Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park: An ultimate guide to visiting with a toddler
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is on Anangu Country.
About Uluru and Kata Tjuta
Uluru and Kata-Tjuta are amazing geological formations, immense in size and rich in cultural significance.
Both Uluru and Kata-Tjuta have multiple sacred sites for the Anangu, the Aboriginal people.
The Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Area for its natural and cultural values.
Ayers Rock (Uluru) and The Olgas (Kata Tjuṯa) were the official names until 1993 when the dual naming protocol was adopted.
Uluru is formally dual named Uluru / Ayers Rock.
Kata Tjuṯa is formally dual named Kata Tjuṯa / The Olgas.
Is Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park worth visiting with a baby or toddler?
Absolutely!
Parenting a young child can be hard work whether you’re travelling or at home, so you may as well be out and enjoying the world.
Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park is a family-friendly destination.
There are parent rooms, services and shops that stock some baby/toddler supplies (like a small selection of formula and nappies).
Most tour options cater for families and there are some tour options that suit families with babies and toddlers too.
You’ll meet plenty of other travellers with a kid in tow around the campground, wandering through Yulara or exploring Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa.
Highlights of visiting Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park with a toddler
Our Uluru sunset experience
Riding around the rock with Outback Cycling
The views from the stunning Valley of the Winds walk
Seeing the Field of Lights fade at sunrise
Learning more about the spiritual significance of Uluru
Things to do at Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park
First Stop: The Cultural Centre
Ideally, make the Cultural Centre the first activity in your itinerary.
You’ll learn about the spiritual significance of Uluru to the Anangu people, the Aboriginal people who’ve belonged to this land for over 65, 000 years.
It will enrich your experience to learn a little (or more) of the law, stories and history of Uluru.
The Cultural Centre includes a visitor information hub, cultural display, art galleries and the Ininti Café.
All retail outlets in the Cultural Centre are 100% Aboriginal-owned, so any money spent here is supporting the Anangu community.
Opening Hours
Open daily, from 7 AM to 5:45 PM. The information desk opens from 10:00AM.
The Ininti Cafe opens from 9:30 AM to 4:30 PM daily.
Bike ride around Uluṟu
Definitely the best way to see the entirety of Uluru, a bike ride makes the 10km loop track of Uluru more manageable - especially when travelling with a little kid.
Each ‘face’ of Uluru is different.
Wherever you stand around the rock, you’ll have a different view.
The stunning formations, textures and colours unfold as you ride along make a bike the perfect choice for taking it all in.
The best time to ride is early in the morning - starting from 9 AM or earlier.
You’ll miss a lot of the crowds (especially along the Mala Walk) and it’s a much cooler, more pleasant temperature for riding early in the day.
Options for riding around Uluṟu on a bike
Hire a bike from Outback Cycling - the only bike tour operators around Uluru. They also offer bike hire for exploring Alice Springs too! You’ll start your ride at the Cultural Centre and ride anti-clockwise around Uluru.
Or you can bring your own!
Bike hire is pricey and your own bike is likely to be more comfortable, so if it’s possible to bring your own bikes, that’s what I would recommend!
How to book an Outback Cycling Tour
Book on the Outback Cycling website, choosing a time that suits to begin your ride.
You’ll have the bike for 3 hours.
There’s a minimum age of 12 months for the toddler seat.
Bike hire includes helmet but we chose to bring our toddler’s own helmet.
PRICES FOR BIKE HIRE
Adult bike and kids 11 years and up: $70.00
Child bike for 6 - 10 year olds: $55.00
Tag-a-long bike (attached to adult bike): $45.00
Toddler seat: $40.00
Our experience riding around Uluṟu with a toddler
We thoroughly enjoyed our bike ride around Uluru, although it was a little harder than we were expecting!
The booking process with Outback Cycling was quick and easy.
