ULURU–KATA TJUTA NATIONAL PARKLife in the Red Centre
July 17–27, 2028 · Uluru to Darwin · 11 days / 10 nights
AUSTRALIA SIGNATURETOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
IN THE OUTBACK | 2028
A table beneath the stars. The desert at first light.
And nearly five minutes when the Sun becomes something extraordinary.
Travel through Australia’s Red Centre and tropical Top End on a journey built around one exceptional event: the July 22 total solar eclipse in the Lower Barkly Region. Uluru, Outback ballooning, Indigenous-led discovery and the waterways of Kakadu turn a remarkable celestial moment into an unforgettable Australian adventure.
11 daysJULY 17–27, 2028
10 nightsTHREE DISTINCTIVE HOTELS
4m 57sLOWER BARKLY TOTALITY
$14,875USD PER GUEST · DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
SHOWCASE EXPERIENCE · JULY 22, 2028
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE
IN LOWER BARKLY
Long totality. A high midday Sun. The clarity of the Australian Outback.
4m 57sApproximate totality
12:50 p.m.ACST · July 22, 2028
49°Sun elevation at totality
14%Mean July cloud amount
THE OUTBACK ADVANTAGE
Lower Barkly brings the qualities we value most into one viewing region: an expansive open horizon, exceptionally low July cloud, very little rainfall and nearly five full minutes of totality. The eclipsed Sun sits high above the landscape, creating an impressive focal point in an immense Outback sky.
This is our prime choice for the eclipse. Compared with Sydney, Lower Barkly offers approximately 72% less mean July cloud, 86% less mean July precipitation and 68 seconds more totality. The Sun is also 20° higher.
95%Historically dry
19 of 20 comparable July 22 observations recorded no rain.
95%Clear to partly cloudy
18 of 19 comparable July 22 sky observations.
0 of 19Fully overcast
No fully overcast observation in the supplied historical sample.
A RESERVED PLACE
IN THE PATH OF TOTALITY
Your full-day expedition travels roughly 420 km north of Alice Springs to a reserved viewing site in the Lower Barkly Region. Morning tea, lunch and time to settle into position are part of the day. Here, the landscape makes room for the event: low horizons, immense scale and very little artificial light.
NASA POWER July climatology: 0.22 mm average precipitation per day. Regional VIIRS night-light index: 0, at the dataset’s measurement floor.
THE NUMBERS BEHIND OUR CHOICE
Astronomy: NASA’s 2028 eclipse path table at the representative Lower Barkly region. Climate: NASA POWER, July means for 2001–2024. Day-specific sky and rainfall counts: the historical July 22 sample in the supplied eclipse analysis. Sydney comparison uses the same climatology and astronomy methodology. Regional viewing time is approximately 12:50 p.m. Australian Central Standard Time.
NASA eclipse path and timing · NASA POWER climate dataSIGNATURE EXPERIENCE OVERVIEW
ELEVEN DAYS.
EXTRAORDINARY MOMENTS.
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSEJuly 22 · Nearly five minutes
SOUNDS OF SILENCEDinner beneath the stars
ULURU AT SUNRISESmall-group discovery
KATA TJUTA DOMESSmall-group exploration
MOUNT CONNER OUTBACK SAFARIWildlife, tracks & station dinner
SCENIC OUTBACK BALLOONINGOne-hour flight & breakfast
CHARLES DARWIN DINNER CRUISEHarbor sunset & dinner
TROPICAL GARDENS & DARWINPrivate guided experience
LITCHFIELD: CULTURE & NATURESmall group · Indigenous guiding
KAKADU FLOODPLAIN & WETLANDSRock art, river & living culture
TOP END WILDLIFERiver life & wetland birds
QUICK ITINERARY
YOUR JOURNEY AT A GLANCE
Three bases. A natural progression from desert country to the tropical north.
