Parrtjima 3-day itinerary

Parrtjima means to shed light and build understanding. The only Aboriginal light festival of its kind in Australia, Parrtjima drenches the desert in light, colour, and art by the people of the Mparntwe, Antulye and Irlpme estates each year in April.

Nowhere else could you spend the day traversing ancient landscapes and swimming in crystal clear waterholes only to have them lit up by low impact technology as night falls.

Rise and shine will take on a whole new meaning for you when you’re floating silently along the rugged West MacDonnell Ranges in a hot air balloon at sunrise. See the ranges from a majestic hot air balloon and get the kind of photos your followers on social media will fawn over. Select from half-hour or one-hour balloon flights; get your first impressions of Alice from the air and get your bubbly on after you touch back down.

After breakfast, and once you feel more grounded, jump in the car and head west to Angkerle Atwatye Standley Chasm. An easy 40-minute drive from Alice, you’ll follow the western ridges of the MacDonnell Ranges deep into land owned and operated by Aboriginal people of the Arrente nation. This sacred place offers one of the Territory’s most authentic and moving cultural exchanges. Whether you choose to do the walk (1.2km) into the chasm under your own steam or take part in one of the incredible cultural tours led by members of the Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation, Angkerle Atwatye “the Gap of Water” will leave you breathless.

With the sun low in the sky behind you driving back into Alice Springs your mind might start to turn towards planning your Parrtjima experience. Grab dinner in the centrally-located Todd Street and then jump on the festival’s shuttle bus service. Parrtjima operates a free shuttle bus service around Alice Springs dropping locals and visitors off right at the entrance to Parrtjima where you can access all of its major installations.

Start your day with a cup of coffee from one of the great cafés on either Todd or Hartley Streets. As you sip on a latte that rivals Melbourne’s best, cast your mind back to that balloon experience yesterday. Picture the vibrant red earth beneath you and those golden tufts of grass dotting the landscape. The grass is called tjanpi and Tjanpi Desert Weavers is a social enterprise of the NPY Women’s Council, representing over 400 women from 26 unique communities. The artists use the iconic grass to make artworks and sculptures. Their Wilkinson Street gallery and store is open 10am–4pm Monday to Friday and is a great place to kick off your art crawl across Alice.

Next up, visit The Araluen Arts Centre where you can lazily meander through its myriad exhibition spaces, museums and theatres. Special note to stop in at Central Craft in the centre where you can watch and talk to artists at work before exploring the shop where local art and craft is sold.

With night falling, we suggest you finish your cultural exploration at Epilogue Lounge & Rooftop Bar for dinner, before bundling yourself onto a bus and out to Parrtjima’s immersive art and light installations.

You’ve seen them lit up at night, now it’s time to get up close and personal with the MacDonnell Ranges. Rise early and grab the perfect Portuguese Tart, or a spelt sourdough loaf from the simply named, The Bakery on Todd Street before jumping in the car and heading west on Larapinta Drive.

Hopefully it’s hot, because the Tjoritja West MacDonnell National Park is famous for its waterholes. The larger waterholes like Ellery Creek Big Hole, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge are filled with cold, clear, and famously restorative desert water you can swim in all year long. Ellery Creek Big Hole is spectacular, surrounded by tall red cliffs and a sandy creek backdrop that make for the perfect selfie (or 7).

Heading back to Alice Springs, stop in at Alice Springs Brewing Co. where you can sample a range of beers with personality as big as the Territory itself. Close out your Parrtjima festival experience by simply sitting back in the crisp desert evening and enjoy the meeting of light and culture on Country.