3 h
3 hUluru: Australian BBQ Dinner Under the Stars
★ 4.5 · 76 reviews
- Three hours, an outdoor BBQ inside the park
- the rock as the backdrop
- Departs from Yulara
- Free cancellation
$154$51.33 / hour
Check availability→ Outback
Outback & Uluru tour: what the word actually buys you at the rock
Outback is not a place on a map, it is a set of conditions: no city lights, very long distances between the things you came for, one small settlement to sleep in, and a landscape that does not change for hours at a time. An outback & Uluru tour is therefore mostly a question about how far from the resort you are willing to be taken and for how long. The eighteen listings on this site answer that very differently. At one end $69 runs ninety minutes from Ayers Rock Resort to the sunset-viewing area and back. At the other $280 is a full day out of Alice Springs with a BBQ dinner at the end of it, and $154 puts you at a private site inside the national park after dark with the rock as the backdrop. Below: what open desert asks of you, which listings go furthest out, and how to read an outback & Uluru tour before you book it.
Open desert, at a glance
- Listings on this site
- Eighteenpriced $69 to $1,249
- Where nearly all of them start
- Ayers Rock Resort / Yularathe one settlement beside the park; the exception leaves from Alice Springs
- The full day from another town
- $280 · 1 daytransport and a BBQ dinner included, 845 reviews at 4.7 — our top pick
- Our pick for dinner in the desert
- $154 · 3 hthe AAT kings site inside the national park, with the rock behind the tables
- The base of the rock
- 10.5 kmthe full loop on foot on $131 and $175
- The second landform in the park
- Kata Tjuta$131 adds the domes and the Walpa Gorge walk, 5 h
- After dark
- $91 · 2h 30mtelescopes in the national park and a photo under the stars, 544 reviews at 4.4
- The longest guided day
- $231 · 7 htwo guided walks and an Aussie BBQ with sparkling wine at dusk
- The summit route
- Closed since 2019every listing here goes around the rock
- Cancellation
- Free cancellationwithin the window each listing states
Quick answer
The short answer. If an outback & Uluru tour means getting away from the resort and eating in open desert, $154 is three hours at the AAT kings site inside the national park with the rock as the backdrop. If it means a whole day of driving through the Red Centre, $280 is the full day from Alice Springs, the most-reviewed listing on this site at 845 reviews and 4.7. If it means distance on foot, $175 walks the entire 10.5 kilometre base in six hours. All three are a different reading of the same word.
The one thing to understand
Outback here means one settlement and long gaps between everything else
The park sits in the southern Northern Territory, and the only place beside it with beds, a shop and an airstrip is Yulara, the small settlement attached to Ayers Rock Resort. Read the eighteen listings on this site and fifteen of them start there. That is the practical meaning of an outback & Uluru tour: one base, and everything else reached by driving out and driving back.
What that does to a day. Distances in the Red Centre are large enough that the driving is part of the product rather than an overhead. A five-hour listing such as $131 spends a good share of those hours on the road to the domes of Kata Tjuta and back, and that is not padding; it is how you get there. An outback & Uluru tour with a short duration is therefore a tour of somewhere close, and a long one is usually a tour of somewhere further out.
What nobody on this site publishes. Not one listing gives a distance in kilometres to its viewing point or a number of minutes in the vehicle. We are not going to invent either, because a wrong number on a page like this costs somebody a missed pickup. What the listings do say is where they start, how long they run and what they include, and that is enough to plan around.
Where the other three start. $280 leaves from Alice Springs and runs a full day; $154 is listed at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural centre inside the park. An outback & Uluru tour that begins in a different town is a different animal from one that begins at the resort, and the difference is several hours.
How far out
Every listing, sorted by how far from the resort it takes you
Four bands, from a transfer to the viewing area up to a full day out of another town. The last column quotes only what the listing itself says.
| Band | Fare | How long | What the listing takes you to |
|---|---|---|---|
| To the viewing area and backThe short evening | $69 | 1.5 h | A transfer from Ayers Rock Resort to the sunset-viewing area, nibbles and wine, wheelchair accessible |
| Into the park, after darkTelescopes | $91 | 2h 30m | Stargazing inside the Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park, telescopes and a photo, transport included |
| Into the park, to eatOur pick | $154 | 3 h | The AAT kings exclusive site inside the national park, an Aussie BBQ with the rock as the backdrop |
| Round the baseOn foot | $131 | 5.5 h | The entire 10.5 km base of the rock at sunrise with a light breakfast and commentary |
| Round the baseSix hours, small group | $175 | 6 h | The full base on foot, breakfast on the way, Kantju Gorge and Mutitjulu Waterhole |
| To the other landformKata Tjuta | $131 | 5 h | Sunrise, the domes of Kata Tjuta, local Aboriginal culture and the Walpa Gorge walk |
| A whole day in the parkTwo walks and dinner | $231 | 7 h | A guided tour of the rock, two walks, ancient stories, then sparkling wine and an Aussie BBQ |
| Day and night in one bookingThe longest evening | $300 | 5 h | The rock by day, at dusk and after dark, with sparkling wine, snacks and a buffet BBQ |
| From another townAlice Springs | $280 | 1 day | A full day across the Red Centre, Aboriginal culture, sunset, BBQ and sparkling wine |
Eating out there
The three listings that put a table in the desert
For a lot of people the phrase outback & Uluru tour means one specific picture: a table on red sand, a long way from a building, after dark. Three listings on this site sell that, and they are not interchangeable.
