Tanami Track

The Tanami Track is one of Australia’s most remote and challenging outback drives, a 1,000-kilometre dirt road connecting Alice Springs to Halls Creek in Western Australia. This legendary route cuts through the heart of the Tanami Desert, offering an unparalleled sense of isolation, vast red plains, and star-filled skies. It’s a trip for self-sufficient adventurers with a high-clearance 4WD, but those who tackle it are rewarded with raw, untouched landscapes and a genuine outback experience.

Highlights & What to See

• Tanami Desert: Endless spinifex-covered dunes and red sand plains that seem to go on forever, with wildlife like dingos, eagles, and, after rain, wildflowers.
• Wolfe Creek Meteorite Crater National Park: Near the track’s western end, this near-perfect 880-metre-wide crater is one of the world’s best preserved – a surreal sight in the remote landscape.
• Yuendumu: A Warlpiri Aboriginal community where you can view vibrant local art and learn about Indigenous culture (permission required to enter).
• The Granites Gold Mine: A working mine that offers a glimpse into the region’s gold rush history (no public access, but visible from the road).
• Stargazing: With zero light pollution, the night sky is a dazzling spectacle – the Milky Way stretches from horizon to horizon.

Suggested Time to Spend

Allow at least 4–6 days to drive the entire track from Alice Springs to Halls Creek (or vice versa). This gives time for stops at key sites, overnight camping, and unexpected delays from weather or road conditions. Most travellers break the journey into three or four days of driving, camping at designated spots like the Tanami Roadhouse (fuel, basic supplies) or free camps in the desert. It’s a route best savoured slowly, not rushed.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Alice Springs – The MacDonnell Ranges: Start or end your journey in the Red Centre’s hub, exploring West MacDonnell National Park’s gorges and waterholes.
• Kings Canyon – Watarrka National Park: A spectacular sandstone canyon with rim walks, about 300 km southwest of Alice.
• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park: Australia’s iconic red monolith and domes, 450 km from Alice – a must-see before or after the track.
• Halls Creek – Purnululu National Park (Bungle Bungles): The western terminus of the track, from where you can head to the beehive-like domes of the Bungle Bungle Range.
• Tennant Creek: A historic gold-mining town with the famous Battery Hill Mining Centre, about 500 km north of Alice on the Stuart Highway.

Please check official sources for current details.