We did the base loop track on our bikes plus the walk into Mutitjulu Waterhole, with one short break. This took close to 3 hours and we felt a little rushed at the end. We started at 9 AM and this was the perfect time slot for us.
It’s important to know that the base loop alone is 10 km.
If you also complete the extra side tracks into the waterfalls, rock art and other places of interest, it’ll be closer to 15 km.
I was glad we had done the Mala Walk already. In hindsight, I’d recommend doing both the Mala Walk and the Kuniya walk (to Mutitjulu Waterhole) as separate activities. Instead, enjoy the bike ride and spend more time taking in the rest of Uluru.
We had a great guide at the beginning of our ride who gave a brief but informative safety chat.
There was also a guide to assist us with getting on the bikes, adjusting seat height and fitted the harness properly on the toddler seat.
The bikes themselves were heavy ‘beach’ bikes and it took a surprising amount of effort to get going. I quickly recalled that being ‘bike fit’ is completely different to walking the same distance.
The toddler seat was great. The harness was easy to adjust and it was easy to get Sprout in and out of the seat. She seemed comfortable in there and was pretty happy to be cruising along. We brought her own helmet, which greatly reduced the time and fuss at the beginning.
Overall, we were pleased with our Outback Cycling experience and would recommend it to others.
Field of Light tours
What is the Field of Light?
Best experienced in darkness, the Field of Light is an immersive art installation created by Bruce Munro and opened to the public in 2016.
50 000 frosted lights sway amongst the spinifex grass, almost invisible in daylight and then slowly coming to life at sunset each night.
Accessed only by guided tour, there’s a few options for seeing the Field of Light on your Uluru adventure.
All tours include coach transfer, so expect to share your experience with 30-80 other people depending on how many coaches alight on the Field of Light at once.
Fortunately, being approximately the size of four football fields, there’s plenty of room for everyone to enjoy the lights.
Options for touring the Field of Light with a toddler
There’s a few limitations when you’re travelling with a young child.
For all ages - you can get a general admission evening ticket to the Field of Light or join an sunrise tour with AAT Kings. I’ve added details about both options in the next section.
Sunset tours are restricted to children aged 5 years and up. The Field of Light Dinner tour is restricted to children aged 10 years and up.
Prams and strollers are not allowed onto the Field of Light.
AAT KINGS ULURU AND SUNRISE TOUR
This is the tour we did with our toddler (16 months) as a way of ticking off an Uluru sunrise and the Field of Light tour in one activity.
The tour begins at the dune-top viewing platform and then heads into the Field of Light before dawn. You’ll experience the lights in the dark and then head back to the viewing platform to watch the sun rise on Uluru. The Field of Light fades as Uluru comes into focus.
You can read more our experience on the AAT Kings Uluru and Surise tour here.
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket: $89*
Child ticket: $59*
*Prices are set to increase from April 1st 2024 to $105 for adults and $75 for kids.
FIELD OF LIGHT PASS (G.A. FROM AYERS ROCK RESORT)
Want to experience the Field of Light under the famous outback stars?
I imagine this will be a “short and sweet” tour of the Field of Lights.
Your coach leaves about 30 minutes after sunset. You’ll confirm your pick up time (based on your accomodation) when you book.
The tour duration in 1.5 hours but this includes the time spent on the bus and doing multiple pick up/drop off stops through Yulara.
There’s no access to the dune top viewing platform - but you truly won’t see anything from there at night. And there’s no food or drinks served which - based on our tour experience - probably isn’t a loss either…
Ticket Prices
Adult ticket: $46*
Child ticket: $33*
*Prices are set to increase from April 1st 2024 to $48 for adults and $35 for kids.
If you are travelling with a child under 2, you won’t be able to book your “Field of Light Pass” online. Instead call the Voyages Travel Centre on 1300 134 044 or send them an email at travel@voyages.com.au.
Is it worth doing the Field of Light tour with a toddler?
Sure, this is actually a pretty easy tour to take a young child on! If you can manage without a pram, it’s doable for all ages.
