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The Stuart Highway stretching through the outback

Road trips · Itineraries

One-week outback itineraries

A week is enough for one outback region, not for crossing the continent. These five seven-day itineraries each start from an airport or a large town, keep driving days reasonable, and note which ones need a 4WD.

Photo: K McLean, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

By the Outback Now editorial team · Updated · 5 min read

Every itinerary here assumes the cooler, drier part of the year. For the arid outback that's roughly April to September. For the tropical north it's the dry season, roughly May to October. Check road conditions and the Bureau of Meteorology forecast before each day's drive, and adjust if roads close. Our best time to visit and outback weather by month guides explain the seasons.

1. Red Centre loop (Alice Springs, 7 days)

Vehicle: 2WD on sealed roads, or a 4WD for the Mereenie Loop.

  • Day 1: arrive in Alice Springs. Visit the Telegraph Station, the Desert Park or the RFDS base.
  • Day 2: drive the West MacDonnell Ranges: Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge. Stay at Glen Helen or back in Alice.
  • Day 3: take the Mereenie Loop (4WD and permit) to Kings Canyon, or drive the sealed route via the Stuart and Lasseter highways.
  • Day 4: do the Kings Canyon Rim Walk at dawn, then drive to Yulara.
  • Days 5–6: explore Uluru and Kata Tjuta. See our Uluru itinerary.
  • Day 7: fly out from Yulara, or drive back to Alice Springs.

See the Red Centre guide.

2. Flinders Ranges (from Adelaide, 7 days)

Vehicle: 2WD for the main sealed roads. Some gorge tracks are unsealed and may suit a 4WD.

  • Day 1: drive from Adelaide to Quorn or Hawker.
  • Days 2–3: stay at Wilpena Pound in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park, with walks, the Brachina and Bunyeroo gorges, and lookouts.
  • Day 4: drive north via Blinman and Parachilna Gorge.
  • Day 5: continue to Leigh Creek and Copley, or to Arkaroola if you're in a 4WD.
  • Day 6: loop back south, or detour to Marree at the start of the Birdsville and Oodnadatta tracks.
  • Day 7: return to Adelaide.

Check SA's Outback Road Warnings for unsealed sections.

3. Broken Hill and Corner Country (7 days)

Vehicle: a 4WD or high-clearance vehicle is recommended for Corner Country's unsealed roads.

  • Day 1: arrive in Broken Hill. Visit galleries, the Line of Lode and the Living Desert Sculptures.
  • Day 2: take a day trip to Silverton and the Mundi Mundi Lookout, or to Mutawintji.
  • Day 3: drive the Silver City Highway via Packsaddle to Milparinka.
  • Day 4: continue to Tibooburra and Sturt National Park.
  • Day 5: drive to Cameron Corner and stay the night.
  • Day 6: return towards Tibooburra or Broken Hill.
  • Day 7: back to Broken Hill.

See Corner Country.

4. Central-west Queensland (Longreach and Winton, 7 days)

Vehicle: 2WD; the main roads are sealed.

  • Day 1: fly or take the train to Longreach. Visit the Stockman's Hall of Fame.
  • Day 2: spend the day at the Qantas Founders Museum, with a Thomson River sunset cruise in the evening (seasonal).
  • Day 3: drive to Barcaldine and back, or on to Blackall.
  • Day 4: drive to Winton and visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre.
  • Day 5: go to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, and to Lark Quarry if the road is open. See the dinosaur trail.
  • Day 6: see Bladensburg National Park, or drive to Hughenden or Richmond.
  • Day 7: return to Longreach.

See the Matilda Way.

5. East Kimberley (Kununurra, 7 days)

Vehicle: a 4WD for Purnululu and El Questro roads. Many sights can also be reached on sealed roads or by tour.

A sample day-by-day plan is in our Kimberley road trip itineraries. It covers Lake Argyle, Mirima National Park, El Questro, Wyndham and Purnululu.

Tips for one-week trips

  • Fly in and out of different airports where you can, such as Alice Springs and Yulara, to avoid backtracking.
  • Plan no more than about 400 to 500 km of driving in a day, and avoid driving at dawn, dusk and night because of wildlife.
  • Book accommodation ahead in winter, and for events and school holidays.
  • Carry water and a satellite communicator or PLB if you leave the main roads. See outback safety.

Which one-week trip suits you?

If you're flying in, the Red Centre and East Kimberley loops make the most of a short trip: land in Alice Springs or Kununurra, hire a vehicle and start exploring the same day. If you're driving from a capital, the Flinders Ranges suit Adelaide, Broken Hill and Corner Country suit Sydney and Melbourne travellers (with flights to Broken Hill as an option), and central-west Queensland suits Brisbane, either by road or by flying to Longreach. Each route keeps daily driving manageable, so you spend more of the week at the sights.

Weather and timing

Seven days doesn't leave room for weather delays, so timing matters. The southern and central outback is most comfortable in the cooler months. BOM averages for Broken Hill show a January maximum around 33.9°C, compared with about 15.6°C in July, when nights average around 4.9°C. Rain can close unsealed roads at any time of year. Kununurra is a dry-season destination: its January rainfall averages over 200 mm. See outback weather by month.

Keep it realistic

Don't try to tick off two regions in one week. The distances between them, such as Alice Springs to the Kimberley, eat up days of driving. Choose one base, make day trips, and keep a spare half-day for rest or bad weather. Check park passes, campground bookings and any Aboriginal land permits before you go. See fuel, permits and road conditions.

Frequently asked questions

Can you see the outback in a week?

You can see one outback region well in a week. The Red Centre, the Flinders Ranges and Broken Hill are popular one-week choices because they have flights or reasonable road access and short distances between their main sights. Trying to cover several regions in a week means spending most of it driving.

What is the best way to see the Australian outback?

For flexibility, a self-drive trip on sealed roads is the most popular option, with a 4WD added for remote tracks. Fly-drive trips save days of driving, and guided tours, outback trains and scenic flights suit travellers who'd rather not drive long distances.

How long does it take to drive the outback?

It depends on the route. Driving from Adelaide to Darwin on the Stuart Highway is about 3,000 km and usually takes at least a week, while a loop around the Red Centre takes five to seven days. Allow extra time for rest days, because outback distances are tiring.

What is the best outback trip for first-timers?

The Red Centre loop of Alice Springs, the West MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon and Uluru, or a Flinders Ranges trip from Adelaide. Both use mostly sealed roads and have good services and accommodation.

Sources and further reading

Facts on this page were checked against these primary and official sources. Conditions change — confirm before you travel or buy.

  1. Red Centre Way 5 day self drive — Tourism and Events NT
  2. Sturt's Steps touring route — Visit Corner Country
  3. Outback road warnings — Department for Infrastructure and Transport, South Australia
  4. Remote travel safety — Northern Territory Government

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