An amazing journey through the bird-rich Northern Territory, this superlative holiday takes in the tropical mangroves of the Darwin area and the breathtaking Kakadu National Park, the savannah woodlands and escarpments of Katherine Gorge and the desert habitats around Alice Springs. This tour will take in localised gems like Rainbow Pitta, multi-coloured fairywrens and honeyeaters, and oddities such as Emu, as well as the endemics. Many of the birds seen will be new to the first-time visitor, and the bird list for this trip will be spectacular, with in excess of 250 species likely.

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Tour itinerary

Day 1: We’ll spend the afternoon birding around Darwin for Rainbow Pitta and Little Kingfisher. Red-collared Lorikeet and Great Bowerbird are town birds, while the mangroves hold Red-faced and Rufous-banded Honeyeaters, and Broad-billed and Paperbark Flycatchers, the latter recently split. Red-backed Fairy-wren and Chestnut Rail are likely, and the spectacle of tens of thousands of flying foxes leaving their roost will be unforgettable.

Day 2: In the morning we’ll visit Fogg Dam Conservation Reserve, home to Royal and Yellow-billed Spoonbills, Brolga and Comb-crested Jacana. Mary River National Park may hold Great-billed Heron and Grey Goshawk. Evening: spotlighting for Rufous Owl, Tawny Frogmouth and Australian Owlet-nightjar.

Day 3: Kakadu National Park is superb for local endemics and near-endemics such as Sandstone Shrike-thrush, Chestnut-quilled Rock-pigeon and White-lined Honeyeater. We’ll take in the astonishing scenery formed from the oldest rocks in the world, seek out aboriginal rock paintings and look for a range of marsupials. The spinifex grass here could produce White-throated Grass-wren.

Day 4: After another morning exploring Kakadu, we’ll travel to the Katherine region. The outback here should produce Yellow-tinted Honeyeater, Varied Sitella, Varied Lorikeet and Crested Bellbird, among many others.

Day 5: Today we’ll bird around Katherine National Park, looking for Gouldian Finch, Hooded Parrot and Red Goshawk. If we find our targets early enough, we may return to the mangroves near Darwin, where local specialities like Black Butcherbird and Helmeted Friarbird are possible.

Day 6: This will be a transit day, travelling to Darwin and flying on to Alice Springs. Depending on flight times, we may be able to mop up any missed species at sites near the airports.

Day 7: Our first day in the desert focuses on Alice Springs, searching for Rufous-crowned Emu-wren, Grey Falcon, Painted Finch and Spinifex Pigeon. The open woodland and scrub is also good for Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo and Mulga and Bourke’s Parrot, while Western Bowerbird should be easy. After dark we’ll spotlight nearby for mammals such as Bilby and Echidna.

Day 8: The West MacDonnell Ranges National Park is home to Dusky Grasswren and Spinifexbird. We should see several honeyeater, wood-swallow, thornbill and pardalote species, as well as Black-footed Rock Wallaby and Euro kangaroo. The elusive Princess Parrot has been seen on occasion. After dark there will be more spotlighting, for Spotted Nightjar and other nocturnal birds.

Day 9: Today we’ll visit Uluru, once known as Ayers Rock. Along the way will be stops for Grey Honeyeater, White-backed Swallow and Chiming Wedgebill. The desert here will also give us a good chance of Ground Cuckoo-shrike and Cinnamon Quail-thrush.

Day 10: Further birding around Uluru will focus on specialities like Striated Grasswren, Western Gerygone and Grey Butcherbird. The afternoon will be spent at Kata-Tjuta National Park, where there is a chance of Square-tailed and Letter-winged Kites, as well as Black-breasted Buzzard.

Day 11: We’ll slowly work our way back to Alice, stopping for any species still needed. Roadside birds en route could include White-winged Triller and Rufous Whistler.

Day 12: Our tour unfortunately ends today, but depending on flight times, a few sites close to Alice Springs airport can be visited to target any birds that have been missed.

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Holiday Information

Tour price: £2,889 plus return flights.

This tour is operated for Birdwatch by WildWings (fully bonded and licensed through the CAA, ATOL licence 5439). Price quoted is per person sharing a twin room (single-room supplement available), and includes Darwin- Alice Springs flight, all accommodation and meals, ground transport, permit fees, guidance, tips and taxes. We can arrange competitively priced flights to Darwin/from Alice Springs. Not included are drinks, insurance, items of a personal nature and any fuel surcharges. This itinerary is indicative only and may change according to conditions and circumstances.

For further information or to book, please contact WildWings, 577-579Fishponds Road, Bristol BS16 3AF

(email wildinfo@wildwings.co.uk) or call: 0117 9658 333