The Red Center of the Northern Territory is considered the “heart” of Australia, consisting of Alice Springs, UNESCO world heritage Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, and Kings Canyon. We budgeted a week for this area which kept us busy. After flying into Alice Springs Airport and picking up our campervan, we made a beeline to the West MacDonnell National Park. This popular park is just west of Alice Springs, and it stretches for 160 km, featuring magnificent gorges, chasms, and swimming holes. From the MacDonnell Ranges, we drove to Kings Canyon. Famous for its 100 meter high sheer cliff walls, the highlight for us was doing the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, and spotting wild kangaroos and rock wallabies on our hike. Next up was Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock). This massive sandstone monolith lures hundreds of thousands of visitors each year, quite a feat considering its remoteness. Nearby are The Olgas (Kata Tjuta), a group of large, dome-shaped rocks formations, which are equally as impressive as Ayers Rock. From here, we backtracked to Alice Springs where street art was dotted on every corner. Overall, the Red Center did not disappoint and we were glad we made the effort to get here. Next up is Adelaide!
![]()
Greeted by a kangaroo at the Alice Springs airport
![]()
Robby holding up a yield to Kangaroo sign for Uluru
![]()
Our compact campervan for the week
![]()
Wall mural on the Coles building in Alice Springs
![]()
Robby on a rock at Simpsons Gap
![]()
These ochre pits are a significant Aboriginal heritage site (and the only quarry for ochre in central Australia that is open to visitors)
![]()
Sunset on our first night in the Northern Territory
![]()
Camping on a hilltop in West MacDonnell National Park
![]()
A thunderstorm rocked our campervan all night long
![]()
View over Ormiston Gorge from Ghost Gum Lookout
![]()
Someone defaced a "yield to kangaroo" sign
![]()
Rope swing at Ellery Creek's Big Hole
![]()
Becky at Ellery Creek's Big Hole
![]()
Men's bathroom at our Standley Chasm campsite
![]()
"Welcome to the Northern Territory" sign on our drive from West MacDonnell National Park to Kings Canyon
![]()
An emu at a gas station off the Lasseter Highway
![]()
Emu wall art at a gas station in the Northern Territory
![]()
A hungry emu waits to be fed
![]()
Road signs have been set up along highways in Australia reminding tourists to drive on the left side of the road
![]()
Australian ringneck statue at the end of the hiking trail at Kings Canyon Creek
![]()
Champagne during sunset at Discovery Kings Canyon Resort
![]()
Light Towers - an immersive sound and light installation by acclaimed artist Bruce Munro at Discovery Kings Canyon Resort
![]()
Sunrise near Kings Canyon
![]()
Kangaroos at Kings Canyon
![]()
Becky looks tiny at the edge of a cliff at Kings Canyon
![]()
Deep ravine at Kings Canyon
![]()
Weathered, sandstone, beehive domes known as the "lost city" at Kings Canyon
![]()
A dead sea's ripples are evidence there were shallow lakes here millions of years ago
![]()
Recent rainfall collects in pool on the Kings Canyon rim hike
![]()
Wooden staircase leading to the Garden of Eden at Kings Canyon
![]()
The Garden of Eden; Kings Canyon
![]()
A waterfall flows through Kings Canyon
![]()
Black-footed rock wallaby
![]()
Our first glimpse of Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock)
![]()
Signpost warning visitors to watch out for wildlife and bicyclists
![]()
The trail to climb up Uluru was permanently closed on 26 October 2019
![]()
Long-nose dragon (a small lizard that runs on its hind legs)
![]()
The dark algae watermark of a dry waterfall at Uluru
![]()
Amazing geological formations at Uluru
![]()
Ancient rock art in Uluru
![]()
A dingo on the hunt for some food at Uluru
![]()
Watching the rock formations of Uluru change color during sunset
![]()
The beautiful colors of the sky after sunset
![]()
Sunrise over The Olgas (Kata Tjuta)
![]()
Close up of sunrise over The Olgas (a group of large, domed rock formations or bornhardts located in central Australia)
![]()
Robby at a viewing platform with The Olgas in the background
![]()
Visitors used to be able to hike to the top of The Olgas but are highly discouraged from attempting to do so today
![]()
Hiking through The Olgas on the "Valley of the Winds" walk
![]()
Valley of the Winds trail at The Olgas
![]()
View from the Valley of the Winds trail at The Olgas
![]()
The rock formations at The Olgas have a chemical composition similar to granite
![]()
The 7.5 km "Valley of the Winds" hike was supposed to take 4 hours but we were able to do it in a leisurely 2 hours
![]()
Sign warning visitors to beware of slippery rocks at The Olgas
![]()
Warning sign about wandering animals on Tjukaruru Road
![]()
Rainwater pool at Walpa Gorge; The Olgas
![]()
Becky relaxing on a unique wooden bench at Uluru
![]()
Kuniya walking trail leading to Uluru's Mutitjulu Waterhole
![]()
Robby on the Lungkata Walk foot path at Uluru
![]()
The Mutitjulu Waterhole is one of a few permanent water sources around Uluru
![]()
Water channel near Mutitjulu waterhole
![]()
Galah cockatoos at our campsite at Curtin Springs
![]()
A towering cactus at our Curtin Springs campsite
![]()
Cockatiel (also known as a weero/weiro or quarrion) at Curtin Springs
![]()
A magnificent sunset at our campsite at Curtin Springs
![]()
ANZAC Hill at Alice Springs offers 360 degree panoramic views of Alice Springs, the MacDonnell Ranges, and the desert
![]()
View of Alice Springs from ANZAC Hill
![]()
Wall mural in Alice Springs
![]()
Wall mural of a farmer and her son (who is carrying a lizard in his hand); Alice Springs
![]()
Cockatoo street art in Alice Springs
![]()
Street art of the nearby Macdonnell Ranges; Alice Springs
![]()
Central Australian Rugby Football mural in Alice Springs
![]()
Australia stamp scenes painted on the Alice Springs Post Office
![]()
Aboriginal man street art
![]()
Pink cockatoos wall mural in Alice Springs
![]()
Wall mural on a Uniting Church second hand store in Alice Springs
![]()
Fabulous street art in Alice Springs
![]()
A pair of dingos under a full moon; Alice Springs
![]()
"Youth Matter" wall mural in Alice Springs
![]()
Colorful wall mural; Alice Springs
![]()
A kangaroo and an echidna wall mural in Alice Springs
![]()
Aboriginal version of Subway, KFC and McDonalds
![]()
Alice Springs has a plethora of street art
![]()
Street art mural of an Aboriginal girl
![]()
Aboriginal man street art; Alice Springs
![]()
Robby showing off our lamb chops for dinner tonight
![]()
Escaping the outback heat at our campsite's pool
![]()
Unfortunately, these signs were quite common throughout Australia (as kangaroos get hit regularly)
![]()
Interesting bark on a tree at the Alice Springs Desert Park
![]()
An animal handler trains a dingo on its walk to its enclosure
![]()
A pair of dingos at the Alice Springs Desert Park
![]()
Black and white photo of a bilby (about the size of a domestic cat)
![]()
Red-tailed black cockatoo
![]()
An animal handler gives us a lecture on barn owls at the Alice Springs Desert Park
![]()
Portrait of our Aboriginal guide at the Alice Springs Desert Park
![]()
Aboriginal patterns in the carpet at the Alice Springs Airport
![]()
Aboriginal snake art at Alice Springs Airport
