EXPERIENCES / KAKADU
Centralian Highlights
Overview
None of our other Red Centre trips offer such a variety of walks in such a short time. No other tour operator has anything like this on offer.
While this trip is a great bush experience, it is also very different to most of the trips we offer. It includes more driving & more campgrounds than most of our trips. It is also run on a share expense basis. Please don’t even think about booking until you’ve read the detailed trip notes in full.
We will choose among the many possible walks based on the conditions at the time as well as on the wishes of those who book early.
RED CENTRE
April 13 - May 3 2022
The following itinerary assumes that all the main tracks will be open by the time we start. If some tracks are closed, we’ll substitute whatever else may be available.
We begin with a very long drive to somewhere south of Tennant Creek where we turn off toward Iytwelepenty / Davenport Range National Park.
We will spend one or two nights in the park before following the 4WD Binns Track south, stopping at the Mac & Rose Chalmers Conservation Reserve and the Dulcie Range National Park on our way to the East Macdonnells where our possible destinations include, Arltunga, Ruby Gap, N’Dhala, Trephina Gorge, Jessie and/or Emily Gap.
There are a couple of short walks at Arltunga, an old mining settlement where some of the buildings have been restored.
Ruby Gap and Trephina Gorge both offer full day walks. The others have shorter walks. All are well worth a visit.
Heading west, we pass through Alice Springs where we spend a night before and replenish supplies before moving west.
We have a number of choices for the western part of the trip. We can’t tell you which combination we choose until we know what the road conditions are and have talked to those who book early. Our options include but are not restricted to the following. None are particularly strenuous but some are definitely more strenuous than the others.
Ormiston Pound & Bowman’s Gap: 2½ to 3½ days
The shorter version is a must. We follow a marked track into Ormiston Pound, set up camp near a waterhole and walk without packs to Bowman’s Gap where we find one of the largest permanent waterholes in the Centre. The longer version adds a walk to the top of Mt Giles for one of the most spectacular views in the region.
Birthday Waterhole, Brinkley Bluff and Hugh Gorge: 1-3 days
The 4WD tracks into Birthday Waterhole and Hugh Gorge are among the roughest in the West Macdonnells. The rewards are
worth the effort. Hugh is one of the most spectacular gorges in the ranges, Brinkley offers great views and Birthday Waterhole is a great campsite.
Palm Valley: 1 day
Depending on conditions and the wishes of the group, we may do the marked loop walk or we may do a longer one, perhaps even camping for the night.
Boggy Hole Track: 2-3 days
The Boggy Hole Track is one of the NT’s best 4WD experiences. It can, however, get shut by particularly wet conditions. The two best walks along the way are half a day above Boggy Hole and a full day into Circular Valley, cut out by the Finke River which has since changed it’s course.
Watarrka National Park: 3-5 days
Kings Canyon is a tiny part of the large Watarrka National Park. This is potentially the longest pack-carrying walk on the trip but, even here where we shift camp every night, it will be possible to drop your pack and do short walks without it. The longest walk is from A to B so we can’t include it if we have only one vehicle. In any case, time might be a limiting factor.
Both options begin with the steep climb on the marked trail to the top of Kings Canyon. We follow the trail to where it crosses Kings Creek. From here we may follow Kings Creek north before looping back down another creek to where we began or we may continue on the track to where it joins the Giles Walk which we would follow on a shorter loop.
We return to Alice Springs for a final night. those wishing to end here can do so. The rest can enjoy the long ride back to Darwin.
Details
DATES
April 14-30
PRICES
Full price: A$2995 + expenses
See the trip notes for details
*discounts available
GROUP SIZE
4 - 12 guests
CAMP SITES
Mix of sand and rock ledges and maintained campgrounds. Most sites are good to excellent. You are unlikely to see anyone else at some of the campsites.
ART
Some in the East Macdonnells, possibly some elsewhere. Not a lot.
SWIMMING
Swimming is likely to be possible in a few places. The water should be cool, but not as icy as in June and July.
WILDLIFE
Birds are always present but you are unlikely to see many large animals. If you keep your eyes open, you have a good chance to see rock wallabies in some of the gorges.
CLIMATE
Average daytime max high 20s C, average nighttime min 10-15ºC. Night temperatures can drop to near freezing. Generally low humidity. Rain very unlikely but possible, you must
be prepared
COOKING
We will have camp fires wherever possible but may need to use stoves in some areas.
WALK RATING - HARD
Terrain
Even if we choose the easiest possible routes, the pack carrying portion of this trip will include several moderately steep climbs and some rock hopping. Day walks can be quite long and quite steep. One of the possible day walks includes a very steep climb where you may need to use your hands to help pull you up.
Vegetation
Varies from year to year depending on when last burnt. Vegetation normally presents very little problem but, in some areas, the spinifex may be dense enough to make heavy gaiters and long trousers essential.
Distance
Generally 4-6 hours, not including breaks. A few days on the day walks might be longer.
Pack Weight
Depends on which walks are included. Even on the longest walk, you will need to carry only 5 days food. You need both a sleeping bag and a tent. You should also carry rain gear. The popularity of some of the campsites means that firewood may be scarce so we will carry a stove and fuel.
Download detailed trip notes
April 13-29These notes have not yet been updated for 2022 but they do give important information.
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Itinerary
*This itinerary is subject to change
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