From traditional bush medicine to birthing caves, sacred waterholes to rock art, discover why Uluru and Kata Tjuta are the spiritual heart of Australia.
Standing 348 metres tall in the middle of an otherwise flat desert, Uluru is the coolest monolith you’ll probably ever see. But here’s the thing: Uluru’s so much more than a monolith—it’s a living landscape that holds 60,000 years of Anangu history, stories and culture. Join us on a Red Centre adventure to hike through 300-million-year-old canyons and gorges, listen and learn from First Nations guides, and watch these sacred sites come to life. If the fluorescent glow of Uluru at sunset doesn’t take your breath away, the glittering night sky certainly will.
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Tailor-Made trips
Take four or more on an exclusive trip and tailor your itinerary
Uluru tour routes
We have a range of trips from Yulara to Alice Springs or Alice Springs to Yulara. Whichever route you choose, we’ll immerse you in the region’s rich cultural history and give you an unforgettable Outback experience.
Highlights of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Get a unique insight into the Red Centre through the eyes of the traditional owners. We work closely with First Nations communities to develop authentic travel experiences that benefit communities and travellers alike.

Experience an Uluru sunset
Uluru is awe-inspiring any time of day, but nothing can top the goosebump-inducing sight of this mighty monolith at sunset. Watch in wonder as Uluru changes colour in the setting sun – from rusty orange to blazing red and back to orange again. It doesn't last long, so snap a few photos (#nofilterneeded) and sit back to savour this special moment.

Dine under the Outback sky
The Red Centre boasts some of Australia's most spectacular stargazing thanks to no light pollution. After witnessing Uluru glowing bright red at sunset, tuck into a delicious bush tucker-inspired meal beneath the stars. With a didgeridoo player and a resident astronomer to help you unlock the mysteries of the southern sky, this is a dining experience for all senses.

Explore the otherworldly Kata Tjuta
Uluru might be in the spotlight, but Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), is equally impressive. This towering collection of 36 rock domes is just as old and culturally significant as Uluru. Join a guided walk through Walpa Gorge where the trail snakes between the soaring cliffs of the tallest domes. Listen out for the soft whistle of the wind – 'walpa' means whistle in the local Aṉangu language.

Marvel at the Field of Light
Let your imagination run wild as you explore the Field of Light installation by British artist, Bruce Munroe. This enormous installation is the size of seven football fields and is made with 50,000 hand-blown glass spindles that burst and change colour to gentle rhythms. Set under the sparkling sky with the silhouette of Uluru looming in the distance, this is like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

Explore the base of Uluru
Seeing Uluru from afar – surrounded by an otherwise flat desert – is remarkable, but there’s so much more to discover when you walk around the base. See the chasms, caves and folds of this epic monolith come alive as you listen to Anangu creation stories, marvel at ancient rock paintings, and feel the tranquillity of the sacred Mutitjulu Waterhole.

