Receive a free flight to Alice Springs when you book one of these holiday packages before 30 November 2026.
From its ochre-hued dust and striking geology to exceptionally dark skies and artforms that hum with 40,000 years of Arrernte culture, the Red Centre is unlike anywhere else on the planet. It touches all who are lucky enough to visit – whether you are watching the rosy glow of Uluṟu at sunrise on the multi-day Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa Signature Walk, road tripping to the mighty ridges of Kings Canyon or soaking up the energy at thriving local festivals.
Thanks to a new tourism campaign from Northern Territory holiday specialist NT Now, travellers are now eligible to claim a free flight to Alice Springs/Mparntwe up to the value of $750 per person, making the magic of the Red Centre more accessible. The catch? You must book one of NT Now’s select travel and accommodation packages by the end of November 2026. The offer is valid for travel between 1 August 2026 and 31 January 2027.
If the Red Centre has been sitting on your travel wishlist, now’s the time to make it happen. Just be speedy – the number of fly-free offers is limited.
What packages are available?
Discover the Red Centre on two wheels with an Outback Cycling tour.
Spanning road trips and art festivals to iconic landscapes and stargazing, there are 23 NT Now packages that are eligible for a free flight to Alice Springs. Starting from $699 per person and ranging from four to seven nights, there are options to suit all budgets and interests.
The packages include accommodation, with most also offering complimentary guided tours and unique experiences at some of the Red Centre’s most extraordinary locations.
Eligible packages include (but not limited to)
Best of Red Centre Explorer, $3589: A six-night journey ticking off the highlights of Alice Springs, Kings Canyon and Uluṟu, as well as the enchanting Field of Light. Highlights include a scenic flight over Kings Canyon Rim, Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience and Sounds of Silence dinner.
West MacDonnell Ranges Wildlife and Nature Explorer, $1379: On this four-night trip, guests experience the magical desert on horseback, take a guided tour of the West Macdonnell Ranges’ dramatic gorges and waterholes, and get up close to wildlife at the Desert Park and Reptile Centre.
Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.
AI Prompt
Some packages include a hot air balloon ride.
Immerse yourself in the rich artistic traditions of the Arrernte people.
Dark skies make Alice Springs and its surrounds an incredible place for stargazing.
Stargazing and Dark Skies, $1779: This four-night adventure includes a Spirit of the Outback stargazing dinner, hot air balloon flight, sunset watercolour painting class at Simpsons Gap and nocturnal experience at Desert Park.
Desert Mob Art Festival 2026, $1719: A four-night journey spotlighting the Red Centre’s incredible Indigenous arts and culture. Includes car hire, arts centre and galleries tour, as well as a guided tour through the spectacular West MacDonnell Ranges.
Alice Springs History Discovery, $699: Four nights of comfortable apartment accommodation, a historical Alice Springs day tour and return airport transfers are included in this four-night package.
Luxury at Longitude with Alice Springs, $6849: This four-night trip includes two nights at one of Australia’s most exclusive luxury lodge accommodations – Longitude 131°, where refinement meets the wilderness. Includes car hire, sunset watercolour class at Simpsons Gap and Desert Park entry.
How to claim
The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is a popular activity in the Red Centre.
To receive your flight credit, simply head to NT Now’s Fly Free to Alice Springs page and book one of the holiday packages listed on the page. Once you’ve booked, you will receive a credit equal to the lowest available inbound economy airfare to Alice Springs at the time of booking – up to $750 per person.
This free flight promotion is only eligible for new bookings made before 30 November 2026, for travel between 1 August 2026 and 31 January 2027.
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Eleanor Edström is Australian Traveller’s Associate Editor. Previously a staff writer at Signature Luxury Travel & Style and Vacations & Travel magazines, she's a curious wordsmith with a penchant for conservation, adventure, the arts and design. She discovered her knack for storytelling much earlier, however – penning mermaid sagas in glitter ink at age seven. Proof that her spelling has since improved, she holds an honours degree in English and philosophy, and a French diploma from the University of Sydney. Off duty, you’ll find her pirouetting between Pilates and ballet classes, or testing her friends’ patience with increasingly obscure vocabulary.
Hard to reach and harder to forget, East Arnhem offers something rare in modern travel: the chance to slow down and experience Country on its own terms.
The sky feels bigger in East Arnhem. It stretches wide and uninterrupted above rouged earth, stringybark woodland and beaches so empty they seem to belong to another era. The coastline curves for kilometres without a footprint and the horizon runs on forever.