$154, three hours. The listing describes an outdoor Aussie BBQ at the AAT kings exclusive site within the national park, with Ayers Rock as the backdrop. It is the shortest of the three and the one that is only about the meal, which is why we put it first for an outback & Uluru tour built around dinner. Seventy-six reviews at 4.5.
$230, three and a half hours. Sparkling wine and a cheeseboard as the light goes, then a gourmet BBQ at what the operator calls an exclusive spot, transport included. Two hundred and twenty-two reviews at 4.5. It is the middle option: some time at the rock, then the table.
$300, five hours. The most complete version, and the highest fare among the day tours here. The listing covers the rock during the day, at dusk and after dark, with sparkling wine, snacks and a gourmet buffet BBQ. Eighty-eight reviews at 4.4. If you are only going to book one guided outing on a short visit, an outback & Uluru tour of this length does the work of two.
And the one that is drinks rather than dinner. $69 is nibbles and a glass at the sunset-viewing area, ninety minutes, the lowest fare on this site and the only listing here marked wheelchair accessible as well as private group. It is not a meal and it does not pretend to be one, and on an arrival evening that is exactly the right size.
Out there
Seven things an outback day asks of you
Nothing here is a warning; it is the practical shape of a day in open desert.
- Water, and more of it than you think
The long listings are hours in the open: $131 is 10.5 kilometres on sand and $175 is six hours. Read what each listing says it provides and carry the rest yourself.
- Sun cover that stays on
A hat, sleeves and something for your eyes. There is very little shade on the base trail and none at all at the viewing areas.
- Flies, at some times of year
A head net is a normal thing to see on the base trail and a normal thing to pack. No listing mentions them, which is not the same as their absence.
- Closed shoes for the base trail
The loop is sand, loose rock and low steps. $133 drives most of it if that is not your day, and $154 rides the scenic stretch and walks the caves.
- The notice each listing wants
$182 asks for fifteen hours, and $131, $175 and $133 for ten. An outback & Uluru tour is not something to arrange at breakfast.
- Somewhere to sleep, booked first
Yulara is small and it is the only base beside the park. This site does not sell beds; it is worth having one before you build a run of bookings around it.
- That the summit is closed
The route to the top of the rock has been closed since 2019. Every listing here goes around the base, into the gorges and to the caves.
The night part
Why the dark counts as scenery out here
A settlement of a few hundred beds in the middle of a continent produces very little Light, and that is a feature of an outback & Uluru tour rather than a quirk of geography. Two listings on this site are built around it.
$91, two and a half hours. An evening in the Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park with telescopes, transport included and a photograph taken under the stars. Five hundred and forty-four reviews at 4.4, and the listing is marked likely to sell out. What is actually visible on a given night depends on the sky, and the operator does not promise particular objects; nor do we.
$81, two hours. Bruce Munro’s Field of Light, an installation the artist made after a trip to the rock, set in remote desert within sight of it, visited at dawn with hot drinks. Six hundred and seventy-five reviews at 4.6. It is the one listing here where the thing you have come to look at is man-made, and at first light it is the quietest booking on this site.
Dinner listings that carry on after dark. $300 explicitly covers the rock at night as well as by day, and $230 and $154 both put the meal under the stars. On a two-night visit that is an efficient way to get the night sky and a meal out of one booking.
Every trip, current fare
The listings that go furthest out, priced by the hour
The other way to read an outback & Uluru tour: not what the booking costs, but what an hour out there costs once the driving is already paid for. The full day from Alice Springs looks reasonable by the hour and the short evening runs look expensive, which is what happens when the transfer and the briefing are the same length whatever you book.
