Things to do at Uluru - Southern lights hotel

We look at the incredible variety of activities to offer at Uluru, in the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta National Park, in addition to rock climbing.

Artist Malya Teamay, owner of the Ananguo traditional tribe, whose art features on the Uluru-Kata-Tjuta National Park entrance ticket, has never appreciated people risking injury or worse by trying to climb the rock. “Ananguo is very contractual whensomeone gets hurt or killed climbing the rock,” he explains.

Since a chain was established on Uluru’s steep western slope in 1964, climbing the monolith became a tourist magnet. Still, it has always gone against Anangu’s spiritual beliefs and their polite requests to visitors to abstain from the activity for cultural and safety bases.

However, on 26 October 2019, Uluru Climbing was officially closed thanks to a unanimous decision by the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Board. And suppose you’re wondering what else to do in Uluru when you visit this UNESCO World Heritage-listed cultural landscape. In that case, the answer is tons – over 100 excursions and lifetime experiences.

Here’s a little guide on things to do at Uluru

1. Field of Light

Since its appearance in 2016, Field of Light – Bruce Munro’s light installation at the foot of Uluru – has been on the centre’s red list. The good news for those who have yet to visit is that its work has been extended again – this time indefinitely.

There are several ways to explore it (including the Field of Light Pass, which costs $43 and includes a shuttle service to the site and a self-guided tour). Still, the Field Of Light Dinner is an exclusive place that combines Voyages Ayers Rock Resort’s classic Sounds of Silence dinner with Munro’s installation.

The evening begins with canapés and views of Uluru’s natural beauty at sunset (a field of light consisting of 50,000 solar-powered glass spheres begins to come alive in the night) and grows as the sun sets to encompass a three-course menu (think kangaroo-crusted dukkha or barramundi with lemon myrtle cream) and a starlit conversation that guides you through the southern night sky from an Aboriginal viewpoint.

Finish with a self-guided tour of the sparkling Field of Light, which looks spectacular in photos but is stunning in reality.

2. Take part in a dot painting masterclass

Explore the Aboriginal art created around Uluru with a visit to Maruku. This non-profit arts and crafts society, owned and run by the DesAnguetitribe, brings together around 900 artists from over 20 remote communities in the central and western desert. Join one of their spot painting workshops at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort to learn about their practice and have fun creating your work of art.

Ananguesso paintings are created for educational and ceremonial purposes and special events. In this masterclass, you will learn that Tjukurpa – creation, law, stories – is the foundation of Anangu culture and worldview and the basis on which every work of art is built and expressed. You will learn about the different symbols that make up tjukurpa, and with the help of a guide from Maruku and a local artist, you will recreate your life story in colours.

3. Explore the art of local Indigenous people

You can even see Voyages Ayers Rock Resort’s three art galleries: the Gallery of Central Australia (GoCA), Mulgar Gallery and Mingkiri Arts. The recently launched GoCA Gallery opened in 2021 and features over 300 works of art that support contemporary and emerging artists.

4. Discover the country with SEIT Patji

Learn more about Anangu’s history and the region’s history on a guided tour with Seit Patji. Named after the Anangu homeland (Patji), this Aboriginal-led tour will tell Paddy Uluru’s story, how he fought for Aboriginal land rights, and how the indigenous people survived in these harsh conditions.

5. See opera in the desert

From 2023, opera divas will be returning to the desert. The Gala Opera in Uluru will be an unforgettable experience as the artists perform their songs against the backdrop of the surrounding landscape.

6. History and heritage

Visit the Uluru-Kata-Tiuta Cultural Centre. Start your journey by learning about the park’s history and the available activities. You will also learn about the rich culture of the local Anangu people, who have lived in and around this land for at least 22,000 years. If you want to explore Uluru-Kata-Tiuta in more depth, we recommend booking the Alice Springs To Uluru Tour. Experienced guides and pleasant staff will provide you with all the necessary information.

7. Walk or cycle to Uluru

Join the free Mala Walk organised by the rangers to walk around Uluru and visit the painted caves and traditional guardian waterholes, or cycle the trail around the base to explore at your own pace.

The Uluru Base Walk is also an unguided 10-kilometre route that gets you close to the impressive sacred formation and takes you through desert, forest and rock art.

Food and nutrition

8. Dinner on top of Tali Wiru Dune

One of the most memorable things to do while in the Red Centre is to dine alfresco at Tali Wiru (one of the many restaurants in Uluri worth trying). Its name means “beautiful dune” in the local Anangu language (Pitjantjatjara). Guests head to the secluded southern dune to sip champagne in the golden hour to the sound of a didgeridoo.
As you nibble on canapés made with bulgur gathered from the wild in the Northern Territory, you’ll enjoy 360-degree views of the desert, the distant domes of Kata Tjuta and, of course, Uluru in all its shades at sunset.

