18 November 2024
8 mins Read
Red earth, sunshine and quirky characters make Alice Springs a great place to launch an outback road trip.
Sitting at the epicentre of the Explorers Way (a 3000-kilometre route from Adelaide to Darwin), Alice Springs – simply ‘Alice’ to locals – is a popular base for visitors looking to explore the Northern Territory’s outback.
See wildlife at Alice Springs Desert Park. (Image: Tourism NT)
There’s plenty to do in the outback town. Bird shows at Alice Springs Desert Park and venomous snakes at Alice Springs Reptile Centre wow animal lovers. History buffs can whittle away hours checking out historic sites such as the National Pioneer Women’s Hall of Fame or the Alice Springs Telegraph Station, where Europeans first settled in town. Throw in sunset atop ANZAC Hill, and you’ll be itching to see more of the Red Centre. Here’s where to head to soak in the very best of the region.
You can easily get from Alice to Uluru in 5.5 hours along the sealed Stuart and Lasseter highways, but where’s the fun in that? Instead, head into the MacDonnell Ranges for an outback adventure bound to leave a lasting impression. The ranges are split in two – Tjoritja/West MacDonnell ranges and the East Macs – and both are impressive.
The MacDonnell Ranges are an outback adventure bound to leave a lasting impression.
The better known of the two, The West MacDonnell Ranges stretch 200 kilometres and are etched with gorges, chasms and dry creek beds. They can be reached by following the Red Centre Way (an 1135-kilometre loop from Alice).
You don’t want to miss the spectacular views in Ormiston Gorge. (Image: Tourism NT/Salty Aura)
Places not to miss include the Standley Chasm, a dramatic, 80-metre-high rock face; the refreshing pools at Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge; and Simpsons Gap, an important spiritual site with several Indigenous dreaming trails.
Make your way through the towering red cliffs at Standley Chasm. (Image: Tourism NT/Mark Fitzpatrick)
If you’re camping, unfurl a swag and enjoy a campfire at Redbank Gorge. Alternatively, Glen Helen Lodge offers basic accommodation close to Glen Helen Gorge and thr 1380-metre-high Mt Sonder.
Camp at Redbank Gorge, a stone’s throw from a secluded waterhole you can swim at. (Tourism NT/Jess Caldwell & Luke Riddle)
Alice Springs Helicopters offer scenic flights over the MacDonnell Ranges and thrilling mountain bike tours that drop you at sections along the mountain biking trails in the West Macs area.
Get a new perspective on the landscape with Alice Springs Helicopters. (Tourism NT/Tourism Australia)
Less touristed, but arguably as stunning, the East Macs offer travellers insight into the Indigenous and gold rush history of the area.
Located 150 kilometres east of Alice Springs, bushwalking, camping and four-wheel driving is to be expected here.
A main attraction is Trephina Gorge Nature Park, where you’ll be surrounded by rising walls of red and purple quartzite. The gorge is also home to what’s said to be the largest ghost gum in Australia (at 33 metres high and about 300 years old) and forms part of the Wallaby Dreaming Trail, significant to the Eastern Arrernte Aboriginal people.
Trephina Gorge Nature Park is a geological marvel. (Image: Tourism NT/Shaana McNaught)
While you’re here, visit N’Dhala Gorge Nature Park, home to 6000 rock carvings, as well as the old gold rush town of Arltunga, which dates back to the late 1800s. You can stay at Hale River Homestead at Old Ambalindum, which offers a true outback experience.
Arltunga Historical Reserve (Image: ourism NT/Sean Scott)
Thought to be 350 million years old, The Finke River winds through Finke Gorge National Park, an important wilderness reserve between Alice Springs and Kings Canyon. Within the park’s confines is the ancient Palm Valley, where rare red cabbage palms, also dating back millennia, grow.
Finke Gorge National Park is an ancient, spectacular landscape. (Image: Tourism NT/Sean Scott)
To get into the park, you’ll need a high-clearance 4WD and be comfortable conquering rocky tracks. You will also want sturdy hiking boots as there are a tonne of trails.
Call into Hermannsburg prior to entering the park: it’s a historic precinct where a Lutheran Mission was active in the late 1880s and where renowned Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira resided.
Check out the historical precinct in Hermannsburg. (Image: Tourism NT/Charlie Bliss)
After exploring the West Macdonnell Ranges head off-road along the Mereenie Loop as you make your way to Kings Canyon (you’ll need a 4WD and a permit). The canyon, plunging 270 metres, is the highlight of the park and an oasis of palms and ferns.
The canyon, plunging 270 metres, is the highlight of the park.
Rise early and set off on the six-kilometre Canyon Rim Walk, which will lead you to the sandstone domes of the Lost City and a sacred watering hole aptly named the Garden of Eden. There is also the much gentler 2.6-kilometre Kings Creek Hike to a lookout.
Take the Canyon Rim Walk to the sandstone domes of the Lost City.
You can Base yourself at Kings Creek Station, not far from Watarrka National Park. The 1800-square-kilometre property is open year-round and is a top spot to experience life on the land with both campsites and basic cabins available. Make time to enjoy traditional damper with a cup of billy tea.
Uluru is a 3 hour drive from Kings Creek. Nothing says ‘outback’ more than the big red rock in the middle of the country, and you will certainly appreciate its isolation as you drive the road to reach it.
In spite of its remoteness, there is plenty to do at UNESCO World Heritage-listed Uluṟu. First up, you’ll want to explore on foot, so rise early and walk Uluru’s 10-kilometre base. You can also join a guided Mala Walk (two kilometres), which is a great option if you want to learn about Uluru’s cultural significance and Indigenous rock art.
A outback road trip wouldn’t be the same without visiting Uluru.
While you’re there, sign up for a plod atop a camel, hop aboard a Segway, enjoy a Harley Davidson ride or plummet toward Uluru on a thrilling sky dive.
Set your alarm so you can drive to one of the viewing platforms and watch Uluru change color at sunrise. Come nightfall, head to Field of Light where a carpet of 50,000 lights will shine.
Field of Light; one of the largest art installations in Australia’s history.
For a special outback dining experience, you can’t go past Sounds of Silence. Savour native Australian ingredients, such as kangaroo, finger lime and lemon myrtle, while the Milky Way dazzles from above.
If you can squeeze it in, don’t miss the 36 large rock domes of Kata Tjuta. Located about half an hour’s drive from Uluru, they’re easy to reach on a day trip.
The mesmerising peaks of Kata Tjuta. (Image: Tourism NT/Sean Scott)
The domes are dramatic, with the tallest one, Mt Olga, soaring 546 metres high. Explore them on foot by following the challenging Valley of the Winds trail (7.4 kilometres). It will take you about three hours, so set off early to avoid the midday heat. There is also the easier Walpa Gorge (2.6-kilometre) walk.
Accommodation in Uluṟu comes in all shapes and sizes, from luxury suites, to tent-style pavilions and campsites. It also runs numerous tours and workshops, some of which are free. Squeeze it all in by jumping on the resort’s complimentary shuttle, especially if you’re travelling with children or the elderly.
Although Uluru is open to visitors year-round, in summer temperatures frequently sit at 45°C and flies are at their most persistent. Instead, visit between May and October, when daytime temperatures are comfortable.
If a one-way road trip from Alice to Uluru is enough for you, fly out of Ayers Rock Airport to many of Australia’s major cities.
Want more Red Centre travel inspo? Check out our guide on eating, playing and staying in Australia’s heart.
Before heading off on the iconic Larapinta Trail through Central Australia’s West MacDonnell Ranges, we pivot 180 degrees to venture where mostly on...
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