Road trips
Adelaide to Uluru: The money-saving outback camping guide for 2025
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Planning an Adelaide to Uluru road trip? You're about to embark on one of Australia's most iconic outback adventures! Starting in South Australia near lush green vineyards, this epic route passes through spectacular national parks, desert landscapes, rugged mountains and authentic outback towns before reaching Australia's legendary Red Centre. Last updated: January 2025
To help you plan the perfect journey, we've put together the ultimate Adelaide to Uluru road trip itinerary. Our complete guide covers must-see destinations, drive times, the best season to travel, top camping spots and more. For additional outback inspiration, check out our guide to Best Outback camping destinations and tips.
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Adelaide to Uluru road trip – 7 destinations you can’t miss
Total distance : 2,045km | Recommended time : 7-10 days | Best time to visit : between May and September (winter) | Route on Google Maps
1. Clare Valley (Ngadjuri Country)
Adelaide to Clare Valley : 140km/1hr 40 minutes
Begin your outback adventure by driving from Adelaide to the verdant Clare Valley in time for lunch. One of Australia's oldest wine regions, Clare Valley lies in the river valley formed by the Hutt River and runs along the Horrocks Highway from Auburn to Clare. For more regional exploration ideas, check out our guide to the Best road trips from Adelaide.
Clare Valley is perfect for walking and cycling, with stretches of the Riesling Trail , Rattler Trail , Mawson Trail and Lavender Federation Trail all accessible from the region. Set off on one of the many short walks, or stay in your camper to explore the best scenic drives of the Clare Valley.
Where to stay :
Discovery Parks Clare: Located next to the Clare Valley Wine Food & Tourism Centre, offering powered sites from $51 (members) with modern facilities including:
Heated swimming pool
Camp kitchen
Family bathroom
BBQ facilities
Auburn Caravan Park: A budget-friendly option with sites from $20-25, situated right next to the Riesling Trail.
2. Mount Remarkable National Park
Clare Valley to Mount Remarkable: 150km/2hrs
Discover the ancient landscapes of Mount Remarkable National Park , renowned for its deep gorges, boundless valleys and striking red quartzite cliffs. This wildlife haven is home to native Australian fauna including kangaroos, koalas, wallabies, and over 100 native bird species.
Explore the park in your camper or on foot via numerous walking tracks:
Gorge Circuit hike (2km)
Baroota hike (6km)
Mount Remarkable summit loop (14km)
Where to stay :
[Baroota Campground](https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/booking/details# /accom/69837): Semi-sheltered unpowered sites from $25
Various shade levels
Wind protection options
Non-flushing toilets
[Mambray Creek Campground](https://www.parks.sa.gov.au/booking/details# /accom/67320): Full-facility sites from $30.50
Hot showers
Flushing toilets
Drinking water available
3. Port Augusta and Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Mount Remarkable National Park to Port Augusta : 63km/1hr
Port Augusta to Flinders Ranges : 151km/1hr 30 mins
Begin Day 3 with the 63km drive from Mount Remarkable to Port Augusta (Nukunu Country). Visit the award-winning Wadlata Outback Centre for an interactive journey through outback history. Don't miss the Australian Arid Lands Botanic Garden or climb the Water Tower Lookout for panoramic views.
Continue to Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park , home to the magnificent Wilpena Pound (Ikara) - a natural amphitheatre spanning nearly 80 km². Discover Aboriginal rock art at Arkaroo Rock, explore indigenous symbols at Stokes Hill Lookout , or drive the 20km Brachina Gorge Geological Trail.
Where to stay :
Wilpena Pound Resort: Sites from $25
Powered and unpowered options
Spectacular mountain views
4WD tours available
Aboriginal cultural walks
Modern amenities
Where to stay in Ikara-Flinders Ranges National Park
Wilpena Pound Resort has powered and unpowered sites from $25 per night: park up here to watch the colour of the setting sun on the surrounding mountains. You can book a 4WD tour or a guided Aboriginal cultural walk at the resort too.
