Alice Springs is one of the best places to base yourself for some quintessential Outback experiences.
Alice and the MacDonnell Ranges have provided lots of the highlights of our five years in Australia. I don't think you can come to this area and not be moved by the landscape, there's just something about it. From gorge hiking to wildlife watching, to those incredible sunrises and sunsets, this region has it all. It's a must for any nature lovers itinerary.
Here's our suggestions for the best things to do on your trip to Alice Springs.
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1: The Kangaroo Sanctuary
2: The Telegraph Station
3: The Royal Flying Doctors Museum
4: The School of the Air
5: Breakfast at Olive Pink Botanic Garden
6: The Alice Springs Brewery
7: Simpsons Gap
8: Trephina Gorge
9: Tubing at Glen Helen
10: Sunset at Mount Sonder Lookout
11: Emily & Jessie Gap
12: Ellery Big Creek
13: Cycle to Simpsons Gap
14: Ross River
15: Standley Chasm
16: Serpentine Gorge
17: Ormiston Gorge
18: Ochre Pits
19: Redbank Gorge
The 19 best things to do in Alice Springs
1. The Kangaroo Sanctuary
Who could resist that little face?
We had been dying to visit The Kangaroo Sanctuary ever since we started watching the BBC series 'Kangaroo Dundee'. Despite having incredibly high expectations we're happy to say they were exceeded.
Having the chance to cuddle kangaroo joey's Milly and Tilly was a dream come true, especially because in order not to disturb them by passing them around too much you get to hold them for 10 minutes at a time! : ) There is also the opportunity for some lucky people to feed some of the older joeys their milk which was another amazing experience.
You spend your visit walking through the beautiful bushland as the sun sets. To be honest it would be worth the visit just for that, it really is an incredible part of the world! You are constantly surrounded by the mob of kangaroos as Brolga (The KI Sanctuary owner) chats to you about the roos, wildlife conservation and anecdotes from years spent living in the bush.
You will also get the chance to see the huge male kangaroos, Monty is the current alpha, though for your safety during tours they are fenced off.
This wasn't just our favourite experience in Alice Springs, it was one of our most treasured experiences from the last five years exploring Australia. It's also a great cause, all the roos have been rescued by the sanctuary, most are saved from the mother’s pouch after they have been knocked over by a car.
2. The Telegraph Station
The telegraph station is just 4km north of the town centre, you can actually walk there on a dedicated walking/cycle path if you want to ditch the car for a day.
There are also a number of short but very worthwhile walking tracks. We completed a couple of them, our favourite being the Trig Hill walk. Not only is the scenery fantastic, especially from the trig itself, but there is plenty of wildlife too.
We saw kangaroos, rock wallabies and wallaroos (nope they aren't a cross breed as we had first assumed, they are a whole separate species, otherwise known as euros).
We also heard dingoes calling which was pretty exciting and made us feel like we were out in the wilds despite being so close to the town centre.
In addition, we saw some interesting looking bike tracks but as we didn't do them this time we can't comment further.
Contact Outback Cycling for details on the cycle trails and let us know if we should do them on our next visit!
Top tip for the Telegraph Station: Go early or late in the day for the best wildlife watching opportunities. We saw the majority of wildlife around the rocky sections of the Trig Hill walking track.
3. Visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service
Living in the remote outback is probably something that many of us used to city living would struggle to comprehend. Visiting the Royal Flying Doctor Service gives you the chance to take a look at what living thousands of kilometres from the nearest major town might be like.
It was absolutely fascinating to see what's involved in something as commonplace as a doctor's appointment! You'll get to look inside a RFDS plane and learn about the history of the service from it's conception to today. It's all done in a really engaging way and we loved hearing about how the outback communities used to talk to each other using an outback radio station which became known as a galah sessions!
All profits from visiting the museum go straight into the aircrafts and medical equipment required to run the service today.
4. Watch a lesson at the School of the Air
Visiting the School of the Air is another must do in Alice Springs. As with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the School of the Air lets you into how schooling is carried out for the country's most remote communities. It's absolutely fascinating to take a look at how the lessons take place via the internet.
You can actually watch a live lesson if you visit at the right time, sadly we didn't but the video explaining how it all works runs every half an hour and that was brilliant so I only imagine a lesson would be even better!
