Canberra to Alice Springs road trip: Distance, drive time & top stops
Canberra to Alice Springs road trip: The final leg.
The las leg of the road trip, from Coober Pedy to Alice Springs, is a long and arduous journey. It takes approximately seven hours and 50 minutes with little to see along the way.
However, the Breakaways range just north of Coober Pedy is a photogenic highlight.
On the Northern Territory section of the drive, the options are the Kulgera Roadhouse, Erldunda Roadhouse and Stuarts Well. The latter is home to Camel Tours NT, which lets visitors go for short camel rides.
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.
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.
Activities worth booking in Alice Springs include a West MacDonnell Ranges day trip, an early morning hot air balloon flight and a nocturnal visit to the Alice Springs Desert Park.
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More Australian road trips
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How long is the drive from Mount Magnet to Perth?
Where to stop on a Tennant Creek to Uluru road trip.
Stop at the Weereewa Lookout on the Port Macquarie to Canberra drive.