Car hire in Central Australia

If you are after the freedom to control your own adventures, then hiring a car hire will give you this flexibility to be the master of your own itinerary. From compact cars to spacious SUVs, 4WD's or a motorhome, we can help you find the perfect set of wheels for your Red Centre holiday.

By booking through the Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre, you are guaranteed UNLIMITED KILOMETRES with your vehicle hire.

If you require any further assistance with booking your hire car, call 1800 645 199 to speak with one of our knowledgeable consultants, or fill in the quote request form below and they will get back to you.

Quote Request     |     Car Hire Companies     |     FAQ

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Car Hire Companies

There are many options for car rental in Alice Springs and Uluru. You will find several companies that provide car hire services at the airport and in town. You can hire small or medium cars, SUVs, 4WDs or a Motorhome for a perfect family holiday.

budget logo    hertz-car-rental-logo    europcar-logo-05-2015-rgb-1aa9f461    thrifty1    Enterprise   
Adventure-Rentals-Logo    alice car hire    britz    apollo logo    maui

Extras

Audio Guides

So you've established you want the flexibility of going where you want, when you want, but there is one thing you are missing out on by not being with a tour group. You miss out on all the interesting facts, stories and information you learn from the tour guides commentary. Well fear not, there is a solution! You can have the best of both worlds, by using an audio guide.

Choose DIY Tourguide to get your commentary for the journey through the West MacDonnell Ranges, as well as the drive from Alice Springs to Uluru. And once you're at Uluru, pickup the Uluru Audio Guide to learn about the Anangu culture and local wildlife of Uluru. 

If this is something you're interested in, write "I'm interested in an audio guide" to the Additional Information field of your car hire quote request or simply purchase through our website.

Frequently Asked Questions

Most car rental companies don’t charge fees for additional drivers.
Alice Car Rentals charge $10 extra per driver.
Yes, this is called a transfer. It is available with Thrifty & Hertz only. Fees apply.
Only Thrifty and Hertz offer pickup and dropoff of vehicles in different locations. Transfer fees apply, see below:

Thrifty:
$400.00 +GST - Alice Springs to Ayers Rock/Uluru (or visa versa)
$500.00 +GST – Alice Springs or Ayers Rock/Uluru to Darwin (if more than 13 days, there is no charge)
$700.00 +GST – Alice Springs or Ayers Rock/Uluru to Tennant Creek

Hertz:
$300.00 +GST for all destination combinations.
YES!
By booking through our website (www.discovercentralaustralia.com) or contacting us in the Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre, you will get unlimited kilometres on your car or motorhome hire.
Alice Springs to Uluru via Stuart Hwy and Lasseter Hwy is 460kms, all sealed.

Alice Springs to Uluru via Hermannsburg, the Mereenie Loop (unsealed) and Kings Canyon is 650kms.

Alice Springs to Uluru via Namatjira Dr, the Mereenie Loop (unsealed) and Kings Canyon is 700kms.
Yes, all car hire companies have baby seats and booster seats available upon request.
In Alice Springs there is a premium location fee to collect your hire car from the Airport (over being collected in town). This will be included in the quote when you specify where you want to pickup your car from.
There is no difference at Uluru.
Alice Springs
- Alice Silver Passenger Services - Airport shuttle $20 per adult, $10 per child
- Taxi - approximately $45 to $50

Uluru/Yulara
- Ayers Rock Resort offer a complimentary airport shuttle to all accommodation sites in Yulara.
Insurance is available with Thrifty & Hertz, price vary depending on the type of vehicle.
TIP: Pre-purchasing insurance is cheaper than purchasing on the day of pickup.
No night driving insurance is offered in the NT.
No, car hire companies do not offer this.
You can drive on the Mereenie Loop with an All Wheel Drive or a 4 Wheel Drive Vehicle. For more information on the Mereenie Loop, see here.
Access to Palm Valley is high clearance 4WD access only. You can take a 4WD hire car into Palm Valley. It is also recommended to have some recovery gear and knowledge, due to changing conditions.
Contact the hire company via their emergency number, this will be advised when collecting the car.
Yes, absolutely. All car hire companies offer 4 wheel drive car options.
If you plan on driving on 4 wheel drive roads/tracks, make sure to specifically book a 4 wheel drive.
Yes! Brtiz, Apollo and Maui are the motorhome car hire companies in Central Australia.
Road conditions in the Red Centre can vary significantly from day to day. It's a good idea to check the road conditions before you set out on your journey.
Despite the sunny climate, it does occasionally rain heavily in Central Australia. Unless you are sure of the water depth, flow rate and any road damage, do not attempt to cross flooded bridges or causeways.
Dust on outback roads can also pose a danger, obscuring vision of the road ahead. It’s best to wait for it to settle and travel carefully with headlights on.
This is completely up to you. If you are just flying in and out of Uluru, here are some things to consider:
- Ayers Rock Resort offer a free shuttle service around Yulara town centre, making it easy to get around the town to a variety of activities (camel farm), accommodations, dining options, gallery, and the airport.
- Uluru Hop on Hop off is a transfer company that offer regular bus routes from Yulara into Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park.
- Almost all tours you can do at Uluru offer complimentary pickup from your accommodation.
- Day tours are possible to Kings Canyon through tour companies, with pickup from your accommodation.

As long as you don't plan on going further out of the region, it is possible to get around without a car.

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