Kata Tjuta: Small Group Sunrise Tour with Picnic Breakfast

About This Experience

Your guide meets you at the entrance of your Ayers Rock Resort accommodation before dawn. From the park entry station it is about a 40 km drive through the desert to Kata Tjuta, a group of 36 domes covering more than 20 square kilometers.

At the viewing area you walk to a vantage point and watch the morning light spread across the domes as the desert wakes up. Afterwards you drive around to the western side of Kata Tjuta, where your guide sets out an outback picnic breakfast.

The second half of the morning is Walpa Gorge, named for the wind that moves between the domes. Your guide explains why this is a significant place for Anangu, then leads you between the conglomerate walls on a 2.6 km return track that takes about an hour and is rocky underfoot.

Along the way you hear how the geology and environment of Kata Tjuta formed over millions of years, plus notes on plants and wildlife. The group is capped at 11, and optional audio guides are available in six languages. Your guide drives you back to your accommodation at the end.

Highlights

• Sunrise over the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta from the viewing area
• Picnic breakfast on the western side of Kata Tjuta, prepared by your guide
• Walpa Gorge walk between conglomerate walls: 2.6 km return, about 1 hour
• The cultural significance of Walpa Gorge to Anangu, explained on site
• How the domes formed over millions of years, plus local plants and wildlife

What's Included

• ✓ 5-hour guided tour
• ✓ Outback picnic breakfast
• ✓ Pickup and return at Ayers Rock Resort
• ✓ 1 bottle of water
• ✓ Optional audio guide in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian or Mandarin
• ✓ Small group of no more than 11 people

Not Included

• National park pass (adults A$38, under-18s free; buy online before the day)
• Car seat for infants 0-4, required in the Northern Territory ($75, paid direct to the operator)
• Lunch
• Gratuities

What to Bring

• Hat
• Water
• Closed-toe shoes
• Cash
• Daypack
• A warm layer for winter mornings

Good to Know & Caveats

• The Walpa Gorge track is rocky underfoot, as reviewers also note, so wear closed-toe shoes with grip.
• The listing's park-fee note is out of date: the current pass is A$38 for adults for 3 days, and under-18s enter free.
• Pickup is before dawn and the time follows the season's sunrise, from about 5:50 am in November and December to about 7:30 am in June and July.
• Tell SEIT about any dietary requirements when you book.
• This tour does not include the Valley of the Winds walk. For the full loop, see the Valley of the Winds guided hike.

Meeting Point

Pickup at the entrance of your Ayers Rock Resort accommodation, Yulara