Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
is an ancient place surrounded with secret knowledge
Welcome to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Uluru is a beautiful, charismatic place. Its dimensions are one thing: Uluru is 3.6km long and rises 348m from the surrounding sands (867m above sea level). If that's not sufficiently impressive, remember this: two-thirds lies beneath the sand. This is a monolith textured with layers of profound spirituality and timeless beauty, the epitome of desert stillness and, in the plays of light and shadow that dance across its surface, one of the richest shows in nature.
Top experiences in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
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Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park activities
Uluru Camel Express, Sunrise, or Sunset Tours
Gaze at UNESCO World Heritage-protected Uluru (Ayers Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) in the distance as you roam the central Australian desert on a camel with your guide. Listen carefully as a cameleer shares interesting details about the Australian outback and your hump-backed travel companions. Camels are ideally suited to the hot, dry climate of Australia's interior. Imported here in the 19th century, they remained the principal means of outback transport until railways and roads were established. Today there are an estimated 200,000 one-humped, dromedary camels in the wild. Though few camels are used by humans today, this herd is treated like family, each one has its own pet name and personality. With a breathtaking view of Uluru as your backdrop, this relaxed, slow-paced camel ride is the perfect way to experience the fascinating ecology of the desert.Sunrise camel ride (2.5 hours)Ride across the desert on a peaceful 1-hour camel ride through stunning sand dune country with the awe-inspiring sight of Uluru and Kata Tjuta as your backdrop. Take in the cool morning air and watch as the rising sun lights up Uluru and the surrounding plains. Learn about the landscape and fauna from your expert cameleer, and enjoy billy tea and freshly baked beer bread (damper) with quandong jam (outback native fruit) after the ride.Sunset camel ride (2.5 hours)Take a 1-hour camel ride at dusk to see the outback colors deepen as the sun sets behind the desert plains, sharpening the monolithic outlines of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Return to the camel farm at twilight to enjoy drinks and outback food, including freshly baked beer bread (damper).Morning or Afternoon Camel Express (1.5 hours)For a shorter camel ride, cross the desert on a 45-minute express camel trip for views of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the outback landscape. Hear interesting facts about the local flora and fauna, and visit the camel museum to learn about the important role played by camels over the centuries in outback Australia.The afternoon express ride is seasonal and only operates from April to October.
Uluru and Kata Tjuta Tour by Helicopter from Ayers Rock
Rock Blasting Helicopter Tour (15 minutes): Blast off to Uluru! The helicopter takes off from a launch near Uluru (Ayers Rock). Below you'll see Ayers Rock Resort, the waterhole Mutitjulu, the surrounding desert, a panorama of breathtaking scenery unique to the Red Centre. Total duration approx. 1 hour.Uluru and Kata Tjuta Helicopter Flight (30 minutes): This longer flight offers the same views of the 15 minute flight - and much more! You will see Uluru (Ayers Rock) and the magnificent red desert all the way to the striking rock formations of Kata Tjuta, an Aboriginal term meaning 'many heads'. With Mt Olga forming the tallest, more than 36 massive, domed rocks make up this natural wonder, a gathering of fantastic, striated shapes, some recalling giants huddled in conversation. As Uluru is, Kata Tjuta is sacred to the Anangu people, and resonates with their legends and lore. Total duration is approx. 1.5 hour.Extended Uluru and Kata Tjuta Helicopter Flight (36 minutes): Prepare to be awe-inspired by the sheer size and beauty of these natural wonders. This flight is similar to the 30 flight, but offers more flying time. Anyone with an interest in Australia's Red Centre should see the sights from this angle. The views will provide you with the perfect opportunity to take spectacular aerial photographs with expert and detailed commentary supplied by your pilot. An absolute must for any photographer! Total duration is approx. 1.5 hour.
