Travel by car in the Northern Territory

Travelling by car is one of the best ways to explore the Territory, with 95% of the NT's attractions accessible by sealed highways.

[carousel hero="true" rotateheadings="true" smallheight="false"][slide image="/-/media/images/articles/car/hero-image/couple-walking-towards-the-car-with-mount-zeil-in-the-background.jpg" imagealt="Viewed from the Mount Sonder Lookout Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park. Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park stretches for 161 km west of Alice Springs. Explore and appreciate the scenic beauty and history of the area on foot, swim in a waterhole, or pitch a tent for a longer stay." butttontext="" buttontarget="" buttonurl="" video="" slidecontentoverride="" heading="Travel by car" subtitle="" introtext="" captionlink="" captionlinktext="" darkenimage="false" headingoverride="" renderh1="true"][/carousel]

Getting here by car

Well-maintained, sealed highways provide the most direct routes between the Northern Territory from cities in South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia.

Travelling from Queensland

Driving west from Queensland, the most easily accessible route is the fully sealed Barkly Highway from Mt Isa. Alternatively you can drive the unsealed portion of the Victoria Highway from Cairns. See also our themed driving route, the Savannah Way.

Travelling from Western Australia

There are a few access points from Western Australia, including the Victoria Highway and Butine Highway in the north and the Tanami Road that runs across the Tanami Desert in the south. See also our themed driving route, the Savannah Way.

Travelling from South Australia

Driving north from South Australia, take the Stuart Highway from Adelaide through Coober Pedy into the Northern Territory. In the NT, you’ll drive through the major centres of Alice Springs, Tennant Creek and Katherine before arriving in Darwin. See also our themed driving route, the Explorers Way.

Themed driving routes

Once you cross the border, explore our themed driving routes around the Territory: the Nature’s Way, through Kakadu National Park and Katherine; the Explorers Way, from Alice Springs to Darwin; The Red Centre Way from Alice Springs to Uluru; the Savannah Way, an epic journey across the Top End; and Binns Track, an intrepid 4WD trail.

Getting around by car

There’s plenty to explore in a regular car or campervan, as well as in all-terrain 4WDs. Hire companies operate across the Northern Territory, so if you fly into Alice Springs or Darwin, arrange to collect a vehicle at the airport then hit the road.

Plan your next electric vehicle road trip throughout the Northern Territory with the PlugShare charging station map.