How to build the ultimate Uluru holiday package

Don't rush Darwin 

I had the pleasure of flying with Singapore Airlines and after a quick seamless stop in Singapore, we arrived at Darwin in the early afternoon. Although Darwin is much smaller than Australia’s other state capitals, there’s plenty to see and do here for at least a few nights. 

Take a jet ski sunrise tour 

We dusted off the cobwebs with a sunrise jet ski tour. After the most beautiful sunrise, we headed out into the bay and across to a secret beach, without another human being in sight. On the popular east coast of Australia, you’ll hardly ever get a beach to yourself, so this was an exceptional experience.

Learn about the Royal Flying Doctors Service

After this adrenaline kick, we headed to the Royal Flying Doctors Service Facility. This is an exciting stop for history buffs, as it tells the iconic story of the original Flying Doctors. The museum also uses virtual reality technology to tell the story of the Bombing of Darwin during WWII, bringing to life the harrowing tale.

Discover Darwin waterfront

If you want to relax, Darwin Waterfront is just the place. There is the opportunity to swim in the ocean or the wave lagoon, mooch around the shops or stop at one of the bars or restaurants. There's a laid-back holiday vibe to the waterfront area, making it perfect for a lazy sunny afternoon.

Eat your way around Darwin

Eating is a real pleasure in Darwin - I didn’t expect the food to be so delicious! One evening, we had a spectacular meal at Charlie’s, showcasing the best local ingredients, and we even distilled our own gin. The next evening, we headed to the Mindil Beach Sunset Market, famously known for ‘the best Laksa outside of Asia’. It’s a great city for foodies.

Scoot to street art

If you have any extra time while you’re on holiday in Darwin, try a visit the Museum and Art Gallery or download the Darwin Street Art Festival App. Using the app, you can hop around town, either on foot or on a motorised scooter, admiring the murals that adorn the sides of many buildings.

Escape to Kakadu National Park 

I loved Darwin, but heading out of the city is where the real fun begins. Only ten minutes out of town, we spotted our first wallaby, then a whole mob of kangaroos, and then a bunch of walleroos. I couldn’t believe it.

Our first stop was Kakadu National Park, known for its living aboriginal history and natural beauty. There are lots of hiking trails to follow that will lead you to both beautiful vistas and 20,000-year-old rock paintings.

Explore Kakadu by boat

In Kakadu, the Yellow Water Boat Trip is a great guided tour that offers a completely different experience in the wet and the dry season. In the rainy season, with the banks flooded, you will see lily pads for miles, as well as other bizarre grasses and lots of native bird life. In the dry season, you’ll find the banks teeming with thirsty wildlife and hungry crows on the hunt.

There’s another boat trip that will take you to see the famous jumping crocs (the guides encourage them with food).

Chase waterfalls in Kakadu

Kakadu is also home to Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls. If you're travelling in the wet season, you can see these waterfalls from above via a scenic helicopter or plane. Swimming is out of the question in the wet season because the crocs are around. However, during the dry period, you can swim in the pools at the bottom of the waterfalls. Once the salty crocs have cleared out for the season, there are also lots of waterholes to explore.

Sail through Nitmiluk Gorge

Our next stop was Nitmiluk (Katherine) Gorge. The boat trip along the waterway is very calm and enjoyable, and the local guide really brings the history of the place to life. The water narrows so much at one point, that you need to take a quick walk along the rocks before hopping in a second boat. This is another opportunity to keep your eyes peeled for crocodiles.

There's a lovely walk (don't forget a big bottle of water and sunscreen) along the cliff tops here that gives you another perspective on the amazing landscape. You can also take a scenic flight, giving you an uninterrupted bird-eye view of the gorge system all the way to the Arnhem Land escarpment. 

Soak up the journey to the Red Centre 

After all the adventuring in Kakadu and Nitmiluk, we stopped back into Darwin for one night before the early morning flight to Alice Springs. The morning skies in this part of the world never cease to amaze me and the journey to the Red Centre at sunrise is one I will always remember.

On arrival, we met our driver and began our tour of the Red Centre. There's a sort of serenity about the long drive, which seems to take you into nothingness, and the views are never-ending. The scenery was enough to entertain me, although a loaded Kindle or iPad might be a good idea for some.

Listen to the Sound of Silence at Uluru

One of my highlights of the whole trip was the Sound of Silence excursion, which begins with canapes and top-notch sparkling Aussie wine with uninterrupted views of Uluru. Once you get THE iconic shot of Uluru, you can turn around and watch the dazzling beauty of the sunset over Kata Tjuta.