Sprout was new to walking independently and had no difficult with the paths. A carrier would be great if your child isn’t walking confidently.
From my perspective, our experience at the Field of Light wasn’t significantly different from families with an older child or without children.
Read my full review and tips for a successful sunrise experience here (coming soon!).
Also heading to Kings Canyon? Check out our comparison! Uluṟu’s Field of Light VS Kings Canyon’s Light Towers.
The best way to experience an Uluṟu sunset
Our sunset family dinner at Uluru is absolutely a core memory for me, even if my toddler won’t remember it. I’d replicate it all over the country, every night if I could.
We headed to the Uluru sunset viewing car park about an hour before sunset. There were only a couple of other cars there at that time. I think most people started turning up about 30 minutes before sunset.
We chose to cook a meal - we have a small kitchen set-up with an induction stove in our ute canopy. A picnic would also be a great.
We set up Jacob’s camera on a tripod behind us to capture some photos of our family enjoying dinner at sunset with Uluru in the background. We got some candid family shots without the stress of trying to keep our toddler in frame.
Enjoying a meal together, with a stunning backdrop and in such a beautiful and significant place was truly a highlight of our trip.
With plenty of food and some toys to keep Sprout entertained, we stayed until the stars came out and were amongst the last cars to leave.
I couldn’t believe how many people left immediately after the sun had set! This always surprises me - do they not know the best is yet to come?
Yes, the glow on Uluru right as the sun hits the horizon is spectacular - but the sky’s colours really light up about 10 minutes after that point.
A little preparation made for a wonderful family experience. This is definitely the best way to experience an Uluru sunset.
What our toddler did during our Uluru sunset dinner
Mostly, Sprout just wandered around.
There’s a fenced path along the dunes along the length of the carpark and she had a great time walking up and down, saying hello to everyone. Of course, a parent needed to walk with her but this was a relatively low-energy way to keep Sprout entertained.
We also brought toys, books, crayons, stickers and colouring books - all things that live in our car now that we travel full-time.
Tips for families watching the sunset at Uluṟu
Give yourself time to find a park and get settled into place.
Prepare a meal, bring a picnic or pack plenty of snacks.
Bring toys, books and games.
Stay until the stars come out.
Free activities at Yulara
I was surprised to find there are so many free activities on offer at Ayers Rock Resort. Most options are family-friendly however our 16 month old was a little young for most of them.
We stopped in at the Didgeridoo workshop for about 20 minutes. The presenter was great, answered questions thoroughly and involved the audience. Unfortunately, it was late in the day for us, so Sprout didn’t last any longer to see more.
We had a look at the Gallery of Central Australia too. The artwork is beautiful and bright - it’s worth a look around but it’s only about a 10 minute activity to do so. There’s a lovely selection of books to purchase and other gifts and souvenirs alongside the artworks for sale.
Other free activities at Yulara include:
painting workshop
guided nature walk
bush food experience
bush yarns (storytelling)
You’ll find more information, locations and times for the activities here.
Walking Trails
Walking is grounding.
It’s a chance to really appreciate your surroundings and reflect on the day. I find this time to organise my thoughts restorative and quite essential for remembering the smaller details from my day.
There’s no doubt that walking around, above and through a place is hard to beat.
It’s often the only way to access places of geological interest, beauty and cultural significance.
Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa are no exception to this.
Walks around Uluru
Mala Walk
The Mala Walk is an easy, out-and-back 2 km track. It’s suitable for prams and a great option for families.
You can read the Mala story in the Cultural Centre and parts of the story are told in signage along the track.
There are several Aboriginal art sites along the Mala walk.
A sheltered picnic area and toilet block is 260m from the Mala car park.
Free Ranger Guided Mala Walk
We attempted the ranger guided walk (10:00AM daily) and as you can imagine, it was super busy.
The guide had no mic and couldn’t be heard at the back of the group at all.
