Uluru, Kings Canyon & MacDonnell Ranges 5 Day

Most Red Centre tours skip the East MacDonnell Ranges entirely. This 5-day trip from Alice Springs doesn't — and that's what sets it apart.

You still get the headline spots: Uluru at sunrise and sunset, the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta, the Rim Walk at Kings Canyon. But with five days instead of four, there's time to explore the West MacDonnell Ranges properly (Ormiston Gorge, Ellery Creek Big Hole — both swimmable if you're game for cold water) and add the East MacDonnells, which most visitors never see. Trephina Gorge and Emily Gap are quieter, more intimate versions of the western gorges, with significant Aboriginal art sites.

The pace is deliberately relaxed. Your guide keeps the itinerary flexible based on weather, group energy and what's worth lingering over. It's a small group on a purpose-built 4WD bus, and the guide does all the cooking — think campfire dinners under a sky with more stars than you've ever seen.

Sleeping is swag-style under the stars. The swags are thick canvas bedrolls with mattresses — surprisingly comfortable, and the experience of waking up in the outback without a roof overhead is something you'll remember long after the trip ends.

If you've got five days to give the Red Centre, this is the most comprehensive option available. You'll cover ground that three and four-day tours physically can't reach.