Witness a magical sunrise
It’s an early start, but we promise it’s worth it when you see the sunrise at Uluru. Listen to the gentle rustle of the spinifex grass as you watch the silhouette of Uluru glow in the morning sun against the changing sky. Travellers have conflicting opinions on whether sunrise or sunset is better – so it looks like you’ll need to decide on this one for yourself!
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Uluru tour reviews
Uluru FAQs
Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards
From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travellers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises). However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travellers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.
Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.
Learn more about Intrepid's COVID-19 proof of vaccination policy
Yes, climbing Uluru was banned permanently on 26 October 2019 to respect the traditional owners and the spiritual significance of the site. The Anangu people have been holding spiritual and cultural ceremonies at Uluru for tens of thousands of years, and climbing is not generally allowed under Tjukurpa (Anangu law and culture). We think the views are better from down below, anyway.
All of our Uluru trips start in Yulara (a resort town on the outskirts of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park) or Alice Springs. The quickest way to get to Uluru is to fly to Yulara. You can fly direct from a few Australian cities including Melbourne, Sydney and Cairns with Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia.
You can fly direct to Alice Springs from most major Australian cities including Brisbane, Darwin and Adelaide (flights are generally more frequent from Alice than Yulara). From here, it's a 465 km (5.5 hours) drive to Uluru.
If your tour finishes in Yulara, we can drop you off in Alice Springs (at no additional cost), with an arrival back in town at around 6:30 pm.
Uluru is awe-inspiring come rain or shine, but the best time to visit is generally between May and September when the days are dry and warm (but not scorching). Uluru sits in a semi-arid desert climate zone, so summer is sweltering with occasional storms (the amount of rainfall varies from year to year), while winter is warm and dry during the day with cold nighttime temps that often plummet below zero.
Layering is key in the Outback. The days are warm or hot all year so t-shirts and shorts are fine, however the temperature can drop at night so you'll need long pants and a warm jumper and/or jacket for sunrise and sunset. You’ll also need a comfy pair of walking shoes, a wide-brimmed sun hat, a day pack, sunscreen, lip balm and a reusable water bottle.
Mobile phone and data signal within Ayers Rock Resort and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is pretty good (Ayers Rock Resort also offers free Wi-Fi). You can usually pick up a few bars at the roadhouses, too, although some network providers tend to be better than others.
Expect the signal to be patchy or completely cut off when you're on the road or exploring more remote places like Kings Canyon or Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park. But hey, with views like these, we don't think you'll mind switching off for a few days.
Yes, drinking tap water is safe in Alice Springs, Yulara and throughout the Red Centre. Ensure you bring a 1-2 litre reusable water bottle to refill at the water stations dotted around Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Staying hydrated is important as the Outback sun is intense and you'll be doing a fair bit of walking during the day.
The Anangu (pronounced arn-ung-oo) people are the traditional owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and other regions of the Central Western desert. They've been custodians of the land for over 60,000 years and are one of the world's oldest living cultures. For the Anangu people, Uluru and Kata Tjuta are places of deep spiritual connection; they are physical evidence of Tjukurpa (the creation period) and the ancestral spirits who reside in the land.
It depends on the trip style you choose. Our Basix and Original trips feature simple (but comfy) camping accommodation in permanent or semi-permanent tents with stretcher beds and shared facilities, or a mixture of camping and budget hotels.
If you choose a Comfort or Premium trip, you'll stay in 3-to-4-star hotels and resorts with private amenities.
The Red Centre covers a huge, very remote area of Central Australia. We'll spend many hours driving from A to B in an air-conditioned vehicle. Make sure you bring ample snacks and maybe a few podcasts to listen to – or use it as an opportunity to get to know your fellow travellers. With a comfortable, air-conditioned bus, sit back and enjoy the unique desert landscapes that you'd miss in any other form of travel.
You can use a credit or debit card for purchases in most roadhouses, shops and restaurants in the Red Centre. However, it's always handy to have cash for smaller purchases.
You might also want to withdraw money if you're interested in buying artwork from local First Nations artists. Artists often sell beautiful, hand-painted tapestries in the gardens near Town Square in Ayers Rock Resort, and at the sunset viewing area. It's a great way to take a little piece of Uluru home with you.
You can withdraw cash at a number of ATMs in Alice Springs. There's also an ATM in the Town Square at Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara. Most of the highway roadhouses will have an ATM or the option to get cashback.Â
We're committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, regardless of any physical or mental limitations they might have. However, we’re always happy to talk to travellers with disabilities and see if we can help guide them towards the most suitable itinerary for their needs and where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.
- The formations are approximately 500 million years old
- The rock (Uluru) you see is only the tip of the, er, monolith. The rock mass extends up to 6 kilometres underground
- Uluru is 348 meters tall (for reference, that's taller than the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Chrysler Building in New York or the Eureka Tower in Melbourne)
- The circumference of Uluru is 9.4 km and it takes around 3 to 4 hours to walk depending on your fitness level
- The traditional owners of Uluru and Kata Tjuta are the Anangu people
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is home to over 400 plant species and 21 species of mammals
- The rocks get their orangey-red colour from the oxidized iron minerals
You may have heard Australia's most famous landmark also being called Ayers Rock. However, the traditional custodians of Uluru, the Anangu people, have always called it Uluru. The first non-Aboriginal person to see Uluru was explorer William Gosse in 1873. He named it Ayers Rock in honour of his superior Sir Henry Ayers, the Chief Secretary of South Australia.
The rock was officially renamed Ayers Rock / Uluru in 1993, but it was renamed again in 2002 to Uluru / Ayers Rock to show respect for the Anangu people and acknowledge their custodianship of the land. We use the traditional name for this reason, and you'll also see the traditional name used throughout the national park.
The word 'Uluru' comes from the Pitjantjatjara language and has no direct English translation.
Uluru is often referred to as the spiritual heart of Australia, not only because of its middle-of-the-country location but also for its great significance to Australia’s First Nations people (and more specifically to the Anangu, the traditional owners of Uluru). And for this reason, there are restrictions on what you can and can't do at Uluru. These restrictions include taking photos at sacred sites, swimming in waterholes around the base, and not calling Uluru by its colonised name, Ayers Rock.
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