The 'Explorer' tour - Darwin - Ayers Rock - Perth
(or vice-versa)

This highly interesting North-South tour was introduced into the program for the first time in 1991. The route has been planned so that a maximum of attractions can be visited as well as offering unique gravel roads. From the tour’s 5000 km some 2000 km's are on unsurfaced roads which is ideal for those wanting to combine sightseeing and Enduro travel.

The first day in Darwin is for getting yourself accustomed. We do a bit of sightseeing around the town, visit a science museum, go bathing and if you like the idea, go jet skiing.

The first stage of the journey takes us to Yellow Waters in the Kakadu National Park. Here, we drive through the mangrove swamps in small motor boats and take a look at the fascination plants and birds.

Once on the famous Stuart Highway we head south going through several impressive national parks, such as Katherine Gorge and Devils Marbles National Park. We also visit the hot springs at Mataranka which are set in tropical vegetation and palm trees. Very soon after this, the countryside changes to prairie and we are now in the Outback, Australia’s fascinating landscape, which covers 70% of the continent.

In Alice Springs, the heart of Central Australia, we take a days rest. A trip to the McDonnell Ranges, an open-air museum, a walk around town or just simply relaxing are some of the things to enjoy for you.

After Alice, the journey becomes more of the "Enduro" kind. Earth roads gradually replace bitumen surfaced ones. We camp at a cattle station, a very original farm with a typical Outback pub. From here we take a trip to Kings Canyon, a huge gorge set in the otherwise flat prairies of Central Australia, where we also find the "Garden of Eden", a small oasis which harbours the oldest palm trees in the world. A small natural lake provides us with the chance to take a swim. After this it's on to Ayers Rock (Uluru).

Almost everyone visiting Australia wants to see Ayers Rock and that speaks for itself! This huge monolith has an appeal which captivates those who see it. If you can stand heights, you can climb to the top of it for superb views of the surrounding countryside. We also organise flights around the Rock so that everyone can enjoy the views from above if you want.

Less well known, but just as impressive are the Olgas which are only 30 km from Ayers Rock. These are a rock formation some 200 m higher and covering ten times the area of Ayers Rock. Here, we go on a hike around Katatjuta, the Aboriginal name for Mt. Olga.

After one and a half days at the canyon we set off along one of the most isolated dirt tracks on the continent, the Gunbarrel Highway, which takes us 1200 km through the Gibson and Great Victoria deserts as far as the goldfields of Kalgoorlie. Along this stretch of the journey it is necessary to transport large amounts of petrol, water and provisions in the support vehicle, as there is practically no opportunity to stock up on supplies. It also means that for about a week we will be without the comforts of civilisation, but then again, this is in itself an amazing experience. The nights spent in the Outback under the star-studded Australian skies are some of the most memorable experiences on the journey.

During this stage of the tour we come across two small settlements, a mission for the indigenous population and a weather station, which we visit. Special permits for this area take time to organise and so please book early for this tour.

The first signs of civilisation are to be found in Kalgoorlie. The town had its great days during the Gold Rush at the start of the century and is now a mixture between a ghost town and an open-air museum. We go down the deep shafts of a disused-used gold mine and also visit a pioneer museum. Not much further on we come to a place called Coolgardie, where there is little to be seen of the former town. From here it’s only 450 km to Perth where this tour ends. Perth is situated in idyllic surroundings at the Swan River estuary and is the state capital of Western Australia. It is simply beautiful.

This tour is fairly demanding after Alice Springs, as the roads are not bitumen surfaced and are either gravel or dirt tracks. These take a bit to get used to and also demand some fitness and stamina. The distances covered on a day’s ride are reduced when the going is strenuous.