Your Ultimate Travel Guide to Visit Uluru and Kata Tjuta

A first time visit to Uluru and Kata Tjuta can take some organisation and planning especially since your visit to the heart of Australia is literally in the middle of nowhere in Outback Australia. This is your ultimate guide to visit Uluru and Kata Tjuta. From the best sunset/sunrise spots, to how to get around Uluru, all your questions on your visit to Uluru will be covered below!

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.

Table of Contents

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About Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

Some people still get confused and may wonder, “I thought it’s called Ayers Rock?” It was William Gosse in 1873 who named it Ayers Rock in honour of the then Chief Secretary of South Australia. While it was referred to as Ayers Rock for many years, it’s now considered respectful to refer to it as Uluru, the traditional name given to the site by the Anangu people. Similarly, Kata Tjuta is often called The Olgas, although the traditional name is preferred by the Anangu people.

Recognised around the world, Uluru has become Australia’s iconic landmark, just like the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Great Pyramids of Egypt. Everyone that comes to Australia should visit Uluru, a magnificent, natural wonder. Uluru is a massive sandstone monolith and stands at 348 metres high- that’s higher than the Eiffel Tower, has a circumference of 9.4km and estimated to be about 550 million years old.

Closeby to Uluru is Kata Tjuta, which is also within the same National Park about 50km away. Kata Tjuta is a collection of 36 rock domes which stand taller than Uluru at 564 metres high.

Yulara is the township that was formed to support tourism and eco protection just outside the boundary of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. It is home to many amenities and facilities you will need during your visit to Uluru, including accomodation, restaurants, tours, fuel, car hire, a supermarket and much more. Every year more than 250,000 people come from all over the world to experience the natural and cultural wonders of Uluru and Kata Tjuta.

Download a copy of the map of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park here.

What are the best months to Visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta

The best months to visit Uluru are in the cooler months of the year between May to September. This however, is also the high season of the region as the temperatures during this time are the most moderate, albeit the colder evening temperatures. Temperatures between October-March can get be quite harsh reaching the high 40’s in degrees celsius. This can make hiking the walking trails around the National Park quite difficult as the conditions can be dangerous due to the high temperatures. I visited Uluru end of August, early September 2023, and although it was high season there still wasn’t a lot of people around and the temperatures during the day were quite perfect in the mid 20’s.

How to get to Uluru-Kata Tjuta

Let me just say firstly that even for Australian’s never mind tourists, Uluru is a bloody long way from anywhere. The nearest major town is Alice Springs which is 446km away and takes 2 outback highways to get to. Don’t worry though, Central Australia is not hard to get to and the tourism industry is a well-oiled machine for this region. There are many options on how to get to Uluru that can fit even the weekender’s schedule.

Drive to Uluru

Driving to Uluru can be quite the adventure and can really give you an idea of the beauty and isolation in the Great Australian Outback.

The famous Red Centre Way is a multi-day drive of this incredible region, taking in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Watarrka (Kings Canyon), Tjoritja (West MacDonnell Ranges), Alice Springs and more.

Alice Springs, NT to Yulara: 446km or 5 hour drive via Stuart Highway and Lasseter Highway

Kings Canyon to Yulara: 304km or 3.5 hour drive on the Luritja Road and Lasseter Highway

Coober Pedy, SA to Yulara: 734km or 8 hour drive via Stuart Highway and Lasseter Highway

Fly to Uluru

Yulara has its own airport, called Ayers Rock/Connellan Airport. You can fly directly to Yulara from a number of Australian cities, including Sydney, Brisbane, and Cairns. Approximate flight times are:

Sydney–Yulara: 3 hours
Cairns–Yulara: 2 hours 50 minutes
Brisbane–Yulara: 3 hours 15 minutes

The 3 Airlines that fly to Yulara are Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar.

Flight Tip: When flying in to Uluru try to pre-book your window seat on the left side of the plane for views of Uluru as you come in for landing!

Visit Uluru and Kata Tjuta by Tour/Bus

If you’d rather leave the driving to someone else, you can join one of the many organised tours exploring Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the surrounding area. There are also direct coach transfers from Alice Springs

Essential Information you need to know to visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta

Opening hours: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park opens before sunrise and closes just after sunset all year round. The exact times differ on the month so make sure you check during your visit. There is no camping or accommodation allowed inside the national park, everyone must stay at Yulara or elsewhere.

Entry pass: A Parks Pass is essential for visiting Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. All the money from Parks Passes goes straight back into the Park and the Traditional Owners. You can purchase one at the entrance gate, but it is much more convenient to do it online before you arrive. There is a boom gate at the entrance so you must scan your pass to be able to enter the park. As of 2021, the price is $38 for three days per adult.

Services: Yulara has a fuel station, restaurants, post office, IGA supermarket, souvenir shops, accommodation, tourist information desk, car hire and campground. Prices are more a bit more expensive in this area, but that’s the nature of the remote location and tourism industry. Fuel can be over $2 per litre in high season!

