Tropics to Outback Photography Safari

Darwin & Kakadu National Park - Private Tour

Day 1: Darwin. On arrival in Darwin, you will be transferred by private vehicle to your downtown accommodation. 

Accommodation: Mindil Beach Resort (Superior Spa King Room) 

Day 2: Fogg Dam. After a morning pickup, you will head to the World Heritage-listed Kakadu National Park for your privately guided adventure. The first stop is Fogg Dam Reserve, a birdwatcher's paradise with over 200 bird species, water pythons, and freshwater turtles thriving in its wetlands. The morning offers excellent opportunities for photography, capturing species like kingfishers, geese, and kites. Next, an exhilarating 45-minute Airboat Safari takes guests through the Mary River wetlands, spotting crocodiles and diverse birdlife. After a quick stop at the picturesque Leaning Tree Lagoon, lunch is enjoyed at the historic Bark Hut Inn. The day concludes with a Yellow Water Cruise at Cooinda, where guests can observe a rich variety of wildlife including Saltwater Crocodiles and enjoy one of the region's spectacular sunsets, perfect for photography.

Accommodation: Lords Private Camp  | Meals: BLD

Day 3: Kakadu National Park. The second day of touring will take you to the Southern end of Kakadu, to experience a spectacular pristine waterfall, Gunlom (Waterfall Creek). This area was immortalised in the first 'Crocodile Dundee' movie, due to its white sandy beach and 120-metre cascading waterfall, which is best experienced until the end of July, providing another fabulous photo opportunity. A more challenging walk to the top of the waterfall is rewarded with a swim and the best view for miles around. It is common to see the Antilopine Wallaroo and Black-breasted Buzzards, with the Gouldian Finch and Hooded Parrot an occasional sighting. There are many unique plants in the area including the beautifully coloured Salmon Gum, Freshwater Mangrove, Silver-leafed Paperback and Yellow Bladderwort orchid. 

Accommodation: Lords Private Camp  | Meals: BLD

Anrhemland: Private Tour

Day 4: Gunbalanya. Departing from Kakadu National Park, you will cross the East Alligator River into Arnhem Land, a region accessible only to select tour operators. The journey offers stunning views of floodplains, billabongs, and the Arnhem Land escarpment prime for landscape photography. In Mikinj Valley, you will explore remarkable rock art sites and enjoy breathtaking scenery. At Gunbalanya, visit the Injalak Arts Centre where you will observe traditional artists at work and learn about Aboriginal culture. The day includes a hike up Injalak Hill, showcasing 8,000-year-old rock art and panoramic views of the floodplains. The day provides opportunities to spot various bird species and unique animals across the sandstone escarpments. 

Accommodation: Davidson's Arnhemland Safaris Lodge  | Meals: BLD

Day 5: Davidson's. Davidson's Arnhemland Safaris at Mt Borradaile is a registered Aboriginal sacred site nestled against the majestic Arnhem Land escarpment. This is a landscape of rugged ranges fringed by idyllic billabongs, flood plains, paperbark swamps and monsoonal rainforests. Valleys, overhangs and caves have been occupied for over 50,000 years and offer magnificent galleries of rock art as well as occupation and burial sites.

You will have the opportunity to capture both sunrise and sunset shots across these idyllic landscapes, as well as billabong cruises for more wildlife captures. A highlight of the day is an Aboriginal Art and wetlands exploration to spot numerous species including Agile, Wilkins' Rock and Nabarlek Wallabies, Ghost Bats, flying foxes, Freshwater and Saltwater Crocodiles, Dingos, Leichhardt Grasshoppers, Jabirus, Brolgas, egrets, kingfishers, Blue Winged Kookaburras, Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, Red Winged Parrots, Black Tailed Tree Creepers, White-faced and White-bellied Cuckoos and various Honeyeaters. 

Accommodation: Davidson's Arnhemland Safaris Lodge  | Meals: BLD

Day 6: Darwin. You will have the opportunity to capture one more sunrise and spot numerous species including Agile Wallabies, Saltwater Crocodiles, Jabirus, Brolgas, Magpie Geese, Azure Kingfishers, Blue Winged Kookaburras, Red Tailed Black Cockatoos, lorikeets, honeyeaters and Whistling Kites. Enjoy a delicious lunch before heading back to Darwin, undoubtedly with a series of photos and memories that will last a lifetime. 

Accommodation: Mindil Beach Resort (Superior Spa King Room) | Meals: BL

Cairns & Daintree - Private Tour

Day 5: Cairns. On arrival into Cairns, you will be transferred by private vehicle to your Cairns accommodation.

Accommodation: Crystalbrook Riley (Panoramic Sea View Room) | Meals: B

Day 6: Daintree & Cape Tribulation.  A visit to the Daintree isn't complete without seeing where the 'rainforest meets the reef' at Cape Tribulation. This is one of the best spots to observe the iconic Southern Cassowary as well as the Leaden flycatcher, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Pied Monarch, Wompoo Fruit Dove, Shinning Flycatcher, Azure Kingfisher.

The afternoon will be spent exploring the surroundings of Kingfisher Park, your accommodation for the next two evenings. There are many resident birds at the lodge including Noisy Pitta, Red-browed Finch, Macleay's, Yellow-spotted and Graceful Honeyeaters, Pale-yellow Robin, Little Shrike-thrush, Yellow-breasted Boatbill, Black-faced & Spectacled Monarch, Cicadabird and Spotted Catbird. 

