Run the Red Centre with a crew.

Trip snapshot

Duration

6 days / 5 nights

Total distance

~50–90km across the week

Terrain

Desert + gorge trail, Alice to Uluṟu

Difficulty

moderate

Group size

Up to 20 runners

Pace

Conversational, 6:00–7:00 min/km on trail

When

May 2027, dates TBC

Dates are not locked in yet. Join the shortlist and you hear first.

Destination: the Red Centre

Alice Springs to Uluṟu. You run the best of it. We drive the rest.

Alice Springs to Uluṟu in six days: you run the best of it, 50 to 90 kms depending how keen you are, and we drive the rest. West into the MacDonnell Ranges first: gorge trail, one river crossing, a swim at the waterhole. Then south to the rock for the base loop at first light. Real beds all five nights. Not a race.

The Experience

The West Macs day

Ormiston Pound Loop over the ridge, one river crossing, then out along the Larapinta toward the Finke River and back. About 18km of the best gorge running in the country. Swim and trailside brunch at the waterhole after.

The Finke River dawn 10k

A gentle sunrise shakeout along one of the oldest riverbeds on earth. Flat, social, about 10km, done before the drive south.

Kata Tjuṯa · Valley of the Winds

7.4km through the domes, the best running terrain in the park. Walpa Gorge for the keen. Lead and sweep, and we beat the heat and the buses.

The Uluṟu base loop

10.6km a lap around the base, from first light. Everyone runs one. The keen chase four, a marathon around the rock, with an aid station each lap.

Field of Light

50,000 lights across the desert floor after dark. A walk, not a run, on the night you've earned it.

Maruku dot-painting

An Aṉangu-led workshop between the runs. Hands on, unhurried, the real thing.

The plan

Six days, five nights, Alice Springs to Uluṟu. You land at Alice by early afternoon Saturday and we take it from there. Up to 20 runners, every transfer handled, and your main luggage moves south with you so you're never lugging it. The first half is the West MacDonnell Ranges: gorge trail, a river crossing, a swim at the waterhole. Then the long drive south to the rock, and the running steps up. Kata Tjuṯa's Valley of the Winds, then the centrepiece, the Uluṟu base loop, one lap for everyone and up to four for the keen. Between the runs there's the waterhole swim, an Aṉangu-led dot-painting workshop, and long dinners back around one table. Real beds every night. Not a race. One crew, one pace, and a table to finish each day around.

1. Day 1 · Sat 8 May: Land at Alice · shakeout · welcome dinner Fly into Alice Springs by early afternoon. We collect you and transfer to the hotel for your kit and room. An easy Telegraph Station shakeout and gear check to spin the legs out after the flight, then a welcome dinner in town and the week's briefing. Night: Alice Springs hotel.
   • Land at Alice Springs (ASP) by early afternoon, we collect you
   • Kit handout and rooms at the hotel
   • Easy Telegraph Station shakeout and gear check
   • Welcome dinner in town and the trip briefing
2. Day 2 · Sun 9 May: The West Macs day · Ormiston Pound Drive west, about 1.75 hours, to Ormiston Gorge for the hero day of the first half. The Ormiston Pound Loop, roughly 9km over the ridge with one river crossing, then out along Larapinta Section 10 toward the Finke River and back, about 18km all up. Moderate, spectacular, no pre-dawn start. Swim and trailside brunch at Ormiston waterhole, a dip at Ellery Creek Big Hole, and a stop at Standley Chasm (Angkerle, a sacred Western Arrernte site). Check in at Glen Helen Lodge, a sit-down dinner and an early night. Night: Glen Helen Lodge.
   • Drive west (~1.75hr) to Ormiston Gorge
   • Ormiston Pound Loop (~9km) plus a Larapinta out-and-back, ~18km total
   • Swim and brunch at Ormiston waterhole, a dip at Ellery Creek Big Hole
   • Standley Chasm (Angkerle), a sacred Western Arrernte site
   • Check in at Glen Helen Lodge, sit-down dinner, early night
3. Day 3 · Mon 10 May: Finke River dawn 10k · drive south A 6:30 start on the Finke River, a gentle sunrise shakeout along one of the oldest riverbeds on earth (Larapinta Section 1). Flat, social, about 10km. Breakfast, pack, then the drive south to Yulara, roughly 5.5 hours via Erldunda, always in daylight, never at night. Check in at Outback Lodge, a welcome-to-the-rock BBQ and the Uluṟu briefing. Night: Outback Lodge, Yulara.
   • ~06:30 Finke River dawn 10k, flat and social
   • Breakfast and pack
   • Drive south to Yulara (~5.5hr via Erldunda), in daylight
   • Check in at Outback Lodge, Yulara
   • Welcome-to-the-rock BBQ and Uluṟu briefing
4. Day 4 · Tue 11 May: Kata Tjuṯa · Field of Light A 6am departure for Kata Tjuṯa to beat the heat and the buses. The Valley of the Winds full circuit, 7.4km, the best running terrain in the park, with Walpa Gorge (2.6km) for the keen. Lead and sweep, heat cut-off. Trailside breakfast and photos, then back to Yulara for the pool and recovery. Afternoon Maruku dot-painting, Aṉangu-led. Field of Light after dark. Dinner is your call. Night: Outback Lodge.
   • ~06:00 depart for Kata Tjuṯa, ahead of the heat and the buses
   • Valley of the Winds circuit (7.4km), Walpa Gorge (2.6km) for the keen
   • Trailside breakfast and photos, then pool and recovery
   • Maruku dot-painting workshop (Aṉangu-led)
   • Field of Light after dark
5. Day 5 · Wed 12 May: The big one: the Uluṟu base loop A 5:45 sunrise at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku, then the base loop. 10.6km a lap around Uluṟu, everyone runs at least one, the keen chase up to four (about 42km, a marathon around the rock), with an aid station at Mala car park each lap. Lead and sweep, heat cut-off. Recovery brunch at the base, then a free afternoon. Farewell BBQ to close it out. Those who added it head to the Sounds of Silence dinner. Night: Outback Lodge.
   • ~05:45 sunrise at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku
   • Base loop, 10.6km a lap. Run one, or chase four
   • Aid station at Mala car park each lap
   • Recovery brunch at the base, free afternoon
   • Farewell BBQ (Sounds of Silence an optional add-on)
6. Day 6 · Thu 13 May: Surprise sunrise run · fly out One last run at 6:30, a fresh angle on the rock for the final morning: a gentle Mutitjulu Waterhole and Kuniya segment. Social, untimed, finishing with a closing circle and group photo. Celebration breakfast, then pack, shuttle to Ayers Rock (AYQ) and fly out around 2pm.
   • ~06:30 surprise sunrise run, Mutitjulu Waterhole / Kuniya, social and untimed
   • Closing circle and group photo
   • Celebration breakfast
   • Shuttle to Ayers Rock (AYQ), fly out ~2pm

