Summer sale Top rated
Darwin & Top End
12 Hours
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0
Campervan road trip · 10–21 days
Darwin → AdelaideOne-way campervan hire
Straight down the middle of the continent, from crocodile country to the Flinders.
OutbackUluruGorges & waterfallsStargazingAdventure
- Trip length
- 10–21 days
- Distance
- ≈ 4,600 km
- Pick up
- Darwin
- Drop off
- Adelaide
- Best time
- May–September: dry season up north, cool nights in the centre
Live prices from the big campervan companies · book online in minutes · one-way fee included in the price.
Prices by season and van type, with the reverse direction: Darwin to Adelaide campervan hire prices. For every route side by side, see today's campervan hire prices.
The route
16 days, 12 stops
The Explorer's Way crosses the whole country north to south on one sealed highway. It starts in the tropics with waterfalls, gorges and crocodiles, runs through the red centre at Uluru and Kings Canyon, and finishes among the opal mines, salt lakes and the Flinders Ranges before the vineyards outside Adelaide. Expect long empty roads, huge night skies, and the feeling you've earned every kilometre.
Vans that suit this trip
Day by day
The plan, stop by stop
Paced for 16 days. Got less time? Merge two stops. Got more? Stay longer wherever you like it; it's your van. Drive times and distances are approximate, from road-routing data, without stops.
- 1
Day 1
Darwin
Photo: Kendra Baker · CC BY-SA 4.0 Collect the van and catch sunset at the Mindil Beach markets (Thursdays and Sundays in the dry season).
- 2
Day 2
Litchfield
2 hrs · 140 km
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 Swim at Florence and Buley Rockhole, check out the giant termite mounds, and see a jumping-croc cruise on the Adelaide River.
- 3
Day 3–4
Kakadu
4 hrs · 330 km
Photo: Dietmar Rabich · CC BY-SA 4.0 Rock art at Ubirr and Nourlangie, sunset across the floodplain, and a Yellow Water cruise past crocs and birdlife. Some gorges and falls are 4WD-only, so pick a tour for those.
- 4
Day 5
Katherine & Nitmiluk
5 hrs · 300 km
Photo: John Gillmore · CC BY 3.0 Paddle a canoe up Nitmiluk Gorge, then soak at the Mataranka thermal pools an hour south.
- 5
Day 6
Daly Waters
3 hrs · 280 km
Photo: Lakeyboy · Public domain A beer at the Daly Waters pub, where the walls are papered with bras, banknotes and licence plates. It's a classic Stuart Highway overnight.
- 6
Day 7
Karlu Karlu (Devils Marbles)
5 hrs · 510 km
Photo: Pavel Špindler · CC BY 3.0 Camp among the giant balanced boulders and watch them turn red at sunset. It's one of the best free-ish campsites in the country.
- 7
Day 8–9
Alice Springs & West MacDonnells
4 hrs · 400 km
Photo: Annette Teng · CC BY 3.0 Use Alice as a base for the West Macs: swim at Ellery Creek, walk Standley Chasm, and catch an early light at Ormiston Gorge.
- 8
Day 10
Kings Canyon
5 hrs · 470 km (sealed route)
Photo: Warren Poole · CC BY-SA 4.0 Start the Rim Walk early: 6 km around the canyon edge with the Garden of Eden waterhole halfway.
- 9
Day 11–12
Uluru & Kata Tjuta
3.5 hrs · 300 km
Photo: Chandrakant Sahu · CC BY-SA 4.0 Walk the base of Uluru, take in the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta, and catch sunrise and sunset from the viewing areas. Book a helicopter or segway if you want a different angle.
- 10
Day 13
Coober Pedy
8.5 hrs · 730 km (break it up at Marla)
Photo: Pavel Špindler · CC BY 3.0 Sleep underground in the opal-mining town where half the houses are dug into the hillside.
- 11
Day 14–15
Flinders Ranges
8.5 hrs · 690 km via Port Augusta
Photo: Jacqui Barker · CC BY 2.0 Wilpena Pound, a natural amphitheatre of ancient rock, plus yellow-footed rock wallabies and some of the darkest skies in the country.
- 12
Day 16
Adelaide
6 hrs · 450 km
Photo: M J · CC BY-SA 2.0 Detour through the Clare Valley for riesling, then return the van in Adelaide.
Good to know
- Where to sleep
- Caravan and holiday parks with powered sites and showers, national park campgrounds, and low-cost sites listed in WikiCamps. Book ahead in school holidays.
- One-way fee
- Darwin → Adelaide is one-way, so operators add a fee that varies by season. We build it into your quote upfront.
- Driver age
- Most operators need drivers aged 21+. A few take 18–20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge; tell us the youngest driver's age and we'll quote what fits.
- Recommended vans
- Best fits: the hi-top campervan, the motorhome and the 4wd campervan. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll match the size.
Free and low-cost places to park up on this route, with the local rules: free camping in South Australia and free camping in Northern Territory.
- Most rental agreements bar unsealed roads in a standard van. This route is sealed end to end, but Kakadu's back-country falls need a 4WD tour or a 4WD hire.
- Fuel gaps can be 250 km or more. Fill up at every roadhouse and carry plenty of water.
- The Top End wet season (November–April) closes many Kakadu and Litchfield roads and swimming holes. Go in the dry.
- Avoid driving at dawn and dusk: kangaroos, cattle and road trains all share the highway.
- Darwin → Adelaide is one-way, with a one-way fee that varies by season and operator. We show it upfront in the quote.
Tours worth adding
Boats, reefs, islands and 4WD tracks. Add them to your quote and we'll fit them around your drive.
Summer sale Small group · max 4
Uluru & Red Centre
30 Minutes
Summer sale Top rated
Uluru & Red Centre
2 Hours, 30 Minutes
Save $6 Small group · max 6
Uluru & Red Centre
36 Minutes
Darwin to Adelaide campervan FAQs
How many days do you need for Darwin to Adelaide in a campervan? +
Allow 10–21 days. This plan is paced for 16 days with 12 overnight bases. Short on time? Merge two stops. Got longer? Stay on wherever you like it.
Is there a one-way fee for Darwin to Adelaide? +
Yes. Darwin to Adelaide is a one-way hire, and operators add a one-way fee that varies by season. We include it in your quote upfront.
How old do I need to be to hire a campervan? +
Most operators require drivers to be 21 or older. A few accept 18 to 20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge. Tell us the youngest driver's age in the quote form and we'll only quote vans you can drive.
Which campervan suits Darwin to Adelaide? +
The best fits are the hi-top campervan, the motorhome and the 4wd campervan. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll quote the right size.
Ready to drive Darwin to Adelaide?
Pop in your dates and see live prices from the big campervan companies for this route, then book online in minutes.
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