A family holiday to Alice Springs and Uluru is something the kids will never forget. And while there are certainly some more mature activities for the adults, there are plenty of child friendly experiences which the kids will love and learn from! We’ve put together a helpful list of some of the best kids activities in and around Alice Springs here, so you and they can have the best time possible in the Red Centre.
There are definitely some advanced trails which we wouldn’t recommend the kids taking on, but there are also plenty of shorter, more manageable ones too. Ormiston Gorge & Pound Walk Loop, Standley Chasm, Simpsons Gap, and Trephina Gorge Panorama Walk are all rated as easy-medium walks and offer some stunning scenery to take in.
You can’t swim in every waterhole you might see, but there are some beautiful ones in which you can take a dip. Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen Gorge, Ellery Creek Big Hole, and Redbank Gorge are all within a day trip from Alice Springs and offer refreshing, highly unique swimming opportunities!
The Alice Springs Desert Park is a must - kids will love it and they’ll walk away having learned a bundle from the expert Aboriginal presentations. The park also has an incredible bird show, four re-created desert environments loaded with life, and a special section specifically for the nocturnal animals, so you can see them in all their beauty.
Glen Helen Gorge
With over 100 reptiles on exhibition, this is the place to be if your kids love scaly critters. With daily shows and informative talks designed to entertain & educate, you and whole family will love an afternoon at the Reptile Centre. And trust us when we tell you that you’d much rather see some of the snakes & lizards here than in the wild!
Alice Springs has plenty of heritage, and no where more so than the Telegraph Station. Located within the Telegraph Station Reserve, kids will find no end to the number of interesting facts & insights about Central Australia’s very first European settlement back in 1872. Visit the museum and walk around the actual site of the original Alice Springs!
If you’re coming from a big city, your kids might be interested to know that teachers out here have been doing online teaching for decades already. Visit the Alice Springs School of the Air and learn about how this amazing establishment brings education to communities in some of the most remote places of the Northern Territory. There’s tours available at the visitor centre and the kids will have a ball experiencing a live class in action!
You might have heard of it but there’s something very special about seeing these flying doctors & their gear in real life. Pay the tourist centre a visit and you’ll find out how they service all over Australia, the planes used, the history of the RFDS and you might even get some helpful health advice from the friendly on-site medical staff.
School of the Air
If your kids are above the age of 2, they may want to have a ride on a camel. If they’re younger, they can still ride with you as each camel seats 2 people! Surprisingly comfy, this is an unforgettable experience & a truly fun way to see the outback. If you’re lucky, you’ll also get a chance to see all kinds of lizards, wallabies, kangaroos, birds of prey, and even wild budgies!
The ultimate story for kids to take home - fossicking for gems just north of Alice Springs! Gemtree tours offers an experience like no other at the Centralian gem fields. Here you’ll get the chance to spend the day exploring beautiful scenery and learning the fine art of fossicking for gems in the rich fields along the Harts Ranges. If you’re lucky, you’ll even find precious gems to take home!
Pyndan Camel Tracks
Gemtree fossicking tour
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