The wide brown land is Uluru, Kakadu, Kata Tjuta but a whole lot more besides and now there's a means to get right into the raw beauty, far beyond the beaten track.
Operator, Peregrine, describes their new, small-group tours as a virtual spiritual experience. Do it and you will have to agree that's no over-statement. The key is more time and a knowledgeable guide.
Their eight-day Kakadu Wetlands and Gorges tour begins in Darwin. The towering cliffs of Katherine Gorge, fiery in the afternoon sun, viewed from your paddle-yourself canoe have no equal. Into Kakadu, you take a dip in Gunlom's natural infinity pool; spectacular Jim Jim and Twin Falls, and appreciate saltwater crocs and wetlands birdlife as you cruise Yellow Water. A trip highlight has to be your day in Koolpin Gorge, an ancient landscape and crystal waters.
The Wetlands and Gorges adventure has departures from July to September this year and May-September next year. It costs $2675 pp twin share including most meals, comfortable 4WD transport, guide and entry fees.
Peregrine's Uluru and Outback Trails is a seven-day program from The Alice. This one affords an Aboriginal perspective on the landscape as it progresses west through Hermannsburg and the gorges of the East MacDonnell Ranges to Kings Creek, a working cattle station near Kings Canyon. You do a dawn walk on the canyon rim before heading to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, where your Aboriginal guides explain the Dreamtime.
Maintaining the theme, you visit Cave Hill, just inside South Australia, where the Aboriginal landowners clue you in on a lifestyle which has changed little and cave paintings 20,000 years old. Later, at Mt Woodroffe, highest in SA, the traditional owners share more traditional lore.
This one leaves the Alice July-September this year and between May and September 2009, costing $2690 pp twin share, land only, including most meals, accommodation, transport, guide and entry fees.
Talk to a travel agent or Peregrine Adventures on 1300 854 500.
Just cruisin’
If you are thinking about flying to Singapore to take a cruise holiday - and that's a much more popular option than you'd probably think - the good people at ecruising.travel have a suggestion to give you more for your airfare outlay.
It's a 16-night package with two weeks cruising, and a hotel night in Singapore both pre- and post-cruise.
The package costs just $3299 including return air from Sydney, 14-nights twin-share aboard Costa Allegra (pictured) with all onboard meals, entertainment, port taxes and gratuities, and all necessary transfers in Singapore. Only those bloody air taxes are extra.
The Italian-ambience Costa Allegra's track from Singapore is to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hong Kong, Manila, Kota Kinabalu, Bandar Seri Begawan then back to the Lion City and your night at the excellent Novotel Clarke Quay.
Call 1300 369 848 or visit www.ecruising.travel.com
... and more cruisin’
At the other end of the spend scale but probably once in a lifetime, so who cares, there's an interesting cruise package which takes in many of the finest ports in Europe this September.
The price is a “special” negotiated by Cruiseco whose canny operatives reckon they will never be able to repeat.
The 29-night package features return business class air, three nights pre-cruise in London, 22 nights aboard Silverseas’ super-luxury Silver Cloud to 14 ports then three more nights post-cruise in Venice.
Silver Cloud is a regular on the “world best” list.
She departs London this September 1 for Bordeaux, Oporto, Lisbon, Gibraltar, Malaga, St Tropez, Monte Carlo, Taormina, Katakolon (Olympia,) Corfu, Kotor, Dubrovnik, Sibenik, Pula and Venice.
Still with me?
Prices begin at $28,810pp twin-share from Sydney.
Call 1800 225 656 for the name of your nearest Cruiseco cruise specialist. | 
