Experience true outback adventure in this self-drive from Adelaide to Alice Springs via Ayers Rock, Marla, Coober Pedy, Whyalla, the Flinders Ranges and the Barossa Valley including car hire, hotels and flights. Search for your own treasure in the opal mining town of Coober Pedy and experience life underground. Visit iconic Uluru and Kata Tjuta and take in the breathtaking Field of Lights. Experience the outback at its finest in the Flinders Ranges as well as a night at an authentic Outback Roadhouse in Marla. You will also visit the seaside town of Whyalla and 2 nights in Adelaide to soak up the culture of South Australia’s capital. This is definitely an adventure of a lifetime! Themes include: South Australia, Northern Territory, Departs from Adelaide, Fly-Drive Car, Returns from Alice Springs. + Show more

Package Includes

All Flights (Home to Adelaide & Alice Springs to Home, pricing options below)
16 Days Car Hire, "no worries" unlimited kms, comprehensive insurance, relocation fees
2 Nights Adelaide Hotel (luxury upgrades available)
2 Nights Barossa Valley Hotel (luxury upgrades available)
2 Nights Flinders Ranges Hotel
1 Night Whyalla Hotel
2 Nights Coober Pedy Hotel (luxury upgrades available)
1 Nights Marla Accommodation
2 Nights Ayers Rock Resort Hotel (luxury upgrades available)
3 Nights Alice Springs Hotel (luxury upgrades available)
Relax all the hard work has been taken out of your Self-Drive Holiday. Enjoy the freedom of the open road and the security of this popular DISCOVER AUSTRALIA Itinerary

Highlights

Adelaide Uluru (Ayers Rock) Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) Barossa Valley Clare Valley Flinders Ranges & Outback Alice Springs West MacDonnell Ranges with Lunch Wilpena Pound Coober Pedy Underground Hotels Marla Travellers Rest Field of Light Standley Chasm Ellery Creek Big Hole Ormiston Gorge and Waterhole Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre Arkaroola Aroona Valley Glen Helen Gorge Whyalla Sunset Camel Ride Adelaide Hills Hahndorf Whispering Wall School of the Air Alice Springs Reptile Centre Old Ghan Train Museum Maggie Beer Farm Shop Spencer Gulf Wineries Snorkelling Glenelg HMAS Whyalla Pichi Richi Heritage Railway Quorn Port Augusta Opals Royal Flying Doctor Service Wineries of South Australia Gourmet South Australia

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Descriptions

DAY 1 Fly to Adelaide

Adelaide, sitting on the Torrens River, with the Southern Ocean at its heel, and wide elegant, tree lined avenues; the friendly city of parks, and spires and oh! Sooo much more! Discover elegant colonial architecture, boutique shopping, great sandy swimming beaches, vibrant arts and festivals, cultural and sporting events, happening nightlife, fine dining, great cafe strips. A pleasant drive away from the city, see friendly country towns and fertile farmlands welcome visitors to wineries and orchards with farm gates and cellar doors of world famous wineries as Adelaide comes of age as a world class tourism destination.

Fly to Adelaide, pick up your car from the airport and make your way to your Adelaide hotel. Spend the rest of the day at your own leisure.

Overnight Adelaide Accommodation.

DAY 2 Explore Adelaide

Spend the day taking in the sights and surrounds of Adelaide. Visit the scenic Adelaide Hills or spend the day exploring the churches, parks and famous museums and galleries of Adelaide.

Alternatively, you can visit the seaside town of Glenelg, famous for its beaches and many tourist attractions.

The choice is yours.

Overnight Adelaide Accommodation.

DAY 3 Adelaide to the Barossa Valley

Enjoy an hour long drive to the famous Barossa Valley via the Adelaide Hills and Williamstown. Take in the rugged landscape and cool climate of the Hills on your way to Williamstown on the southern fringe of the Barossa Valley. The town is most beautiful during spring with a rolling carpet of lush green grass and wildflowers along the multitude of creeks and woodlands covering the ills around the town along with many dairy pastures.

