28th September until 12th October 2008 only.
Pilgrimage to the Heart is a unique 16 day Australian odyssey that is conducted only once each year, so please note dates carefully. Experience awe and mystery, joy and laughter, (the traces of the sacred) as we travel to Uluru (Ayers Rock), King's Canyon, Alice Springs and the forests and the Great Barrier Reef of North Queensland. Pilgrimage to the Heart will take you to uniquely beautiful and spiritual landscapes, with time to enjoy them fully.
A series of engaging workshops - presented by leaders in the fields of spirituality, psychology and education - will help you achieve new insights and master the "soul work" of your life journey in country of breathtaking splendor. Our Pilgrimage will not only refresh and re-energize you in mind and heart but give you the tools to enhance all areas of your life.
Program for Pilgrimage to the Heart
29th September–14th October 2007
Your Itinerary
DAY 1
AM Flight from your city of origin to Ayer’s Rock Airport
12.40 PM Arr. Ayer’s Rock & transfer to Outback Pioneer Resort or the Lost Camel at Yulara
3.00 PM Afternoon tea, welcome and Orientation at the Outback Pioneer
Evening Sounds of Silence Dinner. This is a great way to get acquainted with your fellow travelers. Champagne and canapés at sunset in the sane dunes, followed by a buffet dinner of Australian native foods accompanied by Australian wines. Then a lecture from a local astronomer under the stars, with the opportunity to see your own constellation. A unique experience.
DAY 2 SUN
7.00 AM Light and easy breakfast box
9.30-11.30 AM John Stuart Spirit of Place. John helps us reflect on our relationship to sacred places in our lives and our relationship to the land. This is not only personally enriching but offers a deeply spiritual foundation for our approach to all things ecological.
11.30–1.30 Free time with lunch at own expense
1.30 PM Meet at Outback Pioneer for transfer to Anangu Cultural Centre for Anangu Dot Painting. This is such a great workshop where tribal elders will lead us in learning to paint our own masterpieces and we learn just how hard it is to paint with dots! You’ll have something to take home and show your friends.
3.30 PM Short break
4.00 PM Meet guide at Touch wall for Kuniya (Kun-ya) Walk which takes us to the Mutijula waterhole to learn which foods are safe to eat, and then to hear the legends of Uluru that constitute to sacred dreaming of the Anangu.
6.00 PM Group gathering in small groups for reflection
Evening Dinner at any dining area of resort or purchase from Supermarket. Free time
DAY 3
7 AM Light and easy breakfast box
7 AM Down Under Tour to Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds. Kata Tjuta is the site of sacred men’s business, so cultural tours are not permitted. However, James, a tribal elder, has marked a ritually safe path for visitors to walk through the valley.
12. 45 PM Lunch at your preferred venue
2.00–4.30 PM Kim and Paul Power Exiled from the Heart A workshop on emotional and spiritual intelligence
7.00 PM Reflection time
Dinner At any dining area of resort or purchase from Supermarket
8.00PM Concert with John and Paul outdoors in Uluru Lookout
DAY 4
8. 15 AM Transfer to Uluru National Park for Breakfast at the Anangu Cultural Centre
8.45 Breakfast
9.15 AM Meet guide from Anangu Tours for Liru Walk at Touch wall to hear the Anangu legends and see the ancient techniques of glue making and fire lighting. Learn how to throw a spear or balance a Coolamon on your head.
10. 30 AM The Mala Walk takes us round the base of Uluru for a kilometre or so. A tribal elder will explain the rock paintings, the ways caves were used for ceremonies and the customs that the tribe observed before European contact.
Lunch At your cost at Cultural Centre
Afternoon Cultural Centre Galleries and learning centre. Informative videos, wonderful art and artefacts to see.
Opportunity to Walk around Rock perimeter
5.00 PM Return to Outback Pioneer
6.00 PM Reflection
Evening Free
DAY 5
7 AM- Light and easy breakfast box
9. 00–11 AM Natalie Reid Writing the Landscape of the soul. Learn how writing can become a way to transform the soul.
11.00 Check out
1.00 PM Down Under Tours Transfer to King’s Canyon Resort
6.00ish Arrive King’s Canyon
6.30 PM Reflection time King’s Canyon Sunset Lookout
7.30 PM Gourmet Buffet Dinner at Carmichael’s Restaurant
DAY 6
7 AM Transfer to King’s Canyon: Guided Rim walk or gentler walk in valley at own leisure. Alternatively, stay in bed, rise later and walk the ridge around the resort. 2.6 km. King’s Canyon is remarkable, a primeval sea bed thrust into the heights, with fossils clearly embedded and ripples of ancient seas etched into the rock. Underground hot springs nurture ancient cycads in the Garden of Eden.
11 ish Brunch at own expense at Café/Options for helicopter rides
1.00 PM Transfer to Alice Springs and Check in at Alice Springs Resort
6.30 Reflection time
7.00 Free evening Todd St Mall/Local restaurants offer a selection of eateries.
DAY 7
Breakfast Continental breakfast in resort dining room
8.00 AM MacDonnell Ranges. MacDonnell ranges with BBQ/Cold Buffet Lunch at Glen Helen. This trip will take us to some of the beautiful water holes in the ranges. It also includes a picnic dinner at Simpson’s Gap, and, weather permitting, singing under the evening sky in God’s own country.
