Alice Springs Holidays Northern Territory

Alice Springs, Northern Territories Holidays

Central Australia is a huge outback region in the Northern Territory, centred on the town of Alice Springs. Also known as the Red Centre, its vast terrain spans dusty red desert, mountain ranges and gorges home to cockatoos and kangaroos. It’s known for Uluru, or Ayers Rock, a massive rock monolith and sacred Aboriginal site. Close by is Kata Tjuta, or The Olgas, a group of 36 immense ochre rock domes.

Alice Springs Holidays

North of Uluru, the sheer cliffs of Kings Canyon drop down to rock pools below, while trails lead around the rim to the Lost City sandstone formations. Northeast of the canyon, the Larapinta Trail winds through dramatic red mountains and gorges in West MacDonnell National Park. Also, in the park, Simpsons Gap is home to black-¬footed rock-¬wallabies, while Ormiston Gorge features hiking trails and a waterhole. To the south, Finke Gorge National Park has campsites, clifftop lookouts and rare palm trees. While mostly a base for day trips, Alice Springs has galleries featuring Aboriginal art, plus cattle stations and a wildlife park.
Australian Aboriginal art is the oldest ongoing art tradition in the world. Early Aboriginal stories and culture were expressed in rock carvings, body painting and ground designs. In 1971, a schoolteacher, Geoffrey Bardon, saw the impermanent art being created just north-west of Alice Springs at Papunya. He introduced paints and canvas to the community and many locals began taking advantage of these new, Western mediums. Today, artworks are displayed in galleries across Alice Springs, such as the Papunya Tula gallery, owned and directed by traditional Aboriginal people from the Western Desert. Explore the galleries lining Todd Mall, a pedestrian-only shopping strip in the centre of town, or visit the collection at the Araluen Arts Centre. The Tjanpi Desert Weavers is a social enterprise that takes basket weaving to the next level.
Stretching out hundreds of kilometres each side of Alice Springs are the caterpillar-like East and West MacDonnell Ranges. They’re full of incredible views, hiking, 4WD tracks, freshwater swimming holes and camping spots. Spend a day in the West MacDonnell Ranges (home to the Larapinta Trail) to discover Simpsons Gap and black-footed rock wallabies. See the soaring red cliffs and swimming holes at Ormiston Gorge and Pound, or visit Finke Gorge National Park. Hire a car and explore the region yourself, take a day tour, or jump on board an unforgettable scenic flight over the area.