Aboriginal rock art, idyllic waterholes, spectacular sunsets, intriguing history and diverse culture. This is Alice Springs, and it’s filled with an abundance of things to do.

From holding a baby kangaroo wrapped in a pillowcase to hot air ballooning, mountain biking and camel rides, here is your guide to the best things to do in Alice Springs.

1. Kangaroo Sanctuary Alice Springs

Cuddling a joey is the stuff of bucket lists. Luckily, Brolga, aka Chris Barnes, is ready to make your dreams come true at his Kangaroo Sanctuary 20 minutes’ drive from Alice Springs.

Stroll through bushland and meet the resident mob of rescued orphaned joeys and adult kangaroos as a giant red sun sinks into the desert. Public tours are available here Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, except in the summer, when the facility is closed.

2. Alice Springs art galleries

Home to the Arrernte people, Alice Springs is a major hub for Aboriginal art from around Central Australia and boasts numerous art galleries, shops and studios. Araluen Arts Centre contains about 1100 artworks and a large collection of paintings by the great Albert Namatjira.

Commercial galleries worth a visit include the Indigenous-owned Papunya Tula Gallery in the Todd Mall and the nearby Yubu Napa Gallery and Mbantua Gallery.

Tjanpi Desert Weavers is also a must-visit gallery in Alice Springs. In the gallery space, you’ll find a delightful array of baskets, jewellery and animal sculptures woven by women out on Country. The gallery also functions as a social enterprise, providing opportunities for women’s employment across 26 communities across APY Lands. Stop in to admire the artwork, learn about the project – and maybe even pick up a trinket to take home.

3. Alice Springs hot air balloon rides

Wake up before 5am to get a bird’s eye view of the desert on a hot air balloon ride. Outback Ballooning offers half-hour and hour-long flights with guaranteed angelic views over the desert plains.

If you prefer to stay on terra firma, opt for the hot air balloon chase, where you watch your friends or family take flight before following in a 4WD.

4. Earth Sanctuary Alice Springs

If spotting constellations, super giants and planets is on your bucket list, you’ll want to plan a trip to one of the best stargazing spots in the world.

On the 40-hectare property at Earth Sanctuary the one-hour astronomy tour takes you on a trip through the night sky, where you’ll learn how to navigate using the stars and hear ancient Aboriginal stories interwoven with modern science. You’ll also get to look at the glittering cosmos through deep sky telescopes at the Earth Sanctuary Observatory – a sight that’s bound to reframe your sense of perspective.

5. Olive Pink Botanic Garden Alice Springs

Just a few minutes’ drive from the Todd Mall, the beautiful Olive Pink Botanic Garden is home to about 2,500 plantings of over 600 species. Take the easy ascent to Annie Meyers Hill for some of the best views of Alice Springs.

For breakfast or lunch, pop into the quaint Bean Tree café for banana pancakes, smashed avo on toast and creamy oat lattes.

6. Royal Flying Doctor Service Alice Springs

Housed in Alice Springs’ original Royal Flying Doctor Service base, this centre includes a museum with historic radios, medical equipment and a replica fuselage you can sit in.

Go hi-tech and don a virtual reality headset to experience flying as a patient in the outback. You can also ‘see and hear’ founder John Flynn, who appears as a life-size hologram.

7. National Road Transport Museum

From the early days of camel trains to the birth of the Ghan train, you can learn about all things transport in Central Australia at the National Road Transport Museum. If you want to stay longer, there’s a campground with powered and unpowered sites – just beware that the train line runs directly behind the campground and the train horn is a common sound.

8. Alice Springs camel rides

If you feel like throwing your leg over a camel and setting off into the desert there are several farms that offer tours. Just 20 minutes’ drive from Alice Springs, Pyndan Camel Tracks has one-hour rides at noon, mid-afternoon and sunset. Opt for the sunset tour to see the sky turn from pink to a rich orange and to enjoy a bubbly and bar snacks after the ride.

9. Megafauna Central

At Megafauna Central in the Todd Mall you can see life-size replicas of some long-vanished creatures, including the world’s largest bird known as Dromornis and a colossal crocodile species called Baru. It’s part of the Museum of Central Australia, which presents the geological history of the region starting from the big bang and continuing to the present day.

10. Alice Springs Desert Park

Just 10 minutes’ drive from town, Alice Springs Desert Park features a jam-packed list of daily presentations, including talks on dingos, emus, echidnas, plant medicine and red kangaroos.

Make sure you catch the bird show and grab a free self-guided audio tour to explore the three habitats – woodlands, sand country and desert rivers.

11. Alice Springs Telegraph Station

Visit the spot where European settlement began in Alice Springs by taking the short drive to the Telegraph Station, Learn how the Telegraph Station was established in 1871 to relay messages between Darwin and Adelaide along the Overland Telegraph Line and walk through the lovely historic stone buildings, which are open for daily tours.

12. Alice Springs Reptile Centre

Home to over 100 snakes, lizards and crocodiles, Alice Springs Reptile Centre offers educational tours, with talks covering topics such as reptile habitats and how to avoid encounters with snakes in the wild.

Catch one of the daily shows and don’t forget to grab a selfie with a friendly python.

13. Sunrise or sunset at ANZAC Hill

For the early riser, a sunrise at ANZAC Hill will reward you with stunning views of Alice Springs waking up. Sunset is just as sweet from atop the 608-metre hill when a giant orange sun sinks into the vast desert landscape.

Close to the centre of Alice Springs, ANZAC Hill landmark serves as a memorial to Australia’s military history and offers a serene spot to reflect on those who fought for the country during the Second World War.

14. Todd Mall markets

Start the day with a mango smoothie and fresh pastries from the Todd Mall markets, held every Sunday from 9am between March and December. You can peruse plenty of stalls with unique handmade jewellery, postcards and Aboriginal paintings.

15. West MacDonnell Ranges

Take a day trip to the West Macs to enjoy some fabulous outback scenery and a cool dip in one of the spectacular waterholes, such as Ellery Creek, Ormiston Gorge, Glen Helen and Redbank Gorge.

Highlights you shouldn’t miss include the dramatic gorges of Simpsons Gap and Standley Chasm, and the Ochre Pits, a colourful outcrop of ochre on the banks of a sandy creek.

16. East MacDonnell Ranges

Situated 85 kilometres east of Alice Springs and home to the largest ghost gum in Australia, Trephina Gorge is considered the main attraction of the East Macs. Here you’ll find dramatic gorges, ridges and plenty of short walks. If you have a 4WD you can continue a further five kilometres on an unsealed road to take a dip in the John Hayes Rockhole.

For more incredible ways to explore, read our travel guide to Alice Springs.