"Our guide Lucy was very knowledgeable and professional, as well as being lots of fun. She did a fantastic job keeping everyone safe while also making the experience enjoyable. Our bus driver Colin was also lovely. He was very knowledgeable about the area and did a great job driving the big coach to all of our tour points. They were both fantastic and really contributed to such a great experience. The whole trip exceeded my expectations! I didn’t go in with much of an idea of what the tour involved and I hadn’t done much research prior. The walk was amazing, and because we had been after the rain, the waterfall and serenity in the Garden of Eden was breathtaking. My friend and I had an incredible day and absolutely loved the experience!"
Watarrka · Day Trip
Kings Canyon Tours from Uluru
Three hours each way for a 6 km canyon rim walk.
From
$241
per person
Free cancellation
- 4.7 / 5 669+ Reviews
- Full day from Yulara Duration
- Breakfast At Kings Creek
- 6 km Rim Walk loop
- Free Cancellation
Book Your Tour
Check Availability & Prices
AAT Kings' full day from Ayers Rock Resort drives you to Kings Canyon with a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station, then lets you choose the Rim Walk or the easier walk along the canyon floor.
The Experience
What the Kings Canyon Day Trip Covers
The drive from Yulara, breakfast at a cattle station, and a guided walk on the rim or along the creek bed.
Highlights
- The Kings Canyon Rim Walk, a 6 km loop with a steep section at the start
- Lookouts down into the gorge from the canyon rim
- A detour to the Garden of Eden rockhole, time permitting
- An easier walk along the boulder-strewn canyon floor for those who skip the rim
- A road trip through the outback from Yulara to Watarrka National Park
What's Included
- Pickup and drop-off at four Ayers Rock Resort locations
- Return transport to Kings Canyon in an air-conditioned coach
- Guide and driver with commentary through the day
- Cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station
- Guided Kings Canyon Rim Walk (about 6 km) or a less strenuous walk
How the Kings Canyon Day Trip Works
A long day from your resort pickup to the return after lunch at the canyon.
Book and buy the NT Parks Pass
Pick a date, then buy the NT Parks Pass for Watarrka National Park online. The listing puts it at A$10 per person for one day, included in the price from 1 April 2027.
Early pickup, breakfast on the way
The coach collects from Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens Hotel, the Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge or Ayers Rock Campground, and stops for a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station.
Rim Walk or creek walk
Fit walkers take the 6 km Rim Walk past lookouts and the Garden of Eden. The easier option follows the boulder-strewn canyon floor. Sturdy closed shoes are compulsory.
Lunch and the drive back
Buy lunch at Kings Canyon at your own cost, then settle in for the drive of about three hours back to Ayers Rock Resort.
Photo Gallery
Kings Canyon and the Road from Uluru
Sandstone walls, the canyon rim and the desert between Yulara and Watarrka.
Day Trip, Three Days or a Flight?
Three ways to see Kings Canyon on an Uluru trip. Platform prices in USD from the live listings, October 2026.
| Feature | ONE-DAY OPTION Kings Canyon Full Day from Ayers Rock Resort | 3-Day Uluru, Kata Tjuta & Kings Canyon | 15-Minute Kings Canyon Helicopter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price | From $241 per person | From $625 per person | From $140 per person |
| Rating | 4.7 (669 reviews) | 4.8 (258 reviews) | 4.9 (105 reviews) |
| Time | One long day, about 3 hours' drive each way | 3 days, 2 nights | 15-minute flight |
| Pickup | Four Ayers Rock Resort stops, incl. the campground | Ayers Rock Airport or Yulara, 1:30–1:55 pm | ✗ Meet at Kings Canyon |
| Kings Canyon walk | Rim Walk or the easier creek walk | Rim Walk on the final morning | ✗ Seen from the air |
| Also includes | Cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station | Uluru sunset and sunrise, Kata Tjuta walk, 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 2 dinners | Garden of Eden and Lost City from above |
| Walking level | Good fitness for the rim; easier option available | Moderate to high, 9–11 km in total | None; steps into the helicopter |
| Park passes | ✗ NT Parks Pass extra (A$10 per the listing) | ✓ All national park fees included | Not stated |
| Free cancellation | ✓ Up to 24 hours before | ✓ Up to 14 days before | ✓ Up to 24 hours before |
| Best for | One spare day at the resort | Sleeping near the canyon and adding Uluru and Kata Tjuta | Seeing the canyon from above when you are already there |
| Check Availability | See on GetYourGuide | See on GetYourGuide |
Kings Canyon, Longer
Multi-Day Tours That Include Kings Canyon
Three camping tours that add the canyon to Uluru and Kata Tjuta, plus a long Kata Tjuta hike for keen walkers. Each card opens our review.
