Self Drive Freedom

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Cruising around Central Australia with a sense of freedom is a great way to enjoy the outback. For our Product team’s trip around Central Australia, the self drive option was a great way for us to experience the outback in our own time. So we grabbed our trusty Britz 4WD, (Toyota Landcruiser), and headed off into the open spaces of Central Australia with 2 other cars in tow and the rest of the team. The 4WD was very comfortable for 4 of us and our luggage, and very easy to drive

Our few days of freedom were spent marvelling at the beautiful scenery along the way to iconic places such as Uluru/Ayers Rock and Kings Canyon. We arrived at Uluru just before our pick up for the sunset BBQ with APT. Looking for a bit of luxury, we had decided that Voyages Sails in the Desert would be the perfect place to start. As we arrived, we were welcomed by some very helpful staff who took care of our bags so we could get ready to head off on our tour, and arranged breakfast boxes for the next morning as we would be leaving before the restaurant opened.

We headed off to our spot near Uluru for the evening to enjoy a true Aussie-style barbecue dinner. We watched the sun sinking below the desert plain, revealing the magnificent colours of the rock, before enjoying a sumptuous meal. For our night’s entertainment, we were treated to a star orientation of the southern sky.

Heading back to the hotel, we were ready for a great nights sleep in king size beds. Rising early the next morning, we grabbed our breakfast boxes and drove out to the Uluru viewing area, where we were again shown the beautiful colours of the Rock as the sun came up from behind us. With the array of colours changing as the day dawned, this was definitely worth getting up early for. As some of us had been here before, we decided to split up the group and go off to do our own thing, meeting back at the hotel by 10am. Some of us took a drive around the base of the Rock to view some of the ancient rock art, while others toured through the Cultural Centre. Back at the hotel, we pack the cars up and went of to have lunch in the village before heading off to Kings Canyon. We made a couple of stops along the way to view Mt Connor and Lake Amadeus.

Our keen photographers found some great scenery which just had to be captured by their lenses,

so there was no need to rush, we took our time to enjoy it all!

On arrival at Kings Canyon, we again opted for some luxury and checked into the Voyages Spa Rooms, before making our way down to dinner. Another early night so we would be refreshed and full of energy for our walk around the rim of Kings Canyon the next day. The morning was cool and perfect weather for our day’s adventure. We packed up the cars and went to fuel up at breakfast. The staff at Kings Canyon were fantastic, and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. Arriving at Kings Canyon, we checked we had enough water and snacks, then headed up to the top of the Canyon to begin our 6km walk. Again the scenery was just spectacular, and more photos had to be taken to capture it all. At the end of the walk we felt a sense of achievement, and an increased appetite, so we drove back to the resort for lunch and to get our Mereenie Loop passes.

The drive along the Mereenie loop was rough, and it's definitely advisable to take it easy. This road passes Gosse’s Bluff, so we took a detour to have a look around before making our way to Glen Helen Resort for the evening. Arriving in the mid afternoon, we had time to walk down to the gorge, or relax at the bar before dinner. The meals were fabulous, and the service was fantastic. Some light entertainment after dinner and a few drinks outside viewing the ranges as the sun set was the perfect way to end a great few days of exploring Central Australia.

On the way to each destination, we could to stop where we liked whenever we saw something interesting. We were able to set the pace that suited us and see all we wanted to see without having to feel rushed. All roads are well signposted, so finding our way was no problem at all. I highly recommend the self drive option for flexibility and freedom. You just never know what you might see on your journey…

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