Uluru-Kata Tjuta
The red heart of Australia: Uluru, the monolith that changes color at sunrise and sunset, and Kata Tjuta with its Valley of the Winds.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park lies in the south of Australia's Northern Territory, in the center of the continent. It is the traditional land of the Anangu people and a World Heritage Site for both natural and cultural values. The park has two core sights: Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock), a sandstone monolith 348 m high with a 9.4 km circumference, and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), made up of 36 domed rocks about 30 km to the west. The town of Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort), 20 km outside the park, is the only place to stay.
Main activities: watching the rock change color from viewing areas at sunrise and sunset; walking the Base Walk, Mala Walk, Kuniya Walk and the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta; and visiting the Cultural Centre to learn about the Anangu people's Tjukurpa beliefs. In the evening, you can go to the Field of Light installation, the drone light show, or a desert stargazing dinner. Climbing Uluru has been permanently banned since October 2019.
The climate is desert. May–September is the best season, with daytime temperatures around 20–25°C and nights that can drop below 0°C. From November to March, daytime temperatures often exceed 40°C, and in hot weather some trails close after 11 a.m.
Getting there: there are direct flights to Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ) from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns. You can also fly to Alice Springs and then drive about 450 km. There is no public transport in the park; you can rent a car, join a bus tour such as AAT Kings, or take the resort shuttle bus. National park tickets are valid for 3 days and cost about AUD 38 for adults; they must be bought online, and the official website has the current price.
Recommended stay: 2–3 nights. Kings Canyon and Alice Springs to the north are far from here and require separate accommodation.
Notes: photography is prohibited in sacred areas, and do not take away rocks or sand. There is a big temperature difference between morning and evening, and dinners must be booked in advance.
Top sights
- Uluru – The world's largest single sandstone monolith, standing 348 metres tall with a 9.4-kilometre circumference. It turns from ochre red to purp…
- Uluru Base Walk – A flat 10.6-kilometre trail around the base of Uluṟu. Walk close to the cliffs to see caves, rock art, waterholes and honeycomb-like erosio…
- Field of Light Uluru – British artist Bruce Munro has laid out more than 50,000 solar-powered glass spheres across the desert at the foot of Uluṟu. After dark the…
- Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) – A group of 36 red conglomerate domes, known as 'many heads.' The highest peak, at 546 metres, is taller than Uluṟu. The Valley of the Winds…
- Uluru Sunset Viewing Area – A sunset viewing spot on the northwest side of Uluṟu, where the rock shifts from orange to deep red and then purple as the sun goes down.
- Valley of the Winds Walk – A 7.4 km loop winding among the giant rocks of Kata Tjuta; the Karingana lookout gazes down through a rock gap, making it the most spectacu…
- Talinguru Nyakunytjaku Sunrise Viewing Area – The official sunrise viewing area on a dune south-east of Uluru; its two platforms show Uluru and, in the distance, Kata Tjuta.
- Kata Tjuta Dune Viewing Area – A viewing platform on a dune south-east of Kata Tjuta, where all 36 domed rocks light up at sunrise and Uluru can be seen in the distance.
- Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre – A cultural centre run by Anangu people, presenting creation stories and traditional life, with two Indigenous art galleries; it is best to…
- Mutitjulu Waterhole (Kuniya Walk) – A permanent waterhole tucked beneath the cliffs south of Uluru; the 1 km Kuniya Walk round trip passes rock art and sites linked to the leg…
- Mala Walk & Kantju Gorge – A gentle walk of about 2 km return on the north-west side of Uluru, passing rock shelters and rock art on the way to a rock pool at the bot…
- Walpa Gorge Walk – A gorge walk between the two tallest domes of Kata Tjuta, 2.6 km return, leading into red rock walls about 100 m high.
- Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort) – The only accommodation town outside the national park, where all hotels, restaurants, supermarkets and tour departures are located, with a…
- Imalung Lookout – A dune lookout beside Yulara's town centre with no entry fee; a few minutes' walk brings you views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
- Wintjiri Wiru – Over a thousand drones and lasers light up the night sky in front of Uluru to tell the Mala creation story of the Anangu, a new evening exp…
- Uluru Camel Tours – Ride camels across red dunes from a camel farm near Yulara, with views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta at sunrise or sunset.
- Sounds of Silence Dinner – A dinner on a dune near Yulara where you watch the sunset, then the night sky with an astronomy talk; a signature Uluru experience.
- Mount Conner (Artilla) – A flat-topped mesa often mistaken for Uluru on the way there, rising about 300 m above the plain; four-wheel-drive tours take visitors to t…
Where to eat
- Arnguli Grill – The most upscale steakhouse at the resort, using native bush spices. It won the 2025 Northern Territory Gold Plate Awar…
- Outback BBQ Bar – A budget-friendly barbecue where you pick your meat and grill it yourself, including kangaroo, emu sausage and barramun…
- Ilkari Buffet Restaurant – The buffet restaurant at Sails in the Desert, with a live cooking station at dinner serving kangaroo skewers and oyster…
- Geckos Café – A casual restaurant in the resort's Town Square, serving pizza, pasta and burgers all day, suited to families and budge…
Itineraries
- Red Centre Sealed Road Loop – Depart from Alice Springs and travel entirely on sealed roads to explore Uluru, Kings Canyon, and the West MacDonnell R…
- Kings Canyon & Uluru Short Tour – Join a small group tour from Alice Springs through the Outback, focusing on Kings Canyon, Uluru, and Kata Tjuta.
- Explorer's Way: Uluru to Darwin – Drive from south to north across the Northern Territory, traveling from the Red Centre all the way to tropical Kakadu a…
- Explorer's Way: Adelaide to Alice Springs – Drive north along the Stuart Highway via the Flinders Ranges and Coober Pedy to Uluru and Alice Springs.