Central Australia

The Northern Territory is the quintessential Australian experience and a geographer’s dream. Alice Springs is surrounded by a red sand the size of Europe. The Simpson Desert stretches south from Alice towards the South Australian border and the Tanami Track goes more than 1000km to the northwest and into Western Australia. The desert is imprinted with spiritual significance for the local Aboriginal people, who see Dreamtime stories give meaning to its striking landforms.

The world’s most famous rock, Uluru/Ayers Rock, is the largest single piece of exposed rock on the planet. Nearby, Kata Tjuta/The Olgas is a group of 36 rock domes that date back about 500 million years. Complete the 9.4km base walk around Uluru then take the Valley of the Winds Walk at Kata Tjuta. The Northern Territory is home to the world’s oldest river system, the Finke River, and Kakadu National Park encompasses almost the entire catchment of a major river system.