The Red Centre — Route Planning

The Red Centre is the collective term for the Australian Outback around Alice Springs — a region the size of France, where fewer people live than in a small German town. The color is omnipresent: red sand, red rocks, red earth that turns the sunset into an inferno.

The Classic Red-Centre Route (5–7 days)

Alice Springs → West MacDonnell Ranges → Kings Canyon → Uluru & Kata Tjuta → Alice Springs. Total approx. 1,200 km, well-paved, doable with a regular rental car.

Practical Tips

• Distances: Alice Springs–Uluru: 450 km (5 hrs), Alice Springs–Kings Canyon: 320 km (3.5 hrs), Kings Canyon–Uluru: 300 km (3 hrs).
• Gas Stations: Rare! Fill up at EVERY opportunity. Erldunda Roadhouse, Curtin Springs, and Yulara are the only ones between Alice and Uluru.
• Mobile Reception: Virtually no reception outside of towns. Rent a satellite phone for emergencies or borrow a PLB (Personal Locator Beacon) at the airport (free!).
• Wildlife on the Road: Kangaroos, camels(!), cattle, and horses. NEVER drive at dusk or night — the risk of accidents is real.
• Road Trains: Up to 50 meters long truck trains. When overtaking, you need 1 km of clear visibility. Move to the shoulder when they come towards you.

Outback Night Sky

The night sky in the Outback is one of the clearest in the world — no light pollution, dry air, and the Milky Way stretches from horizon to horizon. The Southern Cross, which you never see from Europe, stands directly above you. In Uluru, Astro Tours offers guided stargazing with a telescope (from 95 AUD). But just looking up is enough.