Arguably the best kept secrets of the Red Centre, the West and East MacDonnell Ranges will leave you spell bound
Although most have heard of the three icons, no-one ever forgets their time in the Macdonnell Ranges. Join our flexible, two-day adventure to learn more about these rugged landscapes with hidden escarpments, waterholes and gullies.
Days
- 3 days, 2 nights
Group size
- Max 21
Start / finish
- Alice Springs / Alice Springs
Return
- See itinerary for details
Accommodation
- 2 nights swag camping with basic facilities — a bush camp in the East MacDonnell Ranges, then one in the West MacDonnells. Camping equipment is provided.
Transport
- Air-conditioned coach with an accredited guide. Alice Springs accommodation transfers are included.
Meals
- All meals from day 1 dinner to day 3 lunch — 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and 2 dinners. Vegetarians catered for.
Route
Included experiences
- Emily Gap — Arrernte caterpillar Dreaming and ancient rock paintings
- Jessie Gap — East MacDonnell Ranges stop
- Trephina Gorge — one-hour guided walk beneath the quartzite cliffs
- Ross River Homestead — lunch at the historic homestead
- Ormiston Gorge — waterhole and wallabies in the West MacDonnells
- Redbank Gorge — West MacDonnell Ranges
- Ellery Creek Big Hole — a dip in the waterhole
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
5.0
Based on 12 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 12 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guides, describing them as knowledgeable, enthusiastic and attentive, with a particular emphasis on their passion for Aboriginal culture and the country. Many reviewers highlight the range of sights and activities, including Kata Tjuta, Uluru, Kings Canyon and the MacDonnell Ranges, alongside walks, swimming, abseiling and camping in eco tents or swags. The cultural insights, including talks with Aranda elders, and the trip's organisation are also frequently commended. Several reviewers note that the tour requires a reasonable level of fitness, though they add that guides accommodated individual abilities, including older members of their groups. A recurring caveat is to stay hydrated and bring a hat, as conditions can be very warm.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
“Loved!!”
Ty and James were both exceptional over the five days, with Ty going well above and beyond throughout. He approached the country, the culture and the group with real kindness and knowledge. The walks were exceptionally beautiful and the talks with Aranda elders on the final night were fantastic.
I did the five day trip from Alice Springs taking in Kata Tjuta, Uluru, Kings Canyon and the West and East MacDonnell Ranges. The sights were spectacular, especially Kings Canyon. Our guide Troy has a real passion for Aboriginal culture and the country, and kept us to schedule so we didn't miss anything. Recommended for anyone who loves the outback.
“Off road Central Australia - The real deal”
A first family visit to Central Australia, handled completely hands-free and worry-free for the uninitiated. Special mention to Troy, the best barefoot guide in Central Australia.
“Awesome Experience!!”
My partner and I did a five day, four night trip with six other lovely people, taking in Kata Tjuta, Uluru at sunset and sunrise, the Kings Canyon rim walk and the West and East MacDonnell Ranges. We spent two nights in an eco tent and two nights in a swag under the stars. Our guide Shani was excellent, full of cultural insights and great energy, and caring and flexible with everyone's individual abilities. The sunrises and morning hikes were among the many highlights, and the whole trip was well organised and good value.
An amazing chance to explore the highlights of the Red Centre. Our guides, Elyse and Ty, were enthusiastic, knowledgeable and personable, and you could tell they took real pride in sharing their love of the country. The trip does need a decent level of fitness, but they made sure everyone was accommodated — a pair of seniors in our group completed the full journey. Highest recommendation.
An excellent tour if you're after a hands-on camping experience. There were plenty of activities on offer — walks, swimming, abseiling, whale watching, helicopter flights — if you chose to take them up. Adam, our guide, was extremely knowledgeable, catered for everyone's needs and made sure each of us felt welcome.
You couldn't ask for a more thoughtful or better organised guide than Tye. We learned a great deal about the wildlife, the ancestors and the communities. A great adventure.
“Beautiful!”
This park is awesome! The keepers genuinely care for the animals, and have such amazing knowledge about them, their habitats and the general area.
The bird show is excellent, made all the more lovely when the local birds try to chime in!
The nocturnal house is amazing - seeing little bilbies and malas and quolls is wonderful!
I’d recommend allowing about 5 hours to do it justice with the talks and presentations, as well as guiding yourself through some areas.
“Excellent for anyone with an interest in birds”
Full of life the desert park was amazing. As this area is sustainably watered the life from all around is there. We saw beautiful flowers plants and birds. The nocturnal house showed what comes out at night and was full of cute furry and scaly creatures. The robins, chats, bower birds splendid and white wing fairy wrens were beautiful and I was able to get some beautiful photos.
“Such a fantastic place”
We stayed in Alice Springs for a week so bought ourselves a yearly entrance so we could come and go as there’s so much to see, observe and experience here. A special place for birdwatchers, or those just interested in wandering and experiencing the many facets of the desert park.
“Not to be missed”
My wife wasn’t interested in visiting “a zoo” and left thoroughly impressed. They have done an excellent job of displaying the local flora & fauna in its natural environment. The walk through aviaries are excellent and the nocturnal house absolutely outstanding. The grounds themselves have a botanic garden feel. We missed the bird show - but still really enjoyed the visit.
“Informative, educational and entertaining.”
The staff are a fountain of information. We toured the nocturnal house, walked through the various landscapes, admired the desert flora and watch the 'bird presentation' in the amphitheater. It was a great day! Just remember to keep hydrated as it can be very warm and bring a hat.
