Luxury Escapes Guide to Alice Springs

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Alice Springs - Introduction

Almost slap-bang midway between Adelaide and Darwin (roughly 1500km from each), Alice Springs is a one-of-a-kind town with a quirky free spirit and the jumping-off point to some of Australia’s most iconic experiences. Can you really say you’ve been to Australia without visiting Alice?

Most travelers come to Australia’s remote center to see Uluru, some of them flying direct into Ayers Rock Airport. We’d suggest that passing up the chance to spend time in the ‘capital of the Outback’ would be a mistake. From here, Uluru is a 4.5-hour drive (an iconic experience in its own right and all on completely sealed roads) or 45-minute flight. Before you go, spend a few days discovering Alice’s colorful history, fascinating Indigenous culture and oxidized-iron red landscapes.

The Arrernte people have made their home in the Central Australian desert for more than 50,000 years. The land is filled with traditional stories, and in Mparntwe (Alice Spring’s Arrente name) you’ll see and hear these stories everywhere. Alice is an artistic hub for the larger Central Desert region – Albert Namatjira, perhaps Australia’s best-known Indigenous artist, lived and worked near here in Hermannsburg. You’ll find a comprehensive collection of his paintings, as well as discover the contemporary art of Indigenous people working in the area today.

To experience the otherworldly landscapes of the Red Centre, head to the West MacDonnell Ranges, in easy reach just west of town and home to dazzling gorges and chasms, perfect waterholes for swimming (the Red Centre is croc-free) and sweeping views. Make sure you visit the exceptional Alice Springs Desert Park before you hit the highway, to help you understand how this fascinating, unique territory works.

Alice Springs has a thriving and dynamic social scene, the kind you won’t find in bigger centers. Outdoors and easy-going is the Alice way – but don’t think you’ll have to forgo big-city pleasures. The Outback has come a long way – good coffee, great food (including fine-dining and vegetarian and vegan options) and even locally brewed craft beer are all within your grasp.

Visit in spring or fall when the weather is milder; we recommend May or September as the best months to experience all that Alice has to offer.

Please note that due to current restrictions some operators may be temporarily closed. Check their websites for the most up-to-date information

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Things to see and do

Discover the Outback at Alice Springs Desert Park

This stunning multifaceted attraction should be your first port of call – it will help you decode your Outback experience. Part research and conservation program, part cultural center, part Outback botanical gardens – the park’s curated habitats are alive with birds and animals, including a Nocturnal House where you can see hard-to-spot furry critters like antechinus, bilbies and dunnarts. Local Arrernte people are employed as guides, so you’ll have the chance to learn Dreaming stories, see and taste bush tucker, and learn how Aboriginal people thrived in this harsh – but as you’ll learn, surprisingly abundant – landscape.

Get a culture fix at the Araluen Cultural Precinct

Alice Springs' cultural hub, the Araluen Cultural Precinct demands several hours to explore its wealth of sights. The __Araluen Arts Centre__ houses Australia’s most important collection of Indigenous art, presenting a history of its development in Central Australia. It includes the __Albert Namatjira Gallery__ – Australia’s best-known Indigenous artist began painting watercolors near here in the 1930s. The beautifully displayed natural history exhibits at the __Museum of Central Australia__ are also well worth a visit. Make sure you leave time to explore the district, which houses some impressive large-scale public artworks and important Arrernte sacred sites.

Take a trip back in time at the Telegraph Station

This historical reserve is the birthplace of Alice Springs and provides a fascinating insight into European settlement here. In fact, these humble stone buildings explain the very purpose of Alice Spring’s existence. Almost equidistant from Adelaide and Darwin, this was the midway point of the pioneering Overland Telegraph Line laid in 1870 to link the country’s south with the north (and ultimately, with the rest of the world). Today you can see historical displays and hear about life for the early telegraphers and their families on daily guided tours, visit the Trail Station café and explore the area on signposted walking paths.

Watch the sun set from Anzac Hill

Clinging to the low banks of the Todd River, Alice is generally a flat place – with one exception. To get a budgerigar’s-eye view of the town, scale Anzac Hill, its most visited landmark. The lookout offers panoramic views across the township and toward the beautiful MacDonnell ranges. The memorial here was originally dedicated in 1934 to the ANZACs of WWI. We recommend taking the trek up here (it’s moderately strenuous; there is a parking lot at the top if it doesn’t appeal) to catch the sunset.