the big outback trip to oz

Looking at all the trouble that Sharon is causing at the moment you could try going via Gaza or possibly popping in and saying hello to Saddam and telling him what the Aussies think of him.

You may be better asking here:
http://forums.overlander.com.au/

Your plan from adelaide to Alice looks fine. There is some really good country to go through as see - the rental cruiser will get you there. Just a reminder that the wet season in the north runs until April and you might find that the tanami and the bungles will still be closed.

Visit litchfield park first, it's better than Kakadu. Most of the 4wd tracks in Kakadu might also be closed until early May orJune.

You should be able to see all your planned points after june, so I'd suggest coming a little later to catch the dry season (May-October) in the north when most of the rivers/falls have some spectacular water in them, but the tracks have been opened.

As for tips;
Don't go past Katherine gorge on the way north to Litchfield;
Be careful feeding kangaroos - they aren't always friendly; and
Be prepared to be travelling as if you've driven from Israel to the UK without the cities in between.

good luck

Hi Gady,
When you arrive in Adelaide buy a Hema Australia Road Atlas. Australia is a very large country. From Adelaide to Alice Springs the distance is around 1500 kilometres. From Alice Springs to Darwin is a further 1500 kilometres. The journey you are planning will most likely be 12000 kilometers in distance. So you will have to travel at least 2000 kilometres per week. Going up the Tanami Track will be OK but it is a long way around to the north. The interior of Australia can be very harsh.....so take care with everything that you do. Kakadu NP will most likely not be open to traffic as the Monsoon season will not have ended. The Far North of Australia receives up to 2500 mm of rain in a 3 month period from December to to March.Litchfield Park should be accessible. It is also unlikely that you will be able to get to Cooktown, Weipa and the tip of Cape York in the time frame that you mention as the rivers will still be flooded after the rains. Drinking water is very important in Outback Australia. Always carry an extra 20 litre water container and it is advisable to carry at least an extra 20 litres of fuel. Your hired vehicle may have long range fuel tanks. Carry a Hi Lift jack with you. Maybe the hire company will supply one. Also....carry a second spare tyre and tube as well as fan belts and hoses. We hope that you enjoy your travels through our wonderful country. Cheers, Willie

Hi Gady,

You're planning a big trip for just over 6 weeks. However, you should still be able to cover most of the popular tourist attractions on your itinery. And of course, you can always change your plans to suit yourself once you get a feel for travelling in Aust.

My advise to you would be to forget about doing the Tanami and Bungle Bungles. This is a long diversion off your main route north and I estimate you'd be doing it in mid-April in order to give yourself enough time to do everything else closer to your departure point on the east coast. The trouble with that is that the Bungles don't open until after the wet season and only then once the access track has dried sufficiently. It is very likely that they could still be closed in mid to late April (I learnt this first hand when up that way a few years ago).

There is so many wonderful things to see and do on the rest of the route you have planned you shouldn't be too disappointed at having to miss the Bungles. Actually, Litchfield and Kakadu in the NT will be lovely in late April/early May as the waterfalls will be absolutely thundering down, the wetlands will be full and all in all you'll have a great time.

Enjoy your trip down under.

:o) Melissa