Alice Springs sits in the heart of Central Australia and is famous for its colourful landscapes - a cobalt blue sky shrouds rich red rock and mountain ranges that stretch for hundreds of kilometres either side of the town.
 
The spectacular gorges and chasms of the East and West MacDonnell Ranges, combined with world-renowned drives through the iconic red landscape set the scene for a range of adventure activities such as bushwalking, swimming and camping.
 
Aboriginal art is one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world, and today is a thriving industry in Alice Springs - the Aboriginal art capital of Australia. Art centres in and around Alice are attracting more and more travellers with the high standard of work being produced. In some centres, visitors can watch the artist at work and buy pieces direct.

The history and heritage of Alice Springs has a rich cast of characters, from Afghan cameleers to pioneering women and flying doctors to our early explorers. Today, travellers can pay homage to their legacy at various historic sites around the town.
 
Fact File
• The peak visitor time is from July to November, with clear, sunny days and cool nights. The shoulder season is from April to June, while in the summer months, from December to March, the weather can be very warm during the day, but can still get brisk at night.
• Qantas flies to and from Alice Springs daily from most capital cities, as well as Uluru (Connellan Airport). The Ghan service operates twice a week heading north to Darwin and south to Adelaide.
• Alice Springs is a modern outback town, rich in history and culture and home to the Arrernte People.
 
Did you know?
• Getting to Alice Springs is easy - within 3 hours’ flying time from most capital cities
• Alice Springs is known as the Aboriginal art capital of Australia
• The Ghan stops off in Alice Springs and clients can enjoy the many adventure, nature and culture activities available before continuing on to Darwin or heading south.
 
Average temperatures
• Autumn, Mar-May 12C-27C
• Winter, Jun-Aug 3C-20C
• Spring, Sept-Nov 14C-30C
• Summer, Dec-Feb 20C-35C
 
Seasons and time to visit
• The local Aboriginal people recognise up to six seasons of the year, each with distinctive attributes to the land and relating to bush food’s availability.
• From July to November, the days are clear and crisp, with daytime temperatures ranging between 20 - 30ºC. In the summer months this rises considerably, making the weather perfect for swimming in the many natural waterholes dotted throughout the MacDonnell Ranges.

Photos courtesy of Tourism NT