Event: Australia - Alice Springs

Camel Riding along the Todd River

When:	Daily
Where:	River Todd
Costs:	A$35-A$105; child (5-12 yrs) A$15-A$75
Opening Hours:	Various

No trip to "The Alice," as it's locally known, is complete without a ride on a camel. Taking part in one of the hugely popular camel safaris is a great way to experience the stunning beauty of the landscape surrounding Alice Springs, in the very heart of outback Australia.

Popular trips include a trek along the Todd River. Usually dry, the Todd only flows around once a year, when heavy rain can cause it to burst its banks. For the rest of the time the river's sandy course makes for a pleasant camel-back stroll under the shade of River Red Gum trees and with the backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges.

Rides often include a tour of the Frontier Camel Farm, where you can get to know more about your mounts, view the kangaroo enclosure and even enjoy a meal after your trip.

If you get a taste for hump-back riding, the farm also arranges camel trips to Uluru (Ayers Rock) over to the west.

Camels were imported into Australia (first from the Canaries) between 1840 and 1907, and nowadays - with an estimated wild population countrywide of 750,000 (half in Western Australia, the rest spread equally between Northern Territory and South Australia, but also a smattering in Queensland's outback) - the country not only has the largest wild camel population in the world but also is the world's only exporter of the animals, with a trade to country's around the Arabian Gulf.