JULY 17–20 · 3 NIGHTS
ULURU & THE RED CENTRE
Sails in the Desert · Superior Room
- Getting there
- Arrive at Ayers Rock Airport; shared transfer to your hotel.
- Signature experiences
- Sounds of Silence; Uluru sunrise; Kata Tjuta; Mount Conner safari.
- Next connection
- Continue by private vehicle and driver-guide to Alice Springs · about 5 hours.
JULY 20–23 · 3 NIGHTS
ALICE SPRINGS & LOWER BARKLY
DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs · Guest Room with View
- Getting there
- Private road journey from Uluru, with commentary and en-route stops.
- Signature experiences
- Outback ballooning; historical Alice; July 22 eclipse expedition with lunch.
- Next connection
- Private airport transfer, then fly Alice Springs–Darwin · about 2 hours · flight purchased separately.
JULY 23–27 · 4 NIGHTS
DARWIN & THE TOP END
Mindil Beach Casino Resort · Superior Spa Room
- Getting there
- Private car from Darwin Airport to your hotel.
- Signature experiences
- Harbor dinner cruise; private gardens tour; Litchfield; Kakadu and Guluyambi.
- Next connection
- Private airport transfer on July 27 · international and onward flights purchased separately.
YOUR ROUTE THROUGH AUSTRALIA
FROM THE RED CENTRE
TO THE TROPICAL TOP END
Three nights at Uluru. Three nights in Alice Springs. Four nights in Darwin.
The numbered circles show your overnight bases; diamonds identify day visits.
Tap the map to view at full size. Lower Barkly marks the regional eclipse-viewing area.
THE COMPLETE EXPERIENCE
YOUR ITINERARY,
DAY BY DAY
Sunrise over sandstone. The warmth of a shared table. Tropical light on water. Every day adds a different perspective.
01
Monday, July 17, 2028 · Uluru
THE RED CENTRE, UNDER A CANOPY OF STARS
Your first glimpse of the Red Centre sets the scale for everything to come: red earth, open sky and Uluru rising above the desert. Settle into Sails in the Desert, with your national-park admission already included, then let the afternoon ease toward an extraordinary evening.
YOUR CONNECTION
Shared airport transfer from Ayers Rock Airport
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Shared dining experience · 4 hours · dinner included
SOUNDS OF SILENCE
Begin with canapés and chilled sparkling wine overlooking Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park. As sunset gives way to the Southern sky, join a shared table for an Australian dinner drawing on native bush ingredients. Didgeridoo music and an introduction to Aboriginal culture create a sense of place; a resident star-talker then reveals the Southern Cross, the Milky Way and the constellations overhead. Finish with dessert and the lingering pleasure of dinner beneath an immense night sky.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Sails in the Desert
Superior Room · Breakfast included
YOUR ACCOMMODATION · July 17–20 · 3 nights
Sails in the Desert
A refined Red Centre retreat framed by sweeping white sails and desert gardens. Unwind by the gumtree-lined pool, enjoy the hotel’s dining spaces and settle into a room accented by local Indigenous art. Your Superior Room includes breakfast each morning.
Superior Room · Double occupancy · Breakfast included
02
Tuesday, July 18, 2028 · Uluru & Kata Tjuta
FIRST LIGHT. ANCIENT STONE.
Be out in the stillness before the desert awakens. The first light moves across Uluru in changing shades of copper and rose, followed by a day that brings the landscape into closer focus—from a waterhole rich in Anangu heritage to the extraordinary domes of Kata Tjuta.
