Three foreign tourists stranded in Central Australia have been rescued by police, but only after a long walk in the searing heat.

Police say the three missing tourists were found at lunchtime on Tuesday after spending the morning walking 16 kilometres along a riverbed in Finke Gorge National Park.

The tourists, two Korean nationals and one Chinese traveller, were found by police as they were returning to their car, which got bogged in a remote area of the park on Monday night.

Sergeant Melissa Sanderson says the tourists were found healthy and hydrated, despite their long trek in the 40 degree heat.

"Its quite a hefty walk there in the heat of the day but they are happy and well and in good condition," she said.

Sergeant Sanderson says the group thought no-one would be looking for them.

"It's always the case you shouldn't leave your vehicle, but in this case I think that they'd waited long enough," she said.

"I think that they were a bit concerned that nobody knew where they were even though they'd given information. I think that they were just concerned that if they didn't start walking they would be stuck there forever."

The tourists say they are incredibly relieved to be rescued.

They left Alice Springs on Friday to drive to Uluru and were planning to return to Alice Springs on Monday night via the West MacDonnell Ranges.

A friend of the visitors raised the alarm when they did not return on time.