7 Day Red Centre For Families Itinerary

As your plane descends into Alice Springs over the deep red earth of the outback, you'll realise you have arrived somewhere special where adventure awaits!

Nestled between the beautiful MacDonnell Ranges and surrounded by gorges and stark desert plains, remote Alice Springs feels a bit like a Wild West outpost, filled with friendly and colourful characters. Once you have settled in to your comfortable accommodation it's time to head out and explore.

Alice Springs Desert Park is THE place to discover the beauty and mystery of Australia's deserts. Wander through the ancient landscape and discover the plants, animals and culture of the place. Stroll through Todd Mall Markets, popping into the Aboriginal art galleries, souvenir shops and cafes. Or find out how children living in remote areas go to school in the world's largest "classroom" at the Alice Springs School of the Air: it covers an area twice as big as Texas USA!

Accommodation: Alice Springs - 2 Nights

Alice Springs Desert Park is a must see for every visitor to Alice and is an inclusion for you today! In the space of just a few hours, you can discover many of the secrets of the Central Australian deserts at the Desert Park. Hundreds of species of plants and animals found across Central Australian deserts can be seen, smelt and heard. You will even have the opportunity to experience desert habitats as they are at night, seeing some of the animals near impossible to see in the wild. Take an easy walking trail through three desert habitats and discover Desert Rivers, Sand Country and the Woodland habitat, witness free-flying birds of prey in the nature theatre, see rare and endangered animals in the spectacular nocturnal house.

Today you will make your way to Kings Canyon. Watarrka National Park is best known as the home of Kings Canyon, a mighty chasm cleaving the earth to a depth of 270 metres. The sheer red rock face of Kings Canyon soars over 100 metres above dense forests of palms, ferns and cycads; sheltering them from the surrounding desert conditions. Derived from an Aboriginal word referring to the umbrella bush that thrives here, Watarrka National Park has been home to the Luritja people for more than 20,000 years. 

Approximate Distance: 335 km | 71 miles   Total Driving Time: 3 hours 45 mins

Accommodation: Kings Canyon - 2 Nights

Today is a free day to explore Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. The park has a range of walking trails, 4x4 tracks and camel tours to offer. Take a helicopter flight over Watarrka National Park. Lace up your walking boots and explore the iconic Kings Canyon Rim Walk. The 6km circuit will take you down into the Garden of Eden. Alternatively, explore Kathleen Springs located 21km by road from Kings Canyon. The waterhole holds special significance for the local Aboriginal people and is important for wildlife - and much more...

Sunset Light Towers
Created by internationally renowned light and sound artist Bruce Munro, 'Light Towers at Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon' immerses you in the magic of light, sound, and landscape, comprising 69 two-metre towers of light that change colour to a celestial soundscape by Orlando Gough. The premium experience takes place at sunset, where a local guide greets guests with canapés and drinks before the towers transform under the golden glow. Follow a lit path into the red earth field for an unforgettable evening at Lurijta Lookout.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Today you'll travel through the rugged desert landscapes to Ayers Rock (Uluru): seeing this magnificent natural wonder for the first time is a moment the whole family will remember forever. Ayers Rock is also known as Uluru; this is the name given by the Yankunytjatjara people, whose land the rock is situated on. During your drive today you have the option to explore West MacDonnell National Park.

Uluru Sunset Tour
Travel to the Uluru sunset viewing area. Enjoy nibbles and complimentary Australian Sparkling Wine as the sun starts to move towards the western horizon and brings out the colours Uluru is famous for! It is recommended that you photograph Uluru at least every 5 minutes to capture the gradual colour changes of the rock that you may not notice with the naked eye.

Included Meals: Breakfast

Approximate Distance: 305 km | 190 miles   Total Driving Time: 3 hours 30 mins

Accommodation: Uluru / Ayers Rock - 2 Nights

Enjoy a free morning at Ayers Rock Resort where you can take advantage of the many ways to experience it: Following walking trails around the base of Uluru and through the ancient domes of nearby Kata Tjuta. Take a tour on a camel train at sunrise or a scenic flight at sunset. Join an Indigenous art workshop, a bush tucker demonstration or bush yarn session. There i so much to see and do...

Field of Light Pass
As darkness falls and Uluru is thrown into silhouette, Field of Light illuminates. As far as the eye can see gentle rhythms of colour light up the desert. The critically acclaimed Field of Light Uluru is by the internationally celebrated artist Bruce Munro. The exhibition, aptly named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku or 'looking at lots of beautiful lights' is overwhelming in size, covering more than seven football fields. It invites immersion in its fantasy garden of 50,000 spindles of light, the stems breathing and swaying through a sympathetic desert spectrum of ochre, deep violet, blue and gentle white.

Say farewell to Uluru today as you board your onward flight, taking with you the magical memories of a truly exceptional Northern Territory experience. We know you will enjoy your 7 Day Red Centre Self Drive Tour and we hope you will return soon to discover even more highlights of this incredible continent.