Alice Springs Travelers Recommend

As a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Australia’s most famous landmarks, Uluru is the undeniable highlight of the Red Centre and an unmissable attraction for visitors to Alice Springs. Here’s a rundown of tour options.

Full-Day Tours

If time is of the essence, a full-day tour from Alice Springs lets you cram multiple sites into one day. Most day tours include hotel pickup, round-trip transportation, entrance fees, and meals, and feature highlights such as the Mala Walk, the Mutitjulu Waterhole, an Uluru sunset viewing, and an Aussie-style barbecue dinner in the desert. Alternatively, opt for a one-way shuttle transfer to the Ayers Rock Resort from Alice Springs, and explore the sights at your own pace. 

Multi-Day Tours

Multi-day tours mean you’ll have plenty of time to discover the natural wonders of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and see Uluru at both sunrise and sunset. Choose an overnight tour and spend a night in the Australian outback; set out on a 3-, 4- or 5-day tour of the Red Centre highlights, including extras like King’s Canyon, the Walpa Gorge, and the West MacDonnell Ranges; or take an epic 6-day tour all the way from Alice Springs to Adelaide. Most tours include accommodation, as well as selected meals, entrance fees, and activities.

Things to Know

• Uluru is located in Central Australia, 276 miles (445 kilometers) southwest of Alice Springs (about 4.5 hours by road).

• Day tours from Alice Springs can last up to 18 hours, so prepare for a very long day.

• Uluru is located in an exposed area of the desert, so sunscreen, a hat, plenty of water, and comfortable shoes are a must. Prepare for high temperatures during the day and chilly weather at night. 

• Most tours include hotel pickup, entrance fees, and activities.

You've landed bang in the bull's-eye of the enormous continent of Australia—the remote town of Alice Springs. Three days is plenty of time to get a feel for the remote atmosphere and also head out to explore the famed Uluru National Park. Here are a few ways to experience the very best of Alice Springs in 72 memorable hours.

Day 1: See the Town’s Sights

Spend your first day exploring attractions in Alice Springs with a half-day tour. Start at the old Telegraph Station, which used to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide, to get a glimpse into the town's early years; then visit the School of the Air to learn how students in remote locations across Central Australia get lessons via satellite. In the afternoon, head to Alice Springs Reptile Centre, and take in sweeping views of the West MacDonnell Ranges from the top of Anzac Hill. Lastly, join an evening tour of Alice Springs Desert Park, which allows you to see nocturnal wildlife at its most active.

Day 2: Admire Uluru

No visit to Alice Springs would be complete without a trip to see the natural wonders of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park—indeed the two famous rock formations at this UNESCO World Heritage Site are the very reason many people visit the area. Book a full day tour to really get to know this awe-inspiring park through guided nature walks, and be sure to visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre to see Aboriginal art and learn about indigenous culture. No visit would be complete without watching the sunset over the mighty Uluru rock (also known as Ayers Rock), so plan to stay late; some full-day tours include sunset dinners, others include overnight camping accommodations. 

Day 3: Soak up the Scenery

Start your final day in the area with a sunrise ballooning adventure. You can watch your hot air balloon inflate in the pre-dawn light, then see the sunrise from the sky. As you drift over the rugged landscape, you’ll be able to spot local wildlife, including kangaroos, in the early morning light.

There’s plenty of rugged scenery near Alice Springs, and lots of adventurous ways to explore. At Undoolya Station (the oldest working cattle station in the Northern Territory) you can jump on a quad bike and take a guided ride over bush tracks and dry riverbeds to see the local mountain ranges. If you’re up for one last adventure, take a sunset camel ride through the desert, then head back to town to enjoy our final evening in Alice Springs’ many bars and restaurants.

A 2-day trip to Alice Springs allows you time to fully explore the small town and its surrounding bush, as well as head out into the West MacDonnell Ranges. From soaring over red desert in a hot-air balloon to spotting kangaroo and wallaby on a nature tour, here’s how to spend two days in Alice Springs.

Day 1: Explore Alice Springs

**Morning:**Explore the outback on a bike tour that takes you across some of the best trails in Australia—tours typically make stops at local cafes and galleries showcasing indigenous art. Alternatively, adventure-seekers can zip along dirt roads and explore the Northern Territory’s oldest working cattle station on a fast-paced quad bike tour. 

**Afternoon:**Take the afternoon to explore Alice Springs on a highlights tour, including Overland Telegraph Station and the Royal Flying Doctor Service base and School of the Air. These tours often also stop at Alice Springs Reptile Park and venture to Anzac Hill for sweeping views of the West MacDonnell Ranges.

**Night:**Round out the day by meeting some local wildlife. On an evening tour of Alice Springs Desert Park, see creatures such as echidna and mala (rufous-hare wallaby) as they become active after dark. Tours typically last 1.5 hours, leaving plenty of time to get dinner in town afterward.