Continue to the Barossa Valley where you will spend the next two nights.

The Barossa Valley is one of Australia’s best and most famous wine-producing regions, now regarded as one of finest in the world, and is home to Australia's most expensive wine, Penfolds Grange as well as a variety of other local produce.

Alternatively, you can choose to stay in the beautiful Clare Valley wine region instead. Simply let us know when making your enquiry if you would like the Clare Valley option instead. Direct driving 73km (1 hour) .

Overnight Barossa Valley Accommodation.

DAY 4 Explore the Barossa Valley

Spend the day visiting some of the best cellar doors in Australia or alternatively visit Maggie Beer’s Farm shop, the Whispering Wall or even take a hot air balloon over the verdant and pristine rolling landscape of the region.

The Whispering Wall in Williamstown in the Barossa Valley is a unique phenomenon allowing you to “throw” your voice over 100 metres. The unintentional phenomena is created due to the wall’s curved shape which leads to voices being carried from one side of its arch to the other, even when whispered, hence its name.

For visitors looking to take in the gourmet side of South Australia, a visit to Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop is a must. Maggie Beer is a renowned figure on the Australian food scene and the Farm Shop has been enthralling visitors since the 1970’s. The shop is a celebration of the diversity of produce of the region and visitors can try an array of jams, oils, pates and ice creams or even enjoy a meal at the restaurant on the lovely lakeside property. Guests can even enjoy cooking demonstrations or a walk around the farm itself and take in the birdlife of the area such as peacocks, quails and pheasants.

There is truly something for everyone in the Barossa Valley!

Overnight Barossa Valley Accommodation.

DAY 5 Barossa Valley to the Flinders Ranges

Today, journey north to the beautiful Flinders Ranges, the largest mountain range in South Australia. The most prominent feature of the Range is Wilpena Pound, a large sickle shaped amphitheatre covering 80 square kilometres and containing the Ranges’ highest peak, St. Mary Peak.

The Flinders Ranges are teeming with endemic flora and fauna adapted to the semi-arid environment such as sugar gum, cypress-pine, black oak, red kangaroos, western grey kangaroos, wallaroos, and yellow footed rock wallabies as well as a large number of bird species such as parrots, galahs and wedge tailed eagles. Direct driving 401km (4.75 hours).

Overnight Flinders Ranges Accommodation.

DAY 6 Explore the Flinders Ranges

Spend the day exploring the fascinating Flinders Ranges. Maybe take a scenic flight over Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre, the largest lake in Australia which rarely fills with water. When empty, the lake is a giant salt pan with the white crystals reflecting the sunlight.

You can even take guided tours of the region to get a better understanding of the area and its history with experienced and knowledgeable guides.

Alternatively, explore the region on your own. There are many walking trails, hiking trails and gorges that you can visit. Please note that if you wish to visit certain scenic spots such as Aroona Valley or Arkaroola, you would need a 4WD vehicle. Please ask your specialist consultant when planning your holiday.

Overnight Flinders Ranges Accommodation.

DAY 7 Flinders Ranges to Whyalla

Say goodbye to the Flinders Ranges today and travel south through the towns of Hawker and Quorn to Whyalla.

Quorn is a historic township most famous for the Pichi Richi Railway which is a narrow gauge railway line that connects it to Port Augusta and was initially opened in 1879. The township gained fame and importance in the early 1900’s as it became the crossroads of any north-south or east-west travel in Australia, so anyone travelling in either of those directions would have to pass through Quorn. As a result, many fine building were built in the town which are still Heritage Listed.

There is a visitor information centre where you can get a map for a self-guided walking tour of the town based around the historic buildings, railways yards and other historic locations.

Continue your journey south to the seaside town of Whyalla, the third most populous town in South Australia. Famous for its annual migration of Giant Australian Cuttlefish, the town has become a hotspot for snorkelers and divers and between the months of May and August the animals can be seen in water and shallow as 1 metre!

