10 hours (Approx.)
Pickup from select hotels
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Overview
Explore the West MacDonnell Ranges on a full-day tour from Alice Springs. Travel with an expert guide to highlights such as Simpsons Gap, Ormiston Gorge, Ochre Pits, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek and Glen Helen. Have time to enjoy the region's natural beauty and capture photo ops of the Australian Outback as you hike into rock canyons, discover hidden waterholes and view historical sites. Chances to swim and hike along the way
- Full-day tour of the West MacDonnell Ranges, from Alice Springs
- Marvel at stunning red rock formations at Standley Chasm, Simpsons Gap and Mount Sonder
- Visit the Ochre Pits and learn how Aboriginal people traditionally used ochre for ceremony and trade
- See impressive waterholes at Ormiston Gorge and Ellery Creek Big Hole
- Look for wildlife such as the black-footed rock wallaby, Pacific heron and white-faced heron
- Includes all transportation, expert guide, morning tea, picnic lunch and afternoon snacks
- Small-group tour with a maximum of 20 people allows for a more customized tour
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Start early with pickup at your Alice Springs hotel and set off in your air-conditioned coaster or seat rosa for West MacDonnell National Park.
Start with a walk at Simpsons Gap to see a natural rock amphitheater that is home to endangered black-footed rock wallabies. Next, head to Standley Chasm for morning tea and a stroll along trails lined with acacias, cycads, ghost gums and cypress pines. Continue on to Ochre Pits, where rock walls are covered by white, yellow and red ochre, used for sacred ceremonies of the local Arrernte peoples.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at Ormiston Gorge, a large waterhole surrounded by red rock and visited by waterbirds such as the Pacific heron and white-faced heron. After eating, drive to Mt Sonder lookout for views of a towering sandstone wall and Mt Sonder, one of the highest points in Central Australia.
Next up, visit Ellery Creek Big Hole, one of central Australia's most pristine waterholes. Cool off with a swim and hear from your guide about the significance of the geology. Then wind down your tour as sunset splashes over the MacDonnell Ranges. Have the option to join a sunset camel ride (October to March- own expense) for your final activity of the day.
Start with a walk at Simpsons Gap to see a natural rock amphitheater that is home to endangered black-footed rock wallabies. Next, head to Standley Chasm for morning tea and a stroll along trails lined with acacias, cycads, ghost gums and cypress pines. Continue on to Ochre Pits, where rock walls are covered by white, yellow and red ochre, used for sacred ceremonies of the local Arrernte peoples.
Enjoy a picnic lunch at Ormiston Gorge, a large waterhole surrounded by red rock and visited by waterbirds such as the Pacific heron and white-faced heron. After eating, drive to Mt Sonder lookout for views of a towering sandstone wall and Mt Sonder, one of the highest points in Central Australia.
Next up, visit Ellery Creek Big Hole, one of central Australia's most pristine waterholes. Cool off with a swim and hear from your guide about the significance of the geology. Then wind down your tour as sunset splashes over the MacDonnell Ranges. Have the option to join a sunset camel ride (October to March- own expense) for your final activity of the day.
Itinerary
After pickup at your Alice Springs hotel, set off with your guide and small group into West MacDonnell National Park to begin your exploration of the area’s many natural attractions. Throughout the day, your knowledgeable guide shares informative commentary about the natural and cultural history to the region.
Admission Ticket Included
A short path leads to rock walls that are covered with white, yellow and red layers of ochre. Be sure to bring your camera to snap photos of the shifting hues. Considered a sacred site for the local Arrernte peoples, the ochre pits provided material traditionally used for ceremonies and trading.
Admission Ticket Free
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Product code: 6762WM
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