YOUR CONNECTION
Driver-guide touring · shared hotel transfers
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Small group · 3 hours · light breakfast included
HIGHLIGHTS OF ULURU AT SUNRISE
Watch Uluru emerge from the shadows from a specially chosen vantage point. Your driver-guide shares the creation stories of Liru and Kuniya, then leads you to Mutitjulu Waterhole and around the base of the rock. The gentle progression from sunrise to breakfast and guided exploration reveals the detail behind that unforgettable silhouette.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Small group · 3 hours
KATA TJUTA DOMES
Travel to the Southern Dune Viewing Platform for an expansive view of Kata Tjuta and distant Uluru. Follow your guide into a landscape of immense rounded conglomerate domes, exploring Walpa Gorge or the Western lookout as the season’s program allows. Learn why this country holds profound cultural significance before returning along the Great Central Road.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Sails in the Desert
Superior Room · Breakfast included
03
Wednesday, July 19, 2028 · Uluru & Mount Conner
THE OUTBACK BEYOND THE ICON
Enjoy a slow morning at your hotel before heading into the working country of Curtin Springs station. The safari brings the Outback closer: red kangaroos around water sources, birdlife, salt-lake country and the texture of the landscape from your 4WD.
YOUR CONNECTION
Small-group 4WD safari · approximately 7–8 hours
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Small group · 7–8 hours · sunset drinks and dinner included
MOUNT CONNER OUTBACK SAFARI
Set out along the station’s 4WD tracks and look for red kangaroos, birds and reptiles around its water sources. Explore salt-lake country and traces of ancient inland seas, with your guide bringing the landscape into focus. Later, pause for sparkling wine as sunset changes the color of Mount Conner, then enjoy a welcoming station dinner at Curtin Springs before returning to your hotel.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Sails in the Desert
Superior Room · Breakfast included
04
Thursday, July 20, 2028 · Uluru → Alice Springs
ACROSS THE HEART OF AUSTRALIA
Today the journey itself becomes the experience. Leave Yulara with your private driver-guide and cross the Red Centre toward Alice Springs, taking in the scale of the desert through commentary and stops along the way. Arrive with a new appreciation of the country connecting Australia’s most celebrated monolith to its Outback heart.
YOUR CONNECTION
Private vehicle and expert driver-guide · approximately 5 hours
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Private transfer with commentary and en-route stops · approximately 5 hours
THE RED CENTRE BY PRIVATE ROAD JOURNEY
Watch the country change beyond your window, pause at en-route stops and discover the details that bring the Red Centre to life: patterned grasses, gum trees, birds and the shapes of the ranges. In Alice Springs, settle into your room overlooking the MacDonnell Ranges before tomorrow’s dawn adventure.
ACCOMMODATIONS · DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs
Guest Room with View · Breakfast included
YOUR ACCOMMODATION · July 20–23 · 3 nights
DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs
Settle into Alice Springs with views toward the MacDonnell Ranges. A private balcony gives your room a distinctly Outback outlook, while the hotel provides a comfortable base for ballooning, heritage touring and the journey to your eclipse viewing site. Breakfast is included.
Guest Room with View · Double occupancy · Breakfast included
05
Friday, July 21, 2028 · Alice Springs
FLOAT INTO THE OUTBACK MORNING
Rise before dawn for a completely different perspective on the Red Centre. Then return to ground level to discover how people have connected across its vast distances—through education, communications and the remarkable Royal Flying Doctor Service.
YOUR CONNECTION
Shared ballooning transfers and historical touring
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Shared experience · 60-minute flight · sparkling-wine breakfast included
SCENIC OUTBACK BALLOONING
Lift gently into the cool morning air as first light reaches the MacDonnell Ranges. Below, desert plains unfold in every direction, and red kangaroos may become tiny moving points in the landscape. After your hour in the air, gather for a light breakfast with sparkling wine before returning to your hotel.
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Shared guided tour · 4 hours
HISTORICAL ALICE
Visit the School of the Air, the historic Telegraph Station and the Royal Flying Doctor Service to discover the ingenuity behind life in remote Australia. Finish with views from Anzac Hill, where Alice Springs lies against the rugged backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges.
ACCOMMODATIONS · DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs
Guest Room with View · Breakfast included
06
Saturday, July 22, 2028 · Lower Barkly Region
NEARLY FIVE MINUTES OUTSIDE THE ORDINARY
This is the day the journey has been built around. Depart Alice Springs early, pause for morning tea at Ti Tree Roadhouse and continue to your reserved viewing site in Lower Barkly. Across this immense open landscape, the eclipse will unfold high in the midday sky.
