What Is The Best Experience In The Australian Outback?
The best experience to have in the stunning Australian Outback will vary from person to person. Everyone has their own preferences and travel styles!
An art and history enthusiast may love seeing the ancient Indigenous rock art in Kakadu National Park. Animal lovers may consider a crocodile cruise near Darwin to be their Outback highlight. Beach bums may love a West Coast road trip to gorgeous places like Exmouth or Broome. Avid hikers may cherish their time trekking through Kings Canyon or the West Macdonnell Ranges.
The Outback is full of amazing experiences to suit every traveller!
What is the best experience in the Australian Outback?
Though the Outback is a massive area with much to offer, many travellers consider visiting Uluru to be the best experience. Uluru is also likely the most famous natural landmark in the Outback, so the majority of Outback travellers will have this on their itinerary.
Uluru is the world’s largest natural monolith, and it’s a sacred sight for the Indigenous Anangu people. Some people visit Uluru for spiritual reasons. Guests can take tours with Aboriginal guides and connect with the traditional cultures of the land. Some people visit Uluru for the natural beauty. Watching the sunrise or sunset over the vast desert landscape can only be described as magical. So for many, exploring Uluru is the best experience in the Australian Outback.
Top 10 Experiences In The Australian Outback
The Australian Outback is home to so many incredible places that many travellers might not even know about! It is a gigantic area that covers several landscapes, climates, cities, and cultures. Here are some of the top experiences to have in the Outback.
Experience the best of the Australian Outback!
1. Visit Uluru
Though we’ve already briefly talked about Uluru, it still has to be first on our list of the best Outback experiences. Seeing the magnificent monolith in real life, with the sprawling desert scenery in the background, is truly surreal.
Visitors can walk the Uluru Base Walk and admire the landmark up close. There are also shorter family-friendly walks, and nearby lookouts where you can get the best views at sunrise or sunset. Or you can join a guided camel trek for a new perspective of Uluru. However you choose to experience Uluru, it’s undoubtedly a highlight of the Outback.
2. Explore Kakadu National Park
As Australia’s second-largest national park, Kakadu is the perfect place for a nature lover. Explore vast wetlands filled with native birdlife, or spot saltwater crocodiles at Cahills Crossing. Marvel at giant cascades like Jim Jim Falls, Gunlom Falls, Maguk Falls, or Twin Falls.
Kakadu National Park is also home to some of Australia’s most famous Indigenous rock art sites. Visit Ubirr or Burrungkuy (Nourlangie) to admire art created by some of the oldest surviving human cultures on Earth.
3. Road trip from Perth to Broome
Though the West Coast of Australia is by the sea, it’s still considered the Outback because of how remote it is. Once you leave Perth and head north, you are greeted with long stretches of empty roads and quaint, rural towns. It’s an amazing road trip for intrepid travellers!
Western Australia also boasts some incredible beaches and coastal wonders. Visitors can see the oldest living fossils on Earth, the Stromatolites, at Hamelin Pool. Or snorkel with Heritage-listed corals and whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef. There are white sand beaches, vibrant turquoise waters, and abundant marine life all along Australia’s West Coast.
4. Ride the Ghan Railway across Australia
For an upscale Outback experience, opt for a luxury train ride across the continent! Travellers hoping to treat themselves may consider the Ghan Railway to be the best experience in Outback Australia. Though this is a more expensive Outback experience, it’s an incredible journey that you will never forget.
Admire the colossal Outback desert from the comfort of a luxury train car. Feast on gourmet meals and hop off for unique excursions. The Ghan Railway travels between Darwin and Adelaide, though you can also get the Indian Pacific from Sydney to Perth.
5. Hike through Kings Canyon
Another gem of Red Centre is Kings Canyon. Located just a few hours from Uluru (which is close by Outback standards), the two locations are often combined in some overnight Outback camping tours and itineraries. But Kings Canyon offers a slightly more rugged landscape than the smooth monolith of Uluru!
Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park has towering sandstone gorges, rich red cliffs, and serene watering holes. Combining pristine natural beauty with outdoor adventure, hiking the Kings Canyon Rim Walk showcases some of the most incredible views in the Outback.
6. Enjoy the Top End beauty in Katherine
Katherine is a small town in the Top End of Australia, about 3 hours south of Darwin. But it’s the natural beauty around the town than makes Katherine a hotspot for many Outback travellers. Visitors will likely spend most of their time in Nitmiluk National Park, where you can find the magnificent Katherine Gorge.
Other highlights to explore near Katherine include the refreshing Katherine Hot Springs and the impressive Edith Falls. Guided tours from Darwin often include all of these locations in their itineraries. If you want a peaceful adventure in the heart of the Top End, a tour to Katherine is one of the best experiences in the Australian Outback!
7. Adventure through the Kimberley
Many consider a trip through the Kimberley to be one of the best Outback experiences. Located in the remote north of Western Australia, the Kimberley is packed with breathtaking natural wonders and very few tourists. Though the area is only accessible with a good 4WD or with a boat along the coastline, it’s a trip that is well worth taking.
With thousands of uninhabited islands, gigantic waterfalls, rugged gorges, ancient rock art, hidden swimming holes, and deserted beaches, the Kimberley is like paradise but without all the crowds. You can see inland highlights of the Kimberley on a tour from Darwin to Broome, or hire a private charter to explore the gorgeous coastline.
8. Go swimming in Litchfield National Park
Just an hour away from Darwin, Litchfield National Park is one of the most accessible national parks in Outback Australia. It showcases the best of the Top End, from lush forests to tumbling waterfalls and more. But the best part of Litchfield National Park is the swimming holes!
Accessible during the dry season when the heavy rains of summer subside, Litchfield is a haven for freshwater swimming spots. Buley Rockhole, Wangi Falls, Florence Falls, and Walker Creek are the top places to escape that Northern Territory heat in a beautiful natural setting. If you have a 4WD, you can also access more swimming spots like Tjaynera Falls and Surprise Creek Falls.
9. Go wildlife spotting on Kangaroo Island
Another coastal gem that is often considered part of the Outback, Kangaroo Island is an easy day trip from Adelaide in South Australia. But you can also spend a few days on Kangaroo Island as there is honestly so much to see and do. From Seal Bay to Flinders Chase National Park, Kangaroo Island has amazing scenery and abundant wildlife.
Sea lions, fur seals, kangaroos, echidnas, and marine life such as dolphins and whales are common creatures to spot while exploring Kangaroo Island. There is also a thriving horticulture industry here, so treat yourself to some local food and wine tasting while you’re on Kangaroo Island!
10. Explore the West Macdonnell Ranges
Located west of Alice Springs in the Red Centre, the West Macdonnell Ranges are heaven for adventure-seekers! Packed with epic 4WD tracks, challenging hikes, serene campgrounds, and lush swimming holes, endless experiences await in Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park.
Some of the most impressive natural features of the park are Standley Chasm, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge, Ellery Creek Big Hole, and Simpsons Gap. Whether you want to hike, swim, relax, camp, or just admire the natural colours and textures, the West Macdonnell Ranges offer the ultimate Outback adventure.