There are lots children's art work put up around the centre with how far they live from their nearest neighbours or schools and it is pretty staggering! It's definitely a wonderful way to learn more about what life is like for people who don't have access to all the things we take for granted on a daily basis.
5. Breakfast at Olive Pink Botanic Garden
Located close to Alice Springs town centre, Olive Pink was our favourite breakfast spot in the whole of the Northern Territory.
So good we actually went four times! Definitely visit in the morning, not just for the brekkie, but because each time we have seen lots of kangaroos and wallabies.
There are a few short walking tracks which offer some lovely views of the town centre and the MacDonnell ranges.
Top tip for Olive Pink: We had time on our hands and completed all three walking trails but the one to go for with less time would be the Hill Walk (30-40 minutes return).
6. Try the local beers at the Alice Springs Brewery
Just south of the centre of town you’ll find the Alice Springs Brewery, the best place to head to on a hot day! The brewery serves several locally crafted beers which really hit the spot when the mercury soars.
I tried the Almost Summer beer, which had a hint of citrus and went down very nicely!
Best things to do just outside of Alice Springs
7. Simpsons Gap
Less than 20km from Alice Springs town centre you come to Simpsons Gap. It's a sacred spot for indigenous communities and a special place to sit quietly and take in the atmosphere. It's a very short five minute walk from the car park to the gorge along a flat sandy trail.
If you go at dawn or dusk there is a great chance of seeing the black footed rock wallabies. They are quite difficult to spot so keep your eyes peeled. They tend to hang around in the rocks just before the gorge pool.
Check out the National Parks website for details on their ranger led walks. We found it really brought the area to life.
If you want a real adventure you can reach Simpsons Gap via the cycle path from Alice which is a fantastic way to get a real feel for the outback landscape.
8. Trephina Gorge
Trephina gorge was so good we visited twice.
There are a couple of different walking tracks to choose from. We did the Trephina Gorge walk (2km loop) and the Panorama walk (2.5km loop).
There is a third which takes you to John Hayes rockhole but it's a 9km one way track so you need the whole day for this one.
If you only have time for one track pick the Trephina Gorge walk, it gives you a great overview of the whole area and the views are breathtaking. There are plenty of incredible photo opportunities so make sure you've got plenty of space on your camera.
The walk is not difficult but it does have some ups and downs and exposed edges (you don’t need to get too close if you don’t want to though).
The Panorama walk has bigger climbs than the gorge walk and has great views but overall the gorge walk wins every time for us.
9. Float in a tube at Glen Helen
Taking the tube had a whole different meaning for us when we were living in London, and it's fair to say we wholly prefer the NT version.
If you're staying at Glen Helen Resort you can use their tractor tyres for free but if not grab yourself a floatie in advance and hit the water hole. It is a majestic place to while away the afternoon, the peace and serenity is like nowhere else.
The water is pretty cold year round so a float means that you can stay in the water much longer than if you were swimming. Our first trip to Alice was with our friend from the UK and this was her favourite activity in the whole of the NT!
10. Take in sunset at the Mount Sonder lookout
We visited the Mount Sonder lookout at sunset and also later in the evening for star gazing. It's worth doing both if you have the chance.
The view of the West MacDonnell ranges and Finke River are staggering, especially as the light turns the rock vivid red.
At night you can see the Milky Way, a spectacular sight set against the backdrop of the mountains.
Top tip for The Mount Sonder Lookout: it's only a two minute drive from Glen Helen Resort. Spend the night at Glen Helen so that you can catch a sunset and watch the stars. Driving back to Alice in the dark is not recommended due to wildlife on the roads.
11. Visit Emily & Jessie Gap
Emily and Jessie Gaps are located close together, about 10km east of Alice Springs.
Both give the opportunity to wander through the sandy gorges (in the dry season) and take in some history through the aboriginal rock art that adorns the gorge walls.
The art has been preserved quite well and signs explain the 'Caterpillar trail' dream time story explaining how the landscape was formed. The walk to the rock art is flat and easy, there are a couple of places you can climb the walls for different views but you don’t need to, to see the best of the art.
Top tip for the gaps: If you're visiting in any season but winter take a fly net. The flies were particularly bad around the gap but didn't bother us a bit with the nets.
12. Take in the stillness of Ellery Big Creek at sunset
This was another spot we loved so much we went twice.