Day 2: Take to the Skies and into the Bush

**Morning:**On day two, take a full-day trip to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, or embark on one of several excursions near Alice Springs. One morning option is a predawn hot-air balloon ride. As you soar over rugged landscapes, admire the rising sun and look out for native wildlife including red kangaroo. 

**Afternoon:**Board a 4WD vehicle and embark on a tour of the West MacDonnell Ranges to take in its red-and-orange landscapes. Guided tours typically visit Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, and the aboriginal rock art of Emily Gap, and include afternoon tea. 

**Night:**Round out your trip to Alice Springs with a relaxing camel ride at sunset. As you travel along red sand tracks and through forest trails, you have another opportunity to spot native wildlife such as kangaroos and wallabies.

As the gateway to some of Australia’s most iconic landscapes, Alice Springs is often passed through on the way to Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the MacDonnell Ranges; however, there’s much more here than meets the eye. Here are a few ways to spend one day in Alice Springs.

Morning: Soar Over the Desert

Start your day bright and early with a hot-air balloon ride. Excursions typically depart before dawn, when the sky is starry and the air is cool, and allow you to watch sunrise over the ancient red land. With luck, you might even spot native wildlife such as red kangaroos from above.

Alternatively, active travelers can opt for a bike tour through the outback and along some of the best bike trails in Australia. Some tours combine adventure with culture by making stops at local cafes and galleries that exhibit indigenous artists.

Afternoon: Discover the Outback

In the afternoon, discover the dispersed highlights of Alice Springs with ease on a sightseeing tour, which typically cover the historic Overland Telegraph Station, the ultra-remote Royal Flying Doctor Service base, and the School of the Air. Tours often also include a visit to Alice Springs Reptile Park and take in sweeping views of the West MacDonnell Ranges from the top of Anzac Hill.

If you’d prefer to go off the beaten path, choose a tour of the West MacDonnell Ranges by 4WD vehicle. These tours typically visit Simpsons Gap, the Standley Chasm, and the aboriginal rock art of Emily Gap.

Night: Ride a Camel into the Sunset

Round out your day in Alice Springs with a sunset camel ride. As you ride along red sand tracks and through forest trails, you’ll have the chance to spot native wildlife such as kangaroos and wallabies. If wildlife is your main interest, there’s also the option of an evening tour of the Alice Springs Desert Park, which increases your chances of spotting creatures such as echidna and mala (rufous-hare wallaby) as they become active after dark.

Afterward, head for the town center for dinner. Alice Springs is home to a surprisingly diverse array of restaurants, which serves everything from modern Australian cuisine to Thai and tapas.

Watch the sunrise over Uluru (Ayers Rock), visit Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), hike through Kings Canyon. Complete the adventure by camping overnight in the outback beneath sparkling desert stars. No matter which activities you prefer, a multi-day tour of Australia’s Red Centre lets you pack much more into your trip. Here are your options.

Highlights

• Watch the changing colors of Uluru (Ayers Rock) at sunset and sunrise on an overnight tour.

• Take in all the highlights of the Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park, including the Mutijulu Waterhole, and a hike through the Valley of the Winds, on a multi-day tour.

• Sleep underneath the outback stars in an Aussie swag (bedroll) or a comfortable safari tent.

• Enjoy a traditional Aussie barbecue dinner around the campfire.

• Experience the magic of the desert by night and enjoy stargazing, with a guide on hand to point out the different constellations.

• Travel all the way from Alice Springs to Darwin on an epic outback road trip, camping out along the way.

At the heart of the Australian outback, Kings Canyon—along with the iconic Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the majestic peaks of the Olgas (Kata-Tjuta)—is part of the trio of natural wonders that make up Australia’s famous Red Center. Here are your options for tours from Alice Springs. 

Multi-Day Tours

The most convenient way to explore the Red Center is on a guided tour, with 2- or 3-day tours allowing time to take in all the highlights. Tours often include an Uluru base walk, a visit to the Mutitjulu waterhole, a hike through the Valley of the Winds, and a canyon rim walk, which affords spectacular views over Kings Canyon. Most multi-day tours include a choice of accommodation options at the Ayers Rock Resort or Kings Canyon Resort.

Camping Experiences

For a more immersive experience, opt to sleep beneath the desert stars on a 2- or 3-day outback camping trip. As well as taking part in activities such as an Uluru sunrise walk and a desert camel ride, you’ll get to tuck into typical Aussie BBQ around a campfire, enjoy stargazing, and camp out either in a safari tent with bunk beds or traditional swag (Aussie tented bedroll).

Things to Know

• Kings Canyon is part of the George Gill Range, located in the Watarrka National Park, 200 miles (323 kilometers) southwest of Alice Springs.

• Accommodation options include the Kings Canyon Resort, Kings Creek Station, and the Ayers Rock and Yulara Resorts at Uluru.

• Australia’s Red Center is in a desert climate—it can get extremely hot during the day, but cold at night, even in summer.