8.00 PM Return to Alice Springs
Evening Dine at your leisure at one of the Alice’s cafes or restaurants.
DAY 8
Breakfast Continental breakfast in resort dining room
10 AM Desert Park
Afternoon Araluen Cultural Precinct
Indigenous Centre in the town
Evening
DAY 9
Breakfast Continental breakfast in resort dining room
Free Day Options
Olive Parkes Alice Springs Botanical Gardens,
Church Service
Walk to hilltop Lookout
Telegraph Centre
Hot Air Ballooning
Consultations with leaders
Evening Dine at your leisure at one of the Alice’s cafes or restaurants.
DAY 10
Breakfast Continental breakfast in resort dining room
10 AM Santa Teresa Community with picnic lunch provided. This is not a regular tourist venue. At Santa Teresa there is a stunningly creative Artists Studio, a beautiful chapel painted by the women of the community, and last year we had the privilege of spending several hours with Elder Agnes Palmer who graciousness and generosity knew no bounds as she led us through the story of her community and her own personal journey.
5 PM Return
Evening Free
Day 11
Breakfast Continental breakfast in resort dining room
10.00-11.30 Option: Small Group Meetings with individual leaders or free morning
Check Out
12.30 PM Shuttle transfer to airport
2.25 PM Dep Alice Springs for Cairns on QF1948
5.05 PM Arrive Cairns, transfer to Cairns Colonial Club Resort and check in
Evening Resort offers 2-3 places to eat or Free shuttle bus to Cairns where there are a multitude of eateries.
Day 12
7 AM Continental breakfast in Homestead Restaurant off Reception Lounge
8.00 AM Down Under Tours will take us to our morning program, of Through the Eyes of the Tjapukai —a journey into the essence of the Tjapukai, the rainforest people Tropical North Queensland. It meets the expectations of visitors seeking an intimate experience. Designed for groups, this meaningful and insightful cultural journey into the Dreamtime combines the award winning experiences of Tjapukai and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway. It includes lunch with the Tjapukai people at their renowned Cultural Centre and a Tjapukai guided tour of the boardwalks in the rainforest as we travel by Skyrail to Kuranda Plateau
PM Time to visit the world famous Outdoor Market in Kuranda before returning to Cairns on the Skyrail.
DAY 13
6.00 AM Continental breakfast in Homestead Restaurant
7.05-5.00 Ocean Free Tour to Upolu Cay, a stunning sand cay surrounded by protected, shallow waters from which to explore the reef, paddling snorkelling & scuba diving. Ocean Freedom cruises you to Upolu Cay in less than an hour. The first Great Barrier Reef tour to arrive at Upolu Cay, Ocean Freedom offers you over one hour to explore the Cay and surrounding reef uninterrupted. You may even want to try your first ever scuba dive, or for the certified diver, enjoy being guided by our qualified instructors on some of the best dive sites on the reef. The day includes a gourmet seafood buffet lunch plus wine and snacks on return trip glass bottomed boat trip over coral with marine lecturer, snorkelling instruction and wetsuits, morning cuppa. The staff is just delightful and you have 5 hours on the reef.
Diving opportunity from beginners to certified divers.
5.00 PM Return to resort
7.00 Reflection
Evening Free
DAY 14
6.00 AM Continental breakfast in Homestead Restaurant
7.20-5.00 PM Down Under Daintree Forest Tour which will take us on a journey into the pristine World Heritage listed areas of Daintree and Cape Tribulation where the ancient rainforest of Gondwanaland meet the Reef. It includes to the primeval forest, a cruise on the Daintree River with opportunity to view crocodiles and native birds, a visit to the Educational Centre, and picnic lunch.
7.00 Reflection
DAY 15
Breakfast Continental breakfast in Homestead Restaurant
Morning Free day in Cairns. Laze around one of the gorgeous pools, visit the town centre and the shopping markets on the boardwalk, browse the art galleries and jewellery stores
6.45 Farewell reflection before dinner
7.30 Farewell Dinner in Homestead Restaurant (Drinks at bar prices)
DAY 16
7 -10.00 AM Continental breakfast in Homestead Restaurant and Checkout
AM Free
12.45 noon Shuttle transfer for Cairns airport (Time to be confirmed with Hotel)
2.00 PM Flight to your city of origin
Notes:
Airfare is included in the tour price.
Registration includes air fares ex-nearest capital city, day tours, your choice of Budget, Twin Share or Single accommodation in three and a half to 4 star resorts (all with ensuite facilities), numerous meals, airport taxes, transfers and Goods and Services Tax on flights, accommodation and tours. It does not include international air fares.
All costs are in Australian dollars and do not include any costs incurred traveling to and from your tour's point of departure. It is cheaper for international visitors to book these in their country of origin, or you may have FF points you wish to use. If participants wish, we can recommend Travel agents for international components or add-on trips.
Also see tour packages in:
Australia and Oceania
Australia
Cultural Journey
Pilgrimage/Spirituality
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