Northern Territory outback

The original Outback Now covered the Red Centre and Top End towns along the Stuart Highway: Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Katherine and Darwin. The Stuart Highway, fully sealed, makes the NT easy to explore by car, while the Ghan and flights to Alice Springs and Ayers Rock open it up to fly-drive visitors.

Town guides

• Alice Springs — the heart of the Red Centre.
• Katherine — gateway to Nitmiluk Gorge.

Other places on the Stuart Highway

Tennant Creek is a gold-rush town on Warumungu Country with the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre and the Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles granite boulders about 100 km south. Daly Waters, just off the highway, has a famous historic pub. Mataranka has thermal pools in Elsey National Park. Darwin marks the end of the Adelaide to Darwin drive.

Seasons

The Red Centre is best from April to September. The Top End's dry season (roughly May to October) is peak time; the wet season brings storms and road closures. See best time to visit.

Respect and permits

Much of the NT is Aboriginal land. Stay on public roads unless you have a permit, follow signs at sacred sites and buy art from Aboriginal-owned art centres where the artists benefit directly.

Two Territories in one

The Northern Territory is often described as two places: the Red Centre in the south, a land of desert ranges, red sand and iconic rocks around Alice Springs and Uluru, and the Top End in the north, a tropical region of wetlands, waterfalls and monsoon forest around Darwin, Kakadu and Katherine. Between them lies the Barkly region, vast cattle country crossed by the Stuart and Barkly highways. The Territory has a small population spread across a huge area, and Aboriginal people make up a much larger share of the population than in any other state or territory.

The Red Centre

Alice Springs is the hub of central Australia, on the Country of the Arrernte people. From here, the West MacDonnell Ranges (Tjoritja) stretch west with gorges and waterholes such as Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge and Glen Helen. The East MacDonnells offer quieter gorges and the historic gold-mining ghost town of Arltunga. The 223 km Larapinta Trail is one of Australia's great long-distance walks.

South-west of Alice Springs, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is the Territory's most famous destination, with the resort town of Yulara providing accommodation. Watarrka National Park and Kings Canyon are about three hours' drive from Yulara. Other Red Centre highlights include Rainbow Valley, Palm Valley in Finke Gorge National Park (4WD only), and the meteorite craters at Henbury.

The Barkly

Tennant Creek is the main town of the Barkly region, with the Nyinkka Nyunyu Art and Culture Centre telling the story of the Warumungu people. Karlu Karlu / Devils Marbles Conservation Reserve, south of town, is a sacred site with spectacular granite boulders. Further north, Daly Waters and its historic pub are a classic Stuart Highway stop.

The Top End

Katherine is the gateway to Nitmiluk National Park, with its gorge cruises, canoeing and Edith Falls (Leliyn). Mataranka, to the south-east, has thermal springs in Elsey National Park. North of Katherine, Litchfield National Park, about 100 km from Darwin, has waterfalls, swimming holes and magnetic termite mounds. Kakadu National Park, east of Darwin, is World Heritage listed for its natural and cultural values, with rock art, wetlands and escarpment country.

Getting around

The Stuart Highway is the Territory's spine, running from the South Australian border through Alice Springs and Katherine to Darwin. The Barkly Highway links Three Ways with Queensland, and the Victoria Highway links Katherine with Kununurra in WA. Distances are long: Alice Springs to Darwin is about 1,500 km. Flights connect Darwin, Alice Springs and Yulara (Ayers Rock Airport) with other Australian cities. The Ghan train runs between Adelaide, Alice Springs and Darwin. See Adelaide to Darwin.

Seasons in more detail

In the Red Centre, winter days are sunny and mild, but nights can be cold enough for frost. Summer days are often above 35°C. In the Top End, the dry season brings warm days and cool nights, with clear skies and low humidity, while the wet season brings heat, humidity, spectacular storms and monsoon rains. Road closures in the wet can cut off parts of Kakadu, Litchfield and other parks. The NT Road Report provides current road conditions.

Parks passes

Interstate and international visitors need an NT Parks Pass to visit many Territory-managed parks, including Nitmiluk, Litchfield and the West MacDonnell Ranges. Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu are managed by Parks Australia and require their own passes. See Outback national parks.

Aboriginal culture

Aboriginal culture is woven through travel in the Territory, from art centres and cultural tours to jointly managed parks. See Aboriginal-led tours and experiences and Buying Aboriginal art ethically.

Visitor centres

Tourism Central Australia in Alice Springs and visitor centres in Katherine and Tennant Creek offer current advice on roads, permits, tours and park conditions.

Explore the Red Centre region guide.

Plan a drive: Northern Territory road trip.