East and Tjoritja/West MacDonnell Ranges

Alice Springs is flanked by the MacDonnell Ranges. Those to the east of Alice Springs are known as the East MacDonnell Ranges and those to the west are known as the Tjoritja/West MacDonnell Ranges.

Eye-catching scenery and Aboriginal rock art in the MacDonnell Ranges east of the Alice are well worth a day or more of exploration. Yeperenye/Emily and Jessie Gaps Nature Park, and Corroboree Rock Conservation Reserve, once a setting for important male-only Indigenous ceremonies, are within the first 50 km (31 miles) east of Alice Springs. Beyond these are Trephina Gorge, John Hayes Rockhole, and N'Dhala Gorge Nature Park (home to numerous Aboriginal rock carvings).

The Tjoritja/West MacDonnell Ranges, which stretch westward from just a few kilometers outside Alice Springs to around 200 km (125 miles) away, are a spectacular series of red-rock mountains interspersed by canyons and narrow gorges. Each of the chasms and gorges has its own unique character, and in many there are water holes where you can swim. Black-footed rock wallabies are among the wildlife to be spotted. The 223-km (139-mile) Larapinta Trail in the park, the showpiece of central Australian bushwalking, is broken into 12 sections, each a one- to two-day walk.

All visitors to Tjorita/West MacDonnell National Park require a parks pass, which must be purchased online in advance (nt.gov.au/parks/parks-pass). It costs A$10 for a one-day pass, A$30 for a two-week pass, or A$60 for an open pass, which is valid for one year.