With Australia Day approaching, now is the perfect time to reflect on the past year, and to plan your 2017 travels.
From January through to March, the weather is generally hot inland, and cooler on the coast. The Kimberley, the Top End (Darwin, Kakadu and Arnhemland) and Far North Queensland are in The Wet season, with rains that, at times, can be monsoonal. Thunderstorms can be anywhere, providing rain and welcome cooler weather. This is the perfect time of year to visit the Southern coast. At this time of year, we recommend combining the lower prices and crowds at Uluru with the wildlife and cool sea breezes of Kangaroo Island. in a Red Centre & Wildlife air safari. This six day / five night tour includes an overnight stop in the opal capital of the world, Coober Pedy. Also included is time in the Flinders Ranges, on the South side of Wilpena Pound, amidst landscapes that has inspired painters and poets for generations. The tour includes the iconic Uluru, and the wildlife of Kangaroo Island.
Alternatively, for a short weekend mini-break, spend one day amongst the wildlife of Kangaroo Island, and one day eating seafood and exploring the Lower Eyre Peninsula on a South Australia’s Seafood & Wildlife air safari.
In autumn, from late March to early June, the weather is ideal across all of Australia so take your pick of air safaris. Visit the Kimberley and the Top End to see the countryside emerge from The Wet season, with waterfalls and rivers in full flow. Visit the Gawler Ranges and Kangaroo Island in South Australia to experience Five Days of Outback Wildlife – swim with sea lions, see native Australian wildlife in the wild, and enjoy regional delicacies.
Alternatively, for a mini-break, take two days to explore Lake Eyre and the Channel Country of North East South Australia. An overnight stay at the iconic Outback town of Birdsville is included. Add in a day at each end to view the Flinders Ranges, and you will have a fabulous few days that will feel a world away.
The inland temperatures get chilly at night from June to August, but the days can be clear and sunny. This is the perfect time of year to head to the Top End or to the Outback. Travel up the West coast of Australia from Perth to Broome to see dolphins at Monkey Mia, the extensive Ningaloo coral Reef at Exmouth, and the delights of Karijini National Park. Extend the tour, and keep on travelling from Broome to Darwin, and visit a coastal camp to feel like a castaway, visit Aboriginal art sites, and relax into the Kimberley experience.
Alternatively, for a mini-break, take two days and see the wonder that is the largest Southern Right Whale nursery in the world. This is found on the edge of the Nullarbor, at the foot of the Bunda Cliffs. In 2016, 172 Southern Right Whales were seen in the area, including 82 calves born in the Far West Coast Marine Sanctuary. The whales visit the region every winter. Book a Whales & Wheels package, and see the whales from the land, air, and sea.
Spring in Australia is beautiful. From August to October, expect to see wildflowers, and wildlife of all ages. Similar to autumn, the weather is ideal across all of Australia, so take your pick of air safaris. Head to the Top End or to the Outback to burn off the winter chill. Start in Darwin to experience the flocks of magpie geese on the wetlands of the Mary River, and end in the warmth of Uluru. Combine the Top End and the Red Centre in a Darwin to Uluru air safari. Enjoy the last of winter on the Southern coastline with warm days, and cool nights. The Flinders Ranges offers landscapes that has inspired painters and poets for generations, while Kangaroo Island will be emerging from the winter chill to lay out a welcome carpet of wildflowers and wildlife. Combine the two in a Flinders Ranges and Kangaroo Island air safari.
Alternatively, for a mini-break, take a few days to explore the Stars of Southern Skies of the Flinders Ranges in South Australia. Spend the days touring the Flinders Ranges, and the nights learning more about the stars of the sky.
As the weather warms up to summer, its back to the coast. If you can’t make up your mind from the menu, then immerse yourself in South Australia’s charms by experiencing the Ultimate Blend. This eight day / seven night tour includes the highlights of South Australia – two nights in the Flinders Ranges, one night in Coober Pedy, two nights in the Gawler Ranges, and two nights on Kangaroo Island. An optional extra is to add on a night (or two) touring the wine regions of the northern valleys of the Barossa, the Clare, and Eden, or the Coonawarra and McLaren Vale on the Fleurieu Peninsula. So go ahead, spoil yourself. After all, it’s nearly Christmas (2017)…