Alice Springs to Uluru/Ayers Rock Driving Guide

By Travel Outback Australia

The only Uluru/Ayers Rock to Alice Springs driving guide you'll ever need! 

UPDATED MARCH 2022 - A complete driving guide to one of outback Australia's most iconic roadtrips through the Red Center.

Less than the price of a cup of coffee!
 

Over 110 pages of information, maps, photos, sightseeing and trip planning advice, written by outback locals with over 20 years of experience living and working Australia's Red Center:

• TWO complete, super-detailed driving itineraries (not just what's on the web).
• Four original local/expert sightseeing itineraries of 5-10 days not published elsewhere.
• Uluru to Alice Springs itinerary plus extended side trips and options.
• Detailed sightseeing, accommodation, trip planning and preparation advice.
• Our detailed beginner's guide to vehicle preparation and packing guides, based on more than 20 years of living and working in Outback Australia

Written by the people behind the number one travel resource for the Australian outback on the web, Travel Outback Australia.com, this guide will show you everything you need to know to plan your Uluru/Ayers Rock - Alice Springs outback trip of a lifetime.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Amanda Markham
• Release date: Mar 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386158110

Book preview

Driving Alice Springs to Uluru/Ayers Rock: A Complete Itinerary

Travel Outback Australia.com

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Copyright ©2022 Gary Weir & Amanda Markham

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No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, contact us here:

http://traveloutbackaustralia.com/contact.html

Contents

Introduction

Quick Facts

Costs (2022)

National Park Entry

Permits

Need to Know

TIPS FOR PLANNING YOUR ULURU ADVENTURE

Tip 1: You DO NOT NEED A 4WD

Tip 2: Distance, Distance, Distance

Then there are the distances at the Rock itself.

And don’t forget Kata Tjuta (the Olgas)...

Tip 3: So Much to See and Do

Tip 4: Our BEST Outback Local’s Tip: Plan Two Nights/Three Days at Uluru

SUGGESTED ITINERARIES

Itinerary 1: Budget Adventure

Day 1: Alice Springs Highlights

Day 2: Travel to Uluru

Day 3: Around Uluru

Day 4: Kata Tjuta – The Olgas

Day 5: Heading Off

Itinerary 2: Nature & Culture (Our TOP Recommendation)

Day 1: Alice Springs

Day 2: Travel to Uluru

Day 3: Around Uluru

Day 4: Kata Tjuta and More

Day 5: Heading Off

Itinerary 3: Adventure Calls

Day 1: Alice Springs Highlights

Day 2: Travel to Rainbow Valley OR Redbank Waterhole

Day 3: Travel to Uluru

Day 4: Exploring Uluru

Day 5: Kata Tjuta & More

Day 6: Heading Off

Itinerary 4: The Grand Tour - Once in A Lifetime Trip

Day 1: Alice Springs

Day 2: Alice Springs – Erldunda (4WD options also)

Day 3: Travel to Uluru

Day 4: Exploring Uluru

Day 5: Kata Tjuta or Cave Hill Aboriginal Cultural Tour

Day 6: Uluru to Kings Canyon - Watarrka

Day 7: Kings Canyon – Alice Springs

Day 7 (Extended Option):

Days 8-10: Red Centre Way/West MacDonnell Ranges

Alice Springs – Uluru/Ayers Rock Driving Itinerary

Start Here: Alice Springs

60km: Mt Polhill Roadside Rest Area

67km: Owen Springs Reserve Turn Off

77km: Rainbow Valley Turn Off

92km: Stuarts Well Roadhouse

98km: Cannonball Run Memorial

127km: The Finke River Crossing

132km: Ernest Giles Road/Kings Canyon turnoff

169km: Free Desert Oaks Rest Area/Campsite

201km: Erldunda Roadhouse & Ayers Rock/Uluru turnoff.

