The Red Centre Way, Northern Territory
Climbing Uluru is no longer possible and protection and respect of this important Australian icon is critical, but that doesn’t mean that the iconic sandstone monolith is out of bounds altogether, in fact quite the opposite. It should be a pivotal part of your next Outback road trip. On this wide open stretch not only will you experience the ancient ochre hues the Red Centre is renowned for, but you’ll enjoy open skies blanketed with stars and iconic landmarks at every turn. Drone enthusiasts will have an incredible canvas for their road trip footage thanks to the red desert sands, gigantic gorges and nature walks.
Distance
The 1,135-kilometre Red Centre Way loop starts and finishes in Alice Springs and is best undertaken over a six-day period.
What you’ll see
This incredible road trip takes you through the West MacDonnell Range National Park, which is home to plenty of water holes including Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge and the 223 kilometre Larapinta Walking Trail if you want to leave the car behind for a bit. You’ll head out to the 140 million-year-old Tnorala comet crater, which has some fascinating cultural history, then beyond that, you’ll be mesmerised by Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Watarrka National Park, which is home to Kings Canyon - the iconic three-hour rim walk is a must-do here and best tackled at sunrise before the heat of the day kicks in.
What to pack
Good walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, insect repellant and a drone if you own one, the landscape out here is brilliant.