There are also several museums and public tours that showcase the history of Whyalla. You can also view the HMAS Whyalla, a retired World War II era corvette that was the first ship built in Whyalla during the war. Direct driving 246km (3 hours).

Overnight Whyalla Accommodation.

DAY 8 Whyalla to Coober Pedy

Depart Whyalla today and travel north along the Stuart Highway to the opal mining town of Coober Pedy.

Coober Pedy is often referred to as “The Opal Capital of the World” because of the quantity of precious opals that have been mined in the town since opal was first found there in 1915. It still supplies most of the world’s gem quality opals however relies on tourism as much as opal mining to provide employment and sustainability.

Coober Pedy is famous for its underground residences known as “dugouts” which are built this way due to the searing daytime heat. This is because underground residences stay at a constant temperature whereas buildings on the surface require air-conditioning especially in summer.

You can even stay in an underground hotel for the next two nights! Direct driving 612km (6 hours) .

Overnight Coober Pedy Accommodation.

DAY 9 Explore Coober Pedy

Today, explore the sights of Coober Pedy. You can visit one of the many opal mines and even try your hand at “noodling” for opals yourself! There are also two underground churches, one of which is a Heritage Listed site.

See the first tree sighted in Coober Pedy, which was welded together from pieces of scrap iron and still sits atop a hill overlooking the town to this day.

Overnight Coober Pedy Accommodation.

DAY 10 Coober Pedy to Marla

Leave Coober Pedy today, hopefully after finding some opals, and continue your journey towards the Red Centre along the Stuart Highway.

Break your journey at Marla, a remote township in north-western South Australia centred around the Marla Travellers Rest which comprises a supermarket, pub, motel, caravan park, pool, laundry facilities and workshop.

The Marla Travellers Rest also has 24 hour dining and accommodation ranging from cabins to Superior Rooms with king size beds and Austar.

This is truly a once in a lifetime outback experience! Direct driving 234km (2.5 hours) .

Overnight Marla Accommodation.

DAY 11 Marla to Uluru Ayers Rock

Depart Marla today for iconic Uluru.

Uluru is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Australia. Standing almost 350 metres high, Uluru, along with Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), has great cultural significance for the Anangu people, the traditional owners of the land. Uluru is famous for appearing to change colour at different times of the day depending on the way the sunlight hits it and especially at dusk and dawn when it glows red.

You may choose to visit Uluru to watch the sunset tonight, alternatively, you may wish to visit Kata Tjuta or just make use of the resorts facilities.

The choice is yours. Direct driving 499km (6 hours) .

Overnight Ayers Rock Resort Accommodation.

DAY 12 Explore Uluru Ayers Rock

If you watched the sunset at Uluru last night, why don’t you watch the sunrise over Kata Tjuta today? This too is a spectacular sight watching the domes changing hue as the sun rises behind them.

Alternatively, if you watched the sunset at Kata Tjuta last night, you may wish to watch the sunrise at Uluru, one of the best times of the day to view this icon.

Both Uluru and Kata Tjuta have public viewing platforms in ideal locations to get the best views of each feature.

This afternoon, you may wish to enjoy one of the many Ayers rock experiences provided by Ayers Rock Resort. You will be provided a full list of current experiences and times will be provided upon arrival in Ayers Rock Resort.

This evening, you may wish to visit the “Field of Light” installation, artist Bruce Munro’s largest creation to date featuring 50,000 slender stems topped with radiant frosted glass spheres spread over an area of seven football fields in the foreground of Uluru.

Enjoy a self-guided walk through this immense piece of art and take in the changing colours as these spheres bloom as darkness falls and Uluru is thrown into silhouette. The exhibition is located in a remote area and is not accessible unless booked onto one of the tours. Pre-bookings are recommended. Please let your Specialist Consultant know if you would like to experience this amazing work of art.

