In-depth guide · CampingSpirit
From Alice Springs through the West MacDonnell Ranges, over Tylers Pass and the gravel of the Mereenie Loop to Kings Canyon, on to Uluṟu and Kata Tjuṯa and back via Erldunda: around 1,250 km of outback where water, fuel and time of day matter more than any sight.
The spirit of the route
In the Red Centre the sun sets the pace. At six in the morning the air smells of spinifex and cold dust, the quartzite walls of the West MacDonnells glow orange, and in the waterholes between the gorge walls the water is so cold it might have come from another continent. At midday the asphalt shimmers, road trains with three trailers drag plumes of dust behind them, and you look for shade under a ghost gum. From the sliding door you watch Mount Sonder turn violet in the evening light; on the Mereenie Loop there is only red earth, desert oaks and now and then a camel. Then the great places: the sandstone dome above Kings Canyon, the domes of Kata Tjuṯa, and Uluṟu, changing colour with every quarter-hour of light. At night the Milky Way hangs so low over the campground that you switch off your head torch. This route demands planning – water, fuel, early starts – and rewards you with silence.
Stage-by-stage plan
1Stage 1: Alice Springs to Ellery Creek Big Hole (approx. 95 km)
- The drive
- Head west out of Alice Springs on Larapinta Drive, with a detour to Simpsons Gap (a spur road of around 8 km), on past the turn-off to Standley Chasm and onto Namatjira Drive at the junction. Sealed throughout, two lanes but no shoulder; the quartzite ridges of the MacDonnell Ranges run alongside. A good 1.5 hours of driving, half a day with the stops.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Simpsons Gap (Rungutjirpa): a short path into the gap in the rock, with black-footed rock-wallabies on the scree slopes early in the morning and late in the afternoon.
- Standley Chasm (Angkerle Atwatye): a narrow cleft that briefly glows red around midday – privately run by the Aboriginal community, with its own entry fee.
- Ellery Creek Big Hole: a deep, ice-cold waterhole beneath red walls, plus the short Dolomite Walk with views of the folded rock.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Campground at Ellery Creek Big Hole in Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park: basic sites, toilets, gas barbecues, no power, no drinking water (only use the water available after boiling it) – bring your own drinking water. Book and pay for sites in advance through the NT Parks online booking system; no payment is possible on site. If you want a more comfortable start, spend the first night in Alice Springs at one of the holiday parks with power and dump facilities, or at the camping area at Standley Chasm.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the national park, stay overnight only at designated campgrounds – the car parks at Simpsons Gap and the gorges are not overnight spots, and rangers check. In Alice Springs, sleeping in a vehicle on public land is prohibited by council by-laws.
- Insider tip for campers
- In Alice Springs, fill up with fuel, check your gas and fill all water tanks and jerrycans – west of town there is no reliable supply, as the resort at Glen Helen has been closed since 2023. The NT Parks Visitor Pass is only available online and before you set off; print it or save it offline, because mobile reception ends just outside town.
2Stage 2: Ellery Creek Big Hole to Ormiston Gorge (approx. 50 km)
- The drive
- Continue west on sealed Namatjira Drive, with short spur roads to Serpentine Gorge and the Ochre Pits; the view of Mount Sonder grows with every kilometre. The access roads are short, some of them gravel. Barely an hour of driving in total – time for walks in the cool of the morning.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Ochre Pits: coloured layers of ochre in the creek bank, used by the Arrernte since time immemorial – do not scrape any off or take any away.
- Ormiston Gorge (Kwartatuma): the Ghost Gum Walk to the lookout above the gorge and, for those with stamina, the Ormiston Pound Walk through the basin behind the walls. As of 2026, both the Ghost Gum loop and the Pound Walk require a short swim or wade through cold water – check the NT Parks notices beforehand.
- Glen Helen Gorge, 12 km further on: here the Finke River cuts through the range, and in the evening the walls above the waterhole glow.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Ormiston Gorge Campground (NT Parks): sites for campers and tents, toilets, hot showers, barbecues, no power; book online, fills up early in the cool season. In 2026 the kiosk was open daily from 10 am to 4 pm until mid-October. The Discovery Resorts – Glen Helen resort at Glen Helen Gorge has been temporarily closed since 2023 due to problems with its water supply; check in advance whether it is offering sites again.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The same applies here: campgrounds only. The Larapinta Trail camps are intended for walkers, not vehicles. Fires only in existing fireplaces and only when no Total Fire Ban has been declared.
