Adelaide to Coober Pedy road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

Adelaide to Coober Pedy road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

The Adelaide to Coober Pedy road trip through the South Australian outback is a monster, covering 849km. That’s an Adelaide to Coober Pedy driving time of around 9h9m. Possible stops to add to the itinerary include the Barossa Valley, Clare Valley, Mount Remarkable National Park, Woomera and Glendambo.

This guide is aimed at travellers planning an Adelaide to Coober Pedy road trip.

In the South Australian outback, the strange opal mining town of Coober Pedy is what passes for a major settlement. If driving from Adelaide to Alice Springs or Uluru, Coober Pedy is the most logical overnight stop. That might mean staying in an underground hotel, but that makes for a good anecdote later on.

Adelaide brings food tours of the fabulous Central Market, Torrens River cruises, swimming with dolphins and the chance to walk across the roof of the Adelaide Oval. To book Adelaide accommodation, step this way. For a full range of Adelaide tours and experiences, explore here.

To advance book weird and wonderful Coober Pedy accommodation, check out the deals here.

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Coober Pedy on drive from Adelaide to Alice Springs
The strange opal mining town of Coober Pedy is a good place to stop on the drive from Adelaide to Alice Springs. Photo by David Whitley/ Australia Travel Questions

Adelaide to Coober Pedy drive: Distance and driving time

But how long is the drive from Adelaide to Coober Pedy? Well, by road the Adelaide to Coober Pedy distance is 849km. That makes for an Adelaide to Coober Pedy driving time of around nine hours and nine minutes. Some drivers will tackle that in a day. Others will be looking for a judicious stop somewhere beforehand.

Pick your perfect Adelaide day trips

There is very little after Port Augusta at the top of the Spencer Gulf, so the smart move is to find somewhere on the drive from Adelaide to Port Augusta. The quickest route largely follows the coast of the Spencer Gulf, passing Inkerman, Port Wakefield, Lake Bumbunga and Port Pirie.

Click through to the next section: Clare Valley.