Is Alice Spring Worth it? 12 Reasons you should visit in the NT!

Ever wondered what’s in the outback of Australia’s Northern Territory? Sure, its ochre desserts, rocky outcrops, stunning views and starry skies never fail to catch the attention of tourists. But, do I really think Alice Springs is worth visiting?

While it is the third largest town in the Northern Territory, I often find people only use it as a starting point to get to Uluru, but might not explore much in the town itself. So, as an Australian traveller who has been to Alice Springs several times, I’m here to tell you to at least take a look, as you might be pleasantly surprised.

Below, I will share with you several reasons why I think Alice Springs should be a must-visit destination and help you decide for yourself!

This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Please read my disclaimer, T&C’s & privacy policy here.

Is Alice Springs Worth Visiting?

Ultimately, I know Alice Springs is worth visiting as a wonderful starting point for your Red Centre Way adventures. Additionally, there are also so many remarkable natural sites and landscapes close by, along with its abundant wildlife, rich aboriginal Art, heritage and more affordable than Uluru.

I just love being in nature, and between the freshwater swimming spots, Animal parks, and hiking through the West MacDonnell Ranges. I think you need to at least consider checking out Alice Springs.

Reasons Why I like Visiting!

Alice Springs is a domestic gateway and the unofficial capital of the Red Centre Area, or so-called Australia’s interior desert region. It’s home to an estimated 25,000 permanent residents, which makes up 10% of the whole population in the state.

Because of its ideal location, you can base yourself in Alice for many reasons, before moving onto places like hiking in Kings Canyon and you can’t miss visiting Uluru.

So, let’s get to some of my reasons now!

➡  Book Tours in Alice Springs HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator

1. Cheaper option in Central Australia.

I find Alice Springs a little cheaper compared to other places in the Red Centre, like Kings Canyon and Uluru. Flights are often more affordable and more frequent, plus you have access to different natural sites you may not have heard of.

➡  Find Alice Springs Accommodation HERE with Booking.com

Additionally, the costs of accommodations and other necessities are much more cost-effective in this remote town. You can find a range of accommodations in Alice Springs, from budget-friendly backpacker hostels to luxury five-star hotels.

Plus, I remember scoring a pretty good deal for the 4-Star Crown Plaza Lasseter’s Casino Resort, and it turned out to be one of the more high-class hotels we had stayed in.

2. It’s beaming with Natural Sites.

Alice Springs may not be your typical holiday destination. Still, it’s packed with natural sites and activities that you may not be able to see in other parts of Australia (or even anywhere in the world). I’m talking about rocky outcrops, ochre desserts, and sandstone bluffs & cliffs that offer phenomenal views from every angle.

Some of these natural landmarks are the Palm Valley, which is the only part of Australia where Red Cabbage Palms survive.

And what till you see Rainbow Valley, which is famous for its coloured rocks that light up in the early morning and late afternoon.

Anzac Hill is a small hill with a panoramic view of the town itself, named after the ANZAC memorial placed on top of it. There are more close by with the Tjoritja or West MacDonnell Ranges that leads visitors to some of the most amazing water holes and scenic walking tracks.

It’s also a gateway to some of my favourites, Simpsons Gap and Ochre Pits.

3. A day trip to Uluru is possible (but it’s a long day)

Yes, you can take an Uluru day trip from Alice Springs, but brace yourself, as it’s about 10 hours of return driving time (which doesn’t include seeing Uluru).

While I wouldn’t do this myself, if you have limited time and are desperate to see the Big Red Rock, then you can definitely give it a go.

➡  Find Day trips to Uluru HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.

However, if you want to take part in a true Red Centre experience, then I suggest staying at Uluru for three days(with Alice Springs on top of that). As this will open up so many more attractions like walking around Uluru, Kata Tjuta, visiting the Cultural Centre, and enjoying the beauty of the Field of Lights without having to rush every time.

Luckily, for your convenience, there are Multi Day Tours available too!

4. Fantastic wildlife interactions.

Alice Springs is home to many Australian wildlife animals, and you can see some of them in their natural habitat while you’re touring the area or in wildlife parks.

Firstly, you can visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary and see rescued orphaned babies and adult kangaroos.

Or, head to Reptile Centre, which houses the largest reptile display in Central Australia. However, if you want to get up close and personal with various wildlife, including desert animals like the Bilby, Wedge-tailed Eagle, Mala, and Thorny Devil, the Alice Springs Desert Park is the place to be.

5. Freshwater swimming locations

Although Alice Springs is a remote desert town, you can still access several freshwater swimming spots from here.

Walking through Tjoritja/West MacDonnell Ranges will lead you to larger water holes, where you can dip into the waters and relax between your trips.

➡  Find tour into the Ranges HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator

Brave the crisp freshwater holes like:

• the Ellery Creek Big Hole,
• Ormiston Gorge,
• Redbank Gorge,
• and Glen Helen Gorge.

While swimming in the waters, keep your eyes out on some wildlife animals chilling around the area!

6. Hot Air Balloon flights

If you want to experience the region from a different perspective, hop on a Hot Air Balloon!

While this is just one of the Bucketlist adventures in Australia, you can join a tour from Alice and drift over the desert, alongside rugged West MacDonnell Ranges.

➡  Book your Hot Air Balloon HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator.

Most tours take off before sunrise, so the tourists can catch the sun crossing the horizon while they’re up in the sky. But, aside from the spectacular experience, you can get a glass of refreshment, champagne, or tropical fruit juice cocktail upon landing and a commemorative flight certificate.

7. Brilliant starry skies.

The skies of the Outback Australian desert, including Alice Springs, have less chemical and light pollution, perfect for stargazing. In fact, it’s one of the only places in the world where you can see the southern hemisphere night sky at its clearest.

