Overview

People come to Ayres Rock for the rock itself, but the park in which it lays, Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, is also of breathtaking beauty. It contains the magnificent Olgas and both this park and the neighbouring Watarrka National Park are home to some fascinating wildlife and picturesque trekking opportunities. Almost all of the sightseeing options around encompass either of the two national parks and so excursions tend to be nature-oriented. The Cultural Centre is the perfect place to learn about the local people while Ayers Rock Observatory is the place to learn about the night sky.

Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

Most people come to this park to see the magnificent Uluru, or Ayers Rock. Tourists used to climb the enormous monolith, but because it’s a sacred site many visitors now choose to do the Uluru base walk with a local guide instead. You will be well respected by the locals if you do the same. There is an entry fee into the park and information on the local history and geology can be gleaned from the Yulara Visitors Centre.

Ayers Rock Observatory

Lighting up the dark desert night-time setting, the Ayers Rock Observatory is a fantastic place to view the night sky. An astronomer will teach you how to navigate the skies using the Southern Cross and with a range of telescopes you can view the constellations in your own time.

Olgas

Also situated inside Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, the Olgas are another of Australia’s most iconic sites. The sweeping scenery of red domes extends far into the distance and many visitors rate it as more magnificent than its more famous neighbour. A haven for many animals, the surrounding area also features a fantastic collection of walking trails.

Cultural Centre

Located 1km away from Uluru, the Cultural Centre hosts exhibitions of aboriginal arts and crafts, bush tucker sessions, and other informative cultural shows. Guided walking tours can be arranged from here and visitors are afforded a rare insight into the local people’s ways of life.

Watarrka National Park

This significant conservation area is home to a huge number of animal and plant species and visitors can enjoy a brisk six kilometre walk which encompasses breathtaking views over the canyon and the verdant valley of the ‘Garden of Eden’. For less experienced walkers, the easier Kings Creek walk will take you right to the heart of the canyon.

Mount Connor

The sand and rock table top mountain of Mount Connor is arguably just as impressive as Ayers Rock and views can be enjoyed from a lookout just east of Curtin Springs. The mesa affords walking trails and outstanding scenery and some locals say that this 700-million-year-old structure is actually bigger than Uluru.

Maruku Arts

Set in the heart of the Mutitjulu community within Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, the Maruku arts and craft company is owned by local aboriginal people. Visitors can take tours of the shop, which give an understanding of the significance of the objects on display and the products for sale include musical instruments, paintings and other arts and crafts.

Mulgara Gallery

Located in the foyer of Ayers Rock Resort’s Desert Hotel, the Mulgara Gallery features work by famed artists such as Chris Pantano as well as work by a whole host of lesser known artists. View body painting exhibits and a collection of tribal instruments and buy a number of beautifully made handicrafts.

Overview

With Central Australia’s extreme temperatures and fast burning time in the sun, outdoor pursuits are best enjoyed in the morning or evening. Camel riding and motorcycle tours are popular among visitors while taking a scenic flight will give you a whole new perspective on things. A number of treks can be arranged either before or after you arrive.

Mereenie Loop

One of Australia’s most incredible desert drives, the Mereenie Loop attracts anyone with a four-wheel drive who is interested in driving. With the West MacDonnell ranges jutting up on either side, the dirt track connects Alice Springs with Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park and Watarrka National Park.

Motorcycle tours

Experience the wonder of Uluru and its outlaying areas on the back of a Harley Davidson. Visitors can choose either to tour Uluru or the Olgas and all you have to do is sit on the back, relax and enjoy the enchanting scenery. Experienced motorbike riders can hire bikes from a number of companies operating in the area.

Scenic flights

It is possible to take a flight over Uluru, Kings Canyon or Kata Tjuta and many visitors choose to view the majestic scenery from this angle. Itineraries range from 40 minutes up to a whole day and transportation from your lodgings can be arranged. This is a highlight for many visitors. 

Creek Station

Situated just south of Watarrka National Park, Kings Creek Station is a working cattle farm that welcomes tourism. Visitors can enjoy a range of adventurous activities, such as camel riding, helicopter flights over the canyon and quad biking and you can even chose to stay in the farm’s budget accommodation.

Curtin Springs Station

Located in the town of Yulara, this working cattle station offers bird watching tours and camping in a natural setting. The station’s owners can organise walking tours and give advice and information on local history and heritage.

Giles track

This two-day trek will take you through the Watarrka National Park with its wild and dramatic landscape and past many animal species including wallabies, goannas, pythons and spinifex. The rocky plateau is strewn with aboriginal stencilled art and the sandstone formations will take your breath away. Walking tours can be arranged from inside the park.

Camel tours

A number of different companies now offer camel tours in the area and with views of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the Olgas, the backdrop is magnificent. Children and adults alike will enjoy meeting and riding these hardy creatures, which were first brought to Australia by Afghan cameleers.

Dining & Shopping

Ayers Rock offers a good selection of eateries and shopping options. The popular Ayers Rock Resort features a number of dining options ranging from casual cafés to fine dining restaurants and a shopping centre is located onsite too. 

