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.
The Northern Territory isn’t just different – it’s a whole new world. From the friendly locals and varied landscapes to its cultural layers, there’s nowhere else in Australia quite like it.
The Northern Territory has to be experienced to be believed. The majesty of Uluṟu doesn’t quite hit until you’re standing before it. The untouched beauty of Arnhem Land strikes the heart in a way you can’t imagine. The quirky and friendly locals and the festivals they throw impart stories that won’t be forgotten. And that’s just the beginning. From natural hot springs and local larrikins to deep cultural ties and ancient stories, these are the experiences to be discovered only in the NT.
The NT’s natural hot springs are truly picturesque. Katherine’s crystal clear thermal springs sit on the banks of the Katherine River, framed by nature. Picnic grounds and scenic walking tracks make it easy to linger.
In Elsey National Park, the teal waters of Bitter Springs have long been popular with locals. It’s not uncommon to spot turtles as you drift with the gentle current, palm trees waving on the banks. The park also contains Mataranka Thermal Pool, a sandy-bottomed swimming hole sitting at a cosy 34°C year-round.
2. Explore the Red Centre Light Trail
Head to Kings Canyon to see the Light Towers. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT)
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is more than just a place; it’s earned its name as Australia’s cultural heart. Here, a wealth of stories is held by its Traditional Owners, the Aṉangu. And while there are many ways to connect, in more recent years, the Red Centre Light Trail has offered visitors one more way to interpret all this landscape holds.
Wander the Light Towers at Kings Canyon and watch the Field of Light transform the land before Uluṟu as day turns to night. Also, be sure to take in Wintjiri Wiṟu by light artist Bruce Ramus, sharing the Aṉangu’s Mala story.
Arrive in April to experience Parrtjima, a free annual 10-night festival of light, featuring installations, workshops and more.
3. See unrivalled views from a helicopter
See Kakadu from the air. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Sean Scott)
There’s no better place in the world to hit the skies in a helicopter. Soar over thundering waterfalls, world-famous wetlands and the floodplains of Kakadu National Park. A bird’s-eye view brings a special type of magic to this one-of-a-kind landscape.
You can also meet local characters on the pub crawl of a lifetime as you fly between some of the NT’s best and most remote pubs.
4. Discover the start of Western Arrarnta art
Book ahead to visit Hermannsburg Potters. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/ Felix Baker)
Hermannsburg is one of the most unique towns in Australia. This historic mission town holds several claims to fame, including being the birthplace of Western Arrarnta art – a renowned style of Indigenous art using vibrant, naturalistic watercolours to depict Central Australian desert landscapes. Book ahead from April to September to visit Hermannsburg Potters, a collective of dedicated Western Arrarnta artists.
Spot wild crocs up close. (Credit: Tourism Australia)
The NT is the only territory that feeds wild crocs, putting the ‘wild’ in wildlife spotting experience. Join a cruise along the Adelaide River, just an hour from Darwin, to see these not-so-gentle prehistoric giants in their natural habitat.
Be sure to stop into Humpty Doo or Noonamah for lunch on your way back to Darwin. Here, you’ll experience a real NT roadhouse.
6. Experience local Indigenous cultures
Time a trip to Nhulunbuy for the Garma Festival. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT)
The NT offers some of the best opportunities to experience the world’s most ancient living culture. Head to Nhulunbuy in East Arnhem mid-year for the Garma Festival, Australia’s largest Indigenous gathering, with four days of song, dance and art sharing Yolngu culture. Stop into Buku-Larrnggay Mulka Centre in nearby Yirrkala while you’re there, current home of the Yirrkala Church Panels. Painted in 1963, they form one of the first ‘title deeds’ to Country.
Join a celebration of Indigenous music, art, culture and sport at the Barunga Festival, 80 kilometres from Katherine, every June. And year-round, book an Indigenous-led tour through Ubirr, one of the oldest rock art sites in Australia.
7. Meet the larrikins of Alice Springs
Henley on Todd Regatta might be one of the NT’s whackiest events. (Credit: Tourism & Events NT/
Head to Alice Springs at any time of year and you’ll be guaranteed to meet some colourful locals. But to really get to the heart of the eccentricities, mark a few dates on your calendar.
March brings one of the best Pride events in the world, fabAlice. Inspired by the iconic Aussie movie The Adventures ofPriscilla, Queen of the Desert, which was filmed in Alice Springs over 25 years ago, the festival has a strong focus on the art of drag and celebrates LGBTQI+ communities, as well as self-expression in general.
Come August, Todd River’s typically dry, sandy bed comes alive with the world’s only dry river boating event, the Henley on Todd Regatta.
8. Swim in a waterfall with no one else around
Swim in the Upper Cascades with no one else around.
So few of Australia’s most beautiful places remain untouched, but that’s not true in the NT. Take a short hike through monsoon forest in Litchfield National Park (just over an hour’s drive outside of Darwin) to reach the secluded Cascades swimming area. Here, take a dip in the lower or upper cascade pools, both surrounded by rugged bushland. And you’ll probably have it all to yourself.
