Ultimate Uluru & Kimberley Wilderness Journey - 15 Night Cruise & Stay PACKAGE - Uluru to Broome (SCEULUKIM)

Day 1 | Arrive Uluru

26 May 2024

Welcome to Uluru – the spiritual heart of Australia. On arrival at Ayers Rock Airport transfer to your hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure to relax poolside or participate in one of the complimentary resort activities. Later, meet your Tour Leader and fellow travellers for a Welcome Drink in Walpa Lobby Bar.

Over the course of the next three nights at Uluru, you will enjoy a number of dining experiences^. On one of the evenings, you will enjoy an exclusive dining experience you will remember forever. Tali Wiru, meaning ‘beautiful dune’ in local Anangu language, encapsulates the magic of fine dining under the Southern Desert sky. The stillness of the desert at night creates a unique ambience, while views of Uluru and the distant domes of Kata Tjuta provide a stunning backdrop. Sip champagne and nibble on canapes while watching a spectacular sunset to the haunting sounds of a didgeridoo performance. Every course of this exclusive four-course dinner is infused with ancient native herbs and spices, constructed to respect, and put a spotlight on the quality and attributes of each ingredient, bringing them together in harmony. Dinner is accompanied by premium Australian wines while an indigenous storyteller shares the culture, history and spirituality of this beautiful land.

Meals: Dinner

Overnight: Sails in the Desert (or similar)

Day 2 | Uluru

27 May 2024

Experience the tranquillity of the outback pre-dawn and watch the stunning metamorphosis of colour as the desert slowly comes alive. Travel in the comfort of your coach to the Uluru sunrise viewing platform in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park with your driver guide who will provide insight into the history and geology of this ancient land. Enjoy a warming cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate as the dawn creeps across the desert plain and lights up Uluru. Afterwards, take a short walk at the base of Uluru, view some Ancient Aboriginal Rock Art and hear the creation stories of traditional Anangu life and the Tjukurpa (story) of Kuniya and Liru. Visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre to read about the history, and flora and fauna of the park before returning to the resort.

Prior to dinner, enjoy a glass of sparkling wine as you undertake a private guided tour of the Gallery of Central Australia, featuring around 80 works of Indigenous art. Your guide will impart their in-depth knowledge of the region and the artwork of existing and emerging artists from the Central Australia region. This evening you may enjoy a relaxed dining experience in Ilkari Restaurant^.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Sails in the Desert (or similar)

Day 3 | Uluru

28 May 2024

An early start this morning to experience the magnificent Kata Tjuta. Travel to the Kata Tjuta Viewing Area in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park with your driver guide who will provide details on its incredible history. From here enjoy a panoramic view of the southern side of Kata Tjuta and see Uluru on the distant horizon whilst sipping on a warming cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate as the dawn creeps across the desert plains and lights up the Domes of Kata Tjuta. After sunrise, arrive at the 36 steep-sided domes, the other icon of Kata-Tjuta National Park and set along the walk through Walpa Gorge, meaning ‘wind’ in the local Aboriginal language. Follow the path between two of the tallest domes of Kata Tjuta, to a lush oasis in the desert and admire mulla mulla plants and spearwood trees at the end of the gorge before returning back to the resort.

Next stop is the Uluru Cultural Centre for a private dot painting workshop. Learn about traditional art, symbols, and tools from a local Anangu artist. Be inspired by the ancient ways of the desert and create your very own work of art to treasure. Throughout the workshop, the artist will share a part of their culture with you and help you to better understand Aboriginal paintings and culture.

Late afternoon, you’ll be transferred to a remote desert location with majestic views of Uluru. As the sun sets on the horizon, enjoy gourmet canapes and chilled sparkling wine, and soak up the ambience of your last evening in the Red Centre. As darkness falls, watch in awe from the top of your private dune as the coloured lights of 50,000 glass spheres gently come to life, then join fellow travellers for an exceptional three-course menu infused with bush tucker flavours^. As the night ignites with countless stars, settle back and listen to the resident star talker decode the southern night sky. After dinner, immerse yourself in the stunning art installation, Field of Light, its pathways glistening softly with rhythms of coloured light, beckoning you to explore at your own pace. Return to the hotel and reflect on a truly magical evening.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Sails in the Desert (or similar)

Day 4 | Uluru - Darwin

29 May 2024

A very early start this morning. After breakfast, you’ll be transferred to Alice Springs for your flight to Darwin.

