Few road trips tell the story of a country as clearly as the one from Darwin to Uluru. You start in the humid, green tropics, with crocodile rivers and thunderstorms, then follow the Stuart Highway south for about 1,500 km to Alice Springs, and on another 450 km to the red monolith in the middle of the continent. By the end the air is dry, the sky is huge and the soil is the colour of rust.

We are writing from Rovaniemi, so this is a researched guide rather than something we drove ourselves. We have read the park rules, checked the distances and studied the live prices on CampervanPlanet, and put together the trip we would plan. You can compare vehicles on the Darwin campervan hire page, and code HUNGRYTRAVELFAMILY20 takes €20 off at checkout.

The route and the distances

The Stuart Highway runs south from Darwin through the heart of the Northern Territory, and almost everything on this trip follows it. The key distances, rounded, from Darwin:

• Katherine: about 320 km. Home of Nitmiluk (Katherine Gorge) and the hot springs.
• Tennant Creek: about 1,000 km. A small outback town and the base for the Devils Marbles, giant granite boulders south of town.
• Alice Springs: about 1,500 km. The main town of the Red Centre and the gateway to the MacDonnell Ranges.
• Uluru: about 450 km further, on the Lasseter Highway, which makes the full one-way trip around 2,000 km.

Nobody should try to rush this. In a campervan, we would aim for 350–450 km a day, with the rest of the time spent at the places that make the drive worthwhile.

A 12-day plan

Days 1–2: Darwin, Litchfield and Kakadu

Pick up the van at Darwin and spend a couple of days in the Top End before heading south. Litchfield National Park is close and has waterfalls and swimming holes, while Kakadu, to the east, has ancient rock art and wetlands. Our 4WD camper guide to Kakadu and Litchfield has more detail.

Days 3–4: Katherine

Drive south to Katherine. Take a boat or a walk in Nitmiluk, and soak in the warm springs. On the way, the Daly Waters Pub is a quirky roadside stop covered in memorabilia.

Days 5–6: Tennant Creek and the Devils Marbles

This is the long, empty middle. The Devils Marbles, or Karlu Karlu, are sacred to the traditional owners and wonderful at sunset. There are camping areas nearby.

Days 7–9: Alice Springs and the MacDonnell Ranges

Alice Springs is a good place to rest, resupply and explore. The West MacDonnell Ranges have gorges such as Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge, where you can swim in cool pools.

Days 10–12: Uluru and Kata Tjuta

The drive to Uluru takes about five hours from Alice Springs. Walk around the base, watch the colours change at sunrise and sunset, and visit Kata Tjuta, the domed rock formation nearby. Many travellers add Kings Canyon on the way, which requires a detour but is worth it.

The right season

The Northern Territory has two seasons that matter. The wet season, roughly November to April, is hot and humid in the north, with heavy rain, flooding and some road closures. The dry season, roughly May to October, is the main travel window, with sunny skies and comfortable temperatures.

For this trip we would pick May to September. The Top End is dry enough for swimming holes and the Red Centre is warm by day, though nights in Alice Springs and Uluru can drop close to freezing in June and July, so you need a good blanket or a heater. Avoid summer: temperatures in the Red Centre regularly exceed 40 °C, and extreme heat is dangerous.

It is also worth knowing that popular campsites fill up in the dry season, particularly around school holidays and in Alice Springs and Uluru.

What the campervan costs

CampervanPlanet’s Darwin page shows six companies renting there. The cheapest offer for a start on 8 June 2027 was from A$103/day, while a 10 November 2026 start was from A$152/day and 9 March 2027 from A$166/day, all for a 7-night rental with the cheapest vehicle. The typical price in the dry season, April to October, is around A$228 a day, with prices starting from A$121 in that period. These figures come from CampervanPlanet’s October 2026 price index, and they show the common pattern: the wet season is cheaper because fewer people want to go.

For the national picture, see our Australia campervan rental prices page, and our guide to campervan costs per day and per week in Australia for the full explanation of extras. Remember that prices are before excess cover and extras, that fuel will be a major cost over 4,000 km, and that national park fees apply for Kakadu, Nitmiluk and Uluru-Kata Tjuta.

One-way or return?

Driving 2,000 km south and then 2,000 km back is a lot of road. Many travellers fly home from Alice Springs or Uluru, or take a one-way rental. One-way hire from Darwin to places like Alice Springs may be possible on some offers, but it depends on the rental company and fleet, and a one-way fee may apply. Each CampervanPlanet offer states what is included and what you pay locally, so check that before booking.

If one-way is not available, there are alternatives: a loop that returns to Darwin via Kakadu and Litchfield, a shorter trip from Darwin to Katherine and Litchfield, or a flight to Alice Springs with a separate rental for the Red Centre. If you want a rugged option, our 4WD camper hire in Darwin page lists vehicles for dirt tracks.

Staying safe in the outback

• Carry water. At least 10 litres per person as an emergency reserve, and more in summer.
• Don’t drive at dusk and night. Cattle, kangaroos and wallabies are common, and a collision can end a trip. Be especially careful at sunrise and sunset.
• Respect road trains. They are very long, and overtaking takes time and distance. Pull over if one is behind you on a narrow road.
• Fuel stops are far apart. Fill up at every roadhouse if you are below half a tank.
• Respect closed roads and sacred sites. Many places are on Aboriginal land, and permits or rules may apply.

For more general advice on hire contracts and insurance, read our campervan rental guide“>our campervan rental guide.

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