We abandoned the guided walk only a few minutes in and continued the walk ahead of the tour group.
I’d recommend starting the Mala Walk around 9:30am or earlier if you want to beat the crowds.
Over lunchtime and later in the afternoon it’s likely to be less busy too.
Kuniya walk and Mutitjulu Waterhole
This is an easy 1 km out-and-back walk, suitable for families and accessible for prams and strollers.
The waterhole is a beautifully peaceful spot with signs asking for quiet, respectful entry to the waterhole.
With a toddler, we just focused on walking and allowing others time to enjoy the waterhole (“taking turns”). We modelled quiet voices and talked about Mutitjulu Waterhole being a special place.
We tend to keep our stops in places like this short and sweet so we’re only asking for slow feet and quiet voices for a brief time, if at all.
Other walking trails
There are a few other family-friendly walks around Uluru but we chose the ones that worked best for our family.
You can find more information on walking around Uluru, including additional walking trails here.
Kata Tjuṯa Walks
Walpa Gorge
This is a 2.6 km, 1 hour out-and-back walk.
It’s moderately difficult, with a rocky, uneven surface and a few stairs. It’s an easier walk into the gorge and slightly uphill on the way out.
It’s certainly doable with a kid. We carried our toddler in a back pack, but most school-aged children should manage just fine. Toddlers will likely find the walk too difficult without being carried for sections.
The scenery is lovely. I think the best part of the walk is actually at the beginning, walking into the gorge.
If you’ve got a younger child with you, it’s certainly worth doing the first section of the walk and turning back when you’re ready.
There’s a nice seating area right at the end and the signage here is great to learning about the resource-rich gorge. It’s a great spot for a snack before turning around and taking in the beautiful gorge views on your way back out.
Valley of the Winds
This is a hard walk - between Grade 3 and 4, 7.4 km and it took us 4 hours to complete.
There’s several steep sections, including climbing up (and then back down) stairs and a short rocky climb. The track is firm under foot, clearly marked and easy to follow.
I’m glad this wasn’t our first longer walk and our toddler had spent a few hours in her carrier during previous hikes.
We started ‘late’ - at almost 11:00 AM - and whilst the day was forecast for around 29 degrees, this was plenty hot enough for us and we regretted not getting going earlier.
The last part of the walk has large sections without any shade and it was hard trudging along under the hot sun.
I’d recommend starting the walk around 9:00 AM or earlier.
The Valley of the Winds walk has a hot weather closure. If the forecast or actual temperature is above 36 degrees degrees, the track closed at the first lookout (Karu lookout) from 11.00 am for the remainder of the day.
Definitely bring plenty of water. There was water in both drinking tanks during our July 2023 visit, but I’d always rather carry all our water when possible.
Snacks are a must, especially if you’re hiking with a kid. We stopped for three breaks during the walk, including lunch by the creek because we started so late.
If you’re hiking with a baby or toddler, don’t plan on doing too much for the rest of the day.
Sprout had a ten minute nap in the carrier and that was it!
Is the Valley of the Winds walk worth doing?
Absolutely.
Personally, I think the first lookout isn’t worth walking to as an out-and-back, you really have to do the full trail. If you’re looking for a shorter option, Walpa Gorge is easier, more enjoyable and prettier than the walk to the first lookout.
However, the Valley of the Winds second lookout is stunning - easily one of my favourite lookouts and absolutely worth a few hours of walking!
We spent a short time sitting around and taking in the views with our fellow walkers and it was awesome to watch other people’s ‘wow’ reactions as they reached the lookout too.
I really enjoyed the walk out from the second lookout too (even whilst I was longing for the next patch of shade).
The Valley of the Winds walk provides beautiful views of Kata Tjuṯa. These perspectives just can’t be seen and appreciated without hiking.
For me, Valley of the Winds was a perfect “this is why we do the hike” - even when we were late, tired and a little hot. It was thoroughly worthwhile.
