7 Day Adelaide To Alice Springs Road Trip Itinerary

Adelaide to Alice Springs 7 Day Itinerary

Throughout this itinerary I’ll be pointing out places to stay (free and paid) & places to get fuel. It’s always wide to check these before you set off from each location though in case things change. 

Below is the Google Maps layout, click this link or the map itself to send it to your device.

Port Augusta

After leaving Adelaide, it’ll take about 3.5 hours (308 km) to get to Port Augusta via the Princes Highway.

After roughly an hour and a half you’ll pass through Lochiel, home to the Loch-eel Monster in one of Australia’s Pink Lakes: Lake Bumbunga.

When we passed through Lochiel, Lochie was made up of car tires but he’s since had a makeover and now looks like a proper monster. If you stop for photos, tag us on instagram @officertravels, I’d love to see them!

Aside from Lochie and the pink lake, there isn’t much else going on in Lochiel so you’ll only need to set aside enough time to have a wander and take some photos on the lake.

I found a review complaining that the lake was dry when they visited so the Loch-Eel monster didn’t look like it was floating. It isn’t supposed to. It’s a salt lake, so the best it gets is a surface sprinkling of water. Expect it to be dry when you get there.

Continuing on the A1/Princes highway for another couple of hours will get you into Port Augusta.

Since we did this route in reverse (Darwin to Adelaide), Port Augusta was actually our last stop and what I remember most about it is how pleased I was to finally get a shower haha.

Anyway, Port Augusta is a really nice Port town and your last port of ‘real’ civilization before heading into the Outback. 

It’s here that I recommend stocking up on your snacks, fuel etc. if you haven’t already done so.

Here would be a great place to spend the first night and get ready to head into the outback. If you’re travelling in a camper and want to give your electrics a boost, we recommend Port Augusta Discovery Park Camp Resort.

Other things to do in Port Augusta include checking out the Matthew Flinders Red Cliffs Lookout (Google pin here), visiting the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden where you can see one of the most famous desert plants, the Sturt Desert Pea (South Australia’s Emblem) and a trip to the Wadlata Outback Centre where you can pick up maps for central Australia and learn about the aboriginal history for the area.

Pimba

Once you leave the comfort of Port Augusta, you’ll be leaving behind traffic lights, roundabouts and traffic in general to get your first real taste of the outback as you head to Pimba, which is around 2 hours (175 km) North along the Stuart Highway.

Pimba holds a special place in our hearts for being the hottest place we’ve ever stayed in our van. Our whole outback trip was done in summer so everywhere was hot, but it was topping 46’ outside in Pimba, so you can imagine how hot it was in our van… with no aircon. I’m surprised we didn’t melt.

Pimba isn’t a remarkable town, there isn’t much in the town itself but it has fuel, cheap camping and a roadhouse for any bits you might be missing or needing to top up on.

If you fancy a short detour, you can drive 8 minutes past Pimba (on the Olympic Highway) to another small town called Woomera, where you can visit their Rocket Park which is exactly what it sounds like.

Woomera has a long history as a defence base during the wars, and has been used by both the British and Americans, alongside Australians, as a top secret place to develop and test missiles. It’s also been used by Nasa for launching rockets!

It’s not surprising that many of the things to do in Woomera revolve around this history. From the missile displays at the Rocket Park, to the Rocket Range Museum,

One thing you won’t be doing in Woomera is visiting Nurrungar military base which is still classified as a highly prohibited area.

Glendambo

Once you’ve taken in everything there is to do in and around Pimba, it’s time to continue North to Glendambo which will take you roughly an hour (115 km).

On your way, keep your eyes open for Lake Hart and the cluster of salt lakes that scatter the landscape. These make for great places to stop for photos, a picnic or even to free camp if you want to break up your journey even more.

Across lake heart is the RAAF Military base, where there’s a couple more rocket launch sites. I don’t think that’s accessible, certainly not by 2wd vehicle, but it’d be cool to see a launch from here if they’re still operating. 

