Uluru Travelers Recommend

Uluru (Ayers Rock) is one of Australia’s best-known landmarks. Sacred to the Pitjantjatjara Anangu—the Aboriginal people native to the area—the rock is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, along with Kata Tjuta, comprises Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Here’s how to enjoy the rock from all angles.

Day 1: Uluru from Above and Below

One of the most unique things about Uluru is how it appears to change color as the sun shifts position throughout the day. Admire early-morning hues from the base of the rock on a sunrise walking tour that provides a great introduction to Uluru’s culture, geology, and environment. Tours typically include a picnic breakfast. For something less strenuous, opt for a camel ride instead. 

To truly appreciate the color and scale of Uluru, take to the skies on a helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flight. You'll see Uluru and the vivid, red-rock formations of Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) and enjoy birds-eye photo opportunities. Round out your day with a glass of wine and Aussie-style barbecue dinner at the sunset viewing point in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Day 2: Aboriginal Culture

Spend your second day delving deeper into Aboriginal culture. Travel to Cave Hill, the land of the Anangu Aboriginal people, on a 4WD tour that lets you tackle the rugged landscapes of the national park with ease. Tours to Cave Hill typically include an indigenous guide that reveals Aboriginal stories handed down over many generations, as well as time to admire the ancient rock art of Cave Hill, one of Central Australia’s most significant Aboriginal rock art sites—morning tea and a picnic lunch are usually included. 

After a full day of culture and adventure, spend the evening relaxing at the Ayers Rock resort, where you can enjoy dinner and drinks.

Day 3: Art and the Art of Silence

Art and folklore abound in the sacred area of Uluru, so spend your final day soaking it up. Opt for a sunrise visit to the Field of Light, a light installation by British artist Bruce Munro, or enjoy a hands-on Aboriginal dot painting workshop at Uluru Cultural Centre. Most tours give you the chance to interact with Aboriginal artists and allow free time to complete your own painting to keep as a memento.

Spend your final evening dining beneath the stars with an award-winning Sounds of Silence dinner package. You'll travel to a secluded formal dining setting in the middle of the desert, where you’ll sip champagne and dine on Australian delicacies as the sound of the didgeridoo fills the air and the sun sets slowly over Kata Tjuta and Uluru. Afterward, an astronomer typically guides you around the southern night skies. 

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Uluru (Ayers Rock) is Australia’s most iconic natural wonder and lies at the heart of the Aussie outback. An evening visit lets you behold Uluru at sunset, when the rock is at its most magical, before enjoying dinner beneath the desert stars. Here are your options for dinner experiences at Uluru.

Sounds of Silence Dinners

A romantic way to top off a day’s desert exploration, the Sounds of Silence Dinner begins with sparkling wine and canapes as you watch the sunset over Uluru. A delicious barbecue buffet dinner is served, including Australian delicacies like crocodile, barramundi, and kangaroo. You’ll also get the chance to taste traditional bush tucker. Live entertainment includes Aboriginal dancing and didgeridoo music, followed by a guided star-gazing experience. For the best value, enjoy a Sounds of Silence Dinner on a multi-day tour that includes visits to Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and the Kings Canyon, plus accommodations at Ayers Rock Resort.   

Australian Barbecue Dinners

Barbecue dinners offer a taste of traditional Aussie hospitality with a generous buffet of barbecue favorites and a more relaxed, informal atmosphere. Most tours include a sunset viewing of Uluru and a post-dinner stargazing experience. Barbecue dinners are also a popular part of Uluru and Kata Tjuta day tours, with adventurous travelers opting to camp out in the desert and watch the sunrise over Uluru.

Mighty Uluru (Ayers Rock), steeped in Aboriginal legend and surrounded by vast desert landscapes, is one of Australia’s most iconic postcard images. Visiting the dramatic monolith in the heart of the Red Centre is always an unforgettable experience, but sunrise and sunset tours offer the most memorable views and colors. 

Sunrise at Uluru

The most popular way to experience an Uluru sunrise is on an early morning base walk. Stop to admire the ancient rock art at Mutitjulu Waterhole and tuck into a picnic breakfast under the glow of the newly risen sun. Alternatively, opt for an Uluru sunrise tour on camelback, or watch the sunrise looking out over Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), Walpa Gorge, and the Valley of the Winds in Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park.

