Destinations / Alice Springs / Simpson Desert

The Simpson Desert stretches south from Alice Springs towards the South Australia border.

Many attractions located on its fringes are an easy day trip from Alice Springs and deliver a taste of its fascinating natural, cultural and historical wonders.

Rainbow Valley, nestled in the James Ranges, is a spectacular sandstone bluff with rainbow like bands, best seen in the late afternoon sun or after heavy rainfall. An easy stop off on the way to the renowned desert landmark of Chambers Pillar is the Ewaninga Rock Carvings Conservation Reserve where rock carvings and petroglyphs provide a fascinating record of many important beliefs of the local Arrernte people.

It is possible to organise tours from Alice Springs into remote Simpson Desert Aboriginal communities like Santa Theresa and Titjikala where you will have the chance to hear first hand accounts of desert life and invest in local arts and crafts.

Truly intrepid types can investigate bush walking and camel trekking trips across the Simpson Desert, which also hosts some of the best four-wheel-driving in Australia. An endless horizon, rolling sand dunes and challenging desert four-wheel-drive tracks all contribute to an ultimate frontier experience. Travelling through this desert region means exploring territory very few people have seen.