Alice To Cairns Including The Savannah Way

Day 1

Home - Alice Springs
After your flight to Alice Springs, visit Alice Springs Desert Park where you will have time to purchase afternoon tea before enjoying a leisurely afternoon. Stroll along the dry river bed and find out why the river red gums which line it are so important to animals. Late afternoon, check into our accommodation for the night.

Day 2

Alice Springs - Tennant Creek
Today we depart Alice and travel north, crossing the Tropic of Capricorn. Pass through Barrow Creek, originally a repeater station on the Overland Telegraph Line, before stopping to explore Karlu Karlu (The Devils Marbles), boulders precariously balanced upon each other against a desert backdrop. This afternoon, arrive in the historic gold mining town of Tennant Creek.

Day 3

Tennant Creek
This morning, visit Battery Hill Mining Centre where Tennant Creek's unique gold mining history is brought to life. Next see the Catholic Church and hear about its relocation from Pine Creek in the 1930s. After a picnic lunch, stop at the John Flynn Memorial and the Old Telegraph Station before returning to our motel.

Day 4

Mt Isa - Camooweal
After breakfast, our journey takes us to the well known Threeways Roadhouse, before turning onto the Barkly Highway. Travel via Avon Downs and on to Camooweal, stopping for a picnic lunch along the way. Please note there is limited accommodation in this remote town for larger groups, and therefore, we will be staying across two different locations.

Day 5

Camooweal - Mt Isa
This morning we travel to Mt Isa for a visit to the Underground Hospital and Museum. Take a guided tour of the museum and hear the stories of how residents lived in fear of being bombed. Enjoy free time in town to purchase your own lunch before a tour of the Outback at Isa complex, housing the Riversleigh Fossil Display and Isa Experience Gallery. Check into our motel with time to freshen up before dinner.

Day 6

Mt Isa - Cloncurry
Today our journey takes us along the Flinders Highway from Mt Isa towards Cloncurry. See Lake Moondarra before travelling the unexpected hilly countryside. This afternoon, visit John Flynn Place which houses a museum commemorating the work of John Flynn and the beginnings of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Also in the grounds of John Flynn Place is the Fred McKay Art Gallery and the beautiful Cloncurry Gardens. Settle into your accommodation before dinner.

Day 7

Cloncurry - Karumba
Depart Cloncurry and join the Burke Developmental Road before stopping at the Burke and Wills Roadhouse, actually located on the route taken by the intrepid explorers Burke and Wills. Travel the Bang Bang Jump Up - an unusual solitary rocky hill formation located in the middle of expansive flat grassland. Rivers, spinifex and extensive cattle runs, spectacular outcrops of rock, roads that go on forever and that seemingly lead to nowhere, are all part of the scenery today. Continue on to Karumba where we will stay for the next two nights.

Day 8

Karumba - Gulflander
Enjoy a relaxed start this morning before a visit to the Barramundi Discovery Centre. Discover the amazing secrets of the mighty Barramundi before heading to Normanton to board the legendary Gulflander train. Your journey will take you through the old gold territory with a history to match the incredible terrain. Later, return to Kurumba where this evening we board the 'Ferryman Karumba' for a sunset cruise on the Gulf of Carpentaria. Karumba has some of Australia's most fantastic sunsets so make sure that you have your camera ready. Return to our accommodation for a later dinner.

Day 9

Karumba - Georgetown
Departing Karumba, we make our way to the old Black Bull Station, stopping for for morning tea. Continue on to Croydon, a small town with a big history that started with the discovery of gold in 1885. Visit Croydon's True Blue Visitors Centre where you will learn some of the history of this outback area before enjoying lunch at the hotel. Travel to Georgetown for a visit to the unique multi-award winning TerrEstial and the Ted Elliott Mineral Collection before settling into our accommodation for the next two nights.

Day 10

Cobbold Gorge
An early start today as we make our way to Cobbold Gorge, a natural wonder of Queensland's outback savannah, and the youngest gorge in Australia. Tucked within the rugged sandstone formations of a privately owned and operated cattle station, our guide will share interpretation on the formation of the gorge, as well as history of the region, its culture, flora and fauna. We will also cross Australia's fully glass bridge plus join a boat cruise along the gorge.

Day 11

Georgetown - Undara Lava Tubes - Atherton
Today our journey takes us to Mt Surprise for a visit to the Undara Lava Tubes. On arrival to the Undara Lava Lodge, you will be welcomed by a guide who will take us through these visually spectacular lava tubes which are home to a fascinating array of remnant plants and wildlife and are the world's largest and longest of their kind. Enjoy lunch in a unique railway carriage setting before making our way to Atherton for your overnight stay.

Day 12

Atherton - Cairns - Brisbane
This morning as we make our way across the Atherton Tablelands, we will visit the Curtain Fig Tree and Lake Eacham. Continue on to Lake Barrine for a cruise followed by lunch at the Tea House. As we travel back to Cairns, sit back and take in the final stretch of beauty of this rugged and diverse country. This afternoon, our Queensland passengers will fly back home to Brisbane, and our New South Wales passengers will overnight in Cairns, flying back to Newcastle tomorrow.

Day 13

Passengers returning to The Hunter

Day 13 - Cairns to The Hunter
Enjoy a relaxing morning before your hostess will arrange your transfers to the airport ready for your flight back to Newcastle.

B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner