A Perfect 3 Day Itinerary to Visit Uluru

A visit to the Uluru- Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory’s Red Centre is the ultimate bucket list experience for visitors and residents of Australia alike! A once in a lifetime experience, the magic of Uluru and Kata Tjuta cannot be described in words as it’s a feeling and connection to the place that is the most memorable aspect of making a trip out to the desert. If you’ve never made the trip out to Central Australia then this 3 Day Itinerary to visit Uluru is the perfect guide for you to start planning out your escape to the heart of Australia.

Table of Contents

Before we get into the 3 day itinerary to visit Uluru, it might be best to also cover some important topics on things you need to know before you visit Uluru.

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Is 3 days in Uluru enough?

There are plenty of activities to do in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and surrounds. I would recommend spending 2-3 nights in Uluru as it gives you plenty of time to explore, do some hikes and experience at least 1 or 2 sunrise and sunsets in the area. Any less, wouldn’t be worth your time or money spent and any longer, you may just run out of things to do.

When is the best time to visit Uluru?

Like most of Central Australia and the Northern Territory, the winter months is the best time to visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. The high season runs from May until September and is when temperatures are more moderate. I visited Uluru at the end of September 2023 and found this to be the most ideal time. Sunny warm days with comfortable temperatures around 25 degrees and the evenings were a bit chilly still! Be mindful that in the middle of winter the temps can drop to zero in the outback of Australia.

Between October and March the temperatures can be extreme with days over 35 degrees, making the walking trails around the National Park quite unpleasant. Some walking trails are even closed down due to the high danger in the extreme heat.

What should you not miss on your visit to Uluru?

There’s actually more things to do in Uluru than people realise and I’ve included some of these actives in the 3 day itinerary to visit Uluru below. My favourite highlights of Uluru was the Field of Light art installation and watching the Sunrise/Sunsets at the different designated platforms, however there are many great optional walks and activities to partake in such as:

Watch the Sunrise at the Kata Tjuta Dune Viewing platform (you can see both Kata Tjuta and Uluru from this platform and the views are incredible!)
Take a sunset (or sunrise) camel tour with views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta and afterwards enjoy some Australian beer, wine and damper back at the Camel Farm
Do the Base Walk at Uluru – either on foot, bicycle or Segway tour!
Take a scenic flight over the entire National Park
Explore the Kuniya Walk and see the Mutitjulu Waterhole
Hike the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuta
Join the free ranger-guided Mala walk at Uluru
Explore the Cultural Centre and learn more about the Anangu people
Join a dot painting workshop
Watch the sunset at Uluru at the Uluru Car Sunset Viewing
Walk through the short 2.5km return trail of Walpa Gorge at Kata Tjuta
Visit the famous art installation of Bruce Munro’s Field of Light

The Perfect 3 Day Itinerary to Visit Uluru-

This 3 day itinerary to visit Uluru is packed with all the essential and fun things to see and do during your trip!

3 day itinerary to visit Uluru, Kata Tjuta

Day 1

Once you have arrived in Yulara, settled in and unpacked, head into the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and take a walk around the Cultural Centre to learn more about the Anangu People. After (if time permitting) tackle one of the shorter walks at Uluru (best if you’re not planning to do the whole Uluru base walk). A great short option is the Mutitjulu Waterhole if you’re short on time. Afterwards make your way to the car sunset viewing area in Uluru (or take a bus tour if you don’t have a car). Enjoy one of the best views of the rock and watch it change multiple colours as the sky changes colours from the sunset.

Day 2

Rise and shine early for sunrise and watch the sun come up from the famous sunrise viewing platform at Uluru.

After sunrise head to the Mala carpark for the morning departure of the free ranger guided Mala walk. This informative tour takes about 2 hours which should put you just in time for lunch. If you are staying at the Ayers Rock Resort I would highly recommend having lunch at the Mangata Bar & Grill, the food at this restaurant is amazing no matter what you order!

After lunch you can opt to tackle the Uluru base walk or the Lungkata walk if you prefer to do something shorter.

For your sunset evening activities you can decide from 2 options:

Join a Sunset Camel tour at Uluru Camel Tours where you will get to enjoy a one hour ride on the friendly camels in the spectacular desert landscape. The friendly cameleers will tell you stories of the territory and they are so informative on their knowledge on Camels! With stunning views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, watch the colour change as the sun sets from atop a sand dune. Return to the farm at twilight to relax and enjoy Australian beer, wine, champagne and outback bush foods including their famous freshly baked beer bread damper.

Camel tour 3 day itinerary to visit Uluru

Your second option is to join a tour to see Bruce Munro’s famous art installation ‘Field of Light.’ There are 3 options for viewing the Field of Light that range from low to high prices depending on what you choose. Check out the full details here.

Day 3

Another early wake up however I would have to say with some bias that this is the sunrise 100% worth waking up for! Make your way to the Kata Tjuta Dune Sunrise viewing platform. I absolutely loved coming here for sunrise, it’s incredibly beautiful and you get a full view of Kata Tjuta plus an amazing view of Uluru in the distance at the same platform! Just be prepared, this place can get pretty crowded so I would definitely aim to get there early and grab a good spot to watch the sunrise.

After you watch the spectacular sunrise, make your way further into the National Park to either do the Valley of the Winds walk or the Walpa Gorge walk depending on how much time you have. This makes for a perfect ending to your 3 day itinerary to visit Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

Follow me on Instagram @miastravelmemoirs to see my latest adventures!

I’d like to ackowledge the Anangu who are the traditional owners of Uluru and Kata Tjuta and the land that surrounds it. I would also like to pay my respects to Anangu Elders past, present and emerging.

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As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
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A Perfect 3 Day Itinerary to Visit Uluru