Uluṟu is a road trip, not a day trip. Here is how the Red Centre Way works when Alice Springs is the start and the end.
Parks Australia, which manages Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, puts the rock 465 km from Alice Springs by road, or about 5.5 hours of direct driving. That is one way. A return trip in a day would mean eleven hours behind the wheel and very little time at the rock. Plan at least one night near the park. Getting here, Parks Australia.
The Red Centre Way
Tourism NT's Red Centre Way strings Alice Springs, the West MacDonnell Ranges, Kings Canyon and Uluṟu into a loop, and recommends at least six days by 4WD, longer if you stay on sealed roads. Lasseters' hotel is named among the places to stay in town on its itinerary. Using this hotel as both the first and the last night means you leave luggage you do not need and come back to a pool.
| Leg | Distance | Road | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alice Springs to Redbank Gorge | 157 km | Larapinta and Namatjira Drives | Tourism NT |
| Alice Springs to Kings Canyon Resort, via Redbank and the Mereenie Loop | 323 km | Part unsealed; 4WD; permit from the Hermannsburg store | Tourism NT |
| Kings Canyon to Uluṟu | about 300 km | Luritja Road and Lasseter Highway | Tourism NT |
| Uluṟu to Alice Springs | 465 km | Lasseter and Stuart Highways | Parks Australia (distance), Tourism NT (route) |
| Rainbow Valley to Alice Springs | about 100 km | 4WD access road, then the Stuart Highway | Tourism NT |
If you do not have a 4WD, Tourism NT says to return to Alice Springs and take the sealed route to Watarrka (Kings Canyon). It does not give a distance for that variant, so neither do we.
Kings Canyon
In Watarrka National Park, the Rim Walk is about three hours across sandstone walls around 100 metres high, with palm-filled crevices below. Tourism NT says you need to be reasonably fit. The Kings Creek walk along the canyon floor is the gentler option. Start the Rim Walk at first light from late spring to early autumn.
Between the canyon and the rock
On Luritja Road and the Lasseter Highway you pass Mt Conner, which Tourism NT notes is often mistaken for Uluṟu, and the Lake Amadeus salt plains near the Mt Conner lookout. Curtin Springs, a working cattle station and roadhouse, has been home to the Severin family since 1956.
At Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa
- The park is dual-listed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its natural and cultural values.
- You need a park pass from Parks Australia; it can be bought online or at the entry station. Children under 18 enter free.
- Ranger-guided walks share the stories of the Aṉangu people. The base walk takes you round Uluṟu; the Valley of the Winds walk is at Kata Tjuṯa.
- Ayers Rock Airport at Yulara (AYQ) has flights to Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Cairns, per Parks Australia.
- Car hire at Yulara is limited; Parks Australia advises booking a few weeks ahead.
Fly one way, drive the other?
A common plan: fly into Alice Springs, spend two nights at the hotel doing the West Macs, drive to Kings Canyon and Uluṟu, then fly out of Yulara. Tourism NT notes daily flights between Uluṟu, Alice Springs and Darwin. Check whether your hire company allows a one-way drop at Yulara before you plan around it.
Nights to plan
| Plan | Nights at the hotel | Nights away |
|---|---|---|
| Uluṟu only, return to Alice | 2 (before and after) | 1–2 at Yulara |
| Red Centre Way by 4WD | 1–2 at the start, 1 at the end | 4 or more, per Tourism NT's 6-day minimum |
| Fly in to Alice, fly out of Yulara | 2–3 | 2 or more |
The Red Centre Way in 6 days, Tourism NT. For the driving itself, read Driving from Alice before you set off.