Red Centre to Adelaide: Self-Launched Outback Road Trip
8 days · South Australia (Red Centre to Adelaide)
G Adventures charges £1,500
No-markup version: ~£1,125 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
An 8-day self-launched version of G Adventures' "The Red Centre to Adelaide" (trip code OARA). Instead of a private mini-coach with a CEO, you'll use Greyhound Australia coaches, a small-group Uluru transfer, and add-on day tours to cover Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Uluru, Coober Pedy, the Flinders Ranges and the Clare Valley before finishing in Adelaide. Book campsite swags or a budget donger at Yulara, an underground hostel in Coober Pedy, and a hostel dorm in Alice Springs and Adelaide. Costs are approximate per person in GBP and exclude international flights.
Day-by-day
Arrive Alice Springs
Alice Springs
Land at Alice Springs Airport and take the Alice Wanderer shuttle (~AUD 16 / £8) or a taxi (~AUD 25-30) into town. Check into a hostel dorm, stock up on water and groceries for the Outback legs (supermarket prices are much higher west of Alice), and explore the Todd Mall area. Optional: free Anzac Hill sunset hike, or the Royal Flying Doctor Service museum (AUD 16). Early night — tomorrow starts before dawn.
🚌Alice Wanderer airport shuttle ~£8
🛏Hostel dorm in Alice Springs (~£25)
- →Anzac Hill sunset walk (free)
- →Todd Mall wander
- →Supermarket stock-up for the Outback
Alice Springs to Kings Canyon and Uluru
Kings Canyon / Yulara
There's no public bus to Kings Canyon, so book a small-group Red Centre transfer or a 3-day Uluru/Kings Canyon camping tour through a local operator (e.g. Adventure Tours Australia or Emu Run Experience) — this replaces the private vehicle. Depart around 6am, stop at the Erldunda roadhouse (emu pies are a rite of passage), then hike the 6km Kings Canyon Rim Walk (3-4 hours). Note: the full rim walk closes when forecast temps exceed 36°C — in summer book the shorter creek walk instead. Continue to Yulara for the night and camp at the Ayers Rock Campground (swag or tent hire available; or book a budget cabin).
🚌Small-group Red Centre transfer/tour ~£150 (covers Days 2-4)
🛏Ayers Rock Campground swag/tent site or budget cabin, Yulara (~£30)
- →Kings Canyon Rim Walk (6km)
- →Erldunda roadhouse stop
Uluru: Cultural Centre, Mala Walk and Sunset
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Buy your 3-day Uluru-Kata Tjuta park pass online (AUD 38 / £19). In the morning, visit the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre (free) to learn about Anangu culture, then do the guided or self-led Mala Walk (2km return) at the base of Uluru. Afternoon option: the Valley of the Winds walk at Kata Tjuta (7.4km, free) — a superb substitute for the operator's included hike. In the evening, head to the Talinguru Nyakunytjaku or official sunset viewing area with your own bottle of bubbly from the Yulara IGA and watch the rock change colour. Optional: Outback Astronomy tour (AUD 60-70) or a helicopter flight (AUD 180-360).
🚌Local shuttle/hire car within the resort and park ~£10
🛏Ayers Rock Campground swag/tent site or budget cabin, Yulara (~£30)
- →Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre (free)
- →Mala Walk (free)
- →Kata Tjuta Valley of the Winds walk (free)
- →Uluru sunset with BYO drinks
Uluru to Coober Pedy
Coober Pedy
A long driving day (~7-8 hours, ~750km). Your small-group tour or transfer continues north to Coober Pedy, the world's opal mining capital. If you're doing this independently, the Greyhound Australia coach runs Yulara/Erldunda to Coober Pedy — book well ahead. On arrival, join a self-bookable mine tour (Old Timers Mine or Umoona Opal Mine, ~AUD 20-30) to see how locals live underground, then check into an underground hostel dorm — genuinely the coolest night's sleep in the Outback.