Planning your trip
How many days should I spend at Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa?
If you’re travelling with a young child, I’d spend a minimum of 3 days / 4 nights at Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa. Plan to do one main activity (e.g. Outback Cycling, Valley of the Winds walk and Field of Light tour) and perhaps one smaller activity (e.g. Mala Walk, art gallery) each day.
Why I recommend spending 5 full days at Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park
There’s so much to see and do!
You can plan just one major activity a day and still see ‘everything’
Plenty of downtime so you have a hope of actually enjoying your trip
Separate sunrise and evening activities on your trip - no early mornings followed by late nights and vice versa
You’ll have a fuller experience - greater depth, quality time and more memories.
Travelling full time? Add a day to your itinerary every once in a while.
We spent 6 full days in Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. Five days of sight seeing and one day of general jobs around camp - grocery shopping, laundry, maintenance and preparing for the next stretch of travel.
I wouldn’t necessarily recommend your extra day at Ayers Rock Campground - it’s expensive and not all that enjoyable to hang around camp. We just ran out of food and clean clothes at about that time!
How to spend 5 days at Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
DAY ONE
Cultural centre and a coffee at the Ininti cafe
Mala walk
Wander around the shops and check out Yulara
Free didgeridoo workshop or bush yarns storytelling
DAY TWO
Anangu (Aboriginal) Culture Tour
Bushfoods Experience
Gallery of Central Australia
Pack your picnic and enjoy an Uluru sunset
Which cultural tour?
I liked this option from Maruku Arts for young families. A one hour guided walk of the cave art, with the stories told in Pitjantjara and then translated into English. Operates Monday and Friday (current October 2023).
For families without a young child and plenty of stamina, I’d love to do this tour. Reading through the itinerary, I imagine it’s best suited to kids 10 years+. A full day of 4WD touring with the Uluru family sounds like an amazing learning opportunity and a highly unique experience.
DAY THREE
Outback Cycling tour
Mutitjulu Waterhole (along Uluru base walk/ride)
Splash in the swimming pool at Ayers Rock Resort
DAY FOUR
Sunrise Uluru Field of Lights tour
Family brunch at one of Yulara’s cafes and restaurants
Head to Kata Tjuṯa for the Walpa Gorge Walk
DAY FIVE
Kata Tjuta’s Valley of the Winds walk
Return to the pool or check out Yulara’s playground
Book dinner at one of Ayers Rock Resorts restaurants to save doing the dishes on your last night!
Next time, I’d love to…
Experience a cultural tour with an Anangu guide (all fully booked this time!). There were several excellent choices, including this one.
Check out Wintjiri Wiru. We spotted the beginnings of this light show and it looks amazing! Sprout will have to be at least 5 years old before we can see this one.
Dine out at the Sounds of Silence dinner. We’ll need a 9 year old Sprout (hard to imagine!) before this is a family occasion.
Take our own bikes and ride around Uluru again. It’s definitely worth doing twice.
Parks Passes
Parks Pass for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks is operated by Parks Australia (under the Australian Government, rather than the Northern Territory).
You need to purchase a Park Pass from Parks Australia online and will recieve a digital ticket. You’ll save this to the wallet app on your device. There are boom gates to enter the park and you’ll need to scan the ticket to get through.
Children and teenagers under 18 enter for free but they still need a valid pass.
Adult (over 18) passes are $38.00 for 3 days or $50.00 for an annual pass.
Your Park Pass is not included in any tour or accomodation bookings.
If you book a tour within the national park, you’ll still need to separately purchase a Park Pass for you and your family.
Parks Pass for rest of Northern Territory (NT)
Travelling further into the NT? You’ll need another Parks Pass to visit most national parks.
You can buy your Park Pass here.
Accomodation, camping and services
Is there camping in Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park?
Nope. There’s no camping or accommodation within the national park.
