Outback to the Red Centre: Self-Launched Adelaide to Alice Springs
9 days · South Australia & Northern Territory
G Adventures charges £1,750
No-markup version: ~£1,120 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A self-launched version of G Adventures' 9-day 18-to-Thirtysomethings Outback trip: Adelaide's laneway bars, the ancient Ikara-Flinders Ranges and Wilpena Pound, then a cheap domestic flight into Alice Springs and a self-drive or shuttle-based Red Centre loop covering Kings Canyon, Uluru and Kata Tjuta. You book your own hostel dorms, hop on the local Clare Valley produce stops, fly with a budget airline, and join small-group Uluru camping tours or self-drive the Mereenie Loop. Camping under the stars and sunrise/sunset at Uluru are all easily done independently — the swags and camp kitchens are the same ones the group tours use. Costs are approximate backpacker estimates in GBP.
Day-by-day
Arrive Adelaide — hostel base and a night out
Adelaide
Land at Adelaide Airport and take the regular Adelaide Metro J1/J2 or SkyLink shuttle bus into the CBD (~AUD 10, cheaper than a ~AUD 35 taxi). Check into a hostel dorm in the West End near the Central Market (Adelaide Central YHA, Backpack Oz, or hostels along Waymouth/Gouger St, ~£22-28/dorm night). No welcome meeting needed — instead do a free self-orientation walk: Elder Park, the Torrens footbridge, Rundle Mall, and the laneway bar strip off Peel/Leigh Street. Grab dinner in Chinatown or the Central Market food hall, then local ales in the West End. Book your Clare Valley/Flinders transport tonight.
🚌SkyLink shuttle or J1 bus from airport ~£6; walking in CBD
🛏Hostel dorm, Adelaide CBD/West End (~£25)
- →Self-guided CBD walk: Elder Park, Rundle Mall, Torrens footbridge
- →Adelaide Central Market browse
- →West End laneway bars
Adelaide to Ikara-Flinders Ranges via the Clare Valley
Ikara-Flinders Ranges / Rawnsley Park
Pick up a cheap one-way rental car (book early with Jucy/Rentlo/Avis — one-way Adelaide to Adelaide is usually the cheapest option; A~£45-60/day split between 2-4 people) or, if solo, join the Flinders Ranges/Clare Valley leg via a small-group day tour operator (e.g. Groovy Grape or Outback Tours, ~AUD 120-160 for a Clare Valley day tour). Drive north through the Clare Valley wine region — stop at a cellar door in Auburn or Sevenhill for a ~AUD 15 tasting, and buy bread, cheese and local produce in Clare for a picnic. Continue to Rawnsley Park Station or Wilpena Pound Resort campground (unpowered site ~AUD 25-35, or a swag/safari tent ~AUD 60-90). Self-cater dinner at the camp kitchen.
🚌Rental car share or small-group tour; ~460km drive (~5.5hrs) + cellar door stops
🛏Campground/swag tent or safari tent, Rawnsley Park or Wilpena Pound (~£22)
- →Clare Valley cellar door tasting
- →Regional produce picnic shop in Clare
- →Scenic drive through Quorn and Hawker
Wilpena Pound hike and Adnyamathanha art sites
Ikara-Flinders Ranges NP
Pay the park entry (AUD 12.50/vehicle, ~£6.50) and hike the Wilpena Pound walks from the Wilpena Pound Resort trailhead: the Wangara Lookout loop (~7km, 3-4hrs) gives the classic view into the natural amphitheatre; the easier Hills Homestead / Wangara Hill routes suit a shorter day. Look for yellow-footed rock wallabies, emus and euros. In the afternoon, join a short Adnyamathanha-guided cultural walk or visit the Ikara-Flinders Ranges cultural centre at Wilpena to learn about Yura Muda storylines, or drive to the Arkaroo Rock rock-art shelter (~30min south). Self-cater dinner back at camp and stargaze — this is dark-sky country.
🚌Local driving (short distances); walking
🛏Campground/swag tent, Rawnsley Park or Wilpena Pound (~£22)
- →Wilpena Pound Wangara Lookout hike (~7km)
- →Arkaroo Rock Indigenous art shelter
- →Wilpena cultural centre / Adnyamathanha cultural walk
Flinders Ranges back to Adelaide via Quorn and Port Pirie
Adelaide
Drive south with a stop in the heritage railway town of Quorn (Pichi Richi Railway, old stone pubs, film-set streets), then a waterside lunch stop at Port Pirie or Port Augusta — seafood or curry by the water (~AUD 20-25). Fuel up in Port Augusta. Arrive Adelaide late afternoon, return the car if you're hiring separately for the Red Centre (or keep it if you plan to self-drive the Red Centre — factor a one-way fee). Check back into a CBD hostel and head out for a cheap feed on Gouger Street; the Austral or Crown & Anchor are good backpacker-priced pubs.
🚌Return rental drive ~460km (~5.5hrs) or regional bus (Stateliner/Greyhound ~AUD 85); fuel ~£40 split
🛏Hostel dorm, Adelaide CBD (~£25)
- →Quorn heritage town walk
- →Port Pirie waterside lunch
- →Gouger Street dinner
Fly Adelaide to Alice Springs — Red Centre base
Alice Springs
Book your own budget flight (Qantas/Virgin/Alliance, usually AUD 150-280 one-way if booked 4-8 weeks out; ~£90-150 — this replaces the tour's included internal flight). Fly mid-morning, land early afternoon. Check into a hostel in the Todd Street/Stott Terrace area (Alice Springs YHA, Haven Backpackers or similar, ~£20-26/dorm). Free afternoon: hike ANZAC Hill for sunset views (free), and visit the Royal Flying Doctor Service tourist facility (~AUD 16). Stock up on groceries and, critically, water at Woolworths/Coles before any desert driving. Book your Uluru/Kings Canyon camping tour tonight if you haven't (AAT Kings, Emu Run, Autopia or Wayoutback — 3-day Uluru/Kings Canyon camping tours start from ~AUD 500-700).
