Trip Planning NT

Submitted: Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 09:32

ThreadID: 84268 Views:3108 Replies:6 FollowUps:7

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Making Your Itinerary

Before you embark upon the logistics of planning for your trip (vehicle setup, camping gear) it is essential that you have made some sort of an itinerary.

oztours

Hey Guys,

We are planning our 2011 trip - SO EXCITED!!!

We are after any tips and advice!! :-) Hope you can help!

We have 2 to 3 months and our have a prado and an oz tent. (not towing anything)

For the first 3 weeks of our trip we have my parents accompanying us: (They have a 4WD and a Lotus Trooper off road caravan)

In the first 3 weeks we are heading from Toowoomba to Birdsville via quilpie windordah then up to Boulia and across the plenty highway to alice springs...

Any advice for this leg of the trip taking into account that my folks are towing a caravan.

From there we will be going our separate ways and my husband and I will be going to Uluroo and Kings Canyon then back up the middle to Katherine, Kakadu, Darwin, Litchfield.

Any ideas for any must see things, free camps, past experiences - would love to hear some feedback.

Thanks

Oztours

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Reply By: Member - Ivan (ACT) - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 09:54

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 09:54

Finke River Gorge!

See Day 11 of our trip last year, and check out Day 12 as well. Apparently (reading from the park information), it is the oldest river in the world!

Day 11 - Simpson Desert and Hay River trip

Cheers,

Ivan
2008 D4D Prado

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AnswerID: 445028

Follow Up By: oztours - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 11:23

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 11:23

Thanks so much - great read!! Loved it!!

FollowupID: 717248

Reply By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 12:49

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 12:49

just about everything depends on what time of the year you travel, i will assume it is in the dry eh ,....
Cheers
Joe

AnswerID: 445042

Follow Up By: oztours - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 19:22

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 19:22

hey joe!

yes it is in the dry - sept oct nov

FollowupID: 717342

Follow Up By: Member - Joe n Mel n kids (FNQ - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 22:35

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 22:35

in the time you have you will be able to do heaps, all the advice so far is pretty good so i wont go any further other than to say .... I AM JEALOUS ......
Good luck guys
Enjoy it

FollowupID: 717369

Reply By: Member - John and Val - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 13:38

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 13:38

Hi,

Without knowing what research or planning you have already done its a bit hard to offer any meaningful advice. Have you looked around this site, as there is a stack of good info here? Look under the Places, Treks and Blogs button in the blue bar at the top of the page. Also look at threads 84181 and 84153 and you will see some relevant answers.

We have written a number of blogs covering the area you are going to.

Have a great trip.

Cheers,

Val

J and V
"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."
- Albert Einstein

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Reply By: Member - Mark (Tamworth NSW) - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 14:34

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 14:34

Allocate 1 full day to Diamantina Lakes NP, especially this year after all the rain, should be special. Do your fuel calculations carefully for the vehicle towing the caravan as it is a long way between Windorah and Boulia when towing. We needed 95L in a diesel Pajero towing a CT.
Don't know what the road is like now, but in 2009 it was very good.

See Motherhen's (2008 ?) blog re West Mac Ranges.
Other general tip I have is stay at the Stations (farms) offering camping accommodation where possible instead of caravan parks
You will learn something beyond what you can read in a tourist guide and or the European backpacker serving you in the resorts can tell you and cost is minimal for shower and rubbish facilities.

2-3 months, I'm envious!

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Reply By: Motherhen - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 23:21

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 23:21

Hi OzTours

We toured around Alice Springs in 2008 and took our caravan to most places, although the roads to Chambers Pillar, Palm Valley and on the Mereenie Loop can prove challenging. Then again, if your parent's caravan gets them across the Plenty they may consider some of these.

My Blogs from 2008 cover places including the East and West MacDonnells, Chambers Pillar, Rainbow Valley, Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

I haven't done my 2009 blogs of the Northern Territory yet, but they will featureplaces including Mataranka, Katherine, Kakadu, Darwin, Litchfield and the relaxing Douglas Hot Springs.

Copy and paste (hyperlink function not working at present): http://www.australiasomuchtosee.com/lists2.htm will take you to the free and low cost campgrounds we stayed at. Gravel pits, roadside rest areas and the like are not included.

When are you leaving?

Motherhen

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Follow Up By: Motherhen - Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 23:32

Friday, Feb 11, 2011 at 23:32

I just read you reply above with months you will be travelling. Expect it to be humid as well as hot in the top end. In Central Australia, some walks at Kings Canyon and Uluru close on hot days (36º for the Uluru climb).

Mh

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Follow Up By: 3gobush - Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 at 00:06

Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 at 00:06

I agree Motherhen as of the middle of August the temp starts to sky rocket in the top end as the sun is almost directly over head, the build up is in late September November and if you are not accustom to the heat it is a tough time to be here.

May I suggest an earlier time to be here, being July, August, September, this will be much more enjoyable.

FollowupID: 717379

Follow Up By: oztours - Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 at 09:45

Saturday, Feb 12, 2011 at 09:45

I have travelled the top end in Nov and Dec and yes am prepared for humidity.

I do not wish to climb uluru.

We are perfectly fine to travel in SEPT OCT NOV and are prepared for the humidity and heat.

FollowupID: 717403

Reply By: Road to Discovery - Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 13:07

Monday, Feb 14, 2011 at 13:07

When in Mataranka, buy yourself the famous Mataranka Pie (at the petrol station) $7.80 (2010 price) and worth every cent - feeds two! Get in early...they go very quickly.

AnswerID: 445400