Like with Pimba, the town of Glendambo isn’t overly remarkable with even less to do and see here however  leaving Glendambo for Coober Pedy will be your longest stretch without fuel, 254 km, so make sure you refuel here.

You’ll also want to make a pitstop at the famous Glendambo sign which boasts the statistics of its population, with a hint of Aussie humour.

Coober Peddy

Taking over 2.5 hours (254 km) the road from Glendambo to Coober Pedy might just be the longest and most ‘boring’ of the whole trip. I say ‘boring’ because of how flat and same-y the landscape is here, the road is also remarkably straight but with the right car games and podcasts it isn’t too bad.

You’ll want to plan 2-3 nights for Coober Pedy because despite being in the middle of nowhere, there’s an awful lot to do here and it’s perhaps one of the most iconic spots on this Adelaide to Alice Springs Road Trip, alongside Uluru.

World famous for its Opal mining, Coober Pedy is a town that’s mostly underground due to the sheer heat they experience here, especially in the summer.

One of the highlights include the Umoona Opal Mine & Museum where you can learn about the mining history of this incredible town, and end your tour by buying some genuine opal at the gift shop.

There’s also an underground chapel, underground library, Faye’s underground home museum and several lookouts. Not to mention the filming locations for Mad Maxx. You can easily fill a couple of days in Coober Pedy!

From here you can drive along Kempe Road to see the famous Dingo Fence (or Dog Proof Fence). The final section is a dirt road, so this is something we opted not to do, but you can apparently also see it around 50 km North of Coober Pedy although we missed it because it’s barely sign-posted. 

The Underground Motel is probably the most well known accommodation in Coober Pedy, although looking at Booking.com there are more and more places popping up.

There are free places to camp in Coober Pedy, found via WikiCamps, which we took advantage of but we were approached by police in the night who advised us to keep our doors/windows closed and locked because they didn’t consider it a safe place to sleep. So keep this in mind when you’re looking for somewhere to stay, we’d probably pay to stay next time we visit.

The drive from here to the next stop (the NT & SA Border) is quite the distance, so some places to stop, if you’re wanting to stretch your legs (which we highly recommend) include Cadney Park and Marla. Both of these have road houses for fuel & some basics, as well as accommodation.

The Border

From Coober Pedy, your next stop on this Adelaide to Alice Springs road trip is the Northern Territory and South Australia border which is an exciting marker for this route!

It takes approximately 4 hours (393 km) so we definitely recommend some stops along the way to at least give your brain a rest from concentrating on this tricky, straight, road.

You’ll be welcomed to the border by a large statue as well as plenty of parking, shade and information boards about things to do in each region. It’s probably one of the best border crossings in the country and I think that’s because it’s not easy to get to.

From here you can either continue North on the Stuart Highway, or take a left to do a back road detour to Uluru (Ayers Rock) which is only suitable for 4×4 vehicles.

Uluru

After about an hour on the Stuart Highway you’ll reach the small township of Ghan, it’s here that you’ll take a left for your detour to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the red centre. 

On your way to Uluru, keep your eye peeled for Mount Conner. You’ll know when you see it because you’ll probably assume it’s Uluru – I know we did!

People often visit Uluru as a day trip from Alice Springs, but we recommend 2 nights minimum to make the most of your entrance fee which is $38.00 for 3 days (per person) and really experience the area.

The Uluru base walk is an absolute must! We did this walk barefoot, it took about just under 4 hours but the experience was incredible. Learning about the spiritual stories that surround the area and feeling the atmosphere that encapsulates Uluru, it’s one activity that can’t (and shouldn’t) be rushed!