Despite neither sunset being the wild colours of most other sunsets we saw in the Outback we found the subtle purples and yellows mesmorising. It's the perfect place to sit and contemplate.
If you visit during the day it's also a great swimming spot and you can camp there at night too.
Top tip for Ellery Creek: Take your bathers and cool off in the perfect, if chilly, water hole.
13. Cycle to Simpsons Gap
This was an experience we will never forget!
The Simpsons Gap bike path starts at Flynn's Grave, 7km from Alice Springs town centre, and extends for 17km until you reach Simpsons Gap.
We hired bikes from the YHA in town (they no longer offer rentals) and advised you can hire from Outback Cycling instead. We checked their website and the bikes look great and you can hire them from the town centre.
The scenery is absolutely beautiful and it feels very special to be cycling through the Outback, surrounded only by bush, with views of the MacDonnell Ranges.
The path is paved and in excellent condition which makes for pretty easy cycling. it’s not 100% flat but the uphills are never steep or prolonged.
We decided to do this cycle on a night with a full moon. It sounded like a very romantic idea, cycling through the desert lit only by moonlight. That is, if part way through the night the moon doesn't vanish behind thick cloud. Lesson learned! It was however pretty magical to be out in the calm of the night when lots of nocturnal animals begin venturing out after hiding from the heat of the day. We'd recommend the full moon cycle but be more sensible than us and check how the cloud cover is!
Top tip for cycling to Simpsons Gap: If we'd have planned more carefully we would have tried to get transport from Simpsons Gap back to town. This will mean you won't have to cycle back the way you came. If you can organise this it would be the ideal way of experiencing the bike path.
14. Step back in time at Ross River Resort Homestead
Ross River Resort is a beautiful spot around one hour and 15 minutes from Alice Springs which can easily be combined with a trip to Emily and Jessie Gap and Trephina Gorge. As with all spots in the West MacDonnell Ranges it's a beauty.
There is a wonderful swimming hole which you can pretty much drive right up to which is perfect on a hot day. What made it truly unique for us though was the homestead itself (which dates back to the 1890's). We popped in for lunch (typical outback grub) and fell in love with the amazing decor inside the restaurant. You truly feel like you are in the outback with all sorts of saddles, horseshoes and items from the ranch hanging on the walls.
Talking to the owner was also really interesting, his opinions on what constitutes a busy town had us in stitches having always lived in big cities! If you want a taste of true outback life don't miss Ross River. You can also stay overnight which we wanted to do originally but had to choose between this and Glen Helen due to timing. Next time though!
15. Marvel at the spectacular Standley Chasm
The walls of Standley Chasm are 80m high and the sheer, deep red rock looms over you as you walk through it. It is utterly spectacular and also a scared Indigenous site which is 100% owned and operated by the Arrente community.
The chasm is accessed by an easy 1.2km (each way) walking trail which is a pretty walk in its own right with lots of outback flora to enjoy. You can then walk through the chasm until you get to a steep section of rock which we did see people climb up and over but we personally chose to retrace our steps back.
There is a second walking track opposite the entrance to Standley Chasm but compared to other walks we've mentioned on this list it isn't really worth doing. It's pretty, but not spectacular.
There is a $10 entrance fee to Standley Chasm which we heard some people complain about but to us was well worth it as it is a privilege to be allowed to walk on scared Aboriginal land.
16. Feel the serenity of Serpentine Gorge
The first time we tried to visit Serpentine Gorge we were foiled by our tiny rental car and the rough road, so the second time we went armed with a 4x4. A 4x4 is probably a bit of overkill for this road but it is rough and we definitely couldn't get by with a small rental car.
Returning was well worth the effort because not only was it beautiful but it was also really quiet - maybe the road had put off other people too? The water filled gorge was a beautiful and peaceful spot as well as a mecca for birdlife on our visit.
We saw a huge flock of Zebra finches which made us feel like we've stumbled into a David Attenborough documentary! It's an easy 1.3km flat walking trail to reach the gorge and you'll be surrounded by quintessential outback scenery.
You can also take the hiking trail up to the lookout and if you want a little more adventure then further up the ridge. Unfortunately we forgot to note the distance of this one but it was probably around 20 minutes to the lookout and maybe another 10 or so further on up the ridge - which offered the best views.