What's the deal

Included

• 5 nights, real beds: a hotel in Alice Springs, Glen Helen Lodge, then 3 nights at Outback Lodge, Yulara (quad share)
• NT Parks passes and Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa park entry
• All transport Alice Springs to Uluṟu, plus airport transfers both ends
• Hosts and on-run support, with a nurse on the trip
• Welcome dinner and farewell BBQ
• Field of Light and the Maruku dot-painting workshop
• Trip photography, shared with the whole crew
• OUTRN race kit (cap + tee)

You Cover

• Flights: open-jaw, into Alice Springs (ASP) and home from Ayers Rock (AYQ)
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
• Alcohol and any extra snacks
• Optional add-ons: the camel sunset ride and the Sounds of Silence dinner

Trip Snapshot

• Sun 9 May: Ormiston Pound + Larapinta out-and-back, ~18km. Over the ridge, one river crossing, then out toward the Finke and back. Moderate gorge trail, the hero day of the first half. Swim and brunch at the waterhole after.
• Tue 11 May: Kata Tjuṯa · Valley of the Winds, 7.4km. Through the domes, the best running terrain in the park (~250m of climbing). Walpa Gorge (2.6km) for the keen. Lead and sweep.
• Wed 12 May: The Uluṟu base loop, 10.6km/lap. Flat, barely 30m a lap. Everyone runs one; the keen chase four, a marathon around the rock, with an aid station at Mala each lap.
• Thu 13 May: Surprise sunrise run, ~5km. A social, untimed victory lap: Mutitjulu Waterhole and Kuniya, then a closing circle.

Base Camp

Alice hotel → Glen Helen → Outback Lodge

Home base moves with the run. A hotel in Alice Springs to start, a night at Glen Helen Lodge after the West Macs runs, then three nights at Outback Lodge in Yulara. All quad share: a private room with up to three other runners. Real beds every night, no swags, no camp.

Getting there

Fly into Alice Springs (ASP)

Book your own flights and use your points. Land by early afternoon Saturday 8 May so you don't miss the shakeout and welcome dinner.

Home from Ayers Rock (AYQ)

It's open-jaw, so you fly out the other end and skip the backtrack. Book anything after ~2pm Thursday 13 May so you get the last run and the closing circle.

We handle every transfer

From the airport pickup at Alice to the long drive south to Yulara and the shuttle to AYQ at the end. Once you land, the logistics are ours.

Questions?

How do payments work?

Nothing to pay yet. Register interest and we'll contact you first when booking opens, with confirmed dates and price.

Join the shortlist

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