301km: Kernot Range Roadside Rest Area

307km: Kings Canyon/Luritja Road Sealed Road Turnoff

332km Curtin Springs East Rest Area

338km Mt Conner Lookout & Roadside Rest Stop

360km: Curtin Springs Roadhouse

416km Sandy Way Free Roadside Rest Stop

440km: Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park Information

447km – Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort)

Starting at Uluru

0km Yulara/Uluru

20km: Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park Information

28km Sandy Way Free Roadside Rest Stop

84km: Curtin Springs Roadhouse

106km: Mt. Connor Lookout and Rest Area

112km: Curtin Springs East Rest Area

137km: Kings Canyon/Luritja Road Sealed Road Turnoff

143km: Kernot Range Roadside Rest Area

243km: Erldunda Roadhouse & Ayers Rock/Uluru turnoff.

276km: Free Desert Oaks Rest Area/Campsite

313km: Ernest Giles Road/Kings Canyon turnoff

318km: The Finke River Crossing

347km: Cannonball Run Memorial

353km: Stuarts Well Roadhouse

368km: Rainbow Valley Turn Off

378km: Owen Springs Reserve Turn Off

385km: Mt Polhill Roadside Rest Area

Finish Here: Alice Springs

Vehicle Preparation Guide

1. Get your vehicle serviced

2. Specific Preparation for Outback Travel

3. Spare Parts

4. Loading your 4WD

5. Love Your Tyres

6. Other Essentials We Take

7. Preparing for Emergencies

8. Pre-Planning

VEHICLE PREPARATION CHECKLIST

What to Pack

The Essentials

Pants:

Tops:

Footwear

Other Clothing:

Toiletries & Medicines

Gadgets

Final Words

Introduction

In our opinion, driving from Alice Springs to Ayers Rock, or vice versa, is a road trip that everyone should have on their bucket list.

It’s a breathtaking journey through the outback’s most famous locations.

It’s an unforgettable trip of a lifetime that takes you to iconic destinations like Uluru/Ayers Rock, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and Alice Springs. Along the way, you’ll be tempted by detours to spectacular places like Rainbow Valley, Kings Canyon and even the West MacDonnell Ranges.

The journey will take you through central Australia’s diverse landscape: from real mountains to sand dunes to sandstone monoliths with hidden gorges and waterholes.

You’ll see plenty of wildlife: kangaroos, dingoes, wild camels and donkeys, brumbies (wild horses) and maybe even a goanna or two.

It’s also one of those trips that feels like you should have a 4WD – but the truth is it can be done in a nippy little 4 cylinder car!

You can drive the entire way on completely sealed (bitumen) roads.

To show you how EASY it is to do this legendary outback road trip, we’ve written a complete planning and travel guide, aimed at preparing you and your vehicle from beginning to getting out there and on the road.

Quick Facts

Start/Finish

You can either begin or end in Alice Springs or Uluru (this guide covers both options).

Distance

445km/276miles

Time required

1 day is enough to do this trip comfortably and get the BEST value for money, however this is travelling time only.

Recommended COMPLETE itinerary:

2 days in Alice Springs

1 day travelling (two half days for a return journey)

2 days in Uluru/Ayers Rock & surrounds

Recommended Vehicle

2WD – you do NOT need a 4WD to do this iconic outback road trip.

Caravan/Camper Trailer friendly

Yes.

Accommodation Options

Hotel/motel/budget rooms in Alice Springs, Stuart Well, Erldunda, Curtin Springs and at Uluru/Ayers Rock. Free camping or campervanning options also exist along the route. We really do recommend you try camping – especially in winter time- for a true outback experience.

Book accommodation & get the BEST prices here.

Fuel Availability:

Fuel (unleaded Opal and diesel) is available in Alice Springs (cheapest fuel is at the Woollies fuel station in Wills Terrace, or the Heavitree Tavern fuel station in Palm Circuit, south of the Gap), Stuart Well Roadhouse, Erldunda, Curtin Springs Roadhouse, Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort). Expect to pay upwards of $2 per litre (2022).

LPG is available in Alice Springs and at Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort).

Food & Supplies:

Alice Springs (lots of supermarkets), takeaway food and basic supplies at Stuart Well Roadhouse, Erldunda, and Curtin Springs. Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort) has a good IGA supermarket, a newsagency, clothing shops, hairdresser and post office.

Costs (2022)

Fuel Cost

If you’re driving a 2WD (recommended) allow about $100 (one way) - $200 (return)