There are plenty of ways to see Australia’s most recognisable natural icon. Whether you view it on foot, from the air, atop a camel – or even a Harley – Uluru is simply awe-inspiring.

Standing 348 metres high, Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) is Australia’s most recognisable natural icon. Its relationship with the local Anangu Aboriginal people goes back some 60,000 years.

To the Anangu people, Uluru is alive with the presence of dozens of ancestral beings that still inhabit special sites. Most of the stories of these ancestral beings are sacred and shrouded in secrecy but you can catch glimpses through the artwork and cave paintings at Uluru. Keep an eye out for the Liru (poisonous snake) and Kuniya (woma python) which are significant ancestral figures for the Anangu, but there are many others as well. If you’re a fan of Aboriginal Art, check out the ancient dot paintings, which evolved from the ground art that sometimes accompanies ceremonial dance and song. Often they depict a dreamtime journey or the wanderings of spirit ancestors.

One of the best ways to experience the majesty of Uluru is on foot. When exploring the base of Uluru, follow the Uluru Base Walk, the Kuniya Walk and The Valley of the Winds Walk that takes you through the domes of Kata Tjuta (also known as the Olgas) and includes spectacular lookout points.

When the sun goes down, sit down to a unique dining experience in the middle of the desert where under a million stars, you are treated to a three-course meal that includes emu sausages, campfire chicken, barramundi and kangaroo. If you go on one of the many Aboriginal guided tours of Uluru, you can also sample other bush tucker like quandongs (like a peach with a touch of rhubarb), bunya bunya nuts (good in satay sauces) and wattle seeds (used in ice cream).You can learn more about the Aboriginal lifestyle through these guided tours – listen to creation stories thousands of years old and hear about the bush survival skills that have been handed down through the generations.

The Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located 440 kilometres south-west of Alice Springs near the town of Yulara, and encompasses both Uluru / Ayers Rock and the great rock domes of Kata Tjuta / The Olgas, an ancient landform dating back 500 million years.

Back then, the entire area was covered by an inland sea and over many centuries, mud and sand fell to the bottom of the sea, creating rock and sandstone. Uluru is the result of arkose – a mineral-rich sandstone, while Kata Tjuta's domes are the eroded remains of sedimentary rock from the seabed.

Quad-biking is a novel way to see Kings Canyon, 300 kilometres north-east of Uluru in Watarrka National Park and 310 kilometres west of Alice Springs. It’s part of the George Gill Ranges, towering 270 metres above Kings Creek. Kings Canyon’s ancient environment has been carved by enormous inland lakes and was once covered in tropical woodlands. Cycad ferns dating back to the time of the dinosaurs continue to thrive here, along with hundreds of species of other plant life.

You can drive to Kings Canyon from Uluru in three hours by taking the Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road. If you have a 4WD and a day’s travelling time, take the unsealed Mereenie Loop from Alice Springs – you’ll see a palm-fringed swimming-hole and 300-metre sheer cliff faces.

You can also walk the 22-kilometre Giles Track that begins at Kathleen Springs and ends at Kings Canyon, Watarrka National Park. Hike to the canyon rim, stroll along the boulder-strewn valley floor or follow a walking trail through the red landscape.

Mt Conner, located 100 kilometres east of Uluru, is also worth seeing – it’s a spectacular mecca that is often mistaken for Uluru. It is three times as large as Uluru, and you can visit it on tours that leave from Curtin Springs Station. While you’re at Curtin Springs, take some time to get a sense of what life is like on a true outback station.

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Experience The Red Centre at Uluru, NT

• Nearest City:Alice Springs
• Distance to Alice Springs:443km
• Nearest Airport:Yulara
• Distance to Yulara Airport:6km

Local Attractions in the Area

• Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
• Watarrka National Park
• Walks around Uluru
• Adventure at Uluru
• Nature at Uluru
• Mt Conner

Helpful Links for the Area

• Uluru Map
• ‘Red Centre Way’ Drive
• Itinerary – Uluru and Surrounds
• National Parks - NT
• Central Australian Tourism

Seasonal Events

• Central Australian Bike Challenge
• Desert Mob
• Tattersalls Finke Desert Race