Discover Red Centre desert birds on this immersive 6-day exploration of Australia's most iconic outback landscape based around Alice Springs and the ancient West MacDonnell Ranges. Journey through an extraordinary terrain of weathered mountain ranges, rocky gorges, spinifex-clad hillsides, and vast gibber plains while searching for some of Australia's most sought-after arid-zone specialists. Explore sacred Aboriginal sites, scenic gorges like Ormiston, and productive locations including the famous Alice Springs Sewage Works attracting waterbirds to this thirsty landscape. Led by Inala Nature Tours' expert guides with intimate knowledge of Central Australia's challenging species and harsh environments, this tour provides exceptional opportunities to experience the wildlife and landscapes that define Australia's Red Centre.
The Red Centre's diverse arid habitats support uniquely adapted desert specialists. Spinifex grasslands harbour the endemic Dusky Grasswren, a much-sought-after member of Australia's endemic grasswren family, alongside the tiny Rufous-crowned Emu-wren and Spinifexbird. The ancient West MacDonnell Ranges provide habitat for Western Bowerbird building elaborate bowers in gorges, Painted Finch at rocky water sources, and Spinifex Pigeon on boulder-strewn slopes. Gibber plains - vast expanses of stony desert named from an Indigenous word for stone - support the remarkable Inland Dotterel, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, and Chiming Wedgebill, species perfectly camouflaged against the harsh landscape.
Desert waterholes attract spectacular gatherings including Pink Cockatoo, (hopefully!) Bourke's Parrot, Mulga Parrot, Australian Ringneck, and flocks of colourful Budgerigar and Cockatiel. The Alice Springs Sewage Works, a magnet for waterbirds in this arid region, hosts Red-necked Avocet, Pink-eared Duck, Yellow-billed Spoonbill, and secretive Baillon's Crake. Mulga woodlands support Grey Honeyeater, White-browed Treecreeper, and various thornbills including Slaty-backed, Inland, and Chestnut-rumped. Fairy-wrens including White-winged, Splendid, and Purple-backed add splashes of colour, while nomadic honeyeaters (Black and Pied) respond to flowering cycles. Mammals include Black-flanked Rock-wallaby on rocky outcrops, Euro (Common Wallaroo), and Dingo in remote areas.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
This expedition includes small group sizes (maximum 6-8 participants with one specialist guide), ensuring personalised attention in challenging desert environments where local expertise is essential. All accommodation is based in Alice Springs with one night at Erldunda Roadhouse (Ghan), featuring comfortable en-suite rooms. Inala Nature Tours provides expert specialist guides with experience in Central Australian arid-zone birds and desert ecology, supported by 4WD transport essential for accessing remote spinifex country, gibber plains, and rough unsealed roads in the West MacDonnell Ranges.
All meals are included (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), with packed lunches for field days allowing maximum time searching for desert specialties. Park entry fees and special site access are included. The guides' understanding of desert conditions, seasonal movements of nomadic species and optimal times for gibber plain specialists, provides participants with rich context alongside exceptional wildlife encounters.
This small group tour has been designed to adjoin our Birds and Wildlife of Kakadu and Kimberley tour.
Who is this tour for?
This tour is perfect for birders seeking desert grasswrens and arid-zone specialists, photographers wanting to capture iconic Red Centre landscapes with colourful parrots, outback enthusiasts interested in Aboriginal culture and ancient geology, and anyone seeking an authentic Central Australian wilderness experience.
July around Alice Springs offers excellent weather for outdoor activities during the day - mild, dry, and sunny - but be prepared for quite cold nights and early mornings.
Temperature: 15-30°C (April-September), warm to hot days with cool desert nights, extreme temperature variation typical of arid interior
Rainfall: Very low, typically during dry season with minimal precipitation, though occasional storms possible
Sunshine: Approximately 9 hours of sunshine per day, with mostly clear skies.
This small group tour has been designed to adjoin our Birds and Wildlife of Kakadu and Kimberley tour.
This small group tour has been designed to adjoin our Birds and Wildlife of Kakadu and Kimberley tour.
Birds: Dusky Grasswren, Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Spinifex Pigeon, Spinifexbird, Banded Whiteface, Orange and Crimson Chats, Chiming Wedgebill, Cinnamon Quail-thrush, Inland Dotterel, Pink Cockatoo, Budgerigar, Cockatiel, Mulga Parrot.
Mammals: Black-flanked Rock-wallaby, Dingo.
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 and venture into spinifex country in search of the skulking Dusky Grasswren. The endemic Australian group is much sought after, making this a fitting start to our exploration of the region. Spinifex 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 might Crimson Chat, Banded Whiteface and Red-backed Kingfisher.
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 also include time at a nearby waterhole where species like Red-tailed Black-cockatoo, Red-capped Robin and Purple-backed Fairy-wren, Galah and Common Bronzewing may 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 mulga 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 a riverbed (dry at this time of year) off the highway. This fruitful area 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 Cockatoo, Little Corella, Budgerigar, Galah and Cockatiel, 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. On the schedule today is a visit to a nearby bore on sandy mulga and beefwood country, where we may see Australian Zebra Finch, Splendid, White-winged and Purple-backed Fairywrens, and a variety of honeyeaters. Other locations we will explore are 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 Common Wallaroo (Euro), Western Bowerbird and Australian Ringneck. If time permits, we will visit some further excellent birding sites around town.
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 current flights Qantas has one direct flight from Alice Springs to Darwin today (ASP-DRW): QF1901 09:20-11:30 (Flight not included in tour price). Please book this one if possible, as the Top End tour begins this evening. 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
5 nights’ accommodation, specialist guide and transport, meals, entrance fees and activities as mentioned in the itinerary, GST.
International and domestic airfares, alcoholic beverages, snacks, internet, laundry or other items of a personal nature.
Discounts: This small group tour has been designed to adjoin our Birds and Wildlife of Kakadu and Kimberley tour. If taking both sections, discounts will apply, please contact us.
Meals and drinks: Breakfast generally consists of a continental style breakfast with cereal, fruit and yoghurt and tea/coffee. Full cooked breakfast is not generally offered at most locations. Lunch will generally consist of a packed lunch style meal eaten in the field, with sandwich/filled roll, fruit, and a drink. Dinner usually consists of several options for main with the choice of either an appetiser or dessert. Drinks (soft and alcoholic) are generally not included but at lunches and breakfasts juice may be made available.
The itinerary: While we aim to follow the itinerary as planned, please note that the itinerary provided should only be used as a guideline. Depending on individual trip circumstances, weather, and local information, the exact itinerary may not be strictly adhered to. The guides reserve the right to make changes to the itinerary as they see fit.
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Inala Nature
320 Cloudy Bay Road, Lunawanna
South Bruny Island 7150
Tasmania, Australia
Phone:Â +61 3 6293 1217
Inala Nature acknowledge and pay respects to the palawa people as the traditional and original owners, and continuing custodians of this land, lutruwita, and acknowledges Elders - past and present. Inala Nature Tours and the Inala Foundation Inc are located on lunawanna- alonnah, also known as Bruny Island, the traditional land of the Nuenonne people.