This makes it a favourite spot among astronomers, or Photographers like me!

Here, you can get unobstructed views of the Milky Way, Southern Cross or the Upside-down Saucepan with larger and brighter stars. To start, just venture outside your hotel or organise some drinks with friends around a campfire for extra fun.

I do recommend a slow-shutter camera for those long-term memories, or bring a small telescope for that extra-close view.

8. Learn the Aboriginal Heritage

Aside from stunning natural wonders, Alice Springs is also rich in history and culture.

At the Hermannsburg Settlement, you can learn about the Aboriginal heritage and see paintings by artists like Albert Namatijira.

Walking around this restored historic town, you can admire the whitewashed buildings, church, school, and old houses. Today, it houses the Kata Anga Tea Rooms, Namatijira Gallery, and its local museum. A trip here would open your world to acclaimed Potters who are renowned for their hand-built terracotta pots.

9. Hiking Opportunities

What’s a better way to admire these natural wonders than walking through them, right? You can find several walking and hiking trails around Alice Springs, especially in West MacDonnell Ranges.

One of the more popular hikes is the Larapinta Trail, which stretches 223 kilometres from Alice Springs to Mount Sonder.

There’s also the 9 kilometre Ormiston Pound Walk that takes tourists to the Pound and into gorge and waterholes.

While both of these are an experience on their own, there are smaller trails to:

• Standley Chasm (2km)
• and Simpson Gap (1km).
• I also recommend the 15-minute walk Corroboree Rock Trail and also,
• the 7.2-kilometre Yeperenye Trail, which connects Emely and Jessie gaps and takes you to sandy gorges.

10. You can Ride a Camel.

Have you ever tried riding a camel?

I didn’t try this one in Alice, but I have in several other locations around the world(including Uluru). It’s a whole lot of fun, and interesting to try out, but also a lovely activity that creates memorable experiences for the whole family.

Generally, you have a few tour options available here with GYG, or here with Viator and will take a couple of hours to complete. While the camels are gentle creatures, riding them can be a little awkward at first, especially when trying to get on or off them.

11. Starting point for a road trip

The Red Centre Way Alice to Uluru road trip is one of my favourite drives in Australia, offering the most picturesque landscapes and several high points to visit.

I’ve driven this area a few times already, and it never fails to amaze me each time I go back!

While there are only 450 kilometres between Alice and Uluru, places like Mount Conner, Erldunda, the Cannonball Run Monument, and Kings Canyon can break the journey up. Even better, that most of the roads are sealed, and you can drive a standard two-wheel-drive vehicle.

12. It’s has it’s own Airport

Central Australia has two airports, Alice Springs and Yulara (Uluru), but Alice would have more flights available. I personally prefer visiting Uluru via Alice Springs as it’s much more convenient and affordable compared to other options.

To get to Alice Springs, you can fly from any major Australian city like Brisbane, Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. But, the downside is that not all of them fly direct everyday.

From Alice, you can get to Uluru either by joining an organized tour or by hiring a car. Matt and I have a preference for road trips, so we always opt to hire a car as a more economical and time-saving choice when seeing the sites.

Where to Stay!

Alice Springs runs on tourism, so a wide range of accommodations are available in the area. What’s great about it is that even the five-star hotels are comparably cheaper than in other cities around the coast of Australia.

➡  Find accommodation HERE with Booking.com

I’ve personally stayed in Crowne Plaza/Lasseter Casino and the Desert Palms. But you have plenty more options starting at less than $100 a night with relatively good facilities.

Do you need a car?

This is the Outback and I definitely think having a vehicle is better in Alice Springs. But in the end, it will depend on your budget, time and your arranged itinerary.

➡Find your favourite brand & compare prices for your Rental Car HERE

If you need to hire a car, I tend to side with AVIS Rental, but there are also Hertz, Budget, Eurocar and Thrifty Car Rentals available to pick up from in town or at the airport.

Is there Public Transport

Yes, Alice Springs has public transport, with buses operating from Monday to Saturday (except on public holidays). These can help you navigate around the town centre areas, but not in some secluded areas.

I find this is more set up for locals getting from A to B than specifically stopping at tourist locations. So please keep that in mind if you don’t want to feel limited on which places you can go to.

➡  Book Tours in Alice Springs HERE with GYG, or HERE with Viator

If you’re not hiring a car and public transport isn’t suitable, then my next best option would be to join organised tours.

How Many Days do you need there? 

If you want to see most of the West MacDonnell ranges, swimming areas and other famous spots, I recommend staying in Alice Springs at least 2 to 3 nights. Obviously, this is on top of the days taken to visit Uluru and the Kings Canyon area.

Staying one day in Alice Springs is possible, if you have limited time. But, this will only allow you to visit a few tourist hotspots within the city limits, including Anzac Hill, and the wildlife parks.

Wrap Up & Read More!

I think Alice Springs is absolutely worth adding to your Central Australian itinerary, or using it as the start or end of your entire “Red Centre Way” Road Trip. The benefits of an extra couple of days, definitely outweighs a return trip at another time.

In the end, I hope that this blog post has helped you see Alice Springs in a positive light and convinced you to experience it yourself. But if you’re still in research mode, then please check out my other Northern Territory travel guides to help finalize your trip itinerary!

• Is Darwin worth visiting & the best things to do?
• How to Get to Florence Falls in Litchfield National Park
• Cairns Vs Darwin – Which is better to Visit?
• See Magnetic Termite Mounds in the Northern Territory
• Best Australian Waterfalls you must see
• Is Australia Boring? Reasons why it’s Not with Photo’s