Upon arrival in Darwin, you’ll be transferred to the Mindil Beach Casino Resort for your overnight stay. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast

Overnight: Mindil Beach Casino Resort (or similar)

Day 5 | Darwin - Embark ship

30 May 2024

After breakfast, your morning is at leisure until you are transferred to the port and welcomed aboard the ultra-luxurious Scenic Eclipse II, The World’s First Discovery Yacht™.

Meals: Breakfast

^NOTE: Included dinners over the three nights at Uluru may operate on different nights than those specified in the day-by-day itinerary due to limitation of numbers at some venues.

INCLUSIONS:

• 3 nights accommodation at Sails in The Desert
• Welcome drinks with Team Leader and fellow travellers
• Private Tali Wiru Dinner including champagne and canapés, table d’hote 4-course dinner with premium Australian wine, didgeridoo performance and Indigenous storytelling
• Guided morning Uluru Highlights Tour including breakfast
• Morning Kata Tjuta Tour including breakfast
• Private Dot Painting Workshop with a local Anangu artist
• Private guided tour of the Gallery of Central Australia with a glass of sparkling wine
• ‘A Night at Field of Light’ including outback canapés, chilled sparkling wine, three course bush tucker inspired interactive menu, Australian wine and beers, non-alcoholic drinks, tea, coffee and port, self-guided walk through the illuminated Field of Light
• Three course set menu dinner at Ilkari Restaurant at Sails in the Desert
• Breakfast on morning of departure from Uluru
• Transfer from Ayers Rock Airport to Sails in the Desert
• Complimentary resort activities and Wi-Fi
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Pass
• Services of a Tour Leader and expert driver guides in Uluru & Darwin
• Transfer from Sails in The Desert to Alice Springs Airport
• Flight from Alice Springs to Darwin
• 1 nights accommodation at Mindil Beach Casino Resort in Darwin including breakfast
• Airport to hotel and hotel to port transfers in Darwin

Arrive in Darwin, the Northern Territory’s tropical capital city.

Welcome aboard. Settle into your spacious ultra-luxury verandah suite on board Scenic Eclipse II. Butler service will assist with unpacking and guide you through the pillow menu. Take some time to familiarise yourself with the unsurpassed amenities that include nine bars and lounges, up to 10 dining experiences from casual to fine dining, the expansive Senses Spa and the state-of-the-art theatre, just to name a few. Explore the length of Scenic Eclipse II. The open-bridge policy means your Captain will welcome you in the operational centre anytime during your voyage. Toast the beginning of your journey with a glass of French champagne at Lumière or a cocktail  at the open-air Sky Bar.

Please book your flight to arrive into Darwin prior to 02:00 PM.

Scenic Eclipse II sails from the Timor Sea to north of the King George River. The only way to access the 100-metre-wide King George Falls, the highest twin waterfalls in Western Australia, is on water or by air. With her sleek, yacht-shaped design, Scenic Eclipse II was custom-built to access such remote locations. Binoculars are provided in every suite to take with you on your Discovery excursions, so you can get a closer look at the amazing wildlife. 

Discovery: Take a roundtrip on a Zodiac for a breathtaking close-up of the falls, weaving past spectacular 80-metre-high sandstone cliffs and mangroves where you might spot a sunning crocodile or birdlife such as ospreys, falcons, egrets, and kingfishers. April and May are when the falls are at their most thunderous and, weather and tides permitting, our Discovery Team could take you close enough for a natural shower. With two helicopters^ available, you may have the option for a scenic flight^ for an aerial appreciation of one of Western Australia’s most astounding spectacles.

After an overnight journey on board your luxurious Discovery Yacht, you’ll stop at the sheltered and secluded Vansittart Bay, a place of significant indigenous cultural history. Fitted with state-of-the-art GPS Dynamic Positioning system, Scenic Eclipse II will be held in position close to Jar Island in the bay’s southwest pocket, negating the need to drop anchor on ecologically sensitive seabeds. Board a Zodiac for a transfer to a small sandy beach to explore the area with the expert Discovery Team.