About 45 minutes around the corner from Uluru is Kata Tjuta, and The Valley of The Wings Walk which is another spectacular walk. You’ll need to check the weather and the warnings before attempting this walk because it gets closed if it’s forecast to get too hot. The walk takes 3-4 hours and isn’t as flat as the Uluru, if you don’t have time to do the full walk there are various shorter ones as well as lookouts that will let you get a glimpse.

Some other things to do in Uluru include the field of lights display which lights up the outback every night, a scenic flight over Uluru where you can experience this sacred space from above or a segway guided tour around Uluru to get a more in depth explanation to the history and stories.

NOTE: You are no longer allowed to climb to the top of Uluru and it’s culturally inappropriate to take photos of some sections as you walk around it. Please respect all signs you see around the area.

There are limited options for accommodation at Uluru national park. In fact, to stay inside the national park, there is only The Ayers Rock Resort which is made up of campsites and various luxury and budget hotels within one property. 

If you’re happy to drive in and out of the park each day, you can camp for free a short drive away from the area. Please check Wikicamps for the latest updates and reviews on this free campsite. There’s also relatively cheap showers at Curtin Springs, if you’re continuing to Darwin I would make a note of this and stop here before continuing on!

Alice Springs

Your last stop is Alice Springs which is just under 5 hours (468 km) away from Uluru, going back the way you came and turning left on Stuart Highway once you get back to Ghan. 

You can do a detour from here to visit the Kings Canyon, which will make your entire drive time around 8 hours. If you choose to do this, I recommend adding another night and camping at Kings Canyon. From there you can either double back on yourself via Ghan, or, continue past Petermann but the track is unsealed from there for around 200 km.

This remote town has a whole different vibe to anything else we experienced in Australia. It’s touristy, while also feeling local.

If you’ve visiting during the winter (June – August) you will want to book your accommodation in advance because it can get really busy here in those months with people flying in to see the Red Centre before the weather gets too hot. We stayed in one of the free campsites found on Wikicamps, but you can also use Booking.com to see which are the best options for your budget.

Some of the best things to do in Alice Springs include taking in the views from Anzac Hill, getting up close and personal to some of the wild locals at Alice Springs Nature Park, taking a day trip to the West MacDonnell Ranges and Shopping at the local boutique shops. If you’re not heading to Darwin from here, it’s a great place to get authentic aboriginal art, and ethical Crocodile souvenirs.

When Is The Best Time To Drive To Alice Springs?

While we did our whole outback road trip in the summer, I’m not sure I’d recommend it.

Yes, the roads are quieter, Uluru is considerably quieter (and less flies) and you can camp in the most beautiful spots without anybody else around but, it’s hot as hell which makes sleeping difficult.

Admittedly this wouldn’t have been such an issue if we had air con, or even insulation, in our van but it certainly took us by surprise.

So, with that in mind we think the best time for this Adelaide to Alice springs road trip is in the winter, June to August time. You might get a splattering of rain, nothing compared to what the coastal regions get, but it’s likely more comfortable and much safer. 

Do You Need A 4×4 To Drive From Adelaide To Alice Springs?

This is one of our most asked questions when we talk about our road trip through the outback. People are quite often surprised that no, you don’t need a 4×4 to travel between Adelaide and Alice Springs.

In fact, the road is paved all the way up to Darwin and is the main transport route for goods between the two cities. It also acts as a service road for the rural towns and farms that are scattered along the way.  

However, that’s not to say there aren’t off road adventures to be had out there! If you have a vehicle that’s capable of going off road, which unfortunately we didn’t, there’s plenty of exploring to do away from the main road.

Don’t worry though. While this road trip from Adelaide to Alice springs does follow what’s considered a ‘main road’, we saw less cars during this journey than we have in any other rural area. Especially once we carried on to Darwin, but that’s a story in another blog post (you can read that here)

Safety Tips For This Road Trip

The closer you get to Alice Springs and Uluru, the more deserted you’re going to start to feel and the easier it is to let your guard down but this is a road you really don’t want to underestimate.

