Australia is a massive land and one that offers an incredibly wide array of amazing sights, sounds, and experiences that are clearly very Aussie in nature. While Alice Springs is a far cry from major metropolitan cities like Sydney or Melbourne, it is a brilliant little community far out from the main highways and the best jumping off point to really getting a first-hand experience with the Never Never. If you want a truly unforgettable inland Aussie experience, then as soon as you take care of your campervan hire you will want to head out to Alice Springs to see what this amazing little community has to offer!
Fly Over Red Centre via Helicopter or Hot Air Balloon
One of the most stunning parts of the Outback is the incredible stretch of long dry hot desert that takes up an enormous amount of the continent. Putting on a display that is uniquely colourful and beautiful, there’s no way to see the Red Centre quite like from the air. This stands alone as a great activity and is a favourite of visitors as both a standalone activity as well as being a prelude to seeing many of the great local sites on foot later on.
These aerial views often include popular canyons, local mountain ranges, the very popular and famous “Gaps” the area is known for, and even holy sites like the famed Uluru. The ability to move through air means the opportunity to see plenty of wildlife in its natural environment. What better way to check out the surrounding beauty that Australia has to offer around Alice Springs?
The Alice Springs Desert Park
Alice Springs understands the special things their town offers to residents and visitors alike, and as a gateway into the surrounding Outback. The Desert Park is a great must visit attraction that brings together a very unique hands-on natural history museum along with an adventure safari park. That combination allows close up interaction with many of Australia’s famed furry or feathered creatures and gives an amazing look at what life is like in the surrounding desert.
Although the prices can seem a bit steep to budget travellers, this is definitely worth the cost!
The National Road Transport Hall of Fame
The history of transportation is crucial to the history of many Australian settlements, especially one as far out from the coast as Alice Springs. Supplies were the difference between life and death, and this national museum in Alice Springs is a remarkable living history of this, with a massive collection of historic trains, trucks, cars, and other vehicles (even including an original Model T Ford from 1911) all kept in as good and authentic shape as possible.
This is quite a display and the curated and heavily documented setup means that it’s not only educational but also gives a close up look of the old Ghan trains, the century old vehicles, and the actual tools that had to be used and maintained to allow these settlements to grow and thrive.
This stop is a must for anyone visiting Alice Springs, and is a fantastic and intriguing stop that really lets you dive into the local history of Australia.
Explore the Local “Gaps”
When you hear local Aussies around Alice Springs talking about the “Gaps,” they’re talking about specific shady areas creating “gaps” in the MacDonnell Mountain Range, creating areas to pass through There are three main gaps, each of which offer beautiful areas for photography buffs, great sites for a picnic, and even a good swimming hole depending on the season and which gap you’re visiting.
There are three main popular gaps of note. The Emily & Jessie Gaps are two extremely popular ones and even feature some amenities like toilets and picnic tables. There are guided drives out to these wonderful areas.
The Simpsons Gap is known for being particularly photogenic and is even home to several very popular walking trails that include Cassia Hill & the Woodland Trail (all 18 glorious kilometres of it). There’s a lot to love about this area, as well, and it should definitely be on the list while driving around your campervan hire to explore the area!
Take a Guided Tour to See Uluru
Sometimes still referred to as Ayers Rock, the holy site of Uluru is a massive sandstone plateau that seems to just rise up out of the desert and it is one of the most photographed landmarks in the world. Alice Springs is the last little bit of urban civilization before Uluru, which means it should come as no surprise that there are multiple tours available out of this town.
This majestic natural site attracts visitors from around the world, and you won’t want to visit Australia without seeing it up close yourself.
See the Best of the Springs!
Alice Springs is a strong Aussie community that is uniquely its own, as you would expect from a relatively small town far from the towns and communities of the coast and surrounded by a lot of the natural wild of the Outback. There’s a lot to see and do in and around Alice Springs, so once you have your campervan hire taken care of make sure you check out these top attractions throughout the town. You won’t be sorry!