Discovery: The Discovery Team will accompany you on a hike to see what’s regarded as the oldest art gallery on earth, dating back more than 20,000 years to the last ice age. The ancient and mysterious Gwion is the oldest rock art known to man and one of two primary art forms found in the Kimberley. ‘Tattooed’ into the rock rather than painted, the art depicts detailed, symmetrical, and mystical figures adorned with tassels, delicate jewellery, and elaborate headdresses.

The morning is yours. Book a Senses Spa treatment, a Yoga or Pilates session, plunge into the vitality pools, or simply relax and enjoy 6-star ultra-luxury on board Scenic Eclipse II. The afternoon is for exploring one of Australia’s most remote marine parks, Ashmore Reef. The three islands of the reef are uninhabited yet home to an abundance of bird and sea life. Internationally recognised, each year around 100,000 seabirds from 40 different species flock to the reef to breed. Underwater, find hard and soft corals, giant clams, sea sponges, green turtles, dugongs, crabs and about 500 species of fish in the reef. After the day’s exploration, settle in at one of the nine bars and lounges to enjoy a beverage of choice. Relish France’s finest at Lumière Champagne Bar or indulge in over 100 varieties of aged whiskey at the Scenic Lounge Bar. Scenic’s truly all- inclusive philosophy means you can leave your wallet in your suite’s safe and simply relax and indulge. 

Discovery: The wealth of sea life coupled with underwater visibility make for wonderful snorkelling and swimming. Take a Zodiac cruise with the Discovery Team around the reef or talk to the expert team about a possible scenic helicopter^ flight for a bird’s eye view of the astonishing colours of land, sea, and reef.

Today, Scenic Eclipse II glides through York Sound to the mouth of the Hunter River, the staging point for an unforgettable helicopter excursion^ to Mitchell Falls. The thrilling flight^ is a true wilderness ride with jaw-dropping panoramas of wild escarpments, tropical rainforests and the thundering four-tiered Mitchell Falls carved out over millennia. Look out for ospreys and saltwater crocodiles as you soar over the prehistoric landscape akin to Jurassic Park. You have time to explore the area on foot, and, if you wish, take a refreshing swim in one of the freshwater pools formed by the falls. Back onboard, watch Mother Nature’s magnificent show as the sun sets, cocktail in hand. The sky awash with pastel colours blending shades of apricot, pink and dusty blue until finally dark, then linger longer underneath a blanket of a trillion sparkling stars.

Discovery: Tides permitting, the Zodiacs can take you past towering sandstone cliffs, pristine mangrove forests and iconic landscapes such as Prince Frederick Sound, Porosus Creek and Hunter and Row Rivers.

While Scenic Eclipse II sails to Montgomery Reef, you may spot humpback whales and other wildlife in Camden Sound from your private verandah or on deck.

After a leisurely overnight cruise, wake-up slowly. While Scenic Eclipse II sails toward Bigge Island, perhaps stretch in the expansive wellness facilities with a mindful Yoga or Pilates session or step it up with an invigorating session at the fully equipped POWER:Gym. Bigge Island, the second largest island in the Bonaparte Archipelago, is just 6km from the mainland. Being devoid of feral animals, it has allowed native wildlife to flourish. You may see a Monjon rock wallaby, the smallest of the kangaroo group, the northern quoll, sea turtles and crocodiles.

Discovery: Take a hike along rocky and scenic paths and visit caves to see well-preserved rock art by the Wunambal people depicting first contact with Europeans.  

Tides and timings permitting, a stop at Careening Bay in the Prince Regent National Park is where you may view the famous Mermaid Tree, an enormous boab on which the ship’s crew of the HMC Mermaid carved the words of the ship and year, 1820.  

There are saltwater and freshwater crocodiles in the Kimberley area, so please exercise caution and heed all advice and warning signs from the expert Discovery Team and local guides.

Wake to completely new vista at Montgomery Reef, the world’s largest inshore reef that boasts some of the earth’s biggest tidal changes reaching up to 14 metres (46 feet). As the tides rise or fall, both soft and hard coral are exposed, falling below sea level to create a remarkable spectacle you’ll explore by Zodiac. If the timing is perfect, discover thousands of small waterfalls cascading down the reef and see incredible marine life including sea turtles, octopi, sharks, rays, dolphins and more. In the evening, share stories of croc-spotting with new friends over an aperitif or meal in one of Scenic Eclipse II’s 10 truly all-inclusive dining experiences.

