Alice Springs and MacDonnell Ranges
11 — 15 July 2010
Alice Springs Including MacDonnell Ranges
11 — 15 July 2010
Pre-tour 10 July
Overnight: Alice SpringsDay1
11 July 2010
Alice Springs to Glen Helen Lodge in the MacDonnell RangesAfter our arrival in ‘The Alice’ we will make our way out to Glen Helen Lodge in the west MacDonnell Ranges — about two hours west of Alice. En route we will bird the well-known gorges closer to Alice such Simpson’s Gap and Ellery Creek Big Hole. Looking out for redthroat, western bowerbird, western ringneck, spiny-checked and grey-headed honeyeaters, white-browed and grey-crowned babblers, zebra finch and hooded and red-capped robins. Mammals could include black-flanked rock-wallaby, euro and dingo.
Overnight: Glen Helen LodgeDay 2
12 July
MacDonnell Ranges
Today we bird the magnificent Ormiston Gorge and surrounding area. The spinifex-covered hills hold, among others, dusky grasswren, rufous-crowned emu-wren and spinifexbird — all notorious skulkers. Other species could include the highly nomadic spinifex pigeon and painted finch if seasonal conditions have been suitable.
Overnight: Glen Helen LodgeDay 3
13 July
MacDonnell Ranges to Alice Springs
We will bird our way back to Alice Springs today via the Tamami Track on the lookout for nomadic species including pied and black honeyeaters, budgerigars, white-browed and masked woodswallows; with grey falcon also a possibility in this area. Late afternoon we’ll be on the lookout for the Bourke’s parrot as we return through the mulga woodland.
Overnight: Alice SpringsDay 4
14 July
Alice Springs area
We spend the day birding the mulga country northwest of Alice and here we have our best chance for grey honeyeater, our least glamorous but most difficult honeyeater. Other rarities here include the slate-backed thornbill and white-browed treecreeper, as well as a host of more common passerines such as crested bellbird, hooded and red-capped robins, splendid fairy-wren and inland and chestnut-rumped thornbills. Time permitting after we find our target species, we'll visit the 1300 hectare Alice Springs Desert Park. The park houses many species of desert mammal, several of which are threatened or endangered such as Mala (rufous hare wallaby) and greater bilby. The park also contains over 300 species of desert flora.
Overnight: Alice SpringsDay 5
15 July
Alice Springs area
Today we travel south to bird the more open mulga and saltbush country around Erldunda where chiming wedgebill, orange and crimson chats and banded and southern whiteface can be located. Flocks of Major Mitchell’s and red-tailed black-cockatoos may also be encountered in this area as wells a wedge-tailed and little eagles and black falcon.
Overnight: Alice SpringsEnd of tour
Additional information:
cost $2,700 AUD
single supplement: $430
Price includes
- motel accommodation from 10 July to and including 15 July
- meals from breakfast 11 July to breakfast 16 July
- park entry fees
- transport: 4WDs
- luggage: restricted to 2 bags per person
- tour limited to 8 participants
Price does not include travel to and from Alice Springs, travel insurance, alcohol, mini bar charges, laundry, phone calls etc.
A single supplement applies to single rooms.
Alice Springs weather: pleasantly warm days, cold nights and mornings; mostly dry.Accommodation is in a very good motel while in Alice Springs and reasonable accommodation while at Glen Helen. There is no camping on this tour.
Tour starts and finishes in Alice Springs.
Checklist of species seen on the 2009 tour