- Insider tip for campers
- The waterholes are cold and deep even in summer – never swim alone, and don't stay in too long because of the risk of hypothermia. There are no toilets at the Ochre Pits; use the ones at Serpentine Gorge or Ellery Creek. Before moving on, check the condition of Namatjira Drive and the Mereenie Loop at roadreport.nt.gov.au.
3Stage 3: Ormiston Gorge to Kings Canyon via Tylers Pass and the Mereenie Loop (approx. 250 km)
- The drive
- Via Glen Helen west on Namatjira Drive, over Tylers Pass with a view of the Tnorala (Gosse Bluff) meteorite crater, to the junction with Larapinta Drive and then onto the Mereenie Loop, the unsealed link to Kings Canyon. The gravel alternates between smooth red sand, corrugations and stony stretches; after rain, sections may be closed or muddy. Officially the loop is open only to four-wheel-drive vehicles; staged sealing is due to begin at the earliest in late 2026 with a first 25 km section, and roadworks are listed at roadreport.nt.gov.au. Expect 60–80 km/h, 4–5 hours in total. Note: most campervan rental agreements exclude unsealed roads – without explicit permission and a four-wheel-drive vehicle, take the sealed alternative: back to Alice Springs, south on the Stuart Highway and via the Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road to Kings Canyon (a good 600 km from Ormiston Gorge, two days).
- Highlights & must-sees
- Tylers Pass Lookout: a sweeping view across the plain to the ring wall of Tnorala, formed by an impact around 140 million years ago.
- The desert landscape of the Mereenie Loop, with desert oaks, red sand dunes and views of the Gardiner Range.
- Kings Creek Walk in the evening: a level path into the gorge bed to a platform beneath the canyon walls.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: The camping area at Kings Canyon Resort, around 7 km west of the gorge: powered and unpowered sites, amenities, pool, fuel station and shop. Further east on Luritja Road is Kings Creek Station, a cattle and camel farm with a campground, power and fuel – a quieter alternative. There is no vehicle campground within Watarrka National Park itself.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): The Mereenie Loop crosses Aboriginal land: to drive through you need the Mereenie Loop Permit, most recently sold at the Visitor Information Centre in Alice Springs, the Central Land Council in Alice Springs, the Hermannsburg General Store, Kings Canyon Resort and Kings Creek Station; it is valid for three days from the date of purchase and must be carried with you. Stop only beside the road, no detours onto side tracks, no overnight stays on the loop – camping is not permitted there.
- Insider tip for campers
- Lower your tyre pressure moderately for the corrugations and raise it again before the asphalt (you'll need a compressor); protect the fridge vents and door seals from dust. After Alice Springs, the next fuel is at Hermannsburg (a detour east on Larapinta Drive) and at Kings Canyon Resort – Glen Helen is out of the picture while the resort is closed. If you take the sealed route, stay overnight in Erldunda or at a rest area on the Lasseter Highway.
4Stage 4: Kings Canyon to Curtin Springs (approx. 225 km)
- The drive
- Rim Walk early in the morning, then south-east on sealed Luritja Road through open bushland to the Lasseter Highway and west to Curtin Springs. Long straights, hardly any traffic, but cattle and kangaroos by the roadside. A good 2.5 hours of driving.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Kings Canyon Rim Walk (6 km loop, 3–4 hours): a steep climb up the “Heartbreak Hill” steps, then across the domes of the Lost City and down to the Garden of Eden.
- Mount Conner (Atila) Lookout on the Lasseter Highway: a flat-topped mountain often mistaken for Uluṟu; across the road lies the salt pan of a dried-up lake, reached over the dune.
- Evening light over the flat-topped Atila from Curtin Springs.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Curtin Springs Wayside Inn, the roadhouse of a large cattle station on the Lasseter Highway: a basic campground with unsealed sites (traditionally free of charge), powered sites for a fee, amenities, fuel station, bar. Ask on site about current conditions.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): In the Northern Territory, rest areas on the Lasseter Highway can generally be used for overnight stays unless signposted otherwise – facilities are usually just a table, a shade shelter and a bin. Park well away from the carriageway: road trains run at night too.
- Insider tip for campers
- Heat rule: if a daily maximum of 36 °C or more is forecast for Kings Canyon, the Rim Walk must be started before 9 am, after which the entrance is closed. Start at first light anyway, with at least 3 litres of water per person. The NT Parks pass is also valid for Watarrka.