Discovery: Join the Discovery Team on a Zodiac cruise to Montgomery Reef. Conditions permitting, the Zodiac will transfer you to a sand bank for a swim just off the reef.

Scenic Eclipse II then sails into the calm waters of Doubtful Sound for mangrove forest exploration in search of saltwater crocodiles. An alternate stop is the scenic Raft Point where you’ll see two majestic bluffs, boab trees, and after a 45-minute uphill hike, some of the Wandjina Aboriginal rock art gallery.

Talbot Bay’s spectacular Horizontal Waterfalls is a natural wonder to tick off your Australian bucket list. This phenomenon is caused by a unique combination of geology and massive tidal surges.

Discovery: If time and tides permit, you may have the opportunity to go through these fascinating falls and around the narrow waterways of Talbot Bay in a Zodiac. Later, choose to embark on a challenging 9.5 kilometre walk into the Kimberley’s remote wilderness.

Cruise overnight to the mouth of King Sound and into the spectacular maze of the Buccaneer Archipelago. About 1,000 tiny islands make up this jaw-dropping paradise that’s a kaleidoscope of vivid colours from iron-rich red rock to verdant pockets of lush rainforest, bright turquoise tropical sea, and alabaster beaches. One highlight during this full day is the exploration of Whirlpool Passage; 8-metre tides (26-feet) swirl as they are pushed through a narrow channel between two islands, adding a thrill to your transit. Rest assured, the state-of-the-art Scenic Eclipse II is fitted with custom-built oversized zero speed stabilisers that are50% larger than those of other ships, providing greater stability as it navigates through the roughest waters.

Discovery: Surrounding creeks and inlets offer additional opportunities for Zodiac expeditions, including a possible visit to Koolan Island, the site of an open pit mine that produces some of the highest-grade iron ore in Australia, best viewed overhead on a potential helicopter^ flight.  Within Yampi Sound, past the multi-coloured sandstone folding, beautiful beaches beckon for a refreshing dip. The entire region is teeming with marine and bird life.

A special visit awaits you today on this chain of four flat coral islands, home to tens of thousands of seabirds with over 50 bird species including red-chested frigate birds, crested terns, pelicans, and speckled ruddy turnstones. Having eradicated the rats in 1986, these treeless islands are once again a wildlife haven. It’s a significant nesting site for an estimated 18,000 pairs of brown footed boobies, possibly the largest colony in the world, and 20,000 roseate terns have been recorded on the A-class Nature Reserve. Further, it’s Western Australia’s most important breeding habitat for green turtles and where thousands of humpback whales come to calve. Frequent sightings are possible between July and September when an estimated 40,000 humpback whales migrate between Antarctica and Western Australia. As this is your last evening on board, gather with new friends in one of the nine bars and lounges, or make a reservation for an intimate dinner with only up to 8 guests at the Night Market @ Koko’s.

Discovery: The Discovery Team will transfer you on Zodiac ashore for a snorkel, swim or a beach walk following the trail of local crabs.

Your unforgettable voyage concludes today. Enjoy your final morning in the ultra-luxury of Scenic Eclipse II, and take the chance to reflect on the rare and incredible experiences and the remarkable places you’ve visited, some of which very few have been before. Take comfort knowing you’ve created a bank of memories which will last a lifetime. Bid farewell to your friendly crew and new friends as you disembark in Broome.

Please book your flight to depart out of Broome after 10:00 AM.

The itinerary is a guide only and may be amended for operational reasons. As such Scenic cannot guarantee the voyage will operate unaltered from the itinerary stated above. Please refer to our terms and conditions for further information.

Day 15 | Disembark Broome

9 June 2024

Your unforgettable voyage on Scenic Eclipse II comes to an end today. Bid farewell to your friendly crew as you disembark the yacht. You will be transferred to Cable Beach Club Resort for your overnight stay.

This evening enjoy a Farewell Dinner with your fellow travellers as the sun sets over iconic Cable Beach.

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Overnight: Cable Beach Club Resort (or similar)

Day 16 | Broome

10 June 2024

After breakfast, you will be transferred to Broome Airport for your departure flight.

Meals: Breakfast