Inside the mall, visitors will find a supermarket, hair salon, photographics shop, several speciality shops and some food outlets as well as a bank, post office and information centre. Other interesting souvenir shops can be found within the resort, such as the Mulgara Gallery, situated in the foyer of the Ayres Rock Resort’s Sails in the Desert Hotel.

Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park is home to several beautiful art and craft shops which are located close to the cultural centre. Artefacts are made by the Anangu aboriginals from Central Australia. Tours are available within the Maruku Arts shop to aid understanding of the works on display and popular items for sale include carvings, rain sticks, paintings, ceramic arts, spears, boomerangs and musical instruments. The cultural centre itself has a picnic area and barbeque facilities.

Alice Springs boasts all of the shops you would expect to find in a town of its size plus an array of interesting craft shops selling items made by local artists. Territory Craft sells a selection of glass and enamel objects and a craft shop out the back allows visitors to view the objects being made. The Todd Mall Market is a collection of stalls selling everything from aboriginal art to Asian food and the fabulous CAAMA Shop sells aboriginal music, books and crafts.

Watarrka National Park has barbeque facilities, a picnic area, a kiosk and a gift shop selling original artwork and handicraft items made by local aboriginal artisans. Visitors who walk the beautiful Giles track will find barbeque facilities en route at the scenic area of Kathleen Springs. A small general store can be found at the King’s Canyon Resort petrol station and dining options within the park range from cheap but tasty grills to more expensive dinners under the stars.

Yulara town is a small service town that holds little charm yet contains all the facilities necessary for modern living. A scattering of cafés and restaurants can be found about town, most of them adjoined to hotels and guest houses, and everything is within easy walking distance. Everything in Yulara is expensive as its location is isolated from the rest of the country: the nearest large town, Alice Springs, lays almost 450kms away. 

For a more authentic experience, visitors can stay at one of several working cattle stations in the area. The Curtin Springs Station is located 85kms out of Yulara on the Lasseter Highway and snacks, beer and home cooked food are all readily available. On the same highway, the aboriginal owned Mt Ebenezer Roadhouse boasts a beautiful art gallery and has barbeque facilities and a licensed restaurant on its premises. 

If your next destination is Alice Springs, then a number of other roadhouses can be found along the way, all of which sell petrol. Alice Springs itself is home to numerous dining options ranging from the cosy Bar Doppio, which serves hearty breakfasts, pies and fresh juices, to the contemporary Barra on Todd seafood restaurant with its stylish selection of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes.

Overview

Ayers Rock’s main gateway is the Connellan Airport, which provides daily connections to a handful of Australian cities. It’s possible to drive yourself from Alice Springs or other cities around Australia but coach companies such as Greyhound and McCafferty’s offer reasonably priced tours. Shared taxis and hire cars can be booked from a number of locations.

Airport

Ayres Rock Airport, otherwise known as Connellan Airport, is located just 20 minutes by road away from Uluru. The small airport contains just one main terminal, which receives daily flights from Sydney, Cairns, Perth and Alice Springs. Facilities at the airport are limited. Vending machines provide the only food and drink while toilets and short-term parking and bus bays are located outside.

Airnorth flies between Yulara and Alice Springs while Qantas and Ansett are the only airlines serving the airport at present, though other airlines have plans to operate here in the future. The Qantas Boeing 737-800 is the largest aircraft catered for at this miniscule airport but a number of charter planes and privately owned ones use the airport to make scenic tourist flights.

Most hotels provide complimentary transport both ways between Ayers Rock and the airport and the journey takes around 20 minutes. Arrivals to the larger Alice Springs Airport will be greeted by a much more modern facility which is served by daily domestic flights. Airlines include Qantas and Tiger Airways Australia and it takes around five hours to drive to Ayers Rock from here.

Public transportation

There is no real transport network at Ayers Rock and so the best way to see the area outside of the centre is to hire a car. Hire car companies in the area include Hertz and Avis, which both have offices at the airport. Booking ahead is advisable as the location is extremely remote, but if you fail to do so vehicles can be rented from most hotel receptions. Territory Rent-a-Car has an office at the Outback Pioneer Hotel.

The area boasts a decent network of sealed roads and so driving a car or motor home is easy. The Stuart Highway is the region’s main thoroughfare and most attractions can be reached by sealed road. If you don’t want to drive yourself, a four-wheel-drive tour is an excellent choice for experiencing the outback’s beauty. Several tracks, such as Tanami and Oodnadatta, are recommended.

The centre is small enough to be able to traverse on foot, but shuttle buses run between all of the hotels, connecting every 20 minutes until midnight each day. Shared taxis can be booked through Sunworth and ferry visitors between the major sites. Cheaper than an organised tour, travellers can discuss their travel plans with the drivers and tailor-make their excursions to suit their needs.

McCafferty’s and Greyhound Pioneer offer daily buses between Alice Springs and Yulara. The journey takes around five or six hours and two or three-day package tours can be booked through both bus companies. One of the Greyhound Pioneer packages also includes an excursion to Kings Canyon.