Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park

You can see a lot in a day or less at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Uluru’s stunning sunrises and sunsets are a must-do for all park visitors. If you’ve only got limited time, make sure you experience at least one of these – the most popular choices are watching the sunrise from Talinguru Nyakunytjaku or going to the car sunset viewing area at dusk.

We recommend squeezing in a short walk around the rock – either the Mala walk to Kantju Gorge or the Kuniya Walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole. You should also stop by the Cultural Centre for a fascinating introduction to Anangu culture and a chance to support some Anangu-owned businesses.

Check out our suggested half-day itineraries below. If you have a whole day to spend in the park, simply combine a morning at Uluru with an afternoon at Kata Tjuta or vice versa.

Spend the morning at Uluru for sunrise views, ranger guided walks and an introduction to Indigenous culture.

Drive out to Talinguru Nyakunytjaku to see an awe-inspiring sunrise. While you’re there, take the short Minymaku and Watiku walks to learn about Anangu culture and men’s and women’s business.

Then drive over to the Mala carpark to join our award-winning (and free!) ranger-guided Mala walk.

From here, you can continue on to do the full Uluru base walk, which takes about 3.5 hours on foot. If you only have limited time, go straight to the 1 km Kuniya Walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole to explore the site of one of Uluru’s most dramatic creation stories.

Head to the Cultural Centre for a well-earned coffee and a bite to eat at Ininti before learning more about Anangu culture in the Tjukurpa Tunnel and admiring some beautiful Anangu artwork.

If you have a bit more time, do the dune walk at the Uluru bus sunset viewing area for another view of this ancient landscape.

A morning at Kata Tjuta offers a spectacular sunrise, gorges and desert vistas.

Start your day at the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area. Here you can watch the sun rising next to Uluru in the distance before doing a short walk around the dunes.

Drive on to Kata Tjuta for a walk through the towering Walpa Gorge. After the one-hour walk, have a break and a picnic morning tea at the Kata Tjuta sunset viewing area – it’s beautiful at any time of day.

If you’re in the mood for another hike, do some of the Valley of the Winds walks for amazing views of the landscape.

Then go to the Cultural Centre for lunch at Ininti Cafe and a chance to learn about Anangu art and culture.

Delve into Uluru’s nature and culture before watching a glorious sunset and dining in the open air.

Begin your afternoon with lunch at the Cultural Centre. While you’re here, you can learn all about Anangu culture in the Tjukurpa Tunnel and admire beautiful Anangu art at the community-owned galleries.

Drive to the Mala car park and do the Mala Walk (about 1.5 hours). From here, you can continue on to do the full Uluru base walk, which takes about 3.5 hours on foot.

If you only have limited time, skip the base walk and go straight to the 1 km Kuniya Walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole to explore the site of one of Uluru’s most dramatic creation stories. Another option (especially in cooler weather) is to do the Liru Walk from the Cultural Centre to the base of Uluru (1.5 hours return).

Then drive to the Uluru car sunset viewing area in time to enjoy the spectacular colours of the rock at sunset.

After the sun goes down, you can enjoy an outdoor BBQ in the park. Alternatively, head back to Yulara to admire the Field of Light installation or dine under the stars at Sounds of Silence or Tali Wiru.

An afternoon among Kata Tjuta’s domes provides an in-depth intro to this magnificent World Heritage site.

Start with lunch at the Cultural Centre before learning about Anangu culture in the Tjukurpa Tunnel and admiring some local artwork at the Aboriginal owned and operated galleries.

Drive over to the Kata Tjuta dune viewing area. Here you can do a short walk around the dunes to learn about the diverse plants and animals that live here.

Continue on to Kata Tjuta and do the stunning Walpa Gorge walk (about 1 hour return). If you have enough time, visit the Valley of the Winds to marvel at the amazing views from the Karu lookout (about 1 hour return).

Head to Kata Tjuta sunset viewing area before dusk for a beautiful view of the domes at sunset. (Please remember that you will need to leave Kata Tjuta at least 45 minutes before the park closes for the night.)

Return to Yulara for dinner and a wander through the 50,000 illuminated stems of Field of Light.