🚌Budget domestic flight ~£110; airport shuttle ~£10
🛏Hostel dorm, Alice Springs (~£23)
- →ANZAC Hill sunset walk
- →Royal Flying Doctors Service museum
- →Alice Springs town + cultural browse (Araluen Arts Centre)
Alice Springs to Kings Canyon — swag under the stars
Kings Canyon / Kings Creek Station
If you're on a 3-day self-booked small-group camping tour, get picked up ~6am and drive the Mereenie Loop / Lasseter Highway west (~5hrs, with stops at the Mt Ebenezer roadhouse and the Henbury Meteorites crater). If self-driving, hire a car from Alice Springs (2WD fine on the sealed Lasseter Highway; the Mereenie Loop needs a 4WD permit, AUD 5, from the Alice Springs Visitor Centre) and camp at Kings Creek Station or Kings Canyon Resort campground (unpowered site ~AUD 30-45, swag hire ~AUD 25). Optional extra: Alice Springs hot-air balloon flight (~AUD 305, ~£160) if you're not on a group tour — it means a very early start. Dinner self-catered or bush-camp style; the stars are the highlight.
🚌Small-group tour transfer or rental 4WD ~300km; Mereenie Loop 4WD permit AUD 5
🛏Swag/campground at Kings Creek Station or Kings Canyon Resort (~£25)
- →Mereenie Loop scenic drive
- →Henbury Meteorites crater stop
- →Outback stargazing from camp
Kings Canyon Rim Walk, then on to Uluru
Uluru / Yulara
Start the Kings Canyon Rim Walk at first light (~6am in summer, 6.30-7am in winter) — 6km, 3-4hrs, steep 'Heart Attack Hill' start then the Lost City and Garden of Eden. Closed when the forecast exceeds 36°C, so early is non-negotiable; carry 3L of water per person. Drive on to Yulara (~3hrs). Buy your Uluru-Kata Tjuta park pass online (AUD 38, valid 3 days). Camp at Ayers Rock Campground or a hostel bed in Yulara (Outback Pioneer Lodge dorms ~AUD 55-70 / ~£30-36). Drive to the Uluru sunset viewing area with a bottle of something cold from the IGA in Yulara — same sunset the tour gets, no champagne markup.
🚌Rental/small-group transfer ~300km; park pass AUD 38
🛏Ayers Rock Campground or Yulara hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Kings Canyon Rim Walk (6km)
- →Uluru sunset viewing area
- →Garden of Eden / Lost City viewpoints
Uluru sunrise, Mala Walk and the Cultural Centre
Uluru-Kata Tjuta NP
Sunrise at the Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area (arrive 45min early). Then do the free ranger-guided Mala Walk (daily ~8am, 2hrs, no booking needed) with a Mutitjulu or Anangu park ranger — rock art, Kantju Gorge, and the creation stories. Visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre and Maruku Arts. Options: the self-guided base walk (10.6km), the Kuniya Walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole, or the free-of-charge Field of Light-style evening if seasonally running. Optional astronomy tour (~AUD 60-70) in the evening from Yulara if you want the tour's 'outback astronomy' moment — book direct with the operator.
🚌Local shuttle (Yulara free shuttle) or own car; walking
🛏Ayers Rock Campground or Yulara hostel dorm (~£30)
- →Uluru sunrise viewing
- →Free ranger-guided Mala Walk
- →Kuniya Walk + Mutitjulu Waterhole
- →Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre
Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds, back to Alice Springs
Kata Tjuta / Alice Springs
Early start for Kata Tjuta (~50min drive from Yulara). Walk the Valley of the Winds circuit (7.4km, 3-4hrs) or the shorter Walpa Gorge (2.6km) if heat or time is tight — again, first light only in summer. Drive back to Alice Springs (~4.5hrs via the Lasseter and Stuart Highways, fuel at Curtin Springs and Erldunda). Finish with a beer at the Todd Tavern and, if you have an evening flight, allow 5hrs' buffer. If you're on a small-group camping tour, you'll be dropped in Alice Springs late afternoon (~5-6pm). Onward travel bookable for 8pm or later.
🚌Drive or group-tour transfer ~460km back to Alice Springs; fuel ~£45 split
🛏None included (onward travel) — optional Alice Springs hostel ~£23 if staying the night
- →Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds walk (7.4km)
- →Walpa Gorge walk
- →Curtin Springs roadhouse stop
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,120 | £1,750 |
| Duration | 9 days | 9 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £630 per person (36%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,120
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Outback to the Red Centre: Self-Launched Adelaide to Alice Springs cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,120 per person for 9 days in South Australia & Northern Territory. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with G Adventures?+
Yes — G Adventures charges around £1,750 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,120 — a saving of roughly £630 (36%) per person.
How long is the South Australia & Northern Territory trip?+
This itinerary runs 9 days, covering 9 day-by-day stops through South Australia & Northern Territory.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a adventure, hiking, backpacker trip through South Australia & Northern Territory, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.