The Best Outback Road Trip Itinerary
Travellers looking for the best Outback road trip itinerary can take on the journey from Adelaide to Darwin! Though there are many other ways to traverse the Australian Outback, this is the ultimate route through the centre of the country.
The Australian Outback is truly massive, and a road trip through the vast, otherworldly desert is no simple task. We’re going to help prepare you for the adventure of a lifetime with our Outback road trip itinerary and travel tips.
How long does it take to drive through the Australian Outback?
The time it takes to drive through the Australian Outback could be anywhere from a few hours to a few days or weeks! It all depends on where you are travelling to and from. There is no exact outline of where the Outback starts and ends, as the “Outback” technically refers to any remote and sparsely-populated part of Australia.
To make it easy for readers, we’re going to outline a classic Outback road trip that is popular among adventure-seekers. Adelaide to Darwin runs through the centre of Australia and covers over 3,000km. The route includes famous Outback landmarks including Coober Pedy, Uluru, Kings Canyon, Katherine Gorge, and more.
The Ultimate Outback Road Trip Itinerary from Adelaide to Darwin
For travellers hoping to see the best of the Outback, we recommend a road trip from Adelaide to Darwin! This Outback road trip itinerary takes you through the South Australian desert, the Red Centre, and the Top End, all of which are iconic parts of Australia’s unique landscape. You can follow the Stuart Highway basically the entire way!
This itinerary is just a basic guide, so feel free to shorten or reverse it to suit your schedule and preferences! We will list the top destinations to visit, but the driving distances can be massive so you’ll likely need to stop at smaller Outback towns for refueling along the way.
- Recommended time frame: 10 days - 3 weeks
- Distance covered: 3,000+ kilometres
Adelaide
Start your journey in Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia. Enjoy the area’s markets, gardens, museums, and day trip destinations including wine regions and gorgeous offshore islands. When you've had your fill of the city, set off on your Outback road trip itinerary!
Coober Pedy
Distance from Adelaide: 848km
A must-visit place in the South Australian Outback is Coober Pedy, a remote mining town famous for its underground buildings! You can stay in an underground hotel and tour churches or museums that are entirely protected from the desert’s scorching heat.
Uluru
Distance from Coober Pedy: 755km
You’ll have to detour slightly west from the Stuart Highway to visit Uluru, but it’s absolutely worth it. No Outback road trip itinerary is complete without seeing this icon in the Red Centre! Stay in the nearby town of Yulara, take on some educational tours and walks, visit the sacred domes of Kata Tjuta, and make the effort to see Uluru at sunrise.
Kings Canyon
Distance from Uluru: 324km
Kings Canyon is only a 3.5-hour drive from Uluru, which is relatively short for the Outback! Venture up here to explore another gem of the Red Centre before you get back to the Stuart Highway and continue to Darwin. At Kings Canyon, you can try some incredible hikes and admire the dramatic scenery of Watarrka National Park.
Alice Springs
Distance from Kings Canyon: 332km
Your next destination in the Red Centre is Alice Springs. If you have time, you can also do some hikes in the West Macdonnell Ranges on the way there from Kings Canyon! In Alice Springs, make the most of the enticing tourist attractions including museums, Outback pubs, gardens, wildlife exhibits, and more.
Tennant Creek
Distance from Alice Springs: 508km
From Alice Springs, continue north on the Stuart Highway from Adelaide to Darwin. This stretch of the Northern Territory has little to offer in terms of attractions, so this is where you’ll encounter hours of the lonely but beautiful Outback drive. Tennant Creek is a popular stopover spot for Outback travellers. Here you can learn about Indigenous culture, mining history, and stargaze in the middle of the desert.
Katherine
Distance from Tennant Creek: 674km
Once you enter the Top End of Australia, the landscape transitions from sparse, dry, red desert to a more lush and fertile region. Katherine is a beautiful place to stop on your Outback road trip itinerary where you can visit local hot springs, cruise down the Katherine River, and check out the magnificent Katherine Gorge (Nitmiluk Gorge).
