the Tessellated Pavement to view the unusual rock formations. On your return to Hobart, the Salamanca Markets await, ready to tempt you with local delights – everything from fresh produce to handmade crafts. In the afternoon, drive to the quirky Museum of Old and New Art, home to an eclectic collection of pieces. Tonight you are free to relax for the evening or perhaps head out with your group for dinner.

Day 8 Huon Valley / Hartz Mountains National Park / Hobart

Feast on local delights at the Hobart farmers’ market, where you can meet local producers and browse for seasonal Tassie produce like gooseberries, pine mushrooms or fresh oysters, depending on the time of year. After driving to the top of kunanyi/Mount Wellington to savour some magnificent views over the city and its surrounding mountains, forests and waterways, you’ll depart for the Huon Valley. Stop in Geeveston, a small township known for its forestry heritage and gateway to the Hartz Mountains wilderness, where you'll explore this remote and rugged place shaped by ancient glaciers on a number of short walks. Our last stop in the Huon Valley is to learn about the history of local apple farming, maybe with a few cider samples, at a fourth-generation orchard and cidery.

Day 9 Bruny Island / Hobart

Hop on the ferry over to Bruny Island. Climb 279 steps to reach Truganini Lookout at The Neck for sweeping views and wildlife-spotting. Explore South Bruny National Park, where the Cape Bruny Lighthouse perches high above the wild waves of the Southern Ocean. See the beautiful coastline of Adventure Bay, and stop in at a few local Bruny Island shops for tastings of locally sourced products such as cheese, oysters, honey, beer and/or wine. Your tour concludes upon return to Hobart at 5.30pm, and you are free to depart at your leisure.