tour company
East & West MacDonnell Ranges
Day Tours, Camping, Hiking & Private Charters
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Stuff you may need to know...
Are tours suitable for children?
For safety reasons, only children over 7 years old are allowed on all tours, and must be supervised by parents at all times. The Ormiston Pound Walk is also challenging, and takes 4-5 hours to complete. Please ensure children are physically capable and willing to complete this hike.
What is the distance / how long is the drive for each trip?
From Alice Springs, it's 132km to Glen Helen Gorge in the West MacDonnell Ranges, which is the furthest destination on our day trips. If you drove directly there it would take approximately 1.5 hours, but we stop multiple times along the way.
It's 83km from Alice Springs to Ross River Resort, which is the end point of our East MacDonnell Ranges tours, but again we stop repeatedly along the way, so time flies! Our awesome tour bus is speed limited to 100km/ph, but usually dawdles along at 90 as there's no hurry in the Red Centre, plus the scenery along the way is so pretty you'll not have time to look at your watch!
Is it safe to swim?
Swimming in the permanent waterholes in Central Australia is safe provided you are aware of the risks and adhere to some basic guidelines. Children must be closely supervised by parents at all times. The water is extremely cold, so hypothermia is possible if time in the water is exceeded. Some waterholes are extremely deep, and all potentially have submerged branches and rocks below the surface, so diving is firmly discouraged. There are no crocodiles in Central Australia, and no other dangerous animals that may harm you in the water. Snakes have very rarely been seen swimming across the surface of the water, but pose a very minor risk for harm.