Itinerary
14 Days in the Red Centre: Day-by-Day Itinerary
This is a loop from Alice Springs, so it works whether you fly in or arrive down the Stuart Highway. Every road on it is sealed.
- Length
- 14 days
- Total distance
- ~2,200 km
- Season
- May–September
- Vehicle
- 2WD is fine for this version. 4WD only if you swap in the Mereenie Loop.
- Suits
- Couples, Solo, Friends Group
Trip progression
Main route: Alice Springs → Ormiston Gorge → Kings Canyon → Yulara. Side destinations: Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm (Angkerle Atwatye), Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Trephina Gorge. Shown for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route.
Main route: Alice Springs → Ormiston Gorge → Kings Canyon → Yulara. Side destinations: Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm (Angkerle Atwatye), Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Trephina Gorge.
The structure is deliberate: West MacDonnells first while you are still acclimatising, then the long southern run to Kings Canyon and Uluru, then back. It avoids the common mistake of burning day one on a 450 km drive straight to Yulara.
Desert winter nights fall below zero. If you are camping, that is the single thing most people get wrong.
Day by day
| Days | Route | Distance | Drive | What you do | Sleep |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive Alice Springs | — | — | Desert Park in the afternoon, Anzac Hill at sunset. Buy supplies — Alice is the last full supermarket. | Alice Springs |
| Day 2 | Alice Springs → Simpsons Gap → Standley Chasm | 100 km return | 1h 30m total | Two short gorge walks. Standley Chasm's walls light up around midday, which is the one time of day it is worth being there. | Alice Springs |
| Days 3–4 | Alice Springs → Ormiston Gorge (West MacDonnells) | 135 km | 1h 45m | Ellery Creek Big Hole and Serpentine Gorge en route. Ormiston Pound Walk (7.5 km, 3–4 hours) on day 4 — do it clockwise and early. | Ormiston Gorge campground or Glen Helen |
| Day 5 | Ormiston → Alice Springs | 135 km | 1h 45m | Redbank Gorge on the way back if you have not had enough gorges. Restock, refuel, laundry. | Alice Springs |
| Day 6 | Alice Springs → Kings Canyon (via Stuart & Luritja Hwy) | 475 km | 5h | Long transit day. Stuarts Well and Erldunda for fuel. Arrive with light to spare. | Kings Canyon Resort |
| Day 7 | Kings Canyon | — | — | Rim Walk — 6 km, 3–4 hours, 500 steps up at the start. Gates close early on hot days; be walking by 7am. | Kings Canyon Resort |
| Day 8 | Kings Canyon → Yulara | 300 km | 3h 30m | Arrive by lunch. Cultural Centre in the afternoon, Uluru sunset viewing area in the evening. | Yulara |
| Day 9 | Uluru | 40 km local | — | Base walk at sunrise — 10.6 km, 3.5 hours, flat. Rest through the middle of the day. Mala or Kuniya walk late afternoon. | Yulara |
| Day 10 | Kata Tjuta | 100 km return | 1h | Valley of the Winds — 7.4 km full circuit, closed above 36°C from 11am. Sunrise viewing platform first. | Yulara |
| Day 11 | Yulara → Erldunda → Alice Springs | 445 km | 5h | Transit. Camel farm at Stuarts Well if you want to break it up. | Alice Springs |
| Days 12–13 | East MacDonnell Ranges | 160 km return | 2h | Trephina Gorge and the old Arltunga goldfields. Far fewer people than the western side. N'Dhala Gorge petroglyphs need 4WD — skip in a 2WD. | Trephina Gorge or Alice Springs |
| Day 14 | Alice Springs | — | — | Telegraph Station in the morning, Araluen art precinct, depart. | — |
Cost and booking notes
- Yulara is the only accommodation option at Uluru and it is priced accordingly. Book three to six months ahead for June–August.
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta park passes are valid for three consecutive days — plan days 8–10 to fall inside one pass.
- Fuel at Yulara and Kings Canyon runs well above Alice Springs prices. Fill at Erldunda where you can.
Common questions
Useful services on this trip
Related guides
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