4. Woomera
Ikara-Flinders Ranges to Woomera : 340km/3hr 45 min
Drive back to Port Augusta then head to Woomera (Kokatha), which was built in the 1900s as an experimental station to test rockets, weapons and missiles. In those days, it had a population of 5,000, but it’s home today to only 130 people and is an Aussie outback town in all its glory!
Woomera’s main draw is the Heritage Centre and Missile Park, where you can view well-kept displays about the rockets tested in the area. The Centre also exhibits local indigenous artefacts and a display about Len Beadell, the man credited with constructing many of the roads through the Central Outback.
Where to stay :
Unpowered sites from $10
Powered sites from $15
Bar and BBQ facilities
Camp kitchens
Gas bottle refills
Laundry facilities
5. Coober Pedy
Woomera to Coober Pedy : 375km/3hr 50min
It’s a longer drive on Day 5 at 375km, but our next destination – Coober Pedy – is a 1.5-day stop. Famed for its underground lifestyle and lunar landscape, this outback town is the opal capital of the world and like nowhere else on the planet.
Plunge into the Earth’s surface and explore a maze of underground homes and churches like Crocodile Harry’s Underground Nest. While below the surface, take a tour of one of the 70 opal fields around Coober Pedy, which are responsible for 95% of the world’s supply of commercial opal.
The next day, take a driving tour to Kanku-Breakaways Conservation Park, in a stunning desert setting covering over 15,000 hectares or rich and colourful scenery. It’s known for its 60 native flora species, but you’ll probably also see the two-metre-high “Dog Fence” which runs 5,300km across three states – over half the length of Australia. It was built in the 1880s to prevent dingoes from entering sheep country and has been maintained ever since.
Where to stay :
Underground rooms from $66
Unpowered above-ground sites $12 per adult
Unique underground experience
Modern amenities
Air-conditioned facilities
6. Moon Plain and the Painted Desert
Coober Pedy to Painted Desert: 150km/2hr 25min
Painted Desert to Moon Plain: 40km/35min
Moon Plain to Erldunda Roadhouse: 465km/5hr 35min
On Day 7, hit the Stuart Highway before the sun rises and head north towards Uluru. On the way, detour to the Painted Desert made up of mesas, mountains and geological formations. It’s an early start but arriving in time for sunrise means you can watch the spectacle of sunlight bouncing off the rainbow-coloured hills – totally worth it.
Film fans will then want to take another detour to see Moon Plain, a vast region to the east of Coober Pedy that’s been used as a setting for films from Star Wars to Mad Max.
After that, drive 465km north to our final stop before Uluru, the Erldunda Roadhouse. This isn’t a landmark as such, but is famous as the “centre of the centre” of Australia – we recommend staying here overnight on Day 6 to shorten the journey to Uluru the next day.
Where to stay :
Unpowered sites $15
Powered sites $26
Swimming pool
Restaurant and bar
Laundry facilities
BBQ areas
Shaded camp sites
7. Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park
Erldunda Roadhouse to Uluru: 270km/2hr 50 min
It’s just under three hours for the final leg of the Adelaide to Uluru road trip, to Uluru and the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. Look out on the way for Mount Conner, the monolithic rock that many tourists mistake for Uluru – it’s about 140km from Erldunda.
Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park is made up of two natural landmarks, Uluru and Kata Tjuta. We recommend seeing Kata Tjuta on Day 7 so you can catch the sunrise at Uluru the next morning – an experience not to be missed. It’s a 40km drive from Uluru to Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). These towering ochre-coloured rock domes are almost as iconic as Uluru itself and make up an important spiritual site for the local indigenous people.
There’s a range of easy and difficult walking tracks that wind their way through the Olgas. The best time to visit Kata Tjuta is in the late afternoon so that you finish your walk just as the sunset glows off of the red rockface. Get back to Uluru in time to see the sunset – the nest spot is the Car Sunset Viewing location.
The next morning – it’s time to see Uluru itself! The national park opens as early as 5am in summer so that tourists can pick from one of five viewing spots to watch and photograph the sunrise over the rock.