As night falls over the desert, you’re seated under the stars for an intimate four-course dinner. Again, the dishes use local ingredients: for example, smashed wallaby with charred white bread, pickled raisins, wild garlic, a glass of quandong and Davidson plum, fang fish with kombucha and bush honey. Roasted primo carrots, Jerusalem artichoke puree and bush cereal. Tali Wiru is available seasonally from April to October.

9. Embark on a journey into the Tucker Bush

Discover the secrets, power and wisdom of Indigenous Australia by participating in one of the free activities available to guests. One of Ayers Rock guests’ favourite attractions is the Bush Food Experience, which shows you Indigenous Australian foods and traditional ways of preparing them. Taste seasonal plants, seeds, fruits and spices, followed by a cooking demonstration.

10. Have a cocktail at the Walpa Lobby Bar

Stop by the Walpa Lobby Bar for a pre-dinner or evening drink after sunset, or spend the afternoon with an Indian-inspired cocktail in a relaxed atmosphere. Here, you’ll find classic and more exotic cocktails made with ingredients from around Australia. We recommend trying the lemon myrtle martini!

Outdoor activities

11. Kata Tjuta Walk

Make an expedition to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park’s other iconic rock formations on one of SEIT Outback Australia’s winding path tours. Kata Tjuta is a Pitjantjatjara tribal term meaning ‘many heads’. The 36 domon rose 546 metres above the desert plain and were formed by the same geological events that began 550 million years ago, leaving the Uluru monolith unprotected against the elements.
The area is protected by Anangu tribal law, and guests can only access it via the Walpa Gorge and the little more challenging Valley of the Winds route.

Hike the 7.5-kilometre Valley of the Winds early in the morning, while the sun is still low, to admire the awe-inspiring panorama and feel the iron-rich sandstone vibrate beneath your feet.

12. Go to Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon)

You’re already in the town centre, so why not go further? A three-hour drive will take you to the red rocks of Watarrka (Kings Canyon) National Park. Hike the rim of Kings Canyon, enjoy a moonlit desert dinner at Kings Canyon Resort and explore the lush valley below the Garden of Eden.
If you’d prefer an expert to show you how, there’s also the Uluru to Kings Canyon tour with Uluru Tours.

13. Skydiving over Uluru

True thrill-seekers turn to this place for a tandem skydive, during which you can see the best parts of the Red Centre, from Uluru to Kata Tjuta, via Lake Amadeus and Mount Conner.

14. Take a sunrise tour

Rise before the sun to welcome the dawn of a new day as the night stars fade and many colours herald a new beginning on Larapinta Trail Walking Tours. Enjoy a traditional Australian Bushman breakfast, after which your guide will teach you about Australia’s spiritual centre’s ancient landscape, ecology, culture, heritage, and history.

Armed with this new and deeper understanding of the landscape, you’ll walk in the footsteps of the ancestors who helped shape this unique part of our country on a tour to the base of Uluru.

15. Marathon in the Australian outback

Plan a visit to one of the most extreme corners of the planet with an extreme challenge. The Australian Outback Marathon occurs mid-year, and sports enthusiasts flock worldwide to run through the red dust at breakneck speed.

Family events

16. Observe the night sky

Few places on the planet lend themselves better to stargazing than Uluru. Outback Sky Journeys will show you the whole galaxy of stars in the southern night sky with Voyages Ayers Rock Resort’s resident astronomer, from how ancient cultures used it as a mythical setting (the Southern Cross in the form of a possum, anyone?) to researching the various constellations, stars and planets through telescopes.

17. Explore Uluru on a segway

If you’re a segway sceptic, prepare to have your prejudices shattered as you tour the 12 km base of Uluru at (relative) speed and in style. A fifteen-minute training session will have you ready to go. Intuitive and self-balancing, segways are surprisingly easy to control!

You’ll pass pedestrians, cyclists and joggers as you make your way along the red dirt track at a pace that not only creates a cool breeze but, more importantly, allows you to see both the scale of the monolith and its texture from a distance and in pictures we can’t see the many caves, ledges and grooves left by erosion on the rock, but from this vantage point you can see it all.

Along the way, your guide will tell you about Uluru’s incredible geology and the culture of its traditional owners, the Anangu. This tour is suitable for children aged 12 and over.

18. Take a camel ride through the dunes

Time this tour to coincide with sunrise or sunset and enjoy a peaceful and tranquil ride on the “desert boat” (aka the camel).

Experience the beauty of the outback on a West MacDonnell Tour. Visit highlights such as Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm, and Ormiston Gorge.