Today is set aside as an arrival day (direct flights available from most capital cities including Sydney and Melbourne). Own transfers to hotel. Meet as a group in the foyer of the hotel at 18:30 for our welcome dinner where we will also discuss the tour details.

The town of Alice Springs grew around the telegraph station, constructed in 1872 to link Adelaide with Darwin. It lies on the ephemeral Todd River, which only flows after rare periods of heavy rain in the desert. The heart of the Red Centre, the area around Alice Springs is rich in flora and fauna and over the next four days we will explore this varied landscape from spinifex plains to deep gorges cut through ancient mountain ranges.

Accommodation: Alice Springs (en suite)

Meals included: D

Alice Springs is an excellent base from which to access a wonderful diversity of birds typical of Australia’s dry country. There are a range of ‘special’ species to this area and in the days to come we will endeavour to track a good number of these down. We will have an early start today, venturing into rocky spinifex country in search of Dusky Grasswren. The iconic endemic group known as grasswrens are much sought after, with some of the most skulking, notoriously difficult and hard to get to birds in Australia amongst their ranks. Obtaining good views of Dusky Grasswren will be a good introduction to this group of birds, and a fitting start to our exploration of the region. Spinifex habitat is also home to the shy Rufous-crowned Emu-wren and a dose of luck may be required to get views of this lovely little bird. White-winged and Splendid Fairywrens might also be seen, as well as Crimson Chat, Banded Whiteface, Grey-fronted Honeyeater and Red-backed Kingfisher.

In the heat of the day, we will return to Alice to visit the famous Alice Springs Sewage Works, a veritable magnet for waterbirds in this thirsty landscape. Red-necked Avocet, Yellow-billed Spoonbills, and Pink-eared Duck may be seen along with more retiring species like Baillon’s Crake. In the afternoon we will bird in woodland areas near Alice looking for species like Grey Honeyeater, Crested Bellbird and Hooded Robin, plus the chance of rarer nomads like Black and Pied Honeyeaters, Diamond Dove, Black Falcon or even Grey Falcon. We will finish the day in at a nearby waterhole where common, but no-less-lovely, species like Red-tailed Black- cockatoo, Red-capped Robin and Purple-backed Fairy-wren, Galah and Common Bronzewing come in to drink in addition to (hopefully!) Bourke’s Parrot, Mulga Parrot and Australian Ringneck.

Accommodation: Alice Springs (en suite)

Meals included: B L D

This morning we will venture west of Alice into the West MacDonnell Range. This ancient landscape of rugged mountains and cool scenic gorges is a wonder to explore. Notable bird species we will seek this morning include Spinifexbird and another chance at Rufous-crowned Emu-wren. In the afternoon we will visit Ormiston Gorge where a permanent waterhole attracts wildlife. Here we will search for Western Bowerbird, Painted Finch, Grey-headed, White-fronted, Singing & White-plumed Honeyeaters, Spinifex Pigeon and Little Woodswallow. MacDonnell Ranges Cycad and Central Australian Rock Fig grow on the rocks here, providing shelter for smaller species. Other birds that we are likely to see out west of Alice Springs include Australia’s smallest bird the Weebill, Western Gerygone and magnificent Wedge-tailed Eagles. We will return to our base in Alice Springs in the early evening.

Accommodation: Alice Springs (en suite)

Meals included: B L D

This morning we will make an early start, leaving Alice Springs and heading along the Stuart Highway to explore a mosaic of habitats to the south. White-browed Treecreeper, Grey Honeyeater and a variety of thornbills (Slaty-backed, Inland & Chestnut-rumped Thornbill) are all possible in the extensive mulga woodland in the area. On the lightly vegetated plains, we will look for Banded Whiteface, Orange and Crimson Chats, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, Chiming Wedgebill and White-browed Babbler. We will also visit an area of waterholes off the highway. This fruitful area is usually home to a few patches of water and these, along with the fabled red river gums, attract a range of species. This is an excellent area for cockatoos and parrots, and we may well see Pink (Major Mitchell’s) Cockatoo, Little Corella, Budgerigar, Galah and Cockatiel, along with waders such as Black-fronted and Red-kneed Dotterels, as well as opportunistic raptors. We will return to Alice Springs late afternoon.

Accommodation: Alice Springs  (en suite)

Meals included: B L D

Today we will concentrate on locations closer to Alice Springs. As part of the schedule we will explore the Olive Pink Botanic Garden in Alice Springs itself. Founded in 1956 by anthropologist Olive Pink, this garden contains around 600 plant species from Central Australia, including many rare and threatened species. The rocky hills around the garden are home to a population of Black-footed Rock Wallaby and there are good chances of Western Bowerbird and Australian Ringneck. If time permits, we will visit some locations in the Eastern MacDonnell Ranges. Our excursion after lunch will be to visit a nearby bore on sandy mulga and beefwood country, where we will spend a little time in the afternoon to look for Grey Honeyeater, as well as Slaty-backed Thornbill, Australian Zebra Finch, Splendid, White-winged and Purple-backed Fairywrens, and a variety of other honeyeaters. Late in the day we can sit and watch as birds come in to drink, looking for Common Bronzewing, Mulga Parrot, Australian Ringneck and if our luck is in, Bourke’s Parrot coming in for water right on dusk.

Accommodation: Alice Springs (en suite)

Meals included: B L D

There are no formal tour arrangements today and the tour will finish after breakfast this morning. Own arrangements for any activities today and own arrangements to the airport for your departure flights.

For those participants continuing onto the Top End Darwin-Kununurra tour: Based on 2024 flights Qantas has one direct flight from Alice Springs to Darwin (ASP- DRW): QF1959 09:30-11:30 (Flight not included in tour price). Please book this one if possible, as the Top End tour doesn’t start until tomorrow. Your accommodation in Darwin tonight and breakfast tomorrow morning will be covered within your Top End tour package cost (lunch today as per your own arrangements).

Accommodation: none (Darwin accommodation for those continuing onto Top End tour)

Meals included: B