3 DAYS FROM YULARAFrom Yulara: 3 Day Uluru-Kata Tjuta Kings Canyon Adventure
A three-day, two-night small-group camping tour that starts at Ayers Rock Airport or Yulara, covers Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon, and ends in Alice Springs (or back at Yulara by shuttle). It suits active travelers who want the three big Red Centre sights with walking and camp life.
3-DAY SWAG CAMPINGUluru, Kata Tjuta & Kings Canyon Camping Tour
A three-day camping tour with Adventure Tours Australia covering Kata Tjuta, Uluru at sunset and sunrise, the full Uluru base walk and the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, sleeping in swags by the campfire. It starts and ends in Alice Springs or Yulara and suits fit, social travelers on a budget.
4 DAYS, AGES 18–49Uluru: 4-Day Rock to Rock Adventure Tour
A four-day, three-night swag camping trip run by Mulgas Adventure Tours, starting in Alice Springs or at Ayers Rock Airport and finishing at the airport. It is designed for travelers aged 18 to 49 who want hikes at Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon plus campfire nights.
KATA TJUTA HIKEKata Tjuta: Valley of the Winds Circuit Hike
A five-hour SEIT small-group hike of the full Valley of the Winds circuit at Kata Tjuta, with hotel transfers, morning tea and a guide who covers the area's natural, cultural and European history. It suits fit walkers who want the full loop without driving or navigating themselves.
Kings Canyon Guide
Kings Canyon from Uluru: The Day Trip, the Walks and the Heat Rule
How the long day from Ayers Rock Resort works, the Rim Walk against the creek walk, flights over the canyon and when to stay overnight instead.
You can see Kings Canyon in a day from Uluru, as long as you accept a long day on the coach. The canyon sits in Watarrka National Park, about 300 km and roughly three hours’ drive from Yulara on sealed roads, so the round trip takes most of the daylight. The tour that does it is AAT Kings’ Kings Canyon full-day tour from Ayers Rock Resort, from $241 per person and rated 4.7 from 669 reviews. The Viator listing of the same tour puts it at about 13 hours.
How the day works
The coach collects you from one of four resort stops: Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens Hotel, the Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge or Ayers Rock Campground. The sealed route follows the Lasseter Highway, then Luritja Road, and the first stop is Kings Creek Station, a cattle station near the canyon, where a cooked breakfast is included.
At the canyon you choose your walk. Fit walkers take the Rim Walk, the 6 km circuit around the top of the canyon, with lookouts over the gorge and the option, time permitting, of dropping down to the Garden of Eden. Everyone else follows the easier walk along the canyon floor. Lunch is at your own expense at Kings Canyon Resort, and the Viator listing mentions a dip in the resort pool as an option before the drive back. Expect to reach Ayers Rock Resort in the evening. Our Kings Canyon day trip review has more on the day.
Rim Walk or creek walk
| Rim Walk | Kings Creek (creek bed) walk | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | 6 km loop | About 2.6 km return |
| Time | 3 to 4 hours | About 1 hour return |
| Grade | 4, with a steep start | The listing’s easier option, on the canyon floor |
| What you see | The rim, lookouts into the gorge, the Garden of Eden rockhole, sandstone domes | The canyon walls from below, boulders, Kings Creek |
| Hot days | Must start before 9 am when 36°C or more is forecast | Easier option when the rim is off limits |
The Rim Walk begins with a steep ascent, then follows the rim clockwise. The Garden of Eden rockhole is about halfway, and swimming there is not permitted. Do not count on drinking water along the track, so carry plenty. AAT Kings will not let you on the rim in heels, sandals, flip-flops or open-toed shoes.
The heat rule matters on this trip. On days forecast to reach 36°C or more, walkers must begin the Rim Walk before 9 am, and entry is not allowed after that. Yulara’s average maximum is over 32°C in every month from October to March, so if you travel then, ask AAT Kings when you book whether the group is likely to reach the trailhead in time, and be ready for the creek walk if not. Conditions are posted daily on the signs at the safety shelter. The rim is far more comfortable from May to September, when Yulara’s average highs sit between about 20 and 29°C; our best time to visit Uluru page covers the seasons.
