Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Quick trip to the "Outback"

We are planning a very quick "looksee" at the "Outback". We will fly from Sydney on a Wednesday morning, arriving in Alice Springs at 11:30AM.....overnight....then overland to Ayers Rock ....overnight..flying back to Sydney at 1PM on Friday in order to embark our cruise ship that departs from Sydney on Sat.
Can someone please help with Hotel suggestions in Alice? , very central ? we would then go overland from Alice to Ayers Rock, and asking if you would recommend renting a minivan and driving ourselves? (we are 3 couple, hiring a driver w/minivan? or (is there?) bus transportation ?. Alternately, and preferably, could someone recommend a good agent in Australia that could arrange a pick up at Alice Airport, tour of Alice - transfers to Ayers Rock the day -to arrive in time for a "Sunset experience" at the Rock and next day an early "sunrise tour" of the Rock, Olgas etc. etc. & subsequent transfers to Ayers Rock airport to catch a 1PM flight back to Sydney. Whew! hope you can follow all this....this is the only way we could arrange some time in Sydney and to include the "Outback" before our cruise. Thanks for your help.

Feb 2000 did something similar only flew direct from Sydney to Ayers Rock. That was pure luck as there had been a "freak" downpour and roads between Alice and Ayers had been closed for days. People stranded, missing international flights and such!

I had 24 hours in Ayers and had pre-booked my tours online and fitted everything in. (except rock climb which is against my beliefs).

I stayed at a back-packers (not recommended to anyone but back-packers), but there is much better accommodation to be booked.

You can find the information you are looking for at www.centralaustraliantourism.com (http://www.centralaustraliantourism.com)

I am currently planning a trip to Oz and a company called VIP Travel Australia offers packages that originate in Alice Springs and end at Ayers Rock. The link is
http://www.vipaustralia.com.au/main.htm
Hope this helps.

Uluru (AKA Ayres Rock) is a magical place and the more time you can spend there the better. Alice Springs could be missed in my book. In fact I'll be back there in March of 2003.

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Greetings from the land of 10,000 lakes.

[This message has been edited by boomerang-boy (edited 01-22-2003).]

Any reason to overnight in Alice Springs? The only real item I enjoyed "in" Alice Springs was the camel trek on the dry riverbed outside of town. What a hoot.

If arriving at 11:30 am you could easily do the drive to Ayers rock resort and then have the chance to see both Ayers Rock and the Olgas at sunset (quite different).

Driving is all on paved roads and is very easy to do and are well marked.

I would believe it comes down to cost/timing of tours vrs. do it yourself. Me? I do it myself.