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Palm Valley 4WD Tour from Alice Springs

Name: Palm Valley 4WD Tour from Alice Springs
Brand: AAT Kings
SKU: 2230A5
Price: 160.70 USD
Rating: 4.5 (39 reviews)

Badge of ExcellenceAlice Springs, Australia

10 hours
Pickup offered
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Take a full-day detour from Alice Springs to visit Palm Valley — a fertile oasis in the midst of the Outback that’s accessible only by 4WD vehicle. See ancient rock formations and spring-fed pools, and enjoy a picnic lunch in Finke Gorge National Park. Learn about the area’s indigenous history with a visit to the Aboriginal community of Hermannsburg, where you can tour the town mission and a local painter’s home.

Tour the Northern Territory's Palm Valley by 4WD from Alice Springs
See spectacular rock formations, white sands and an oasis of rock pools and palm trees
View the extensive Aboriginal art collection in Hermannsburg, an Aboriginal Community
Enjoy a picnic lunch at Hermannsburg

What's Included

Hotel pick up and drop off
Morning tea with scones, tea and coffee
Picnic Lunch
Transport in air-conditioned 4WD coach
Experienced driver guide
Comprehensive commentary

Entry to Finke Gorge National Park requires a Northern Territory Parks Pass

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

07:15 AM

Pickup details

Hotel pick-ups commence prior to the tour start time. You will be collected from the hotel you have selected in the drop down list during the booking process. Your hotel pick-up time will be displayed on your voucher. If you wish to change your pick-up location from the one selected, please call AAT Kings at least 24 hrs prior to travel.

What To Expect

Palm Valley is a unique green oasis in the midst of the dry Red Centre, and the only place in Central Australia where the leafy red cabbage palms grow. Your full-day tour begins with pickup at your Alice Springs hotel and an approximately 1.5-hour drive west through the desert. Travel aboard a comfortable 4WD vehicle, necessary to access the rugged tracks leading to the valley.

Take a guided walk along the ancient Finke River and learn about the flora and fauna that make up Palm Valley’s unique ecosystem. See the spring-fed pools that help create the surprisingly lush landscape, and keep your camera handy for views of the Amphitheatre rock formation.

In the afternoon, visit historic Hermannsburg, home to an indigenous Arente community where you will enjoy a delicious picnic lunch. Learn about the town’s interesting history, and visit the home of 20th-century Aboriginal painter Albert Namatjira. You can admire some of his paintings on display at the town mission.

Enjoy the play of afternoon flight across the mystical desert landscape on the return drive to Alice Springs, where your full-day tour concludes with hotel drop-off.

Hermannsburg Historic Precinct

1 hour • Admission Ticket Included

Palm Valley

5 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Infants must sit on laps

Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Operated by AAT Kings

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Susan_B

I had the most wonderful day! Our tour guide/bus driver, Brett, created a welcoming atmosphere, was well informed and quite funny. I found it spiritually uplifting from the various perspectives of the Hermannsburg/Ntaria Lutheran mission, to driving along the oldest riverbed in the world (Finke River), visiting breathtaking Cycad Gorge/Palm Valley and viewing the wonderful Aboriginal artwork that captures the true essence of this place. I would go again.

Reviews

4.5

39 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 39 reviews

A spiritually-uplifting escape

Susan_B, Jun 2021

Response from Host, Jul 2021

Hello Susan_B, Thanks very much for your wonderful review, and we are so glad to read you had an amazing experience exploring Palm Valley. We will be sure to pass your comments along to Brett. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in the Red Centre. Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

A beautiful part of the world

Heidi_M, Jun 2021

I appreciated being taken to Palm Valley - such a remote and beautiful place. Brett was a fantastic driver on a challenging road. Both he and Jim were supportive of the group’s needs and abilities. Hermannsburg, too, was interesting and the scones for morning tea were a treat. It was a memorable day

Response from Host, Jul 2021

Dear Heidi_M, Thanks for your wonderful review, and for your lovely comments about our Guides. We will be sure to pass along your feedback. The area itself is incredible, and the scones sound amazing! We hope to welcome you back on board an AAT Kings tour again in the future and thanks for choosing to travel with us. Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

Go back in time

Patrick_F, Jun 2021

Excellent trip. Small group. Very competent driver guide. Is truly 4WD only! Well paced combination of visiting historical and natural sites.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Dear Patrick_F, Thanks very much for your review and we are delighted you enjoyed exploring Palm Valley with us. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in the Red Centre, Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

Shame on AAT Kings for poor attention to safety

Philip_H, Jun 2021

Our problems started when it took ages to get into contact with either Viator or AAT Kings to confirm our trip date which had been changed by Viator with an endless stream of conflicting emails. Actual tour was the 18 May 2021. Tour itself was a disaster. Due to wrong type of vehicle (a poorly converted to 4WD school bus) and poor driving we get bogged in sand for over an hour. Driver didn't seem to know what he was doing. Had not much idea how to get us out and made little effort to coordinate our recovery. Vehicle had no recovery gear, not even a shovel. Towing strap would not fit the tow point which was obstructed by the conversion to 4 WD. Driver and the Company should not have allowed such an ill equipped vehicle and driver out in a remote area with little regard for safety.