Kings Canyon from the air
The Viator listing of the day trip mentions an optional helicopter flight, at your own cost, for those doing the creek walk. Professional Helicopter Services sells a 15-minute Kings Canyon helicopter flight from $140 per person, rated 4.9 from 105 reviews, that follows Kings Creek into the canyon past the Garden of Eden and the domes of the Lost City. Its shorter 8-minute flyover is from $87 but has only 9 reviews so far. Neither includes a transfer from Yulara: both leave from Kings Canyon. For flights over Uluru and Kata Tjuta, see Uluru helicopter tours.
Staying overnight instead
If three hours each way sounds like too much in one day, split it. AAT Kings runs a coach transfer from Ayers Rock to Kings Canyon, from $143 per person, which includes breakfast and a creek bed walk and reaches Kings Canyon Resort at about 9 am; it has only 3 reviews. The return coach from Kings Canyon Resort leaves at 1 pm from October to March and 1:30 pm from April to September, arriving back at about 5 or 5:30 pm. Kings Canyon Resort is about 7 km from the park entrance, so a night there puts you close to the trailhead for an early start.
Several camping tours build in a night near the canyon. Autopia’s 3-day Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon tour from Yulara spends its second night at a bush camp near Kings Canyon and walks the rim the next morning. Adventure Tours Australia’s 3-day camping tour and the Mulgas 4-day Rock to Rock also include the Rim Walk. Our Uluru 2 and 3-day tours page compares them, and tours from Alice Springs covers trips that start there; Kings Canyon is about 450 km from Alice Springs.
What to know before you book
| Kings Canyon full day | |
|---|---|
| Pickup | Sails in the Desert, Desert Gardens, Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge, Ayers Rock Campground |
| Duration | About 13 hours (Viator listing of the same tour) |
| Walking | Rim Walk 6 km, 3 to 4 hours, steep start; or the easier creek walk |
| Park pass | NT Parks Pass extra, A$10 per person per the listing; included from 1 April 2027 |
| Meals | Cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station; lunch at your own cost |
| Cancellation | Free up to 24 hours before |
Pickup and duration: expect an early start and an evening return, with about six hours of driving in total.
Walking and accessibility: the listing recommends a good level of fitness for the Rim Walk; the creek walk suits most people who can manage uneven ground. Wear sturdy closed shoes either way.
Park pass: Kings Canyon is not in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, so your Uluru pass does not cover it. Watarrka needs the NT Parks Pass, which you buy online.
Meals: breakfast is included; bring money for lunch and carry water and snacks for the walk.
Cancellation: free up to 24 hours before the start.
Who it suits: travelers with an extra day at Ayers Rock Resort who are happy to trade six hours on the road for a few hours at the canyon. If the drive puts you off, the overnight transfer or a 3-day tour gives the canyon more time.
When your dates are set, check availability for the Kings Canyon day trip.
Guest Reviews
What Kings Canyon Day Trip Guests Say
4.7/5
from 669 verified travelers
Ratings and review counts are each platform's live figures (GetYourGuide or Viator) as of October 2026 and may shift slightly day to day.
"Absolutely loved this hike!! One of the best I did. One tiny recommendation is to split the group into fitness levels, because there was a lot of waiting, some people just walk the steps easier than others (which is ok). 2 groups for example would already help to accommodate a more suitable pace. This is nothing personal on our guide, Lucy was amazing. She just had to deal with a huge group and a very big difference in fitness levels. Still I would do the hike again... because it was so beautiful 😍."
"Guides were great be prepared for an early start and a massive day"
"We had an amazing day! The Rim Walk was absolutely fantastic and definitely worth it. The landscapes were breathtaking and the whole experience had such positive energy. Lucy was a wonderful guide, sharing interesting insights into the history, culture and geology of the area, as well as important safety information. I especially appreciated how caring and attentive she was, always walking at the back of the group to make sure everyone was safe and comfortable at their own pace. Yuun also shared lots of interesting information about the area, while Rachel was a great driver. We really appreciated how clearly the team explained the two different hiking options, helping us choose the one best suited to our abilities. A beautiful and memorable experience, highly recommended!"
