The Red Centre in Five Days

Pick up the rental in Alice Springs and head south on the Stuart Highway. The drive to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park entrance is around five hours of mostly empty road, with stops at Erldunda Roadhouse and the Mount Connor lookout (the rock most first-time visitors mistake for Uluru on the way in). Aim to arrive at Yulara by mid-afternoon and head straight to the Uluru sunset viewing area for the colour show as the sun drops.

Start before dawn. The sunrise viewing area on the eastern side of the rock fills up early in winter. After sunrise, walk the full 10.6 kilometre base loop (allow three to four hours and start early, before the heat). Stop at the rangerguided Mala Walk at 8am, which goes into the Kantju Gorge waterhole and includes excellent interpretation of the Anangu story of the rock. Spend the afternoon at the Cultural Centre at the base of the rock, then return for sunset from a different angle.

Drive the 50 kilometres west from Yulara to Kata Tjuta. The Valley of the Winds walk is a 7.4 kilometre circuit through the dome field that takes about three hours. Sections close above 36 degrees so start early. The shorter Walpa Gorge walk is also worth doing in the same visit. Return to Yulara for an afternoon by the pool at the resort, and head back to Kata Tjuta for sunset (a quieter alternative to Uluru sunset on day one).

Drive 305 kilometres north-east via the sealed Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road to Kings Canyon Resort. The drive takes around four hours. Arrive in the early afternoon, settle in, and walk the easy Kings Creek Walk (2 kilometres) along the floor of the canyon to the lower lookout. Save the Rim Walk for tomorrow morning when it's cooler.

Be at the Rim Walk car park at 6am. The walk is six kilometres and takes three to four hours. The first 500 metres (Heart Attack Hill) is the only real climb. From the top the trail loops past the Lost City sandstone domes and descends into the Garden of Eden, then climbs back out to follow the south rim home. Once you're back at the resort, drive 320 kilometres east on Larapinta Drive to return to Alice Springs by evening.