Alcohol: Something I didn’t know that I wish I knew before I came to visit Uluru is that the alcohol prices are really high! I would definitely recommend bringing your own if it’s possible. The IGA Supermarket does not sell alcohol and the only place you can grab some take away alcohol is the Outback Pioneer Bar and even then there are limits that apply to how much you can buy which applies to all travellers/tourists not just the locals. A 6 pack of beer was around $45!

Safety: Be sun smart when exploring Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Take note heat exhaustion and dehydration are a risk and in hot weather you should aim to finish any walks by 11.00 am. Drink plenty of water, wear a hat and sunglasses and keep your skin protected from the sun.

Road conditions: All roads in the national park are sealed and in good condition. You do not need a 4WD or special vehicle to access any of the official parts of the park.

Phone reception: There is some phone reception inside the national park, but it’s very limited coverage. However, Yulara has full 4G Optus and Telstra plus other providers too.

Uluru and Kata Tjuta Accommodation

Places to stay near Uluru are all within the Aboriginal-owned Ayers Rock Resort. Whether you’re after a full on luxury experience, a family vacation or on a tight budget, there are plenty of accomodation options. Yulara is the township which holds all the various accomodation types of the Ayers Rock Resort and this will be where you will have access to all the amenities and facilities the township has to offer.

Longitude 131˚: Longitude 131˚ is Australia’s most celebrated luxury camp. This place sits right at the top when it comes to expensive accomodation options. Fifteen luxury tents at Longitude 131° each offer views to Uluru from the end of the bed and each stay includes a signature experience in the tariff.

Sails in the Desert: The Sails in the Desert is still considered to be high end luxury accomodation but does not come with the high price tag compared to Longitude 131˚. There are 228 lavishly appointed rooms and suites as well as a swimming pool, restaurant and bar.

Desert Gardens Hotel: Desert Gardens Hotel boasts the only rooms with views of Uluru in Ayers Rock Resort. Accommodation options are diverse, from Deluxe Rock View rooms to Garden View rooms. All of Ayers Rock Resort’s amenities and conveniences are within easy walking distance or accessible via the free shuttle bus.

Emu Walk Apartments: With one and two-bedroom self-contained apartments available, Emu Walk Apartments is ideal for families or couples and friends travelling together. I stayed in a one bedroom apartment during my visit to Uluru and the price of this accomodation can work out to be quite reasonable if you are sharing as they can sleep up to 4 in the one bedroom and 6 people in the 2 bedroom. The accomodation was pretty basic but it came with all your kitchen needs and the bedroom was separate to the living room where they can have a sofa bed made up as well. A great option if you want to save some money by buying groceries at the local IGA and cooking some of your meals during your stay.

The Lost Camel Hotel: The Lost Camel Hotel is a contemporary and fun, boutique-style hotel and offers slightly more budget friendly prices compared to the Desert Gardens Hotel. The Lost Camel adds a unique and surprisingly edgy accommodation option to the collection of hotels at the Resort.

Outback Hotel and Lodge: Perfectly suited for budget-minded travellers, the Outback Hotel & Lodge offers comfortable, affordable stays with access to all facilities the resort has to offer. The Outback Lodge’s budget-friendly rooms feature private or shared bathroom facilities, while shared hostel-style accommodation options are ideal for roaming backpackers and adventurers travelling light.

Ayers Rock Campground: Unwind in air-conditioned cabins, hook up your caravan, campervan, motor home, or camper trailer at one of the powered campsites, or pitch your tent under the shade of native desert oaks and sleep under the stars. The camping ground also provides a range of services and facilities including a swimming pool, BBQ facilities and outdoor kitchen and self-service laundry facilities to make the great outdoors truly enjoyable.

How to get around Uluru

Not alot of people realise this when they are planning their trip to visit Uluru but you actually need some sort of transportation to get to the National Park. If you’re flying in to Uluru then you obviously won’t have your own car to be able to get to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. So you’re probably wondering, do you need a car in Uluru?

Getting around Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parkis easy. All roads are sealed, so driving around the park in a normal 2WD vehicle is not a problem. If you don’t have your own vehicle to get around, you can rent one at the airport, join one of the many bus tours or purchase an Uluru hop on hop off bus pass.

I flew into Uluru and decided to hire a car for a few days. It was super easy as the airport is so small there was no queues or waiting in a long line and was easy to just pick up the keys and go. The drive from the airport is only 12 minutes to the Ayers Rock Resort. I chose this option as I like to travel at my own pace and not have to go by a schedule if I can help it. I saved money hiring a car because I was able to freely drive in and out of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to my own schedule. I didn’t need to pay for a tour every time I wanted to go to a sunrise or sunset viewing spot or when I wanted to go to a different walking track in the Natonal Park. Yes, you will need to pay for a tour or the Hop on Hop off Bus anytime you want to go into the National Park if you don’t have a car.

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. 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 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

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

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