Hotels

Once a ramshackle collection of dusty streets and buildings, Alice Springs—known colloquially as "the Alice" or just "Alice"—is visited by more than 300,000 tourists annually. The town's ancient sites, a focus for the Arrernte Aboriginal people's ceremonial activities, lie cheek by jowl with air-conditioned shops and hotels. The MacDonnell Ranges dominate Alice Springs, changing color according to the time of day, from brick red to purple. Another striking feature of the town is the Todd River. Water rarely runs in the desert, and the Todd's deep, sandy beds, fringed by majestic ghost gum trees, suggest a timelessness far removed from the bustle of the nearby town.