Uluru Sightseeing Beyond The Rock: Amazing Food, Local Lore, and Lasers

It's impossible to explain how it feels to see Uluru for the first time. By land or sky, the world's most famous monolith rises from the Red Centre in a way that's commanding but somehow serene. It's hypnotic. A geological wonder and profound cultural sentinel. How can anyone describe that without sounding corny? Can't be done, sorry.

The other problem with Uluru sightseeing is that she kinda pulls focus when it comes to anything else within a 500 kilometre radius. Only Uluru could turn the spectacular, hydra-headed gorge of Kata Tjuṯa into a plan B.

We found five things to do in Uluru and around Yulara, the tiny township on the edge of Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park, that aren’t just staring gobsmacked at The Rock. And one that is.

That's right, we're billing Kelly Rowland above Beyoncé. Just a short drive west of Uluru, Kata Tjuṯa (known for a while as The Olgas) is made up of 36 surreal ochre-red formations sculpted by millions of years of wind and rain.

Arrive at least an hour before the sunset so you can take the Walpa Gorge Walk first. The trail weaves between towering domes into a gorge that's alive with bird sounds and a desert breeze that seems to come magically out of nowhere. Up close you'll see that the terracotta coloured rock is really a medley of grays, ochres, and reds mottled together in a pitted texture.

The colour changes Kata Tjuṯa goes through at dusk are spectacular. From blood red to an otherworldly golden glow, then a deep purple that looks like the whole thing has been dressed in velvet. Groups gather at a point far enough away from the formations to see in full and it's just you, a handful of people, those ancient rocks, and every single blowfly on Earth.

Pro Tip: Those ridiculous hats with the fly nets and corks on them? Get one, immediately. Also handy but not as essential, the Uluru Audio Guide is an app with dozens of stories and facts about Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, triggered by GPS as you visit all the best places near Uluru.

Technically yes, these light installations take place within sight of Uluru, but as they only happen once the rock has gone dark they get a pass. What can we say? It's a very big rock.

Bruce Munro's magical Field of Light has blanketed the desert floor with more than 50,000 glowing orbs since 2016. Originally only booked for one season, the whimsical technicolor wonderland has been extended indefinitely. The spindles of light look like a mirage, with shifting colored bulbs stretching into the horizon.

The newer Wintjiri Wir̲u uses tech, like 1000 choreographed drones, lasers, sound, and projections, to tell the story of Mala with narration in the local Pitjantjatjara language. Entry to Wintjiri Wir̲u includes transfers to the park, leaving around half an hour before sunset, a seat in the outdoor theatre, Australian wines, cheeses, and a dessert selection to munch while you marvel. Tickets are available online.

Pro Tip: Sign up for the Wintjiri Wir̲u sunset dinner which includes cocktails infused with native ingredients like yummy Kakadu plum, and gourmet dinner hamper of local produce along with your entry and transfers.

To pay full respect to Uluru, you need to meet some of its people. The Aṉangu are the traditional custodians of the land, and their art is an invitation to see the region through their eyes. At Maruku Arts you can sit with Indigenous artists as they share the stories behind their traditional paintings and carvings. The collective represents more than 900 Aṉangu artists, hailing from 20 remote desert communities.

Definitely one of the top places to visit near Uluru, the locally run workshops offer a hands-on introduction to Tjukurpa, the Dreamtime, where symbols and motifs passed down through generations tell tales of creation and survival.

Places to visit near Uluru are limited—the nearest proper town is Alice Springs and that is a five and a half hour drive from Yulara—but the Cultural Centre holds presentations most mornings at 11:30am. Here locals speak to how the community has survived the harsh desert environment for more than 30,000 years and how Aṉangu knowledge is still used in how the park is run today.

Pro Tip: Book in advance; the workshops are super popular and quickly fill up. Sails in the Desert also has the authentically curated, in-house Mulgara Gallery with beautiful local works of painting, pottery, textiles, metal and leather work.

At dawn, when the air is still cool and the dirt a deep red, hit the desert on the back of a camel as the sunrise transforms the landscape with Uluru Camel Tours. After your ride, tuck into an Aussie breakfast of freshly baked beer bread damper, local jams, tea, and good coffee. The morning takes around three hours and tickets are available online. If you're short on time, a 45-minute trek still delivers a taste of the outback by camel.

Camels have a fascinating history with the outback. As Afghan cameleers were brought in to cross the interior of Australia in the 1840s they exchanged knowledge and goods with different Aboriginal communities. The groups learned camel-handling skills and acquired their own animals.

Pro Tip: Dress in layers as it's cold before sunrise but heats up quickly. Closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and bottled water are non-negotiable.

A white-tablecloth feast under more stars than you've ever seen in your life, with the famous outline of that colossal rock as the backdrop. As dusk falls, the Sounds of Silence dinner begins with a didgeridoo performance while sparkling wine and bush-tucker inspired canapés are served.

Then sit down for a three course meal starring native ingredients, expertly matched beautiful Australian wines. Once the plates are cleared and the silence settles in, an Aṉangu guide shares stories of the stars, their cultural significance, and the role they've played in desert life for millennia.

Pro Tip: Even in summer, the desert cools quickly after dark so dress appropriately.

The 10.6 kilometre Uluru Base Walk can feel like double that in summer, but it really is the only way to experience the rock's immense scale and perspectives. While The Rock may appear smooth from a distance, a sort of singular loaf shape, the trail reveals undulating fissures, caves, wavelike ribs, and ancient markings.

To the Aṉangu, Uluru isn't just a tourist-magnet but a living, breathing entity infused with the essence of their ancestors. Its sacred caves and formations detail the creation stories, laws, and traditions that have guided life here for thousands of years. In 2019, climbing Uluru was permanently shut down after years of campaigning by the Traditional Owners of the land, and visitors are now encouraged to engage with the site in more meaningful ways like guided tours and cultural programs.

Pro Tip: Base Walk at sunrise when the light is magic and temperatures are reasonable. There's a three-day pass or an annual pass available for entry into Uluru-Kata Tjuṯa National Park.

While Yulara is small, there's a wide range of accommodation, from the cheerful Outback Hotel & Lodge to the boutique style Lost Camel Hotel, the family friendly Emu Walk Apartments, and the beautiful Sails in the Desert. Also, Uluru Hop On Hop Off has a shuttle service that runs between the park and your accommodation, with one, two and three day passes.

Direct flights to Ayers Rock Airport (Connellan Airport) leave from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. Or, for the bold, it's a 450-kilometer drive from Alice Springs, offering a road trip through the rust-red heart of the outback.

This is Australia as it's meant to be seen: big, wild, and unforgettable.