7 Day Adelaide to Uluru Backpacker Tour

Your outback adventure kicks off before sunrise, leaving the city behind while most are still hitting snooze. After a quick caffeine crawl out of Adelaide, we cruise north to the sleepy town of Wirrabara. Here, towering silo art brings colour and culture to the streets and Julie’s Bakery serves up the kind of country comfort food you didn’t know you needed.

Next stop: Arkaroo Rock, tucked deep in Adnyamathanha Country. This is more than a hike, it’s a time machine. The 3.2 km trail weaves through native bush to a rock shelter etched with ochre and charcoal art that’s over 5,000 years old. These ancient markings tell the story of Akurra, the giant serpent whose body shaped this land. It’s raw, sacred, and completely unforgettable.

As the sun dips and shadows stretch across the ranges, we arrive at Wilpena Pound, our base for the night. Here, a local Yura guide welcomes us to Country, sharing stories first spoken in Yura Ngawarla, then brought to life in English. It’s not just a greeting; it’s an invitation to connect with the spirit of the land and those who have cared for it for millennia. To wrap the day, it’s back to camp for dinner before rolling out your swag beneath the stars, where the Milky Way becomes your ceiling.

Accommodation: Swag camping with amenities at Discovery Parks Wilpena Pound

Meals: Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll strap on the boots for the Wangara Lookout Hike. Starting from the Wilpena Pound Visitor Centre, this 7 km return trail weaves through shady Pound Gap, where river red gums tower overhead and emus and kangaroos might casually photobomb your walk. You’ll hit the historic Hills Homestead first, a great spot to catch your breath. From there, it’s a short, steep push to the lookout. If you’re up for it, the upper platform dishes out panoramas that’ll blow your boots off.

Back on level ground, we explore Old Wilpena Station, where the outback grit of early pastoral days meets ancient Adnyamathanha Country. Back on the bus, travel to Hawker for lunch and a quick stop at the Jeff Morgan Gallery, part art, part time warp. Roll into Warren Gorge for a 5.2 km hike which delivers on drama: burnt-orange cliffs, cypress pines, and if you are lucky, a glimpse of the rare yellow-footed rock wallabies bouncing between boulders.

Set up camp at beautiful Warren Gorge for dinner, stories, and stargazing.

Accommodation: Swag camping at Warren Gorge (toilets available, no showers)

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Farewell the Flinders Ranges as we head deep into the South Australian outback. After a quick refresh and snack stop in Port Augusta, we cruise north through saltbush plains and wide-open nothingness, the kind that makes you feel like you’re driving on Mars. Midway, we pull up at Lake Hart, a surreal salt lake where white stretches to the horizon and the silence feels otherworldly. It’s a chance to stretch your legs, snap some lunar-level photos, and breathe in the stillness.

By late arvo, we roll into Coober Pedy, the underground opal capital of the world. First stop? The Old Timers Mine for a crash course in outback bling. Learn how opals are formed, walk through original underground homes, and go ‘noodling’, fossicking for stray gems in the red dust. Who knows? You might just get lucky.

Check in to your underground digs at Radeka Downunder, where the rooms are carved into the rock to escape the desert heat. The night’s yours to explore this weird and wonderful town. Pizza in a cave, underground bars, moonlit strolls, it’s all on the table.

Accommodation: 5-share dorm at Radeka Downunder

Meals: Breakfast

Buckle up, today’s a big one. We head north through a whole lot of red dirt and big sky, cruising past the Dingo Fence (yes, the world’s longest dog barrier) and into Kanku–Breakaways Conservation Park, an ancient Aboriginal heritage site where the Moon Plains live up to the name. Think wide-open space, sci-fi scenery, and silence that hums.

From here, we cross the border into the Northern Territory, chasing the heat shimmer to Watarrka National Park, home of Kings Canyon. By late afternoon, we roll into Kings Creek Station, our desert base for the night.

Cool off in the pool, wander the red dirt trails, or kick back with a cold one and watch the outback do its golden hour thing from the sunset platform. Dinner is at the Station’s laid-back eatery before we settle in for a well-earned rest under star-soaked skies.

Accommodation: Swag camping with amenities at Kings Creek Station

Meals: Breakfast

It’s an early start, but trust us, this one’s worth it. The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is straight-up legendary: a 6 km loop of towering sandstone cliffs, ancient domes, and mind-blowing views in every direction. Climb up through Priscilla’s Crack (cue the soundtrack), wander the maze of domes known as the Lost City, and descend into the lush heart of the canyon, the Garden of Eden, complete with ferns and secret waterholes.

After lunch, we cruise further into the Red Centre, giving your legs a break while your camera roll fills with shifting desert scenes. By late afternoon, we arrive at the sacred heart of Australia, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Pull up a camp chair and soak in sunset over Uluru, when the rock glows and the desert hush hits differently. Then it’s back to camp for dinner before rolling out your swag under star-splashed skies. Red dust, Milky Way, total silence, this is your outback moment.

Accommodation: Swag camping with amenities at Ayers Rock Resort Campground

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

This morning, we head into the sacred domes of Kata Tjuṯa for the Walpa Gorge Walk. A 2.6 km trail into towering red rock walls and ancient desert silence. Named after the local word for “wind,” Walpa is a cool, shady pocket in the middle of the heat, home to rare plants, seasonal streams, and stories older than time. This is a sacred men’s site for the Aṉangu people, so we walk with quiet respect and wide eyes. Before lunch, we dive deeper into the culture of this Country with a visit to the Cultural Centre, the heartbeat of the park, where you’ll learn more about the Aṉangu way of life and the meaning behind this powerful landscape.

Back at camp, the afternoon’s yours. Cool off in the pool, check out the Gallery of Central Australia, or join one of the free cultural experiences on offer, from bush food tastings to didgeridoo demos, guided garden walks, or meeting the locals at the Camel Farm. Tonight, wrap up our Red Centre adventure in proper Aussie style with an Outback BBQ (own cost). Load your plate, share a drink with the crew, and trade your favourite trip stories as the desert sky puts on its nightly light show.

Feeling fancy? You’ve also got the option to skip the BBQ and upgrade to the magical Field of Light experience with 50,000 solar-powered globes glowing under the outback stars. This extra is very popular so we recommend adding this to your cart when booking.

Accommodation: Swag camping at Ayers Rock Resort Campground

Meals: Breakfast

Wake early and watch the desert come alive as the sun rises over Uluru. The light show is unreal. Shifting colours, long shadows, and that quiet magic only this place can deliver.

Then it’s time to get up close. Standing 348 metres high and estimated at 550 million years old, Uluru is a presence. The 10 km guided base walk is your opportunity to connect. Wander past waterholes, into shaded gullies, and along ancient rock faces etched with meaning. Rest beneath Sheoak trees, peer into sacred caves, and hear the stories that shape this land. Prefer a slower pace? No worries, shorter walks are available too.

By late morning, we return to Desert Gardens Resort in Yulara, where this wild journey officially ends.

For those departing from Uluru Airport, complimentary transfers are available from the resort.

Need to get to Alice Springs? Bus transfers to Alice Springs from Yulara are available. See “IMPORTANT INFORMATION” for more details.

Meals: Breakfast