Darwin
Distance from Katherine: 317km
You’ve made it from Adelaide to Darwin on the most epic Outback road trip imaginable! If you have more time to spare, definitely consider stopping in Litchfield National Park or Kakadu National Park on your way to Darwin. These two parks showcase the most incredible waterfalls and wildlife of the Top End. Or just head straight to Darwin and kick back in the Northern Territory’s tropical capital city.
Luxury Option: The Ghan Train From Darwin to Adelaide
Though an Outback road trip provides travellers with the highest level of freedom and flexibility, there are other options for getting from Darwin to Adelaide. The road trip route we just covered is basically the same route as the Ghan Railway, which is a world-famous luxury train journey through the Outback.
Over 4 days and 3 nights, you’ll travel through the heart of Australia in a rustic yet elegant train. Indulge in delicious food and drinks, sleep in comfortable train cars, and disembark for cool experiences along the way. The Ghan is a more expensive option than a DIY road trip, but it takes away all the hassle and planning. It’s a great option for travellers with money to spend who really want to treat themselves to a lavish and memorable Outback experience!
Alternative Outback Road Trip Itineraries and Guided Tours
Though driving from Adelaide to Darwin is the best Outback road trip itinerary in our humble opinion, there are lots of other ways to explore the Outback. We’ll quickly highlight some alternative road trips for you to consider. Some are shorter variations within the route from Adelaide to Darwin, and some are popular road trips elsewhere in Australia such as the West Coast.
There are also some guided itineraries that you can choose as an alternative to planning and navigating your own way through the Outback.
Consider a guided tour through the Outback!
Alice Springs to Uluru Road Trip
- Total distance: 468km one way
- Popular stops: West Macdonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon, Yulara, Uluru, Kata Tjuta
- Guided tour options: Outback Camping Adventure, Rock the Centre
Darwin to Alice Springs Road Trip
- Total distance: 1,500km one way
- Popular stops: Litchfield National Park, Katherine, Daly Waters, Tennant Creek
- Guided tour options: Mulgas Adventures Darwin to Alice Springs, The Ghan Railway
Darwin to Broome Road Trip
- Total distance: 1,870km one way
- Popular stops: Litchfield National Park, Darwin, Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles), Halls Creek
- Guided tour options: Darwin to Broome 4WD Adventure
Perth to Exmouth Road Trip
- Total Distance: 1,250km one way
- Popular stops: Coral Bay, Shark Bay, Hamelin Pool, Geraldton, Pinnacles Desert
- Guided tour options: Exmouth Explorer, Perth to Exmouth & Return
Adelaide to Perth Road Trip
- Total distance: 2,607km one way
- Popular stops: Port Augusta, Streaky Bay, Nullarbour Plain, Southern Cross
- Guided tour options: Indian Pacific Railway
Do you need a 4WD for the Outback?
You don’t need a 4WD for an Outback road trip, however you can access more remote national parks, hikes, waterfalls, and campgrounds if you do have a 4WD. But most main roads in the Outback are sealed and suitable for 2WD vehicles. You should double-check the recommendations though once you decide on your destinations. For example, if you’re road-tripping through the Kimberley, a 4WD is recommended.
It is also a good idea to equip your car with extra supplies and recovery gear for your Outback road trip. Whether you have a 2WD or a 4WD, you’ll want to stock up on spare tyres, fuel, recovery gear, and other essentials. You can drive for hours through the Outback without seeing any fuel stations or businesses, so make sure you’re prepared for anything.
When to road trip the Australian Outback
When planning your Outback road trip itinerary, it’s super important to check the weather conditions and consider the time of year. Australia has lots of different climate zones, and a massive drive through the Outback can take you to vastly different terrains.
In general, the best time to road trip the Outback is in the dry season (April - November). This is when you’ll have cooler temperatures and drier conditions that are suitable for driving through the desert. Avoid an Outback road trip in summer, as this is when you might encounter intense heat in the Red Centre and monsoonal rains in the Top End.