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Hi Philip, This is certainly not what we expect our guests to experience and we need to investigate this for you. For privacy reasons, we'll need some more details - your name, date of travel and email address which don't belong on this forum. Could you please send them through to us at guestrelations@ttc.com and we'll look into this for you, Thanks so much AAT Kings Guest Relations

Palm Valley 4WD Tour

Maree_P, May 2021

Tour guide was very informative. Scenery was beautiful at Palm Valley but getting rescued when the bus got bogged on the very rough road on the way out put a dampener on the day. Proper equipment should have been on board

Response from Host, Jun 2021

Dear Maree_P, Thanks for leaving a review, and we are glad that you enjoyed the scenery in the Red Centre. Our guests safety is paramount, and we would like to investigate this with you further. If you haven't already done so, can you please contact us with your details and the dates you travelled so that we can investigate this issue further - please email; guestrelations@ttc.com. Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

A Great 4WD Trip

Peter_S, May 2021

About an hour into the trip on bitumen we stopped at Hermannsburg for morning tea, which is an interesting historical site and art gallery. This was followed by a bumpy 4WD ride into Palm Valley and walk alongside the ancient red palms growing in the gorge. A good lunch and a few more walks taking in the panoramic majestic red cliffs before heading back to Alice springs.

Response from Host, May 2021

Dear Peter_S, We are delighted to read that you enjoyed the 4WD trip to Palm Valley, and thanks for reviewing our Tour. We hope to welcome you back on board an AAT Kings tour again in the future. Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

Palm Valley 4WD

BritaTrevor, May 2021

Pete was exceptional. A day well enjoyed for the scenery and Pete’s organisation of us. Well done! Brita & Trevor

Response from Host, May 2021

Hello Brita & Trevor, Thanks for your review and we are glad you enjoyed touring Palm Valley with us, and we will be sure to pass the excellent feedback on to Pete. We hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in the Red Centre. Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

Great trip

Virginia_B, Apr 2021

The recent rain meant the country was spectacularly green, and there was quite a lot of water in the river. Very rare and special to see the country like this. The driver was excellent and the vehicle was very new and well set up.

Response from Host, Apr 2021

Hello Virginia_B, Thank you for your feedback and for choosing an AAT Kings trip. We agree that rain is such a special event in the Red Centre and it is amazing to see it afterwards. We hope to welcome you on board one of our tours again in the future. Thanks, The Team at AAT Kings

Beautiful scenery Friendly tour guide

Yu_S, Jun 2019

We had a wonderful trip. Weather is good. Scenery is breathtaking. The tour guide is knowledgeable. Recommended this tour.

A great day out. Firstly, to...

Alan_P, Sep 2017

A great day out. Firstly, to Hermannsburg where we had morning tea provided by the Lutheran community and I am told our lunch later in the day was made by them - beautiful and gracious people. Can buy aboriginal art here which helps the community. The trip to Palm Valley was quite an experience travelling over dry creek beds and dusty tracks. Be prepared to endure a rough ride often getting tossed from side to side. Palm Valley itself is absolutely beautiful and well worth any discomfort. On the way out we visited Flynn's grave which was a bonus for me as I didn't expect it and saw where Albert Namitjura did his famous painting.

The guide was fantastic and it was a...

Mandy, Aug 2017

The guide was fantastic and it was a really great day. The luck provided was great too. Highly recommend

A pleasant day trip. The visit to...

Lou 64, Aug 2017

A pleasant day trip. The visit to Hermansberg was great and just as I had remembered it.

Scenery was beautiful. Bus ride was...

Robin D, Aug 2016

Scenery was beautiful. Bus ride was quite uncomfortable and the track into the valley was very rough. Staff were not as friendly as we had previously encountered. Lunch was good.

John was an excellent guide and...

Heather B, Jul 2016

John was an excellent guide and driver who safely negotiated the river beds and rocky tracks. Walk in Palm Valley was on the flat and easy or for more adventurous a hill and rim walk. Don't pass up the strudel in Hermannsberg, it is very good.

Very interesting experience set at a...

Elizabeth M, Jun 2016

Very interesting experience set at a good pace, very knowledgeable tour guide.

Couldn't have believed that this place...

Debra T, Jun 2016

Couldn't have believed that this place existed if we didn't do the tour. Fantastic

Excellent tour. Some challenging walks...

Margaret B, Apr 2016

Excellent tour. Some challenging walks and very rough tracks. Excellent lunch.

great day out with a fantastic guide...

Peter D, Dec 2015

great day out with a fantastic guide! Highly recomended.

Good day and very interesting...

Kel, Oct 2015

Good day and very interesting. Temperature was very hot so some activities were self restricted. The track in was very rough and some elderly people were uncomfortable.

Really good, driver/offsider very...

E HOUSTON H, Aug 2015

Really good, driver/offsider very good and very efficient. Driver very experienced but track into Palm Valley terrible realise it is only a track but sitting in the back of the bus was very uncomfortable. On the whole - great to have been there.