"Michelle and Alan from AAT tours were amazing. Their knowledge and experience made the tour a highlight of our visit. Michelle was so informative and helpful and made the hike an incredible one."
"Nice,Good!!TOUR You explanation isUnderstand GUIDE"
"Huge day, up early and worth it, Hayley & Col were awesome - very informative - loved our day & would highly recommend"
Read all 669 verified reviews
See All ReviewsAdding Kings Canyon to Your Uluru Stay?
Book the day trip if you have one spare day at the resort, or choose a 3-day tour if you would rather sleep near the canyon. Starting from $241 per person.
Check Availability & BookCan't Make These Dates?
Browse More Available Options
Other Uluru and Kata Tjuta tours, each with its own review, price and booking link.
Kings Canyon from Uluru: Questions
The day trip, the Rim Walk and the heat rule, answered from the tour listings and the park's own figures.
Yes. AAT Kings runs a full-day tour from Ayers Rock Resort, from $241 per person and rated 4.7 from 669 reviews. It includes resort pickup, a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station and the Rim Walk or an easier walk on the canyon floor. The Viator listing of the same tour puts the day at about 13 hours, so expect an early start and an evening return.
Kings Canyon is about 300 km from Yulara, the resort town next to Uluru, which is roughly three hours' drive each way on sealed roads via the Lasseter Highway and Luritja Road. That is why the day trip takes most of the daylight. From Alice Springs it is about 450 km. Our Uluru itinerary page shows how to fit it into a longer stay.
It is a Grade 4 walk: a 6 km loop that starts with a steep ascent to the rim, then follows the rim around the gorge. AAT Kings recommends a good level of fitness and will not let you on the rim in heels, sandals, flip-flops or open-toed shoes. Carry plenty of water, as you should not count on finding any along the track.
Allow 3 to 4 hours for the 6 km loop, walked clockwise. AAT Kings' day trip describes it as a 3-hour circuit with stops at lookouts over the gorge and, time permitting, a descent to the Garden of Eden. The easier walk along the canyon floor takes about an hour return, which suits anyone who prefers to stay off the rim.
On days when the temperature is forecast to reach 36°C or more, walkers must begin the Rim Walk before 9 am, and entry is not allowed after that. Conditions are shown daily on the signs at the safety shelter. From October to March, ask your tour operator whether your group can start in time, and be ready for the creek walk if it cannot. See the best time to visit.
Yes. The Kings Creek walk, also called the creek bed walk, follows the canyon floor among boulders below the cliffs. It is about 2.6 km and roughly an hour return. Both the AAT Kings day trip and its coach transfer to Kings Canyon offer it as the easier choice, and on the day trip you pick your walk at the canyon.
The Garden of Eden is a rockhole about halfway round the Rim Walk, reached by a short descent into the gorge. Swimming there is not permitted. AAT Kings' day trip lists it as an option on the rim, time permitting. The 15-minute helicopter flight over Kings Canyon also passes over it, along with the sandstone domes of the Lost City.
The AAT Kings day trip includes a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station. Lunch is at your own expense at Kings Canyon Resort, so bring money. Carry water and snacks for the walk. The multi-day camping tours that include Kings Canyon cover most meals, with guests helping to cook. Compare them on Uluru 2 and 3-day tours.
Take a tour or the coach. AAT Kings' transfer from Ayers Rock Resort reaches Kings Canyon Resort at about 9 am, with breakfast and a creek bed walk on the way, from $143 per person. The return coach leaves Kings Canyon Resort at 1 pm from October to March and 1:30 pm from April to September. Autopia's 3-day tour from Yulara can also end in Alice Springs.
Not yet on the AAT Kings day trip. Kings Canyon lies in Watarrka National Park, which needs an NT Parks Pass, not the Uluru pass. The listing puts it at A$10 per person for one day, bought online, and says the pass will be included in the price from 1 April 2027. The 3-day camping tours from Autopia and Adventure Tours list the Watarrka fee as included.
A day trip works if you have one spare day and do not mind about six hours on the coach. Staying overnight at Kings Canyon Resort, about 7 km from the park entrance, lets you start the Rim Walk early, which matters on hot days. Multi-day tours from Yulara or Alice Springs also sleep near the canyon. See tours from Alice Springs.
Still have questions? Email us at info@ulurukatatjutatours.com
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