About the safari

I got an email full of information about our Capricorn Ramble, so I'm going to share some of it with you:

• 18th of April - 9th of  May
• 550AUD (1/11/2011) + 2850AUD (1/2/2012) = 3400AUD
• about 10000 kilometers 

DAY 1

All people from three different districts will be picked up early in the morning, and we'll head to North passing by Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. We'll arrive at Byron Bay early evening, so we have time to practice setting up tents.  That'll be really useful skill during this trip!

camping at BYRON BAY

DAY 2 

All of us will take surfing lessons in the best surfing location around Byron Bay, and after that we have time to explore the city on Byron Bay.

camping at BYRON BAY

DAY 3

We'll head to Gold Coast and spend our day in Dreamworld.  After that we'll head to North, to Coolum Beach, and set up our camp.

camping at SUNSHINE COAST

DAY 4

Going North again, this time passing through the country towns of Nambour and Gypmie.  The weather will get warmer when we reach Tropic of Capricorn.

camping at ROCKHAMPTON

DAY 5

We'll see fields of sugarcane flank the road from Mackay, site of the world's largest sugar handling facility.  At the end of the day we'll be able to see the crystal blue waters of the Whitsundays.

camping at AIRLIE BEACH

DAY 6

We will spend the day visiting the idyllic Whitsunday passage with Ocean Rafting, and eco guides will explain modern worlds impact to the wilderness.  One place we'll also visit during the day, is the world famous Whitehaven Beach.

camping at AIRLIE BEACH

DAY 7

Moving forward.  We'll leave Airlie Beach and head to North, to the tropical home of the Great Barrier Reef.

bunking at CAIRNS

DAY 8

The day everyone has been waiting for! We'll snorkel the Outer Barrier Reef, the marine biologist on board will inform us about the wonders of the Great Barrier Reef, and we'll also be able to view coral from a glass bottom boat.

bunking at CAIRNS

DAY 9

Our guide will take us up the spectacular Gillies Range and onto the tropical Atherton Tablelands. We also have an opportunity to explore the Cathedral and Curtain Fig Tree, take a rain-forest walk at Lake Barrine National park and swim at pristine waterfalls.

bunking at CAIRNS

DAY 10

We'll board our flight and arrive to Alice Springs.  This day is quite free, so we have time to explore the city and buy souvenirs.  At the evening we'll make a musical and visual journey at Andrew Langford’s ‘Sounds of Starlight’ theater.

bunking at ALICE SPRINGS

DAY 11

This day will be spend driving around Alice Springs seeing the major landmarks.  We'll also visit Reptile center where we'll learn more about Australian reptiles.

bunking at ALICE SPRINGS

DAY 12

We'll head to Kings Creek Station, and go to Kings Canyon, which is the deepest gorge in Central Australia.

camping at KINGS CREEK STATION

DAY 13
After we've done a short ride on a camel, we'll head to Uluru.  In the evening we'll go to Sunset Strip to see Uluru while sun sets on the horizon.

camping at AYERS ROCK RESORT

DAY 14
Time for a day we'll never forget; visiting Uluru!  Despite the wish of Aboriginals, we may be able to climb to the big red rock.  We'll also visit Kata Tjuta, which is even larger rock landmark 25 kilometers from Uluru.

camping at AYERS ROCK RESORT

DAY 15
After heading East we'll head South, passing the oasis of the Marla Bore. In the early evening we'll arrive to Coober Pedy where we'll sleep underground.

camping at COOBER PEDY

DAY 16
We'll head off down the centre of Australia towards the Southern Coast. We'll sleep in Gaol in Gladstone, and we will be taken to a ghost tour around it.

bunking at GLADSTONE

DAY 17
We'll have a brief tour of Adelaide, before heading further South to Naracoorte.  At sunset we'll visit the Naracoorte Caves to see the Bat Cave and Blanche Cave. At the Bat Cave we may be able to see the Southern Bent-wing Bat using the infrared cameras.

bunking at NARACOORTE

DAY 18

Day to head to the South Coast of Australia.  We'll watch a sound and light show depicting the history of the “ship wreck coast”; a spellbinding chronicle of how Victoria’s western coastline earned its cruel distinction as the Shipwreck Coast.

camping at WARRNAMBOOL

DAY 19

We'll tour part of the Great Ocean Road and see the Twelve Apostles, rising columns of rock surrounded by treacherous reefs and tides. We then head inland and arrive to Melbourne.  Before returning to the camp we have time to shop and explore Melbourne.

camping at MELBOURNE

DAY 20

Day for visiting the Southbank and the Eureka Skydeck 88, the highest observation deck in the

Southern Hemisphere.  Skydeck 88 is the only observation deck in the world that can thrill you with

‘The Edge’ – a glass cube which projects 3 metres out from the building, almost 300 meters above the ground.  We'll also be able to use the telescope to get a bird’s eye view of Melbourne.  Later we'll visit the Docklands and we'll have free time to explore Melbourne.

camping at MELBOURNE 

DAY 21

One more opportunity to explore Melbourne.  There's a lot of different options; we can take a ride on Australia’s last remaining tramway system, visit the Queen Victoria Markets or poke about its galleries and museums. In the afternoon we'll head off to Gundagai.

bunking at GUNDAGAI

DAY 22

LAST DAY!!! Time to say goodbyes and head back home.

If that didn't really make sense, the route is roughly showed below.

Excited,

Liisa