Things to Do in Ayers Rock

The drone of a didgeridoo, the chanting of the indigenous Anangu people, and the clapping sticks that drive their chanting and dancing can be heard as you approach the Tjukurpa Tunnel. This is your welcome to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre.

Tjukurpa is the story and the spiritual law of the Anangu people, and the Tjukurpa Tunnel is where you are encouraged to begin building your understanding of their way of life before your visit to Uluru or Kata Tjuta. Much of Tjukurpa is considered sacred and cannot be discussed publicly, so this is a fantastic opportunity to take in those parts which can be shared.

Artefacts and informational plaques are displayed throughout the tunnel, and documentary DVD’s are screened on a loop, providing fascinating insights.

After experiencing the tunnel, visitors can check out a cafe, souvenir shop, and indigenous art galleries, which are all owned and operated by the indigenous community. An information and booking desk operates, where indigenous tours of the park can be organised. Free Cultural presentations and tours are also frequently available.

Like a vein through the heart of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, the trail through rugged “Valley of the Winds” is a scenic, mind-bending journey.  Far less crowded than the trail at Uluru and in many ways more powerful, the Valley of the Winds traverses land that’s used by Aborigines for traditional cultural ceremonies. It’s a spot where the silence can often seem deafening—even in busier times of year—and the sun bathes the rocky Olgas in a deep, reddish hue. The first lookout is less than a mile from the main trailhead parking lot, and the entire loop past both lookouts is approximately 4.5 miles. Allow three hours to complete the hike—and be sure to pack plenty of water—as portions of the trail are actually closed in summer for stifling desert. As the longest hike in the Kata Tjuta, Valley of the Winds is the deepest foray you can make out into this landscape, where dreamtime stories and ancient spirits all seem to drift on the wind.

In the heart of Australia’s Red Centre lie the Western MacDonnell ranges. 1,500 kilometres south of Darwin and just west of the infamous Alice Springs, the western MacDonnell Ranges offer an enchanting look into an ancient culture and an even older landscape.

The best ways to explore the often rugged territory are by 4WD, motor-home, or even on bike -a mode of transport that is surprisingly well catered for, with even the famous Simpson’s Gap providing a seven kilometre section of sealed bike track.

Covering an area of just over 2,000 square kilometres, the canyons, gorges, and waterholes in the National Park area provide a stunning and insightful backdrop for any number of outdoor activities, including camping, swimming, and hiking, to name a few.

Hiking enthusiasts should consider the 250 kilometre Larapinta Trail, which traverses the ranges from Alice Springs to Mount Sonder. This trail can be hiked either with a guided tour or independently, but independent hikers should seek expert guidance before their tour as the conditions can be harsh. Those not wishing to undertake the full length of the famous trail can choose to do shorter sections.

Dingoes, native fish, carpet pythons, and endemic birdlife frequent most areas of the Western MacDonnell ranges, especially those that are more obscure and located off the well travelled roads. The summer months see the Ormiston Gorge, in particular, a haven for a large assortment of native reptiles.

The Ranges are rich in indigenous culture and historical locales. The Ranges, like the rest of the Territory, are most pleasant in the cooler months of April to September. Camping facilities are well maintained and modern, and the National Park is accessible year round, with the exception of short periods of sporadic road closures following heavy rain.

Watarrka National Park protects one of the Northern Territory's most legendary destinations, Kings Canyon.

It's a rocky red desert park of rugged geological formations and sheer-edged sandstone gorges plummeting to waterholes and unexpected oases of cycad palms.

Walking trails lead to lookouts for views over the canyon, and there are picnic tables at the sunset-viewing area and Kathleen Springs.

The overnight Giles Track takes you along the top of the range from springs to canyon, while the much easier Kathleen Springs walk takes 1.5 hours and is recommended for families.

To get the most out of your visit to Watarrka National Park, take a guided walk with a ranger or guide to learn about the spiritual significance of this land for the local Anangu people.

Offering spectacular views both east and west of Alice Springs, the MacDonnell Ranges are a 400 mile (644 kilometer) stretch of mountain ranges. The ranges hold some of the Northern Territory's finest attractions including the ancient ghost gums and rock wallabies at the majestic Simpson's Gap, the stark beauty of Standley Chasm in the midday sun and the secluded waterholes of Serpentine Gorge and Ellery Creek Big Hole.

The ranges are dotted with micro-climates offering rare wildlife including the Centralian Tree Frog that lives in some of the very cold rock pools.

There are many sites of significance to the traditional owners, the Arrernte. These include ancient rock paintings at Emily Gap, Trephina Gorge and N’Dhala Gorge. You can also visit the old ochre pits where they quarried for ochre pigment.

Walpa Gorge is the shortest and easiest trail in Kata Tjuta. For what it lacks in length, however, it makes up for in dramatic views looking out over sandstone domes. Far less crowded than popular Uluru, Kata Tjuta is where Aborigines still practice cultural ceremonies. There’s a certain power to Kata Tjuta that emanates out of the rocks, and the 1.5 mile trail through the gorge is a way to experience the energy. Flowers here are in greater abundance than on neighboring Valley of the Winds, and the gorge is particularly scenic in afternoon when the valley is filled with light. A viewing platform at the end of the trail provides sweeping views of the Olgas, which have stoically weathered millennia of storms to be shaped how they are today. To have the gorge trail all to yourself, consider hiking at first light when the air is nice and cool. 

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is a World Heritage Area and iconic Australian destination. Preserved within the park are two of Australia's most striking natural landmarks: Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the Olgas (Kata Juta).

The park is co-managed by the Anangu people and the Australian government. The traditional owners run walking tours through the park and co-manage the park's cultural center which provides valuable insights into the land's significance for Anangu culture. At the cultural center you can also browse traditional carvings, paintings and ceramics made by central Australia's Anangu communities.

Along with sunrise or sunset viewings of Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the Olgas (Kata Juta), you can take a tour of the park by camel, motorbike or scenic flight, witness traditional activities such as boomerang-throwing, or see the park through the eyes of the Anangu on a cultural tour.

Walk alongside the imposing form of Uluru to the Kantju Gorge and waterhole, on land held sacred by the Anangu indigenous people. The Anangu have walked this land for thousands of years, and once held religious ceremonies here. They believe that the shape and physical features on this section of the monolith represent the activities of the Mala (or rufous hare wallaby), which they see as one of their ancestral beings, during the time of the Tjukurpa (creation time).

The sheer cliffs of Uluru look amazingly different from every angle, and scroll through a vast array of colours as the sun moves across the desert sky. You will never tire of looking at this incredible figure, as it is always changing. If you’re lucky enough to be visiting during heavy rain you will see quite a show, since small streams and waterfalls cover Uluru, transforming it into a completely different natural wonder.

Though the walk can easily be self-guided, a free ranger-guided tour will provide much more insight into the ways of the Anangu, their rock art, and the story of the Mala. These tours can be accessed all year round, by meeting a ranger at the Mala Walk sign at either 8am from October to April, or 10am from May to September.

This is one of the shortest walks at Uluru, covering a 1km stretch of its west side.

The red sandstone walls of Kings Canyon rise abruptly from tranquil pools and pockets of cycads and vegetation in the middle of the red centre desert.

The prized activity here is the 2.5 km (1.5 mile) return Kings Creek Walk around the rim of the canyon to a lookout for fabulous views of the lush Garden of Eden.

The reward for taking on the longer 4-hour walk is even better views including the rock formation known as the Lost City.

The 1-hour return Kathleen Springs Walk is wheelchair-accessible and leads to a lovely waterhole.