Sunset at Uluru

The Uluru sunset viewing area offers one of the most impressive views of the natural wonder, and a sunset tour is often combined with a traditional Aussie BBQ dinner. For the full experience, opt for a sunset camel ride, enjoy stargazing in the desert, then camp out in the Australian Outback so you can experience the sunrise as well.

Things to Know

• Uluru is located in central Australia’s Northern Territory, 276 miles (445 kilometers) southwest of Alice Springs, about a 4.5-hour drive.

• Throughout the year, sunrise and sunset times vary between 5:30am and 7am, and 6:45pm and 7:45pm, respectively. 

• Sunrise or sunset tours from the Ayers Rock Resort typically last between three and five hours.

• Uluru is located in an exposed area of the desert, so sunscreen, a hat, plenty of water, and comfortable shoes are a must. Be prepared for both high temperatures during the day and chilly weather at night. 

• Most tours include hotel pickup from Ayers Rock Resort hotels; many tours include breakfast or dinner as well.

A 2-day trip to Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, allows you time to see the famed rock throughout the day—it appears to change color depending on the lighting and time of day. You also have time to visit Kata Tjuta (within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park) and venture as far as Mount Connell. Here’s how to spend two days at Uluru.

Day 1: Uluru/Ayers Rock

**Morning:**Get an early start to see the sunrise over Uluru. Take a guided walk around the base—a flat distance of around 7.5 miles (12 kilometers)—ride a camel on a guided tour, or rent a bicycle and pedal around at your own pace. 

**Afternoon:**To get a different perspective on the rock and Kata Tjuta, take a scenic helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flight over the area. Adventure-seekers also have the option of free-falling from a height of 12,000 feet (3,657 meters) on a tandem skydiving flight. 

**Night:**Head for the designated sunset-viewing area to watch the changing colors of the desert as the sun sinks over Uluru. Guided tours typically include a glass of wine or beer with which to toast the sunset, and then continue with an Aussie-style barbecue dinner under the starry night sky.

Day 2: Kata Tjuta and Mt. Conner

**Morning:**It’s another early start on day two to see the sunrise over the 36 large red rock domes of Kata Tjuta, also known as the Olgas. Tours that start with a sunrise over the desert landscape typically continue with an outback picnic breakfast and a walking tour of Walpa Gorge. 

**Afternoon:**Enjoy the quintessential Aussie outback experience and soak up the ambience of the Red Centre on a guided tour by 4WD vehicle to Mt. Conner, located on the privately owned cattle station of Curtin Springs. Look out for red kangaroos, wallabies, and other wildlife as you travel across the desert landscape.

**Night:**Some Mt. Conner tours include a glass of wine to toast the sunset, as well as a 3-course dinner at Curtin Springs Station before returning you to your accommodation. If not, opt to spend your evening at one of the fine dining hotel restaurants within the Ayers Rock Resort.

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is one of Australia’s most identifiable symbols. Sacred to the  Pitjantjatjara, the Aboriginal people who call themselves Anangu, the rock is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, together with Kata Tjuta, makes up the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Here’s how to maximize your 1-day visit.

Morning: Sunrise Scenes

Wake up early to make the most of your one day at Uluru. Start by catching the rising sun as it casts a warm glow over the sacred rock. Guided walks around the base introduce visitors to Uluru’s culture, geology, and environment, with guides recounting the Aboriginal creation stories that are the essence of the monolith. The trail is around 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) but flat, and tours typically include a picnic breakfast. For those who prefer not to make the long walk around Uluru, consider riding a camel instead.

Afternoon: Uluru from Above

Due to its spiritual significance, the Anangu do not climb Uluru and request that visitors respect their culture by not climbing on it either. There are plenty of other ways to get a bird’s-eye view of Uluru and Kata Tjuta (also known as the Olgas), including on a scenic helicopter or fixed-wing aircraft flight over the area. If an adrenaline rush is what you are after, consider the option of free-falling from a height of 12,000 feet (3,657 meters) on a tandem skydiving flight. 

Night: Colors of Sunset

Round out a great day exploring Australia’s Red Centre by sipping a glass of wine or beer as you watch the changing colors of the desert as the sun sinks over Uluru. Guided tours generally include pickup and drop-off from your hotel to the designated sunset viewing area in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park for the best view of the rock. After the sun sets, tours typically transport you to an Aussie-style barbecue dinner as the stars light up the night sky and guides point out planets and constellations, including the Southern Cross.