Alice Springs, Australia

A Guide To The Heart Of The Australian Outback

Alice Springs in Australia - its location smack bang in the middle of the continent makes it THE place to go if you want to see some of the Australian Outback.

Alice Springs, Australia

© Tourism NT

Its historical sites and attractions make it THE place to be if you want to get a feel for what it used to be like, over hundred years ago, when the first explorers and then the first settlers ventured into the red heart of Australia.

(And since Alice Springs is a modern town with all the usual comforts and facilities you won't have to endure any of the hardships they had to deal with...)

As much as I am a fan of Australia's far north and the tropical regions, there is no denying that Alice Springs is the heart and the centre of the Australian Outback, both in a geographical and a metaphorical sense.

Alice Springs Attractions: West MacDonnell Ranges Finke Gorge National Park

Last time I visited central Australia I spent four weeks in the Alice Springs area. That was in April 2007. April is in my opinion the best time to visit Alice Springs, Australia.

Find out why, find out how to get there and how to get around, what there is to see and do in Alice Springs, the attractions near it, what's easy to access, what's wilder, where the real Australian Outback is, and more...

A Guide To Alice Springs, Australia


Chambers Pillar near Alice Springs

Alice Springs Facts And Information
All the facts like location, size, driving distances to other cities, airport, ...

Alice Springs Climate And Temperatures
What is the best time to visit Alice Springs and central Australia?

Alice Springs Maps
Interactive maps, town maps, regional maps, and free, printable maps.

Tourist Attractions In Alice Springs


Alice Springs Accommodation
Until I find the time to write about this in detail the link will take you to TripAdvisor. There you can read reviews for individual hotels and backpackers written by other travellers, and you can also find good hotel specials, and flight/accommodation packages, car hire deals etc.

Alice Springs Car Hire / Campervan Hire


Alice Springs, Australia, Surrounds

Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park
Ok, I'll mention this first to get it out of the way. After all, Ayers Rock is the main reason people come to Alice Springs (and Australia).

Many fly in, want to see the rock, and fly out. I think that's an awful way to do it. Sure, they can tick off Uluru on their to do list and brag at home that they've been there, but they haven't seen anything (see below). And by the way, don't underestimate the distances here (nearly all of those kinds of visitors do). Ayers Rock doesn't exactly sit on the outskirts of town...

Kings Canyon / Watarrka National Park
This is the next most popular destination from Alice Springs. Many tourist go on tours that take them to Uluru, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Kings Canyon, "the big three".

The Mereenie Loop Road
Often promoted as a great drive through "striking desert country". That's a bit over the top in my opinion. It's mainly an option to drive between Uluru / Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges without backtracking.

The West MacDonnell Ranges
In the "West Macs", as we call them for short, you find all the other places that Alice Springs is famous for. All those destinations are close enough to be seen in a day trip, and the road is all bitumen (except the last bit to Redbank Gorge). As a result this area gets totally flooded with day visitors...


The East MacDonnell Ranges
At least as beautiful as the West Macs, close to Alice Springs, with a sealed road up to Trephina Gorge... But for some reason most tourists don't seem to be aware of all that. I love this area.


More Attractions Near Alice Springs
Except for Rainbow Valley these are all destinations for the more adventurous:


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