West MacDonnell Ranges Day Trip from Alice Springs
Description
Experience the magnificent grandeur of the West MacDonnell Ranges on this fascinating one day tour. Marvel at towering fiery red walls set aglow by the desert sun as you drive along the ranges. We tour through these amazing ranges all day and stop at beautiful gorges and waterholes, where we can enjoy a refreshing swim in the warmer months. Don’t forget your camera! Every moment of this memorable one day tour is worth capturing. You’ll visit: Simpsons Gap Standley Chasm Ochre Pits Ormiston Gorge Ellery Creek Bighole Flynn Memorial Optional swim at Ellery Creek Bighole (summer only) All activities are considered very safe for all age groups. They do not require a high level of fitness or agility. Please note an NT Parks Pass is required, please purchase prior to tour.
Tour Options
Itinerary
After pickup at your Alice Springs hotel, set off with your guide and small group into West MacDonnell Ranges National Park to begin your exploration of the area’s many natural attractions. Throughout the day, your knowledgeable guide shares informative commentary about the natural and cultural history to the region.
Start with a scenic walk at Simpsons Gap, one of the most renowned gaps in the West MacDonnell Ranges. Follow a riverbed to a natural rock amphitheater while looking for endangered black-footed rock wallabies that hop among the boulders.
Then admire the tall rock walls of Standley Chasm as you stroll through trees that line the tracks including acacias, cycads, ghost gums and cypress pines. Have morning tea at Standley Chasm before heading to your next destination, the Ochre Pits.
A short path leads to rock walls that are covered with white, yellow and red layers of ochre. Be sure to bring your camera to snap photos of the shifting hues. Considered a sacred site for the local Arrernte peoples, the ochre pits provided material traditionally used for ceremonies and trading.
Further down the road, stop for a bushman's lunch at Ormiston Gorge, which contains a semi-permanent waterhole. Look for waterbirds such as the Pacific heron and white-faced heron, both common visitors to the waterhole.
Continue to Ellery Creek Big Hole, a significant geological site and one of central Australia's most pristine waterholes and cool off with a swim.
Your guide returns you to your Alice Springs hotel to end the tour.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Please call to confirm pickup time prior to tour date. Kindly allow 15 mins for the bus to arrive.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please wear strong, non-slip walking shoes
- Please bring hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, water bottle and swimwear during the summer months
- Please bring NT Parks Pass (digital copy accepted)
Reviews(369)
The day tour to West Macdonnell Rangers had lots of stops to see different places (plenty of toilet stops)- lovely walks to see stunning scenery and wildlife. We were not rushed and there was plenty of time for photos and given just enough information about each stop. Lunch was make your own wrap which was easy for all. Morning tea was provided at Stanley Chasm after walk. A very enjoyable day out in nature thanks to our guide/driver Andy from Emu Run Experience.
We really enjoyed this tour ! The pick up from our accommodation was right on time . Our tour guide Alex was new and did an amazing job ( very knowledgeable) Our bus driver Edvino was also very knowledgeable about the area. Our morning tea and lunch was delicious and the extra spots they took us to was great
The scenery was beautiful and walks were easy. Nice tea break and lunch. Andy gave us lots of information about the area. Pickup and drop off was easy. Great day.
We saw some great scenery. Even though our tour was modified because of road closures, they made up for it by taking us to other extremely interesting places in Alice Springs.
It was beautiful and interesting
Thanks so much for your review! We’re happy to hear you found the trip beautiful and interesting. Really appreciate the recommendation and hope to welcome you back again one day! Regards, Patrick - CEO
This was an excellent day tour with a very nice driver, guide. She was very informative and helpful. The visits to Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge were amazing with outstanding views all round. Visiting the ochre pits with their amazing colours and history was another interesting site. The stop off at Ellery Creek also offered wonderful scenery and for some the opportunity to go for a swim. I would recommend this tour to anyone staying in Alice Springs.
Thank you for your kind words, John! It’s great to hear you had such a memorable day exploring the West MacDonnell Ranges and enjoyed the scenery and stories along the way. We really appreciate the recommendation and would love to welcome you back again in the future. Regards, Patrick - CEO
A great day out, due to an unexpected park closure, we had a lot more options of where to visit. It helped that there were only three of us, and had met the day before on another tour with the same company. Our guide Kylie accommodated all the visit requests, made other suggestions and generally ensured we had a great day. Note to the parks department, short notice cancellation of access for a staff party is not an acceptable practice.
We really enjoyed our day trip to the West McDonnell ranges on the small group bus tour. Matt was a great guide/driver and had an impressive knowledge of the history of the area. Most interesting. We enjoyed all the places we were taken to and found this to be a really good way to visit the key sites nearby. We had some overseas guests travelling with us and they were also very impressed.
Thanks so much for your kind words Judith! We’re glad you and your guests enjoyed the West MacDonnell Ranges tour and that Matt made the day so enjoyable with his knowledge and guidance. We appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again soon! Regards, Patrick - CEO
Loved what we saw just a shame that the guide was new and still learning. The guide was the only let down. The sights were beautiful
Beautiful day experiencing one of the marvels of Alice Springs region. Matt, our guide, was informative on the region, told great stories, and was a great driver as he drove us to all spots on itinerary and then added a few additional stops for more scenic pictures. It was a great tour!
