Outback Icons - Small Group

Adelaide sets the tone with its elegant blend of culture, cuisine and creativity. Meet your Travel Director and fellow travellers over a drink before heading out to discover the city’s highlights. At the legendary Adelaide Central Market, join a local gourmand for a behind-the-scenes exploration, tasting your way from stall to stall as you uncover the flavours that make this city such a favourite for food lovers.

Leave the city behind and travel into South Australia’s celebrated wine country. In the Clare Valley, visit Knappstein Enterprise Winery, where rolling vineyards and crisp country air frame a tasting of fragrant Rieslings and rich red wines. Continue north to Hawker, where Jeff Morgan’s larger-than-life artworks capture the scale and spirit of the Outback. Later, arrive at Wilpena Pound Resort for a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, set beneath the dramatic natural amphitheatre of the Flinders Ranges. It is a striking introduction to a region of ancient landscapes and untamed beauty.

River red gums frame Hills Homestead on an easy walk along Wilpena Creek to Wangarra Hill Lookout, unveiling sweeping views across Wilpena Pound. Travel on to heritage listed Quorn, once a former railway hub on the route of the original Ghan and the Central Australia Railway. Continue through the dramatic Pichi Richi Pass to Port Augusta for a visit to the Wadlata Outback Centre, tracing the region’s journey from dinosaurs to today, the formation of the Flinders Ranges and beyond.

Trace the edge of the Outback to Woomera, once a major rocket-testing site and now home to a fascinating aerospace park that reflects Australia’s spirit of innovation. The landscapes grow more surreal as you continue north, with sunbaked plains and lunar-like scenery leading the way to Coober Pedy, the opal capital of the world. With a Local Specialist, delve into the town’s underground life, exploring subterranean homes, churches and mines where precious opals are still unearthed today.

Leave Coober Pedy behind as you cross into the Northern Territory and journey towards one of Australia’s most iconic landmarks. Uluru rises from the desert with a presence that is impossible to forget. As the sun begins to set, watch the colours of the monolith shift and deepen beneath the vast Red Centre sky. Raise a glass and enjoy delicious bites as you take in this remarkable moment with your fellow travellers. This evening, you may also choose to pre-book the Uluru Barbecue Dinner as an Optional Experience.

Early starts are well worth it when you witness a breathtaking Red Centre sunrise - words cannot describe how beautiful it is. Encounter Uluru, standing 348 metres tall and dating back half a billion years - even loftier than the Eiffel Tower. At its base, embark on a guided walk to the serene Mutitjulu Waterhole, a place sacred to the Anangu people, steeped in ancient stories. More soul stirring landscapes unfold at Kata Tjuṯa, where immense sandstone domes guide you into tranquil Walpa Gorge. Sheltered from the harsh desert, this cool corridor nurtures rare plants, spearwood trees, birdlife and animals that flourish in surprising abundance.

Before sunrise, you may choose an Optional Experience to see the acclaimed Field of Light installation, where 50,000 glowing stems illuminate the desert in a mesmerising display. Later, continue through the Outback, passing the striking form of Atila (Mt. Conner), its flat-topped silhouette standing proudly above the plains. Stop at Kings Creek Station for a unique outback lunch and the chance to try a camel burger before arriving at Kings Canyon. Here, lace up for the Rim Walk, where soaring sandstone walls, weathered domes and hidden rock pools reveal one of the region’s most dramatic natural wonders.