YOUR CONNECTION
Shared full-day eclipse expedition · 12–12½ hours · roughly 420 km north of Alice Springs
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Reserved viewing site · shared expedition · lunch included
TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE OUTBACK
Settle into your viewing place with chairs, cameras and eclipse glasses as anticipation builds. Around 12:50 p.m. ACST, the Sun disappears behind the Moon and the desert shifts into the extraordinary twilight of totality. For approximately 4 minutes 57 seconds, the corona becomes the focal point of a vast open sky. Share the moment, then enjoy the journey back through the Outback to Alice Springs that evening.
ACCOMMODATIONS · DoubleTree by Hilton Alice Springs
Guest Room with View · Breakfast included
07
Sunday, July 23, 2028 · Alice Springs → Darwin
FROM RED EARTH TO TROPICAL WATER
After a private transfer to Alice Springs Airport, fly north to Darwin and trade the desert palette for palms, tropical gardens and the harbor. Your private arrival transfer takes you to Mindil Beach Casino Resort before an evening on the water.
YOUR CONNECTION
Private airport transfers · Alice Springs–Darwin flight approximately 2 hours, purchased separately
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Shared harbor cruise · 2½ hours · dinner included
CHARLES DARWIN DINNER CRUISE
Board the Charles Darwin for the harbor’s most atmospheric hour. Watch the light soften over the water while enjoying a Territory-style dinner featuring Australian seafood and local produce on the air-conditioned Captain’s Deck. The tropical sunset offers a wonderfully relaxed counterpoint to yesterday’s celestial drama.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Mindil Beach Casino Resort
Superior Spa Room · Breakfast included
YOUR ACCOMMODATION · July 23–27 · 4 nights
Mindil Beach Casino Resort
Tropical gardens and a beachside setting create a relaxed Darwin base after the Red Centre. Your Superior Spa Room opens to a private patio, with a Japanese-inspired bathroom and space to unwind between harbor evenings and national-park adventures. Breakfast is included.
Superior Spa Room · Double occupancy · Breakfast included
08
Monday, July 24, 2028 · Darwin
THE TOP END, IN LIVING COLOR
Explore the lush side of Darwin with a private guide: tropical gardens, fruit-growing country, vivid street art and the stories of a city shaped by both its natural environment and its history.
YOUR CONNECTION
Private driver-guide touring · 5 hours
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Private guided experience · 5 hours
TROPICAL GARDENS & SIGHTS OF DARWIN
Stroll through gardens filled with palms, bromeliads, medicinal herbs and richly patterned tropical leaves. Gardeners share the uses and care of their plants, with a refreshing break along the way. Continue through mango-growing country and back into Darwin for its murals and street art, while your guide connects Aboriginal heritage, settlement, wartime history and the character of the modern Top End.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Mindil Beach Casino Resort
Superior Spa Room · Breakfast included
09
Tuesday, July 25, 2028 · Litchfield National Park
WATERFALLS, WOODLAND & LIVING CULTURE
Spend a full day in Litchfield, where dramatic stone country, monsoon forest and spring-fed water create one of the Top End’s most inviting landscapes. The experience connects natural beauty with the knowledge of an Indigenous guide.
YOUR CONNECTION
Small-group day excursion from Darwin · 9 hours · up to 8 participants
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Small group · 9 hours · lunch included
INDIGENOUS CULTURE & NATURE IN LITCHFIELD
Learn about bush resources and traditional food cultivation through hands-on demonstrations, then explore the park’s waterfalls and clear plunge pools. Bring your swimsuit for the opportunity to enjoy its spring-fed waters. A freshly prepared lunch in shaded surroundings makes space to absorb the day’s stories and the guide’s deep connection to this country.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Mindil Beach Casino Resort
Superior Spa Room · Breakfast included
10
Wednesday, July 26, 2028 · Kakadu National Park
A LANDSCAPE WITH STORIES IN EVERY DIRECTION
Journey into UNESCO-listed Kakadu for a full day of wetlands, ancient rock art, Aboriginal culture and expansive views. This is a landscape best understood through the people whose stories and stewardship connect it across generations.