The uphill walking trail started mainly on steps before it got a bit more craggy nearer the top (but never too difficult). The views of the surrounding landscape from the ridge were magnificent and you feel like you can see for miles without a human in sight!
17. Take on our favourite walk at Ormiston Gorge
The outback region around Alice Springs has some of our favourite hiking trails in the whole country so saying Ormiston is our favourite is a big deal!
We've done a few walks in the area but the true magic for us was on the Ormiston Pound walk. This 9km circuit showcases the very best of the staggering outback scenery and it's varied all the way.
The terrain can be rugged in places and you're often looking for arrows rather than walking on a formed trail but it's not a very difficult walk. There are uphill sections but the majority is fairly flat. The walk starts by following signs up to the ridge which offers terrific views. You'll then cross open desert landscape before arriving at the majestic gorge itself.
The walls of the gorge seemed to be gleaming with purple jewels in the afternoon sun. We continued our walk around the gorge, and with a low water level didn't really have to get wet. You could opt instead to detour up to the Ghost Gum Walk and miss traversing the gorge if you prefer.
Top tip: Bring a float with you so you can cool off after your walk in the amazing gorge - which is actually much larger than the one at Glen Helen and perfect for exploring.
18. Take a peek at the colourful Ochre Pits
Ochre is an important part of Aboriginal life and the pits here have been mined for generations. The colours are really vivid and you can see why they are popular for painting and ceremonial body decoration. The pits are just a few hundred metres from the car park on an easy trail. You can't touch or remove any of the ochre.
19. Visit the the most dramatic gorge of them all - Redbank Gorge
Redbank Gorge is another permanent water hole which is perfect for floating. The gorge walls are absolutely huge and the scenery feels incredibly dramatic. The gorge is just over a kilometre from the car park on a largely flat trail.
Flat in this incident doesn't mean easy though, as it is rocky all the way which makes it slow going, particularly if you're carrying an oversized watermelon float! The water is freezing and the high walls mean it is mainly in the shade so you need a full size float if you want to stay in the water for any length of time.
It is such a beautiful spot and as it is further away than any of the other water holes on this list it seems to attract less people (not that any are heaving) which makes it feel even more special. When we visited, the access road was in poor condition - not suitable for small 2wd's - but we've heard it has since been improved.
Redbank Gorge is also the start of the Mount Sonder summit walk which is high on our list. We've done part of the walk but we'll be back one day to finish it off!
Alice Springs is a great base to visit the Outback in the Northern Territory and we've published a blog on our favourite shots of Uluru and the Outback. Your trip there will be a truly memorable experience.
Know before you go
Car hire
Having a car in Alice Springs makes getting to the West and East McDonnells a lot easier. There’s virtually no traffic in the town (and no parking charges), so driving around is a breeze! We also loved driving on the Outback roads, taking in the views of the desert and mountains all around.
The roads are in great condition, so you can get away with a 2 wheel drive for your trip as well. We’ve found that RentalCars.com tends to provide the cheapest prices in Australia, and you can check out the latest prices by clicking here.
Where to stay in Alice Springs
We’ve been to Alice several times and have planned trips for many others too, so here’s our guide to the best accommodation in and around town. For a quick read we’ve noted the places we’ve personally been to below.
Our Picks - Squeaky Windmill
Who wouldn't want to glamp in the Outback?! Squeaky Windmill is a little out of town and set has that outback setting you'd always dreamed of. Each of the tents face a huge red cliff and a dried up river bed, giving a perfect view to wake up to. They're kitted out with air con and each tent has their own bbq - it doesn't get more Aussie than this.
In the winter the tents can get cold though (the Outback can drop to -1 C at night).
Check out the property and reviews on Booking.com
Our picks - DoubleTree Hilton
The Double Tree ticks all the boxes for a trip to Alice Springs: comfortable, clean rooms; central location and a pool to cool down in when it gets hot outside. It also won us over as it has an Indian restaurant in the hotel and it is only a 2 minute drive from our favourite breakfast place: Olive Pink.
Budget - YHA Alice Springs
You can't go wrong with a YHA and the Alice Springs franchise is a solid choice. It's central in town meaning you can get to most of the attractions, plus it is immaculately clean and comfortable. There are private rooms, but sadly none of them have private en-suite bathrooms.
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Have you visited Alice Springs or the West MacDonnell Ranges? Which of our tips would you most like to try out? Let us know in the comments.