Overnight Ayers Rock Resort Accommodation.

DAY 13 Uluru Ayers Rock to Alice Springs

Depart Ayers Rock Resort this morning and continue to your journey to Alice Springs along the Lasseter and Stuart Highways.

Alice Springs is the second largest town in the Northern Territory after Darwin. Referred to as “The Alice” or simply “Alice”, it is located roughly in Australia’s geographical centre.

Spend the rest of the day exploring the sights of Alice before to returning to your accommodation for the night. Direct driving 445km (5.5 hours) .

Overnight Alice Springs Accommodation.

DAY 14 Explore Alice Springs

There is much to see and do in and around Alice Springs. You can visit the old Ghan museum, The School of the Air, The Royal Flying Doctor Service, Alice Springs Desert Park.

Take in the typical outback scenery while enjoying a camel ride. Look out for kangaroos, emus and dingoes while you learn about the native flora and fauna of the region from your informative guide.

Overnight Alice Springs Accommodation.

DAY 15 Explore Alice Springs

Today you may wish to visit the spectacular West MacDonnell Ranges. Filled with gorges, waterholes, flora, fauna, hiking and swimming this is everything that one could wish for in a place like this.

There are many natural attractions within the West MacDonnell Ranges, such as Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm and Ellery Creek big Hole, the deepest waterhole in the West MacDonnell Ranges and one that is great for swimming, albeit quite cold!

There are also many other gorges such as Serpentine Gorge, Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge as well as Ochre Pits where the Aboriginal people mined ochres not only for their ceremonies but also for trading with other groups. There is also a display at the shelter that explains more about different colours of ochre and their uses.

This is truly a full day and there is definitely something for everyone. The best part about it is that the West MacDonnell Ranges and all the gorges, chasms and waterholes are easily accessible from Alice Springs. This is the perfect way to finish your adventure!

Overnight Alice Springs Accommodation .

DAY 16 Fly Home

Today marks the end of your epic 16 day adventure of over 2500km taking in some of the best sights of South Australia as well as the amazing Red Centre. This is a journey you will be talking about for years to come!

Drop your car off at Alice Springs airport and fly home. Alternatively, if you’re not ready to go home just yet, why not take the Ghan up to Darwin from Alice Springs?

Flights Home Included

This package includes all flights as detailed below in the price section (including all fees, levies and taxes). However, we can tailor this package to include our special discounted 'package only' airfares from anywhere. Simply let us know.

About Your Accommodation

You have 3 choices of accommodation. Our "Good Standard" central hotels have great facilities, a comfortable room and friendly service (typically 3.5 stars). Alternatively, why not treat yourself? The "Deluxe" hotels have superior facilities, stylish room and first class service (typically 4 stars). The “Luxury” hotels are upscale with a more luxurious feel for the discerning traveller and great for celebrating an anniversary (typically 5 stars).

The package is priced on the "Good Standard" option. See Optional Upgrades below for more details, or simply ask.

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Adelaide to Alice Springs Self-Drive

16 Day Self-Drive Package

$ 1958 *

*Starting holiday costs per person, two share, for low seasons (A$). Seasonal surcharges apply outside of low season. As prices vary based on travel dates, be flexible with dates to get the for the best deals! Vehicle Hire conditions apply (request Vehicle Hire Inclusions Sheet, also provided with Costings). Subject to limited availability at these prices, after which higher prices apply, book now. Some governments and service operators have Covid vaccination requirements. Your included flights advised via email with 24 hours to select alternative flights, routing or airline (alternatives may be at a higher price). Included flights may not be the most direct routing. Arrive earlier/stay longer for specified airports only. Stop-overs are not possible. Subject to Booking Conditions, see Important Information before booking. © DISCOVER AUSTRALIA Booking Code: mp275

Departures Departs: Any day

The Adelaide to Alice Springs Self-Drive is very popular. Many dates book out well in advance, please book soon.

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