The city of Alice Springs stands right in the heart of Australia - almost 1, miles north of Adelaide on the Stuart Highway and 1,5 miles from Perth on the Great Central Road. If you have a hire car in Alice Springs you'll find it has become a tourist centre for exploring the Outback. Day trips to Uluru (Ayres Rock), Kings Canyon and Kata Tjuta rock leave from here. It's considered the gateway to Australia's 'Red Centre', so the available adventures include swimming in gorges, visiting a comet crater and trekking in the West MacDonnell ranges.
Visitors with a hire car can get the most from Alice Springs. There's lots to see, from the aboriginal cultural centre and art galleries to the reptile centre, historic telegraph station and Old Timer's Museum. Some visitors head for the casino while others journey to the Todd River, which is usually a dry bed. An unexpected Alice Springs highlight is the Olive Pink Botanic Garden, planted with desert-tolerant species. The Desert Park also includes arid plants and some animals too. The local airport is eight miles to the south and is a base for the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
