Cairns to Uluru road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time
Best stops on the Cairns to Uluru drive: Devils Marbles to Alice Springs
The best place to stop on the dusty, dry 508km journey from Tennant Creek to Alice Springs is the Devils Marbles, a mysterious collection of stacked red boulders.
The Wycliffe Well roadhouse, covered in alien and UFO-related nonsense, is also quite entertaining.
Other potential fuel stops on the way to Alice Springs are the Barrow Creek Hotel, Ti Tree Roadhouse and Aileron Roadhouse.
Alice Springs attractions and activities
Alice Springs is by far the most likely overnight stay on the Tennant Creek to Uluru section of road trip, however.
Seven essential Alice Springs activities to add to your trip.
- See imposing red rock cliffs and stunning swimming holes – on a West MacDonnell Ranges day trip.
- Glide across the changing morning colours of the outback – on a hot air balloon ride.
- See how education works across the outback – at the School of the Air.
- Take in the epic outback scenery – on a scenic flight.
- See the outback wildlife come to life – on a Desert Park nocturnal tour.
- Try camel rides through the red dirt landscape – and learn the weird history of Aussie camels.
- See stunning, often unvisited outback sites – on a Palm Valley 4wd tour.
Things to do in Alice Springs include the absorbing Alice Springs Desert Park, the Museum of Central Australia and the Royal Flying Doctor Service Base visitor centre.
For tours, enjoy a camel tour, a hot air balloon flight or a West MacDonnell Ranges day trip.
Best Alice Springs accommodation choices
These are the best Alice Springs accommodation picks:
- For a solid, relatively affordable motel: Elkira Court Motel.
- For villas, gardens and a lagoon-style pool: Desert Palms.
- For backpackers: Alice’s Secret Travellers Inn.
- For a kid-friendly holiday park: Discovery Parks Alice Springs.
- For business-friendly serviced apartments: Quest Alice Springs.
Click through to the next section: Alice Springs to Uluru.