YOUR CONNECTION
Guided day excursion from Darwin · 13 hours
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Small-group excursion · 13 hours · lunch included
KAKADU FLOODPLAIN & WETLANDS
Discover the art of Kakadu and West Arnhem Land at Marrawuddi Art Centre, explore Ubirr and climb to the Nadab Lookout for sweeping floodplain views. Near Cahills Crossing, pause for lunch in a landscape known for its crocodiles. A Guluyambi Cultural Cruise on the East Alligator River adds another perspective, with local guiding that brings the river’s stories and traditions to life before your return to Darwin.
A SIGNATURE MOMENT WITHIN YOUR KAKADU DAY
THE WILD SIDE OF THE TOP END
Slow down and watch the riverbanks. Kakadu’s waterways are habitat for saltwater crocodiles, while sea eagles, egrets and other wetland birds bring movement to the tropical landscape. Your included East Alligator River cruise offers a wonderfully different way to look for wildlife as your local guide shares the river’s cultural stories.
ACCOMMODATIONS · Mindil Beach Casino Resort
Superior Spa Room · Breakfast included
11
Thursday, July 27, 2028 · Darwin · Departure
TAKE THE OUTBACK HOME WITH YOU
Enjoy your final morning in Darwin before your private airport transfer. Across eleven days, the journey has moved from the stillness of Uluru to the energy of the Top End—with a few extraordinary minutes of totality at its center.
YOUR CONNECTION
Private car to Darwin Airport · onward flight purchased separately
SIGNATURE EXPERIENCE · Departure day · private airport transfer
A FINAL TROPICAL MORNING
Take a moment over breakfast to revisit the journey: desert sunrise, a table under the stars, the silence of a balloon flight and the sudden transformation of the midday sky. Your private car connects you with Darwin Airport for your onward travels.
DEPARTURE DAY · Breakfast and private airport transfer · Journey concludes in Darwin
PRICING & AVAILABILITY
A RARE JOURNEY.
AN EXTREMELY LIMITED OPPORTUNITY.
This trip is in extremely limited supply. Book now to secure your place on a journey centered on Australia’s 2028 total solar eclipse.
JULY 17–27, 2028 · RESERVATIONS OPEN
$14,875USD PER GUEST · BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY
$29,750.00 total for two guests sharing
| Payment schedule | Per guest | Total for two |
|---|---|---|
| 15% depositDue now to book | $2,231.25 | $4,462.50 |
| Second 15% paymentJuly 17, 2027 | $2,231.25 | $4,462.50 |
| Final 70% balanceApril 18, 2028 | $10,412.50 | $20,825.00 |
YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES
- Ten hotel nights in the specified room categories, based on two guests sharing.
- Breakfast each morning, plus the dinners, lunches and touring meals identified in the itinerary.
- Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park admission.
- The complete program of private, small-group and shared experiences described above.
- Shared Ayers Rock airport transfer; private Uluru–Alice Springs road transfer; private airport transfers in Alice Springs and Darwin.
- Reserved Lower Barkly eclipse-viewing site and the full-day July 22 expedition with lunch.
- Local English-speaking guides, driver-guides and 24/7 in-destination support.
ARRANGED SEPARATELY
- International and onward flights.
- Alice Springs–Darwin flight, approximately two hours, purchased separately.
- Travel insurance, visas, gratuities and personal expenses.
- Meals, drinks and optional activities not identified as included.
Private and shared touring are identified throughout so you can see exactly how each part of your journey is arranged.
CURATED BY THE EXPEDITION TABLE
WITH KENSINGTON TOURS