Alice Springs is a town in the heart of the Northern Territory, known as the gateway town to both Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.
We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.
For thousands of years, the Arrernte people lived on this land, long before any Europeans arrived, calling it Mparntwe.
The first Europeans to explore inland Australia were led in 1860 by the Scottish explorer John McDouall Stuart from Adelaide northwards, a journey of about ten months. The highway that now connects Adelaide to Darwin, bisecting Australia from south to north, is named the Stuart Highway after him. The Overland Telegraph was completed in 1872 which included the establishment of the Alice Springs Telegraph Station in 1871. Alice Springs was actually just the name of the waterhole next to the telegraph station, named after Alice Todd, the wife of Sir Charles Todd, Australia's Superintendent of Telegraphs. The town itself was actually originally called Stuart, also after John McDouall Stuart, but many features, such as the telegraph station and the train station, built in 1929, continued to bear the name Alice Springs. To finally clear up confusion, the town was officially renamed Alice Springs in 1933.
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Useful Information for Alice Springs
Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to Alice Springs. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In Alice Springs, the traditional language of the Arrernte people is Arrernte.
→ Learn more about the language of the Arrernte people.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data/WiFi: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
We travel with a Starlink in our campervan which enables us to have unlimited WiFi wherever we are, even in places without coverage.
Free WiFi is available at both the Alice Springs Library and Visitor Information Centre.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. Alice Springs is in the centre of Australia, in the heart of the Northern Territory and can get very hot during the summer. I recommend visiting in autumn (March-May), winter (June-August) or spring (September-November) for pleasant, sunny days.
Length of stay: We spent three days in Alice Springs in total before, in between and after trips to Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park which was more than enough time to explore the highlights. I think one or two days added on to your trip is plenty. We also took advantage of it being a pretty major town in the outback and hit the gym, stocked up on groceries and got some van mechanic repairs sorted!
How to Get to Alice Springs
Alice Springs is the gateway town to both Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and therefore a key transport hub for visitors.
By flight: Alice Springs is serviced by its own regional airport, connecting nationally across Australia to Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Melbourne, Sydney and Tennant Creek. Alice Springs Airport is located just south of town, about a 15-minute drive away.
→ Rent a car at Alice Springs Airport.
If you don't want to drive, there is an airport shuttle running between the airport and Alice Springs, or you can grab a taxi.
By car: If you're driving around the country as we are in our campervan, then the easiest way to get to Alice Springs is with your own wheels. The most popular way of exploring Australia is by camping - whether with a motorhome, campervan, caravan or a roof tent on top of a car. This gives you the ultimate freedom of going as fast or as slow as you like.
By train: The Ghan is a multi-day train journey operated twice per week by Journeys Beyond connecting Adelaide in the far south with Darwin, bisecting Australia down its middle, with a stop in Alice Springs.
By coach: Greyhound runs long distance coaches around Australia including Alice Springs.
How to Get Around Alice Springs
On foot: The main downtown area of Alice Springs is very walkable, with restaurants, accommodation and shops all accessible along the Todd River.
By car: The easiest and most popular way of getting around is by car so you can park wherever you like and explore. This also means you can get out of the downtown area and out to other neighbourhoods, as well as of course to Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.
→ Rent a car in Alice Springs.
By bus: Alice Springs is well-connected with an extensive bus network making getting where you need to go easy and affordable.
By guided tour: There are a number of guided tours available in Alice Springs including hot air balloon flights, reptile centre visits, Aboriginal art workshops, historical town tours, full day tours and the Royal Flying Doctor museum.
Naturally, Alice Springs also offers loads of guided day or multi-day tours out to both Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.
Where to Stay in Alice Springs
Hotel: Not traveling by campervan? Driving in a car? Stopping over on your way to the national parks? Whatever your reason for needing a place to stay, there are some great accommodation options in Alice Springs.
→ Check out places to stay to suit your budget and accommodation type.
Camping: We are driving "the lap" around Australia, exploring the country in our campervan. As with the rest of Australia, the Northern Territory permits freedom camping on designated sites. These sites can vary greatly; some offer a variety of facilities such as toilets, trash bins, picnic tables, outdoor cooking stations and others have none of this and might simply be a pull-out on the side of the road.
The best way to find legal freedom camping spots is to use an app. We use Wikicamps Australia, a cheap app that has every single amenity listed (both free and paid) that you might need on the road. This includes things like where to fill up fresh water, where to dump grey water, where to empty toilets, where to stay, gas stations, information points and also has suggestions for things to do as you go.
→ Download the Wikicamps Australia app.
The closest free campsite to Alice Springs is located at the Tropic of Capricorn Rest Area, marking exactly halfway between the equator and the South Pole (we also crossed it on our way up the west coast!). It's just 20 minutes' drive from town. There are toilets and covered picnic areas to use and even though it's just off the Stuart Highway, it's a quiet and peaceful place to park up for the night.
Tropic of Capricorn Rest Area
Where to Eat in Alice Springs
After a number of weeks traveling in the outback, it was a treat to be in a busy town again with loads of yummy food options to try for dinner!
Just south of the main town area of Alice Springs, you'll find the local Alice Springs Brewing Co making their own house-brewed beers alongside yummy pub food.
Warung Makan Alice is an amazing family-run authentic Indonesian spot with a cute courtyard in the heart of Alice Springs with lovely service.
On our last night in Alice Springs, we grabbed delicious late-night burritos from Loco Burrito, a hole-in-the-wall spot where you can pick fillings what you want, including vegetarian and vegan options.
Alice Springs Brewing Co.
Warung Makan Alice
Loco Burrito
Best Things to Do in Alice Springs
Alice Springs unfortunately has a negative reputation of being one of the unsafest places in Australia. While I know that everyone's experiences were and will be different, I have to be honest and say that we really enjoyed the town. We visited Alice Springs three times before, in between and after our trips to the nearby national parks.
Cross the Tropic of Capricorn
Just 20 minutes before arriving in Alice Springs, you'll cross the Tropic of Capricorn marking exactly halfway between the equator and the South Pole. We also crossed the Tropic of Capricorn on the west coast shortly before arriving in Exmouth.
It's a fun photo stop to make as you drive down the Stuart Highway.
Spot the Welcome to Alice Springs sign
If there are no other cars on the road, you can safely slow down for a photo of the "Welcome to Alice Springs" sign as you arrive in town with the beautiful mountains framing the view.
Take in the view from ANZAC Hill
The best view of the entire town of Alice Springs is from the top of ANZAC Hill located in the northern part of town. The memorial on top of the hill was originally dedicated to the ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) who fought in the First World War, built in 1934, but now is a memorial for all ANZAC conflicts. There is also an open-air museum detailing ANZAC war history with different plaques along the walkway up the hill.
You can walk up the hill or drive to the small parking lot just below the memorial.
Visit Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park
Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park is one of my favourite national parks in Australia, located in between Alice Springs and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Alice Springs is often considered the gateway town to both these national parks and is a major attraction to visiting this area.
It is possible to visit Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park as a day trip but since there are so many places to hike and explore, I recommend at least two or three days to properly enjoy the park. The national park starts just 20 minutes from Alice Springs.
→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park!
Visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is one of the most famous national parks in Australia, protecting the massive Uluru, a giant red sandstone rock, the largest monolith in the entire world, weighing approximately four million tonnes, as well as the nearby rocks of Kata Tjuta. Alice Springs is often considered the gateway town to both this national park and Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park.
It is possible to visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park as a day trip but since there are so many places to hike and explore, I recommend at least three days to properly enjoy the park.
→ Check out my complete guide to visiting Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park!
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
