5-Day Roadtrippers Itinerary
If you are planning an Uluru road trip, this five-day self-drive itinerary shows why two or three days is not enough. Designed for campers, caravanners and backpackers, it puts Anangu culture at the heart of the trip, from the Mala walk and the Cultural Centre to Sunrise Journeys, while your own wheels open up Kata Tjuta at sunset and a day trip to Kings Canyon. With so much to do and something here for every type of traveller, five days proves you don't need an overseas holiday for a trip that feels truly special.
Day 1: Drive in to Yulara, set up camp, enjoy an easy lunch and finish the day under the stars on Outback Sky Journeys.
Day 2: Walk the Mala walk, explore the Cultural Centre and lunch at Ininti Cafe, then drive to Kata Tjuta for sunset.
Day 3: Circle Uluru on a sunrise Segway tour, enjoy a relaxed afternoon and walk through Field of Light with a Star Pass.
Day 4: Use your extra day for a road trip to Kings Canyon, then return for dinner & live music
Day 5: Watch Sunrise Journeys, have breakfast at Geckos Cafe and hit the road with the stories you have gathered.
Things to do at Uluru with kids when you want value and flexibility
Uluru road trip: why five days on Country makes all the difference
Make Ayers Rock Campground your base. Hook up your caravan, campervan, motorhome or camper trailer at a powered site, pitch a tent beneath the desert oaks, or stay in an air-conditioned cabin. The campground has a swimming pool, playground, barbecues, an outdoor kitchen, self-service laundry[NC1.1] and even a dog wash. Backpackers can choose the budget-friendly Outback Lodge, with lodge-style rooms and communal facilities. The complimentary shuttle connects you to Town Square, the IGA, the service station and the Tour & Information Centre.
From Alice Springs, the sealed Stuart and Lasseter highways take you around 450 kilometres to Ayers Rock Resort in about five hours. Plan fuel and rest stops, such as Erldunda Roadhouse at the Lasseter Highway turn-off, and take extra care at dawn, dusk and after dark, when wildlife and cattle are active. With your own vehicle and five days, you can explore at your own pace and give each Anangu story the time it deserves.
Day 1: Drive into Yulara and look to the stars
Morning: Leave Alice Springs early and head south on the Stuart Highway before turning west onto the Lasseter Highway at Erldunda. Stop at the Mount Conner lookout.
Lunch: Arrive in time for a late lunch. Relax at Walpa Lobby Bar at Sails in the Desert, grab pizza, pasta or a burger at Geckos Cafe in Town Square, or pick up supplies at the IGA and make your own.
Afternoon: Check in and set up camp, then refuel at the service station and stock up at the IGA for the days ahead. Visit the Gallery of Central Australia to see works by Central Australian Indigenous artists, a meaningful first introduction to the region's living culture.
Evening: Cook an early dinner at the camp kitchen, then join Outback Sky Journeys. Meet at Town Square for a short walk to the viewing site, where guides share the story of the universe alongside ancient Indigenous stories connected to the night sky, with telescopes to explore the stars.
Day 2: Start with Anangu stories at Uluru
Morning: Start with breakfast at Kulata Academy Cafe, or the hearty buffet at Bough House. Purchase your park pass online, then drive to the Mala car park. Walk the Mala walk at your own pace, or join the free ranger-guided Mala walk, which departs at 8am from October to April and 10am from May to September, to hear about Mala Tjukurpa and the places along the route. Then continue to the Cultural Centre and walk through the Tjukurpa Tunnel to understand how Anangu law and knowledge shape this landscape.
Lunch: Have lunch at Ininti Cafe, owned by the Mutitjulu community, then browse Maruku Arts and Walkatjara Art, where Anangu-owned art centres return the benefits of each purchase to artists and communities.
Afternoon: Head back to the Resort to rest during the heat of the day. At 3pm, watch the free screening of An Ancient Story Takes Flight at the Arkani Theatre, a short documentary about how Anangu and the creative team behind Wintjiri Wiṟu brought an ancient creation story to life with drones, lasers, light and sound.
Evening: In the late afternoon, drive about 40 minutes to the Kata Tjuta sunset viewing area and watch the domes turn from pink to deep red. Anangu ask that you keep at least three domes in frame when photographing Kata Tjuta, to avoid revealing sacred places. Leave the park before closing time, then head to Outback BBQ & Bar for a cook-your-own dinner and live music.
Day 3: Circle Uluru at sunrise
Morning: Have a quick self-catered bite at camp before your early pick-up for Uluru Sunrise & Segway. Watch the sun rise over Uluru and enjoy a light breakfast before Segway training, then glide around the full base of Uluru with your guide, stopping for stories about Anangu culture, the desert environment and local wildlife. Closed-in shoes are required.
Lunch: Lunch is at your leisure. Grab a light bite at Kulata Academy Cafe or Geckos Cafe, or make lunch at camp with supplies from the IGA.
Afternoon: Enjoy some free time. Cool off in the campground pool, join the free Bush Food Experience to learn how Indigenous communities have gathered and prepared native foods for thousands of years, or book the Maruku Arts dot painting workshop in Town Square to learn ancient symbols from a local Anangu artist. Maruku Arts has been 100% owned and operated by Anangu since 1984.
Evening: Head out for Field of Light Star Pass. You will be welcomed on a dune top just after sunset with outback canapés and sparkling wine or beer as your host introduces Bruce Munro's installation, before a self-guided walk among its 50,000 glowing spheres.
Day 4: Take the extra day to Kings Canyon
Morning: Prepare a takeaway breakfast the night before and set off at around 5:30am for the drive of about three and a half hours to Kings Canyon, taking extra care in the pre-dawn light. Walk the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, a six-kilometre circuit that can take up to four hours. Watarrka National Park is the traditional Country of the Luritja and Arrernte people and is jointly managed with its Traditional Owners. From September to March, walkers must start the Rim Walk before 9am on days forecast to reach 36°C or above, so check conditions before you set out. Check whether you need an NT parks pass before you go.
Lunch: Stop for lunch around 1pm at Kings Canyon Resort or with a picnic you have packed.
Afternoon: Set off for Yulara at around 2:30pm, aiming to arrive back at the Resort by about 6pm, before dusk.
Evening: Unwind with dinner and live music at Outback BBQ & Bar, then join Field of Light General Admission for a self-guided walk through the installation after dark. The site can only be reached on a booked tour, so leave your vehicle at camp.
Day 5: Carry the stories home
Morning: Rise before dawn for Sunrise Journeys, an Indigenous-led light and sound experience inspired by artwork created by three Anangu women. Watch the desert move from darkness into day with Uluru as the backdrop, then have breakfast at Geckos Cafe.
Lunch: Pack up camp and check out by mid-morning, then restock at the IGA and refuel at the service station. Consider an Anangu-made keepsake that continues to support the artists and their communities.
Afternoon: Hit the road on the Lasseter Highway, planning to reach your next stop well before dusk.
Uluru Accommodation: Your Outback Base
Ayers Rock Resort offers stays for a variety of travel styles, blending comfort, style and convenience with close proximity to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
Wherever you stay, you'll have access to services including free guest activities, tour pick-ups from your accommodation, shops and cafes in Town Square, and complimentary shuttle bus transport around Yulara.
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