5Stage 5: Curtin Springs to Yulara (Uluṟu) (approx. 85 km)
- The drive
- The last kilometres of the Lasseter Highway west to the resort town of Yulara, then on along the park road to Uluṟu. Sealed, 110 km/h on the highway, considerably less in the national park. A good hour – the rest of the day belongs to the rock.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Uluṟu Base Walk (around 10 km on the flat around the rock), best done in sections: the Mala Walk with a ranger guide and the Kuniya Walk to the Mutitjulu waterhole.
- Cultural Centre at the foot of Uluṟu: Aṉangu history and law, an art workshop – visit before your walk.
- Sunset at the Car Sunset Viewing Area with the red glow of the rock.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Ayers Rock Campground in Yulara, the only campground near Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa: powered and unpowered sites, amenities, pool, shop in the resort town. Book early in the cool season and during Australian school holidays.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnight stays are not permitted in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, which closes to vehicles at night. Free camping is prohibited within the Yulara resort town; the nearest alternative is Curtin Springs.
- Insider tip for campers
- For the national park you need the Parks Australia park pass – separate from the NT Parks pass, buy it online in advance. Climbing Uluṟu has been permanently banned since October 2019; photography bans at sacred sites are signposted and also apply to drones. Top up your water at the station in the Cultural Centre and at the campground.
6Stage 6: Yulara to Kata Tjuṯa and back (approx. 110 km)
- The drive
- West along the park road to the 36 domes of Kata Tjuṯa, with a turn-off on the way to the dune platform. Sealed, around 50 km each way, with enforced speed limits in the park and lots of pedestrians in the car parks. A full day with walks.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Valley of the Winds Walk (7.4 km loop): between the domes to the Karu and Karingaṉa lookouts.
- Walpa Gorge: a short path into the gorge between two of the highest domes.
- Kata Tjuṯa Dune Viewing Area at sunrise, with Uluṟu behind you.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Second night at Ayers Rock Campground in Yulara.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Overnight stays are also prohibited in the Kata Tjuṯa car parks. Park opening hours are signposted at the entrance – leave in good time if you're taking sunset photos.
- Insider tip for campers
- When temperatures of 36 °C or more are forecast or recorded, the Valley of the Winds Walk is closed from 11 am at the first lookout (Karu); start early and check the rules at the entrance or in the Cultural Centre. Pack a head net – in spring the bush flies are relentless.
7Stage 7: Yulara to Erldunda (approx. 245 km)
- The drive
- The whole of the Lasseter Highway back east via Curtin Springs to the junction with the Stuart Highway. Long, dead-straight stretches, occasionally sand dunes close to the road, oncoming tour coaches and road trains. Just under 3 hours.
- Highlights & must-sees
- A last look at Uluṟu in the rear-view mirror, and Mount Conner Lookout with the salt pan on the other side.
- The dune crests along the Lasseter Highway, with desert oaks and mulga.
- Erldunda: a roadhouse on the Stuart Highway whose emu enclosure is a classic stop for people passing through.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Desert Oaks Resort (Erldunda Roadhouse) at the junction of the Stuart and Lasseter Highways: campground with power, amenities, pool, fuel station and restaurant – handy as a stage stop halfway to Alice Springs.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): There are several rest areas with overnight options along the Lasseter and Stuart Highways; WikiCamps and CamperMate show their location, facilities and current user notes. No fires during a fire ban, take your rubbish with you.
- Insider tip for campers
- Don't drive at dusk or at night: that is when kangaroos, cattle, horses and camels stand on the road, and a collision with a cow will end your trip. Only overtake road trains of more than 50 m in length on long, clear straights – or move left onto the shoulder in good time and let them pass.
8Stage 8: Erldunda to Alice Springs (approx. 200 km)
- The drive
- North on the Stuart Highway through mulga scrub, finally through Heavitree Gap into town. A good road, 110 km/h outside built-up areas, 130 km/h on signposted sections, lots of heavy traffic. Around 2 hours, half a day with a detour.
- Highlights & must-sees
- Rainbow Valley Conservation Reserve: sandstone walls that glow with colour in the evening light – reached via around 20 km of unsealed track, usually not permitted in a rental camper.
- Stuarts Well: a roadhouse on the highway with a camel farm.
- Heavitree Gap and Anzac Hill in Alice Springs, with views over the town to the MacDonnell Ranges.
- CampingSpirit overnight tip
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Official campsite or RV park: Alice Springs has several holiday parks, such as BIG4 MacDonnell Range Holiday Park in the south-east of town, with power, water and waste facilities and large amenities – ideal at the end for laundry, cleaning and returning the vehicle.
