What to see in Uluru? The symbolic and geographic heart of Australia, Uluru was one of the most magical experiences of all my time in this amazing country. It is not the easiest place to visit, but also not as hard as you might imagine! And the trip is 100% worth it. One of Australia’s most famous natural landmarks, Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock), is a natural sandstone monolith, seemingly rising up out of nowhere in Australia’s Northern Territory. Uluru is a sacred site of important significance to Australia’s Aboriginal people, and part of their creation mythology.
The traditional owners of Uluru are the Anangu people (pronounced: arn-ung-oo). The legend goes that 10 ancestors created Uluru at the beginning of time. Before this, the world was a featureless place.
Although in a perfect world it would be fabulous to spend an extended period of time at Uluru as there are so many things to see and do in the area, if you’re pressed for time it’s still absolutely worth visiting for a shorter time. Read on for my short 2-day itinerary for Uluru, which includes the key experiences that you will not want to miss.
2-Day Itinerary for Uluru, Australia
Day 1 in Uluru
Uluru Base Walk
The Uluru Base Walk will make you truly appreciate how massive Uluru is! When we did the base walk there were not that many other people there so it felt like we had the entire place to ourselves. This is a good opportunity to get up close and personal with Uluru – the feeling of touching the rock is quite special. Note that there are some sections where you are not allowed to touch or take photographs for cultural reasons. There are some caves and petroglyphs. The path is clearly marked and easy to follow and there are shaded rest areas dotted strategically along the route. Make sure to pack a hat and plenty of water. I recommend doing the base walk in the morning before 11am when it can get too hot. It’s best to allow 4 hours.
Learn About Aboriginal Culture and Traditions
Uluru itself is a short drive from the township Yulara, which is where most people stay during their visit to Uluru. The resort there is called Ayers Rock Resort and it is Aboriginal-owned. The Gallery of Central Australia (GoCA) showcases a wide selection of Aboriginal artwork. Ayers Rock Resort offers a number of free experiences such as a Bush Food Experience, Bush Yarns and Didgeridoo Workshop. A Wakagetti dance is performed every day at 4pm in Yulara town square. For children there is a free Paint Your Own Australian Animal experience. You can find further information here.
Watch the Sunset at Uluru
There is a designated sunset viewing area at Uluru itself where you can park up and enjoy the view of the changing colours of Uluru as the sun descends in the sky behind you. Most people bring a picnic and some wine or a beer (for passengers not driving). Note that the police do sometimes to breath tests to make sure no one is drink-driving.
Watch a Night Sky Light Show: Wintjiri Wiru
Wintjiri Wiru means “beautiful view out to the horizon“. Drones and lasers are used to artfully tell traditional Aboriginal stories illuminated in the night sky. You can choose to arrive for a sunset dinner or at twilight or after dark.
Day 2 in Uluru
Sunrise at the Field of Light
Get up early while it’s still dark for a tour to the Field of Light. This is a solar-powered art installation, named Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakunytjaku or ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’. It was built by artist Bruce Munro and opened in 2016. The project was discussed in depth with Anangu elders over the course of 4 years before it was built. You can walk along paths right through the field of coloured lights, and then climb a small hill to watch the sun rise over the Field of Light with Uluru in the background. It’s hard to describe how beautiful this is – so don’t miss it!
Kata Tjuta
There is a collection of huge domed rocks 20 miles from Uluru called Kata Tjuta. The name means “many heads”. There are various hiking trails, some easier than others. Certain paths are closed off if the temperature gets too high. The drive from Uluru to Kata Tjuta takes around 45 minutes. The Valley of the Winds circuit is the longest hike and takes 3-4 hours.
Uluru Helicopter Ride or Scenic Flight
Another great way to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta is to book onto a helicopter tour or scenic flight. A true bucket list experience, this will enable you to see the beauty of the Red Centre from above. Most tours offer views of Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Kings Canyon and Lake Amadeus. There are sunrise and sunset options available.
Book your scenic flight here.
Watch the sunset from Imalung Lookout
Imalung Lookout is a hill right in the middle of Yulara where you can watch the sun set over Uluru. It’s walking distance from most accommodation making it an easy option for your final evening at Uluru.
Practical Guidance for Uluru, Australia
As well as the itinerary for what to see in Uluru, I’ve also included some practical guidance below:
How to Get to Uluru
Option 1: The closest settlement to Uluru is Yulara. Located approximately 450km (280 miles) from Alice Springs. You can fly directly to Yulara itself (Ayers Rock Airport – AYQ). If you fly to Yulara you should get some good views of Uluru from the sky – book a window seat!
Option 2: Another popular way of visiting Uluru is to fly into Alice Springs airport and then drive to Yulara. Flights to Alice Springs are more frequent and generally cheaper. The drive through the desert (5 hours) is a true Australian outback experience!
Entrance to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
You need to purchase a parks pass to enter Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. You can buy your pass online in advance here: https://book.parksaustralia.gov.au/passes/uluru/. The pass costs AU$38 and is valid for 3 days. Alternatively you can buy an annual pass for AU$50.
Where to stay in Uluru
We booked a self-contained apartment at Emu Walk Apartments in Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara. The entire settlement just feels like one big resort. The “town” has lots of accommodation, several restaurants and a few shops. There are also campgrounds where you can stay in a campervan.
Transport in Uluru
The easiest way to explore Uluru is to hire a car. The roads are quiet and easy to navigate. We flew to Alice Springs and picked up a rental vehicle from there for the duration of our trip. However it is possible (just a bit hard) to do Uluru without a car as there are a lot of guided tours that will take you around by bus. There is also a free shuttle bus around Ayers Rock Resort itself, departing every 20 minutes.
Money in Uluru (Australia): (AUD)
If you’re visiting Australia you’ll need Australian dollars (AUD). To get AUD at the best rates, I highly recommend getting a WISE card before you go. This allows you to convert money into Aussie dollars (or any other currency!) at the best rates and then spend on your Wise card as though it were a local bank card or withdraw cash in Australia without hidden fees. Wise is a UK-based financial services company (available in most countries worldwide) and is highly regulated in the various regions it operates in (in the UK it is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority).
Get your WISE card here.
Travel Insurance
Make sure that you have travel insurance to cover you for your trip. I can highly recommend Heymondo. I use them to cover me for all my trips and their app is very easy to use.
Purchase Heymondo travel insurance here.
Where next?
Hopefully you’ve found this post on what to see in Uluru useful. Australia is a big place so the options of where to go next are limitless. Read my other posts about Australia here.
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