After grabbing some snaps, make the most of the cool early morning weather and drive to the base of the rock for a walk. You can either take the 10km loop track in its entirety or drive around and do little sections individually. Make sure to stop at the cultural centre too, for information on Uluru’s history and to talk to visitor guides.
Where to stay :
Sites from $46.50
Swimming pool
Camp kitchen
Tour desk
BBQ facilities
Gas sales
Laundry facilities
Top tips for an Adelaide to Uluru road trip
Getting to Adelaide
If you want to combine your Adelaide to Uluru road trip with another Aussie adventure (or two), take your time getting to Adelaide. Popular driving routes are:
Sydney (Eora) to Adelaide via Wagga Wagga (Wiradjuri): 1,380km, approx 14.5 hours
Melbourne (Woiwurrung) to Adelaide via Ballarat (Wathaurong): 730km, approx 8 hours (or do ourMelbourne to Uluru road trip)
Melbourne to Adelaide route map
Brisbane (Yuggera) to Adelaide via Broken Hill (Wilyaali): 2,035km, approx 25 hours
Brisbane to Adelaide route map
Perth (Whadjuk) to Adelaide via **Nullarbor (**Mirning): 2,780km, approx 30 hours
Or if you want to save time, fly into Adelaide on a domestic flight for about $100-300 return, or connect on an international service landing from overseas in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth.
Then pick up your campervan rental in Adelaide and head for the hills!
Trip timing
As above, it’s best to take an Adelaide to Uluru road trip in the winter months (between May and September). Temperatures are fairly low throughout most of the day (20-30°C), just right for activities and sightseeing. Rain is minimal in these months too.
What to pack
Although the outback is hot by day, nights do get very cold, so pack accordingly: warm socks, a couple of beanies, a pair of sturdy boots, thermal undies and extra blankets will all keep you toasty once the sun goes down. Check out our cross country road trip checklist for a full packing list.
Fuel and fuel costs
Fuel will be your main expense on this trip, and, along with water, what you’ll have to stock up on at Woomera, Coober Pedy and/or Erldunda. Fill up at towns such as Port Augusta and Alice Springs, where costs will be lower.
Food and water
Again you’ll have to stock up before setting off or at small towns along the way. You’ll need at least 10L of water per person per day to cover emergencies.
Campervan or 4WD?
Can you drive from Adelaide to Uluru in a campervan, or will you need a 4WD? A standard two-wheel-drive vehicle is all you need for an Adelaide to Uluru road trip, as the roads are completely sealed via The Stuart Highway and Lasseter Highway. The road from Alice Springs to Uluru-Kata Tjuta is also fully paved. A 4WD is only needed if you’re driving to Uluru from Western Australia.
Outback driving tips
The outback is not somewhere you want to have a breakdown! Ask the person you’re hiring your campervan from for a full handover, including how everything works and whether any repair tools are included. Bring a tyre repair kit along just in case.
Don’t drive at night : driving at night in the outback can be more risky because of wildlife on the roads. Stick to daylight driving only.
Take regular breaks : long days plus the heat can equal dangerous drives. Even if it adds another couple of days onto your trip, make sure you stop regularly.
Stick to the speed limit : the speed limit on outback roads is 110km/hr.
Hire a van for your Adelaide to Uluru road trip
Now that you know how to tackle a road trip from Adelaide to Uluru, it’s time to hire a campervan, motorhome or caravan that will take you on this Aussie adventure!
Check out our listings forcampervan hire in Adelaide to find the perfect vehicle. Another option is to start the trip outside Adelaide, already on the road to Uluru. No problem: just browse our listings for campervan hire in South Australia for even more choice!
Need more travel inspiration? Discover more Australian outback road trips. Or if you’re looking for something a little shorter, get all you need to know atour best road trips from Adelaide guide.
Why Camplify?
We are proud to be Australia’s largest private caravan, campervan and motorhome sharing community. When you hire a van through our platform, it comes with lots of advantages:
Comprehensive hire insurance
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Indigenous nation names in this post have been sourced from the interactive Indigenous language and social group maps at Gambay.com.au and AIATSIS.
The information in this blog is accurate and current as of the date of posting. Please be aware that information, facts, and links may become outdated over time.