Ayers Rock Resort Campground is your closest option. Camping at Curtain Springs Station is cheaper but considerably further away with 100km drive there and back.
Where is the best place to camp near Uluru?
I find this a difficult question to answer!
For us, driving from Curtain Springs every day wasn’t “doable”. However, Ayers Rock Campground wasn’t great, it was just close.
If you’re able to:
camp unpowered
drive in and out of the park
arrive at Curtain Springs early enough in the day to secure an free unpowered site
You’ll save a huge $45 a night in accomodation costs.
Ayers Rock Campground sites are very small. We just about fit on the site with our awnings pulled straight to the ground and, like our neighbours, we were parked right on the boundary line on both sides of our site. Cars will need to be pulled across the front of your site.
At Ayers Rock Campground a powered camp site starts at $52 (for April 2024) and $45 for an unpowered site.
The overflow sites (unpowered) are the same price as general unpowered sites and are an additional distance from ammenities. The generator is extremely noisy at night and can be heard in parts of the powered and unpowered sections, so I can imagine staying in the overflow section would be pretty unpleasant.
The ammenities block was generally dirty and we shared our block with the overflow section. Soap ran out, bins were overflowing. We saw the cleaners at the ammenities block once a day but this wasn’t enough for the amount of people using a small block of toilets and showers.
Being the only campground at a reasonable distance to the national park, Ayers Rock Campground attracts a lot of business. The campground was full every night we stayed.
Unpowered sites are no charge. This is obviously an incredible cost saving over staying at Ayers Rock Campground. Unpowered sites cannot be booked and are first come, first served. Plan to arrive early in the day to secure a site.
Powered sites at Curtain Springs are more expensive than Ayers Rock Campground at $60 per night. It’s an additional charge for showers ($4) and water tank fills ($10). There is no dump point, you’ll need to use the Ayers Rock Resort or Alice Springs dump point.
We did not stay at Curtain Springs, but did pull in for a look around. We’re grateful that a public amenities block is offered. Although the facilities are old, and rustic, they are clean and functional.
Curtain Springs is about 100km or about an hour’s drive from Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park.
A Note On Roadside Camping
Unofficial camping on roadsides is illegal in the Northern Territory. Campgrounds and overnight rest stops are clearly signed as such. If there’s no sign, you’re likely on private property.
What services are available at Yulara / Ayers Rock Resort?
You’ll find pretty much everything you need at Yulara, it’s a small town with approximately 1000 permanent residents and several thousand tourists.
A well-stocked IGA grocery store
Fuel
Drinking water
Dump point
Rubbish bins
You’ll also find restaurants and cafes, a bank, newsagent, post office, police station and a medical centre. The nearest hospital is Alice Springs (450 km away). There is no pharmacy at Yulara.
What do I need to book before I travel?
Book whatever is possible - especially if you’re travelling in winter and over school holiday periods.
We had only a couple of weeks notice and missed out on some experiences because they were fully booked.
If you’ve got flexibility in dates, I suggest starting with the tours and experiences you’d like to do first and build a rough itinerary. Then decide when to stay and how many days to book your accommodation.
Is it worth visiting Kings Canyon too?
Absolutely!
We got asked this question a lot as we travelled through the Red Centre.
Most people were thinking of heading to Kings Canyon but hadn’t decided if it was worth the trip. Or they weren’t sure if it was worth more than an overnight stop.
We loved our time at Kings Canyon - the walk is spectacular. The Discovery Park is newly updated too. We spent three fantastic days exploring the area and recommend it to anyone heading north (or south too, I guess!).
Check out our Kings Canyon guide here (COMING SOON).
Where to go next?
Is it time to get planning your family’s next adventure? Maybe you’re ready to start booking!
Looking for more travel inspiration? Check out some of these posts below.
We acknowledge over 65,000 years of continuous care and custodianship of the Anangu people over these lands and waters. Their sovereignty has never been ceded. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and the Anangu people as the traditional and rightful owners of this Country.