After sunset, you head for dinner with bush-tucker-inspired dishes (veggies are most definitely catered for) and another glass or two of delicious Aussie nectar. This is where the real fun begins. Next, an Aboriginal stargazer gave us a tour of the most incredibly clear night sky I'd ever seen, telling us stories of constellations interspersed with old Aboriginal stories. It’s common to see shooting here – magic!

See Uluru’s fantastical 'Field of Light' 

The next morning, we set off to see the Field of Light at Uluru and wander through a fantastical garden of 50,000 spindles of light in the desert. While Uluru is breathtaking at night, it’s even more stunning at the crack of dawn. Watching the sunlight break directly over Uluru, you can understand why this incredible sandstone monolith is so important to the Aboriginal people who have called this land home for over 65,000 years.

Explore Uluru from all angles

There are many ways to enjoy the area surrounding Uluru and a guided segway tour is something a bit different. If the idea of rolling around on two motorised wheels is a bit daunting, you can walk instead. Cycle tours are also possible, and watch out for runners casually taking on the 10km track around the base. You’ll find a multitude of hiking trails surrounding the 36 steep-sided domes of Kata Tjuta, and I highly recommend making some time to explore.

Try your hand at aboriginal dot-painting

After an early start and a relaxing lunch, we took part in a really fun and educational dot-painting workshop. We sat down with a local artist and learnt to interpret the stories told in this ancient artwork, before having a go at dot-painting ourselves. You can also visit the Indigenous Art Gallery, which showcases some of the best examples of art created by one of the world’s oldest living cultures.

Take a sunset camel tour

We had just one night left in the Red Centre, so we made the most of the final sunset with a camel ride. Being ten feet in the air atop a loping camel isn’t everyone’s idea of fun, but it is certainly an adventure! Padded cycle shorts are advised!

Fly to Kings Canyon by helicopter

No trip deep into Australia’s Red Centre is complete without stopping at Kings Canyon. It takes about three hours to get here from Uluru by road, but if your budget allows, why not take a helicopter? 

The flight to Kings Canyon gives you great views of Uluru, Mount Conner and Kata Tjuta. A wonderful surprise is Lake Amadeus, a huge Salt Lake that I had never even heard of! This special landscape just keeps on giving.

Stay at Kings Creek Station

In Kings Canyon, we stayed at the very special Kings Creek Station. The station has camping and nice low-key fixed tents, but the star of the show is the amazing Drover's Dream. This is ten fixed tents looking over the George Gill Range. 

To call them tents is to do them a disservice – it’s glamping at its very best. Each tent has a fire pit and a self-cook BBQ pack, giving you everything you need for a meal under the starry outback skies. For me, it was the ultimate Australian outback experience.

Visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary

After Kings Canyon, my time in the Northern Territory was almost over. After a long drive back to Alice Springs, I was expecting very little more than a bed before the journey home. In reality, the highlight of the whole trip was waiting there!

Our last stop was the sprawling Kangaroo Sanctuary. We were picked up from our hotel in Alice Springs and driven to the Sanctuary whilst watching an informative video about its back story. This place became famous in the 2010s when ‘Kangaroo Dundee’ was televised on BBC and Nat Geographic, showcasing the great work they do at the Sanctuary.

The star of the show was Roger (AKA Ripped Roger, AKA Jacked Kangaroo) who took an entertaining dislike to the owner ‘Brolga’ (so named by his Indigenous friend due to his likeness/long legs as his name’s sake bird).

Despite Roger’s disdain, the work ‘Brolga’ has done here over the last 20 years is incredible. His mission ‘is to educate and encourage people to rescue and care for kangaroos, as well as other native animals.

The motto of the Sanctuary is ‘Animals Come First’, and they really stick to their word. For instance, the tours only take place in the evening. This is because most of the animals sleep during the day, and they don’t want the visitors to disturb them.

We had an unforgettable opportunity to hold the baby joeys, which was magical. As this action mimics the mother holding them in her pouch, it is completely ethical. I cannot stress what a highlight this is. Brolga is full of charisma and knowledge, so it’s no surprise that the show and more importantly, the sanctuary, has been such a success.

My thoughts about the Northern Territory

The Kangaroo Sanctuary was the perfect ending to my Northern Territory adventure, which felt like the trip of a lifetime from start to finish. Don’t just drop in to see Uluru – stick around and discover all the brilliant things that the NT has to offer. You won’t be disappointed.

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