Accommodation: Kingfisher Park Lodge | Meals: BLD

Day 7: Daintree River, Julatten & Mt Lewis. The Daintree River with rainforest growing right to the water's edge, is renowned for its birdwatching opportunities, particularly the elusive Great-billed Heron and Little Kingfisher. A pre-dawn cruise offers the best chance to observe these birds, as well as other species like the Papuan Frogmouth, Black Bittern, and Azure Kingfisher and is an absolute highlight for birdwatchers in Far North Queensland. In the afternoon, a visit to Mount Lewis provides opportunities to see the Blue-faced Parrot Finches, Victoria's Riflebird, and various fruit-doves. Optional spotlighting can reveal nocturnal species like Barking Owls, as well as possums and bandicoots. 

Accommodation: Kingfisher Park Lodge | Meals: BLD

Atherton Tablelands - Private Tour

Day 8: Shared Earth Reserve. After checking out of the lodge, head toward the Atherton Tablelands, gaining exclusive access to the Forever Wild Shared Earth Reserve through FNQ Nature Tours. This 5,000-acre reserve, dedicated to preserving Earth's last wildernesses, features a diverse mosaic of old-growth savanna woodland, lagoons, lakes, and wetlands. With over 220 bird species recorded, it boasts one of the highest avian diversities in Australia, with a single-day record of 98 species. Key wildlife includes the endangered Northern Quoll, Quails, Black Swans, various ducks, Grebes, and large wading birds like Herons and Cranes. Regular sightings also include Laughing and Blue-winged Kookaburras, Bee-eaters, and numerous Honeyeaters, Flycatchers, and Robins. 

Accommodation: Chambers Wildlife Lodge | Meals: BLD

Day 9: Atherton Tablelands & Hasties Swamp. The Atherton Tablelands, a high-altitude counterpart to the Daintree Rainforest, offers you the chance to experience freshwater creek trails, mesophyll vine forests, and remnants of volcanic history. Head to Hasties Swamp, a large seasonal wetland, home to over 220 bird species, with a bird hide providing excellent waterbird viewing. Next up is Mount Hypipamee National Park, known for sightings of the magnificent male Golden Bowerbird and Southern Cassowary. Other notable birds include the Eastern Spinebill, Grey-headed Robin, and Tooth-billed Bowerbird. Mount Hypipamee is also ideal for spotlighting, with sightings of Green Ringtail, Herbert River Ringtail, and Brushtail Possums, as well as the elusive Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo. 

Accommodation: Chambers Wildlife Lodge | Meals: BLD

Day 10: Crater Lakes. Explore several walking trails around Lake Barrine and Yungaburra, targeting species like the Tooth-billed Bowerbird, Spotted Catbird, Victoria's Riflebird, and various honeyeaters. Other notable birds include the Eastern Whipbird, Black-faced Monarch, and Grey Fantail. In Yungaburra, the Peterson Creek Wildlife & Botanical Walking Track offers the chance to see a platypus or the rare Lumholtz Tree-Kangaroo, making it a must-visit spot for wildlife enthusiasts. Your guide will bid you farewell at the airport or return to your Cairns accommodation. 

Accommodation: Crystalbrook Riley (Panoramic Sea View Room) | Meals: BL

Mungo - Private Tour

Day 11: Melbourne. Take a morning flight to Melbourne and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Accommodation: Park Hyatt Melbourne (King Deluxe Room) | Meals: B

Day 12: Mildura. Upon arrival at Mildura Airport, you'll meet your Echidna Walkabout Wildlife Guide to begin a private outback journey. Mildura, near the junction of the Murray and Darling rivers, surprises with its abundant water in a semi-arid region. Before heading into the outback, you'll explore the Murray River and its billabongs, where parrots, cockatoos, and other birds often gather from the desert for food and water. In the afternoon, you'll travel into the arid lands towards Lake Mungo, entering the vast Willandra Lakes World Heritage Area. Here, you'll walk along the ancient, fossilized Willandra Creek and watch the sunset over Lake Mungo, learning about the region's history and spotting desert wildlife like kangaroos and parrots before settling for dinner at Mungo Lodge. 

Accommodation: Mungo Lodge | Meals: BLD

Day 13 - 15: Mungo National Park. Over the next two days, explore Mungo National Park, a region of immense significance to human and wildlife history. Spanning over 1,110 km², the park surrounds the ancient, now dry, Lake Mungo, which has been inhabited by Aboriginal people for at least 50,000 years. The eroded dunes beside the lake reveal the oldest human living site on earth and megafauna skeletal remains, marking the area as a World Heritage Site.

Your exploration includes walks and drives through diverse habitats, from mallee woodlands to saltbush expanses. You will see abundant Emus, Pink Cockatoos and occasional Cockatiels in this region, along with chats and arid land fairy-wrens. The Crested Bellbird is often heard and sometimes seen. Raptors including the Spotted Harrier, Black Falcon, Grey Falcon and Wedge-tailed Eagle are known to nest in the area. The journey culminates with a drive across the dry lake bed to the lunettes, where you'll trace 50,000 years of Aboriginal history through the landscape. After an optional early morning bird walk on Day 14, enjoy a final breakfast at Mungo Lodge before driving out of the desert to Mildura.

Accommodation: Mungo Lodge | Meals: B