Escorted Australia Vacation Packages: Outback Culture Tour

Suggested Itinerary

Day 1
Depart Melbourne this morning and land directly at the back door of Muloorina Station, a remote cattle station in the South Australian outback, for lunch and a quick tour. Then you’ll continue to the remote outpost of Coober Pedy, a unique mining town known for beautiful opals and underground buildings. Spend the evening sipping on sparkling wine overlooking the Breakaways Range. Tonight, you sleep underground like the locals.
Desert Cave Hotel

Day 2
A short flight brings you to the remote town of Alice Springs this morning. Walk through Standley Chasm, where surging flood waters have cut through the tough quartzite over thousands of years to form a picturesque natural alleyway. Then visit the Desert Park open-range zoo. In the afternoon, there will time to visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service, which provides medical services to the furthest regions of Outback Australia.
3.5-star hotel in Alice Springs

Day 3 – 4
Continue flying north, all the way to Australia’s Top End. Spend 2 days in the Mary River Wetlands, reminiscent of Crocodile Dundee and rugged Australian adventures. Here, just to the west of Kakadu National Park, you’ll find an astonishing array of birds and wildlife. Enjoy private cruises on the Rockhole Billabong and Shady Camp, and try to catch an enormous barramundi fish with the help of a local expert!
4-star hotel in Mary River Wetlands

Day 5
Today, you’ll fly to the Tiwi Islands off Australia’s northern coast, where 90% of the population is of Aboriginal descent. In this truly unique and remote part of Australia, you’ll learn about the locals’ ancient, Polynesian-influenced culture, participate in a sacred ceremony, and watch artists creating their world-renowned crafts, including batik and silk-screened clothing, woven bangles, painted shells, wood carvings, and pottery of high quality. In the evening, fly back to the mainland and overnight in a working cattle station.
Bullo River Station

Day 6 – 8
Over the next 3 days, you’ll get a true taste of outback Australian life. Encircled by the coffee-colored waters of the Victoria River and rugged hills adorned with Aboriginal rock art, this vast property is not only home to around 9,000 Brahman-cross cattle, but also a stunning variety of local fauna species including wallabies, dingoes, wild buffalo, a myriad of native and migratory birds, fish, and crocodiles. Get outdoors for a day of fishing or just enjoy the local wildlife on a cruise of the Bullo River Gorge. Take an exhilarating helicopter flight over the property, or try your hand at cattle mustering or horse riding with the local experts.
Bullo River Station

Day 9 – 10
Fly directly to Berkeley River Lodge, one of the last true wilderness areas on earth, located between Timor Sea sunrises and Berkeley River sunsets. This luxury lodge is only accessible by air and its location will take your breath away. Leave modern life far behind and relax into the rhythms of nature in your luxurious villa floating atop the coastal dunes. Over the next 2 days, you will enjoy a helicopter flight up to the King George Falls and a Berkeley River Gorge cruise, spotting native flora and fauna along the way.
Berkeley River Lodge

Day 11
As you fly to the western beach town of Broome, you’ll pass over the iconic Kimberley region with its impressive red cliffs and dramatic gorges. Fly over some of the Kimberley’s most stunning scenery, including Prince Regent River, Kings Cascade, Horizontal Falls, and the Buccaneer Archipelago. This isolated part of Australia is rarely seen, as it is virtually impossible to access from the ground. In Broome, visit Australia’s oldest pearl farm for a behind-the-scenes tour before finishing the day enjoying a cruise out to the Buccaneer Archipelago, a group of islands off the coast of the Kimberley.
Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa

Day 12
Enjoy a full day at leisure to sit back and become immersed in the lifestyle and ambiance of beautiful Broome. Take the shuttle into town and amble through Chinatown, see a movie in the world’s oldest al fresco picture theatre, and explore a historic Pearl Lugger. Perhaps even take home a souvenir pearl as you meander through the famous pearl shops. For true relaxation, stroll the grand expanse of the famous white sandy Cable Beach, take a camel ride, then watch one of the world’s most famous sunsets over the low tide.
Cable Beach Club Resort & Spa

Day 13
Today, fly to Warlukurlangu art center, an indigenous-owned art center near Alice Springs where you’ll find vibrant, colorful paintings and fine limited-edition prints, along with other crafts from the local Yuendumu indigenous community. Then, fly to the boutique Prairie Hotel in South Australia. Adventurous eaters will savor the opportunity to try the hotel’s famed “feral” cuisine, which transforms outback ingredients like kangaroo, emu, and unique local produce into gourmet fare.
Prairie Hotel

Day 14
Your host, a fourth generation grazier and owner of the Prairie Hotel, will give you great insight into the history and modern day life in this picturesque region between the Flinders Ranges and the desert outback. Then, it’s time to board the private aircraft and return to Melbourne. Why not stay an extra day or 2 to explore Australia’s food and culture capital?