There are stretches along this route that are long, flat and straight. Depending on the time of year, you might not see another car all day but that doesn’t mean there aren’t risks.

Do Pre-Travel Checks

Pre-travel checks became a part of our morning routine. This included making sure our oil & tires were ok, checking that our roof rack was properly secured and taking stock of what food/water we had.

Before setting off from Adelaide, you’ll want to make sure your vehicle is fit for the job. Changing tires if necessary and collecting any emergency tools you might need. 

We have a complete outback camping checklist to help you get fully prepared.

Don’t Drive At Night

This was our rule for the whole of Australia, but it was especially important when driving between Adelaide and Alice Springs.

Wild camels, cows and kangaroos are so unbelievably common in the outback and they don’t have road sense. You’ll see a lot of roadkill along this route, maybe even a written off campervan or two, so trust me it’s not a risk worth taking.

Try to get to your camp before the sun starts setting, and don’t leave until the sun is already up. I know it’s tempting to drive late and leave early to make the most of the day, but safety should be a priority on these rural roads.

The most common cause of tourist fatalities in the outback is hitting wild animals, next is heat exhaustion.

Be Prepared

With this Adelaide to Alice Springs road trip itinerary, you’ll have a better idea of which locations you want to see, where you can camp and where you can access facilities but it’s important to make sure you have a plan for if things go wrong and make sure you carry enough resources.

If you’re travelling in a convoy with other vehicles, it’s a good idea to make sure everyone knows the plan for each day (even the non-drivers) and you have a way to signal or contact each other if there’s an issue you need to sort out.

Carry at least 10 litres of water per person, per day, as well as extra fuel, then top it up whenever you get a chance. You can’t guarantee that your next fuel stop will be open, or have fuel, so having extra will act as a safety net. We ran into that issue once during our time in the outback and I can’t say how thankful we were to have our backups!

Rest Frequently

This Adelaide to Alice Springs road trip itinerary highlights the best places to see along the way, but that doesn’t mean you should drive directly between them without stopping. There are plenty of pull-ins and places to stop if you feel you need a rest from the monotony of these roads. 

If you feel yourself lagging, don’t risk it. After experiencing a near head-on collision on an outback road, due to a driver not paying attention and/or being too tired to drive, I can promise that you won’t regret taking an extra stop or two between destinations.

Be Cautious Of Road Trains

Road trains are a sight to see in the outback, especially if you’re from somewhere like the UK where we don’t have large double loaded lorries – I’m sorry, that’s definitely not the technical term for them haha.

Seeing lorries towing four to five large trailers can be quite intimidating, and when it comes to overtaking them you need to be confident you have enough space and time to do so.

If you get ‘stuck’ behind one, make sure you stay a good distance away. It’s not uncommon for them to flick up stones that can shatter windscreens but you’ll also need to allow yourself enough time to react if it needs to stop quickly. The same for if you have one passing you in the opposite direction, slow down and pull over as far as you can to give them space to pass.

On the main tourist coastal routes, bigger vehicles like motorhomes and lorries/trucks will pull over to allow people to pass them. This doesn’t happen in the outback so don’t expect a road train to slow down and allow you past. 

How Long Do You Need For A Road Trip From Adelaide To Alice Springs

We took 10 days to do the full stretch down from Darwin, so I think 7 days is a comfortable length to get you from Adelaide to Alice Springs with some time at Uluru too.

Yes, you can drive from Adelaide to Alice Springs in one stint or slit it over a couple of days but as experienced road trippers I can promise you, you won’t enjoy it anywhere near as much and you’ll get more out of your trip if you slow down.

7 days to drive from Adelaide to Alice Springs allows you enough time to spend a couple of days in the key spots to squeeze in the walks and activities on offer there.

You’re going to have an amazing time in the outback, we’d love to hear all about it over on our Facebook group so be sure to join and let us know how it went! If you found this post helpful, please give it a share!