🚌Included in group transfer, or Greyhound coach ~£60
🛏Underground hostel dorm in Coober Pedy (~£30)
- →Old Timers or Umoona opal mine tour
- →Coober Pedy town and golf course (no grass!) wander
Coober Pedy to the Flinders Ranges
Ikara-Flinders Ranges
Continue south through the Painted Desert and past Lake Hart (a striking salt lake, good photo stop). Base yourself at Rawnsley Park Station or Wilpena Pound Resort in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park — book a budget cabin, campsite or the Wilpena Pound Resort's unpowered site. Greyhound runs Coober Pedy to Port Augusta; from there it's a short regional connection or arrange a station shuttle. Sunset over Wilpena Pound is the highlight — climb to a lookout with a picnic dinner.
🚌Greyhound/regional coach Coober Pedy to Port Augusta ~£45 plus local transfer ~£15
🛏Rawnsley Park Station or Wilpena Pound campsite/budget cabin (~£35)
- →Lake Hart salt lake photo stop
- →Wilpena Pound sunset lookout
Flinders Ranges to Adelaide via the Clare Valley
Clare Valley / Adelaide
Get up early for a hike in Wilpena Pound — the Wangara Lookout or Hills Homestead walk (free, 6-8km) gives you the same scenery the tour's group walks cover. Then head south to the Clare Valley: take a regional bus to Clare, or book a Clare Valley half-day wine tasting tour from Adelaide in advance (several operators run cellar-door loops for ~AUD 100-150). Taste Riesling at Knappstein, Skillogalee or Sevenhill (tastings typically AUD 10-20, often waived on purchase). Then continue to Adelaide by bus or train (~2 hours from Clare; Stateliner coaches run daily). Check into an Adelaide hostel in the CBD or North Adelaide.
🚌Regional coach Clare Valley to Adelaide ~£25
🛏Hostel dorm in Adelaide CBD (~£25)
- →Wangara Lookout hike, Wilpena Pound (free)
- →Clare Valley wine tasting (self-booked)
- →Sevenhill Cellars historic winery visit
Free day in Adelaide
Adelaide
A full free day to explore. Wander the Adelaide Central Market (free, and the best food stop in town — grab a coffee and a pastry for ~£6), stroll the Botanic Garden and North Terrace museums (free entry at the South Australian Museum and Art Gallery). Optional extras: dolphin swim and cruise at Glenelg (AUD 120-130), or a full-day Kangaroo Island trip (AUD 283 — book via Klook or the Sealink ferry direct). Evening: free City of Adelaide loop bus, then dinner on Gouger Street.
🚌Adelaide Metro day pass ~£6
🛏Hostel dorm in Adelaide CBD (~£25)
- →Adelaide Central Market
- →South Australian Museum and Art Gallery (free)
- →Optional Glenelg beach and dolphin cruise
Depart Adelaide
Adelaide
Check out and head to Adelaide Airport via the J1 or J2 Jetbus (~AUD 5-6 / £3) — much cheaper than a taxi. If you have a late flight, grab breakfast at the Central Market or a coffee on Rundle Street before you go.
🚌Adelaide Metro Jetbus J1/J2 to airport ~£3
🛏—
- →Last breakfast in the Central Market
Self-launched vs. G Adventures
| This itinerary (self-launched) | G Adventures | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£1,125 | £1,500 |
| Duration | 8 days | 8 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £375 per person (25%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more G Adventures-style trips? Check them out here.~£1,125
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 Red Centre to Adelaide: Self-Launched Outback Road Trip cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £1,125 per person for 8 days in South Australia (Red Centre to Adelaide). 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 £1,500 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £1,125 — a saving of roughly £375 (25%) per person.
How long is the South Australia (Red Centre to Adelaide) trip?+
This itinerary runs 8 days, covering 8 day-by-day stops through South Australia (Red Centre to Adelaide).
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, road-trip, backpacker trip through South Australia (Red Centre to Adelaide), 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.