Free camping or nature tip (where legal): Within Alice Springs, sleeping in a vehicle outside campgrounds is not permitted. On the way back, rest areas on the Stuart Highway offer legal breaks.
- Insider tip for campers
- Before returning the camper, check the dust filters, tyres and underbody for stone damage and thoroughly clean the red dust out of the interior – rental companies charge for cleaning. Ask at the Visitor Information Centre (Todd Mall) about conditions for onward destinations such as the East MacDonnell Ranges.
Camping practice & local rules
Wild camping & overnight parking
- In the Northern Territory you may stay overnight at most rest areas on the Stuart and Lasseter Highways unless signs prohibit it; they usually have no water or toilet. Towns and communities such as Alice Springs prohibit sleeping in vehicles on public land.
- In the NT national parks (Tjoritja / West MacDonnell, Watarrka) stay overnight only at designated campgrounds, and in the federal Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park not at all. NT park campgrounds are booked online.
- Large parts of the Red Centre are Aboriginal land: away from public roads you need permits; for the Mereenie Loop, the Mereenie Loop Permit. Do not enter sacred sites, and observe photography and drone bans.
- Apps: WikiCamps and CamperMate for campgrounds, rest areas, water and dump points; plus roadreport.nt.gov.au for road closures and the NT authorities' fire warnings.
Waste disposal & supplies
- Dump points: in Alice Springs and at the campgrounds in Yulara, Kings Canyon and Erldunda; no dump stations in the national parks. Empty your cassette in good time.
- Water: many campgrounds and rest areas have no drinking water. Allow 5–7 litres per person per day in the warm season and carry an extra 20 litres in reserve – if you break down in the outback, water saves lives.
- Gas: Australian LPG bottles have a POL fitting; European bottles will not be filled. Swap empty rental bottles in Alice Springs (swap schemes at fuel stations) or have them refilled; away from town, gas is not reliably available.
- Fuel: fuel stations are sometimes well over 200 km apart (Alice Springs, Hermannsburg, Kings Canyon, Kings Creek Station, Curtin Springs, Yulara, Erldunda, Stuarts Well). Take every opportunity to fill up; prices in the outback are considerably higher than in town, and note the roadhouses' opening hours.
Vehicle size & traffic rules
- Drive on the left. Speed limits in the NT: usually 50 km/h in built-up areas, generally 110 km/h outside them, 130 km/h on signposted sections of the Stuart Highway; lower, enforced limits in the national parks. Blood alcohol limit 0.05, mobile phone at the wheel only in a cradle and hands-free.
- Road trains of more than 50 m: don't pull in tightly in front of them, allow a great deal of distance when overtaking, and on gravel pull over and let them pass to avoid stone chips and dust plumes.
- Animals: kangaroos, cattle (open grazing land without fences), horses, donkeys and camels, especially at dusk and at night. Avoid driving at night; many rental agreements exclude it or animal damage anyway.
- Unsealed roads: rental campervans may usually only be driven on asphalt, otherwise insurance cover is void. Mereenie Loop (officially four-wheel drive only), Rainbow Valley and Redbank Gorge only with an expressly approved four-wheel-drive vehicle; closures apply after rain. Always check road conditions at roadreport.nt.gov.au.
- Heat: from October to March daytime temperatures are often above 40 °C. On the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, no start is possible after 9 am when 36 °C or more is forecast; on the Valley of the Winds Walk at Kata Tjuṯa, the trail beyond the Karu lookout closes from 11 am at 36 °C or more. If you break down, stay with your vehicle.
CampingSpirit packing & preparation checklist
- A 20-litre water jerrycan in addition to the onboard tank – campgrounds such as Ellery Creek have no drinking water, and breakdowns take a long time in the outback.
- Head net: otherwise bush flies turn the Rim Walk and Valley of the Winds into an ordeal in spring.
- Compressor and tyre pressure gauge for the Mereenie Loop, if your vehicle is approved for gravel.
- Satellite messenger or PLB (personal locator beacon): there is no mobile coverage between Glen Helen and Kings Canyon or on long stretches of the Lasseter Highway.
- Wide-brimmed hat, long-sleeved UV clothing and electrolyte powder for walks from sunrise.
- Offline maps and printed passes (NT Parks pass, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa park pass, Mereenie Loop Permit) – without reception you can't buy anything online on the way.
As of 2026-09. Closures, fees and booking rules change: check official sources before you go.
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