Uluru Rock, also known as Ayers Rock, is located in Australia’s Northern Territory, around 330 km from the town of Alice Springs. The 550 million-year-old Uluru Rock is a huge sandstone formation that dominates the desert skyline, towering 348 meters into the air. Uluru Rock, and the surrounding areas, are an important sacred site for Australia’s indigenous people but it’s also one of the country’s most iconic tourist attractions.
Uluru Rock is one of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park’s best-known attractions and sits amongst rock caves, waterholes and ancient rock paintings. Visitors to the site frequently report feeling the powerful spiritual presence of Uluru Rock, often referred to as the ‘Heart of the Red Centre’ of Australia. As you gaze up at the magnificent natural monument of Uluru Rock, in an endless sea of red sand, you’ll be awestruck by the serene beauty of the landscape.
How Do You Get To Uluru Rock, Australia?
Even though Uluru Rock is located in an extremely remote region of the Northern Territory it’s surprisingly easy to get there! Firstly, you should fly into one of Australia’s major cities such as Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. Once you land you can either spend a few days sightseeing in the city or catch a connecting flight onwards to Uluru Rock.
Australia is a vast country but it’s extremely well-connected with numerous domestic flights. The best place to base yourself for your trip is in Alice Springs, located around 450 km from Uluru Rock. Flight times from Australia’s main cities to Alice Springs are all under 4 hours and the views out of the windows are a treat in themselves.
Once you arrive at Alice Springs Airport you can take a short taxi ride to your hotel to refresh yourself after your journey. Alice Springs is a lovely town with great amenities that is well set up for tourists. From Alice Springs you can either take a day trip to Uluru Rock or join a more extensive trip around the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
When Is The Best Time To Visit Uluru Rock, Australia?
The weather in Australia’s Northern Territory varies significantly throughout the year. Unlike Europe, Northern Australia only has two seasons, the dry season and the wet season.
The ideal time to visit Uluru Rock is during the dry season, between May and September when the daily temperatures range from 20 to 30 Degrees Celsius during the day. The cooler weather makes it much more pleasant to explore Uluru Rock and the surrounding national park. It’s worth remembering that the temperatures can dip quickly at night so you should still bring some warm clothing for your trip to Uluru.
The wet season in the Northern Territory, between October and March, is extremely hot, with temperatures often exceeding 35 Degrees Celsius. However, it’s also rainy and stormy so the wildflowers bloom in the desert, the waterholes fill up and you’ll see spectacular waterfalls cascading down from Uluru Rock.
The prices for hotels, tours and other services are all lower during the wet season. There are also far fewer tourists so you’ll almost have the incredible national park to yourself! Even so, the temperatures can be a little oppressive if you’re not used to the heat.
What Is There To Do?
Uluru Rock Day Trip From Alice Springs.
The easiest and most enjoyable way to visit Uluru Rock is to join an all-inclusive luxury one day tour. You’ll be picked up from your hotel in Alice Springs and be treated to a buffet breakfast before you set off for the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Traveling in an air-conditioned vehicle your expert guide will tell you stories about the area as you drive through the expansive desert scenery.
You’ll have free fruit, snacks, and water provided throughout the day. Once you arrive, you’ll explore Uluru Rock with your guide before visiting some of the other major attractions in the park, including Erldunda, Walpa Gorge, Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Center and the Kata Tjuta Olgas.
Along the way you’ll stop to eat your packed lunch and then in the evening, you’ll have a traditional Australian barbecue with sparkling wine as you watch the sunset over Uluru. After your barbecue, you’ll be dropped off back at your hotel in Alice Springs.
You can find out more about the Full Day Guided Tour of Uluru, departing from Alice Springs, here.
Stay At The DoubleTree Hotel In Alice Springs.
For anyone staying in Alice Springs the DoubleTree Hotel by Hilton, situated on the banks of the Todd River, is a perfect choice. With a large outdoor pool, tennis courts, free on-site parking, several restaurants, a fitness center and connecting family rooms, the hotel has everything you need to relax in the lap of luxury.
The rooms have free WiFi, a spacious bathroom, a flat-screen TV and are available in a whole range of sizes to suit solo travelers, couples and families. There’s a great selection of on-site restaurants including the Saltbush which offers Australian-styled cuisine all day and the Hanuman restaurant which serves Thai and Indian cuisine. If you’d like a drink you can stop by the Deck Bar where you can sample cocktails and tapas beside the pool.
From the DoubleTree Hotel, you can easily arrange a one day tour of Uluru Rock or book more extended tours of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. There’s also lots to do in and around Alice Springs.
Visit The Alice Springs Reptile Centre.
Australia is home to numerous lizards, snakes and crocodiles and while it’s difficult, and sometimes dangerous, to spot them in the wild you can safely see them up close at the Alice Springs Reptile Centre. Some of the star residents of the center include Terry the giant saltwater crocodile and the pair of big Perentie Goannas.
Each day the center has talks and handling sessions that take place at 11 am, 1 pm and 3.30 pm. A trip to the reptile centre is great fun and a unique way for children to learn about and handle some of nature’s most unique species.
The Kangaroo Sanctuary In Alice Springs.
Kangaroos are super cute and although they live all over Australia many of them need to be rescued and rehomed in sanctuaries, particularly if they are found as young babies. The Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs rescues and rehomes these Australian icons to give them a second chance at life while letting visitors pet them, take photos with them and watch them go about their daily lives!
The 188-acre sanctuary runs a daily sunset tour of the park during which you’ll have the chance to meet some of the kangaroo families and see their babies, called ‘Joeys’, hanging out of their mothers’ pouches! This is an unforgettable day trip for families with children and anyone wanting to learn more about Australia’s favorite wild residents.
It’s worth noting that you do need to book your place on the sunset tour of the sanctuary in advance but this package also includes a pick-up and drop-off from your hotel.
Spend A Weekend At Sails In The Desert Ayers Rock Resort.
If you’d like to really explore Ayers Rock and the beautiful Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park then you can book yourself into the luxury Sails in the Desert Ayers Rock Resort. This lovely oasis in the desert is just a stone’s throw from Uluru Rock and all the nearby attractions.
The Sails in the Desert Ayers Rock Resort offers its guests a free pickup service from Ayers Rock Airport and has great on-site amenities including a large outdoor pool, the brasserie Ilkari Restaurant, the Walpa Lobby Bar, a spa and a fascinating art gallery that showcases a beautiful collection of indigenous artwork. You can also arrange a whole range of activities and day trips at the resort’s front desk. To learn more about the types of experiences and trips that the expert staff can organize for you can browse the resort’s listings here.
While you’re at the resort you can walk around the base of Uluru, following a well-signposted 10 km route. Along the way you’ll be able to see waterholes, stop to cool down beneath the stunning Sheoak trees and gaze into the hidden caves that surround the base of Uluru Rock.
You can also take a camel ride through the desert or explore the terrain in a 4×4 vehicle. Of course, in the evening after your adventures, you can relax in the resort, take a dip in the pool and enjoy the international cuisine at the resort’s in-house restaurant. During your time at the resort, you can head out early in the morning to see the sunrise over Uluru Rock, a magical photo opportunity if ever there was one!