Full Uluru Base Walk at Sunrise Including breakfast
As you start your sunrise trek around the 12-kilometre base trail of Uluru you will embrace the culture, geology and environment that is the essence of this amazing monolith. Along the trail you will witness sunrise, visit waterholes and the rock art sites of the ancients and learn of Uluru’s cultural significance to the Anangu (local Aboriginal) people. Take time out to enjoy your picnic outback breakfast as you listen to the variety of desert noises from the surrounding environment. On your journey around the base, your guide will tell you a number of stories associated with prominent Tjukurpa (Dreaming) stories. You will make you way to the entrance of Mutitjulu Waterhole, a semi-permanent watercourse nestled in the contours of Uluru. Here you will learn the Creation stories of Liru (poisonous snake) and Kuniya (python). On completion of your journey your guide will then return to your accommodation at Ayers Rock Resort
Uluru (Ayers Rock) Outback Barbecue Dinner and Star Tour
After pickup from Ayers Rock Resort, you'll travel to the Uluru sunset viewing area. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine and snacks as the sun sets over Uluru.Continue to the barbecue site located in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. As you dine looking out across the desert to Uluru (Ayers Rock), savor the mouth-watering flavors of a traditional Aussie barbecue. The menu includes sizzling gourmet sausages, a delicious selection of meats, seasonal salads and fresh bread rolls accompanied by a complementary selection of wine, beer and soft drinks. After dinner, relax with a cup of tea or coffee as the sun gradually sinks below the desert plain to reveal a myriad of stars in the outback’s spectacular night sky. The Ayers Rock desert is one of the best places on earth to view the southern night sky. Your local guide and star expert will lead you through the constellations and planets as they move about the sky. Discover the zodiac constellations, find south using the Southern Cross and be amazed by the gleaming Milky Way. This is an experience not to be missed.
Uluru (Ayers Rock) to Alice Springs One-Way Shuttle
Your luxury coach picks you up at your Ayers Rock hotel early in the afternoon. Meet your driver and get comfortable in the air-conditioned coach, which provides spacious seats and ample luggage storage. Travel east from Yulara via Curtin Springs, an enormous family-owned cattle station that has been in operation for more than 60 years. Look into the distance to see the bulky form of Mount Conner (Attila) as your coach continues east to Erldunda. Stretch your legs during a rest stop at Mount Ebenezer Road House. You can also browse artworks made by local artists from the Imanpa (Aboriginal) community and purchase tea or other refreshments. Then connect to the famous Stuart Highway, the principal north-south route through central Australia, and ride along a 124-mile (200-km) section of this key road to reach Alice Springs. View the impressive West MacDonnell Ranges, another example of this area's intriguing geological evolution. This 500-million-year-old mass of twisted quartzite stands as one of Central Australia's most dominant land forms, and is riddled with deep gorges and chasms.Listen to informative and entertaining commentary provided by your driver as you travel through striking Outback landscapes. Learn about the geological history of the region, Australian desert flora and fauna, and some of the traditional customs and beliefs of the Aboriginal people who have inhabited this area for more than 20,000 years.View groves of desert oaks, many of which are many hundreds of years old. These resilient trees survive in the harsh climate by sinking tap roots deep into the earth and remaining dormant until water is found. You may be able to watch an onboard video about Australian wildlife. You can also keep an eye out for critters in the desert as you travel. Please note: You may transfer coaches at the Kings Canyon junction before continuing to Alice Springs.
Kings Canyon Day Trip from Ayers Rock
After an early morning pickup from your Ayers Rock Resort hotel, watch as the desert comes to life on your journey across the desert to Kings Creek Station. Along the way, you might see kangaroos, camels, wild horses and dingoes.The two-hour trip brings you to the enormous Kings Creek cattle and camel station, established in 1981 and covering 1,115 square miles (1,800 square kilometers). Experience daily life in the outback cattle station, relax with breakfast and coffee in the station cafe (own expense) or take a camel ride with the station hands (optional).Your tour continues with a 30-minute trip to Watarrka National Park, and the amazing sight of Kings Canyon. Listen to your expert guide's commentary, and hear how the red sandstone gorge is sacred to the local Ulpinyali and Lilla people.To explore the canyon more closely, choose between the 3.5-mile (6-kilometer) Rim Walk or the easier mile-long (2-kilometer) Creek Bed Walk.The three-hour Rim Walk takes you up a 330-foot (100-meter) cliff face and along the canyon's sandstone edge, revealing magnificent views over the valley's sheer walls. Follow a steep, rocky trail into the chasm to reach the oasis known as the Garden of Eden, tucked between the sandstone cliffs. The natural spring is surrounded by a unique landscape of gum trees, palms and ferns.If you choose the more relaxing Creek Bed Walk, your leisurely stroll follows the rocky creek bed to a viewpoint of the canyon's impressive cliffs, and explores the rock-strewn valley floor.Leaving the canyon, travel to Kings Canyon Resort. Enjoy lunch (own expense), then relax in the afternoon on the return trip to Ayers Rock Resort or Alice Springs.