| Tour | Length | Price | What is included | Cost per hour | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uluru: National Park Astronomy Tour with Telescope and Photo544 reviews at 4.4 · telescopes | 2.5 h | $91 | An evening in the national park with telescopes and a photo under the stars | $36.40 | 4.4 · 544 |
| Yulara: Uluru Sunrise and Kata Tjuta Day Trip by BusThe fare this site quotes from | 5 h | $131 | Sunrise at the rock, then the domes of Kata Tjuta and the Walpa Gorge walk | $26.20 | 4.5 · 599 |
| Uluru: Australian BBQ Dinner Under the StarsDinner inside the park, 3 h | 3 h | $154 | Dinner at the AAT kings site inside the park, with the rock as the backdrop | $51.33 | 4.5 · 76 |
| Uluru: Guided Trek of Uluru's Base in a Small GroupSix hours on foot, 4.8 | 6 h | $175 | Six hours: the full base on foot, breakfast, Kantju Gorge and Mutitjulu Waterhole | $29.17 | 4.8 · 269 |
| Uluru: Sunset, Sparkling Wine, Cheeseboard & Gourmet BBQDinner under the stars, 3.5 h | 3.5 h | $230 | Sparkling wine and a cheeseboard at dusk, then a gourmet BBQ under the stars | $65.40 | 4.5 · 222 |
| Uluru Day Tour with Sunset BBQ - from Ayers Rock ResortThe longest guided day, 7 h | 7 h | $231 | Two guided walks by day and an Aussie BBQ with sparkling wine at dusk | $33.00 | 4.6 · 342 |
| From Alice Springs: Day Trip to Uluru with BBQ DinnerOur top pick · 845 reviews at 4.7 | 1 day | $280 | A full day out of Alice Springs, transport and a BBQ dinner included | $11.67 | 4.7 · 845 |
| Uluru: Sacred Sites Tour + Sparkling at Sunset & BBQ DinnerThe highest fare among the day tours | 5 h | $300 | The rock by day, at dusk and after dark, with a buffet BBQ dinner | $60.00 | 4.4 · 88 |
If you have two nights rather than one evening, the open-desert listings stack better than they repeat.
See the three-day plan→Book direct
Six listings for the open desert, with the fares as they stand today
The dinner at the AAT kings site inside the park we put first, the full day from Alice Springs with the most reviews on this site, the five-hour day-and-night tour, the gourmet BBQ at dusk, the six-hour base trek and the evening with telescopes.
Our top pick845 reviews
1 dayFrom Alice Springs: Day Trip to Uluru with BBQ Dinner
★ 4.7 · 845 reviews
- A full day, sunset BBQ with sparkling wine
- the Red Centre from Alice Springs
- Most booked
- Free cancellation
$280$11.67 / hour
Check availability→ 
5 h
5 hUluru: Sacred Sites Tour + Sparkling at Sunset & BBQ Dinner
★ 4.4 · 88 reviews
- Five hours, the rock by day, sunset and night
- buffet BBQ under the stars
- Departs from Yulara
- Free cancellation
$300$60.00 / hour
Check availability→ 
222 reviews
3.5 hUluru: Sunset, Sparkling Wine, Cheeseboard & Gourmet BBQ
★ 4.5 · 222 reviews
- Three and a half hours, a gourmet BBQ under the stars
- cheeseboard before sunset
- Transport included
- Free cancellation
$230$65.40 / hour
Check availability→ 
269 reviews
6 hUluru: Guided Trek of Uluru's Base in a Small Group
★ 4.8 · 269 reviews
- Six hours, Kantju Gorge and the full base
- Hotel pickup included
- breakfast along the way
- Free cancellation
$175$29.17 / hour
Check availability→ 
544 reviews
2.5 hUluru: National Park Astronomy Tour with Telescope and Photo
★ 4.4 · 544 reviews
- Two and a half hours, telescopes inside the national park
- a photo under the night sky
- Likely to sell out
- Free cancellation
$91$36.40 / hour
Check availability→ Common questions
Open desert, answered
What does an outback & Uluru tour actually include?
On this site, guiding and transport from Ayers Rock Resort or Alice Springs, plus whatever the listing states: a walk, a meal, sparkling wine, telescopes. Beds, flights and park entry are not part of any listing here.
Which listing goes furthest from the resort?
$280 is the outlier: a full day that starts in Alice Springs, another town altogether, with transport and a BBQ dinner included. It carries 845 reviews at 4.7, more than anything else on this site.
Can I eat dinner out in the desert?
Three listings do exactly that. $154 at the AAT kings site inside the park, $230 with a cheeseboard first and a gourmet BBQ after, and $300 which covers the rock by day, at dusk and after dark before the buffet.
How far is anything from anything out there?
No listing on this site publishes a distance or a drive time, so this page does not either. What the listings do publish is duration, and on an outback & Uluru tour a long duration usually means somewhere further out.
Is there anything to do after dark besides eat?
$91 is two and a half hours with telescopes inside the national park, 544 reviews at 4.4. $81 is the Field of Light installation at dawn, 675 reviews at 4.6. Both exist because there is almost no Light out here.
Do I need a car for any of this?
No. Most listings leave from Ayers Rock Resort or Yulara and several say pickup available, and $91, $231 and $280 say transport included.
What should I take on a long day out?
Water beyond what the listing provides, a hat, sleeves, closed shoes for the base trail and a head net if flies bother you. An outback & Uluru tour of five or six hours is five or six hours in the open.
Can I climb the rock?
No. The summit route has been closed since 2019. Every outback & Uluru tour on this site works around the base, in the gorges and at the viewing areas.
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