For comedian Lou Wall, the scale of the place was the first thing that hit them.
“The sheer openness,” they say. “The sky feels infinite and the land stretches out endlessly. It’s pretty breathtaking visually.”
But the physical landscape is only part of the story. The real reward isn’t only the scenery but the shift in perspective the journey brings. Visitors stop trying to tick off the destination and a real engagement takes over.
“It made me never want to travel again,” Wall jokes. “In that I never wanted to leave East Arnhem.”
Getting there
Sail along the remote coastline on an expedition cruise.
Reaching East Arnhem is part of the adventure. Travellers typically fly into Gove Airport near Nhulunbuy via Darwin or Cairns, or arrive by expedition cruise along the remote coastline. Others make the journey overland along rutted dirt roads that cut through East Arnhem’s small pockets of monsoon forest.
However you arrive, there’s a distinct feeling of crossing into somewhere different. Permits are required to visit the region, reflecting the fact that this is Yolŋu land where communities and traditional owners maintain deep cultural connections to Country.
The extra planning becomes part of the experience. By the time visitors arrive, they understand they’re entering a place not just of respect, but also patience and curiosity.
At one with nature
East Arnhem’slandscapes leave a strong imprint. For Wall, one place in particular still lingers in their memory: Ngalarrkpuy, also known as Lonely Beach, near Bawaka Homeland.
“I genuinely felt like I was living inside an Instagram filter,” they say. “One of the most stunning feats of nature I’ve ever seen. The water was so clear I swear I could see even the fish smiling.”
Across the region, natural experiences unfold at a slower pace. Fishing, beachcombing and island hopping reveal the rhythm of the coastline. The tides shape daily life and the vastness of the landscape makes even simple moments feel downright cinematic.
For visitors with limited time, Wall says the Bawaka Homeland experience is unmissable.
“I just left and I’m already planning when I can get back there.”
The sense of remoteness is part of the appeal. In a country where many beaches are crowded and well-trodden, East Arnhem’s coastline still feels wonderfully wild.
Immersing in local culture
Experience authentic moments with the locals.
Culture is woven through every experience in East Arnhem. Visitors have the opportunity to spend time on Country with Yolŋu guides and knowledge holders who share stories and traditions that have been passed down for generations.
For Wall, one of the most powerful moments came during a conversation with a Yolŋu elder.
“I got to meet a traditional elder, Mayalil, in Nhulunbuy,” they say. “Listening to her talk about her home made the land feel alive in ways I couldn’t have imagined.”
The region is also home to internationally recognised Aboriginal art centres where artists shape works deeply connected to land and family knowledge.
Music carries the same cultural energy. East Arnhem has produced globally recognised artists such as King Stingray and Baker Boy, blending Yolŋu language, storytelling and contemporary sound.
Wall experienced this musical spirit first-hand.
“A jam session around the fire was it for me,” they say. “Letting the deep joy and history of their music wash over me…and meeting a few of the King Stingray musicians was unreal.”
These moments of human connection often become the most memorable part of a visit.
Spotting local wildlife
Step into a world where nature reigns.
The wildlife of East Arnhem adds another layer to the experience. The region is home to an extraordinary range of animals, from waterbirds and turtles to dugongs, dolphins and the formidable saltwater crocodile.
Wall admits they didn’t actually spot a croc during their visit.
“Devastatingly, I didn’t see one,” they laugh. “But with all the stories from the locals I definitely gained a healthy respect for caution.”
Some of the most memorable wildlife encounters can be surprisingly small., At Banubanu Beach Retreat on Bremer Island, Wall remembers walking along the beach one morning and watching it come alive.
“As you walk through the sand you see hundreds of crabs scurrying into their holes as you pass by,” they say. “Such a small thing, but it was completely magical.”
Moments like this reveal the quieter rhythms of East Arnhem, where even the smallest creatures seem to play a part in the landscape.
Visitors who make the journey soon learn the most important travel tip of all.
“Go in open-minded with a sense of curiosity,” Wall says. “Be prepared to ditch your plans. The land and the locals will guide you on an adventure no spreadsheets could ever compete with.”
And most importantly, they add, don’t rush.
“The land and people deserve your time and attention. You’ll be all the better for slowing down.”
For more information on visiting East Arnhem, head to eastarnhem.com.au.
