The Uluru Base Walk

The Uluru base walk is a 10.6 km loop around the foot of the rock, and it takes about three and a half hours on foot. You can walk it on your own with nothing more than a park pass, it is graded 3 and mostly flat, and in hot weather the park asks you to finish before 11 am. Start at first light, carry plenty of water, and check uluru.gov.au/news on the morning you go, because sections can close at short notice.

The base walk at a glance

Uluru rises 348 m above the plain and measures 9.4 km around. The track stays at its foot the whole way. Walking up Uluru has been closed permanently since 26 October 2019, and the base walk is the way to see the rock up close.

The sections around the rock

The base walk joins several shorter walks, and each has its own character. Most people do the whole loop from one car park, but you can also walk a single section and drive to the next.

The Mala walk passes caves along the base and ends at Kantju Gorge, where water runs off the rock after rain. The Kuniya walk leads into Mutitjulu Waterhole, where guides tell the Tjukurpa of Kuniya and Liru. The Lungkata and north-east sections make up the long stretches of the loop, and their heat closures use the forecast or actual temperature, so a hot forecast alone can close them.

Heat, water and timing

From October to March the mean maximum at Yulara runs from about 32 to 38°C, and daytime temperatures regularly pass 35°C. The park’s advice for hot weather is simple: walk in the cool morning hours and finish before 11 am. With three and a half hours of walking, that means starting soon after the gates open. In October the park opens at 5:00 am; in June and July it opens at 6:30 am, when mornings can be near freezing.

Carry all the water you need. One operator asks walkers to bring at least 2 liters for the walk, and in summer you will want more. Wear closed shoes, a hat and sunscreen. Summer also brings large numbers of flies, and the park suggests a head net, which you can buy on arrival. In the cooler months from May to September, daytime highs usually sit between 20 and 30°C, and you can walk later in the day.

Photography and respect

Uluru is sacred to Anangu, the Traditional Owners, and parts of the base are sensitive sites. They are marked by signs and on park maps, and photographing them is prohibited. On the north-east face, take only wide shots from a distance and avoid details on the top-left side. Ask before you photograph Anangu people, stay on the marked track, and leave the drone at home: drones are prohibited in the park.

The 2026 repair notices

Heavy rain in February and March 2026 caused storm damage around the base. The park ran repairs in stages on parts of the Mala and Lungkata sections, with alternative routes wherever possible. The Liru walk from the Cultural Centre closed from 1 April 2026 because of flooding, and a temporary track was set up along the old road toward Pulari, a registered sacred site where photography is not permitted.

The park has not posted a notice saying the Liru walk has reopened, and repair work can close other sections briefly. Check uluru.gov.au/news and the park app before you set out, and read the signs at the car parks. Cultural closures can also be announced at short notice.

Shorter walks and the free ranger walk

If the full loop is too much, the Kuniya walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole and the Mala walk together cover the waterhole, the caves and Kantju Gorge in a little over two hours. The park’s ranger-guided Mala walk is free for park visitors and starts at 8:00 am from October to April and 10:00 am from May to September. Confirm the meeting point with the park before you go.

Bike or Segway

Outback Cycling hires bikes for the Uluru Bike Ride, a self-guided ride around the rock. It normally starts from the Liru walk and moved to Mala car park during the Liru closure. If you would rather be guided on wheels, our Uluru Segway tours page compares the full base and part-base Segway rides.

If you want a guide

The Uluru Morning Guided Base Walk by AAT Kings walks the full loop with a driver guide, includes hotel pickup and a light breakfast, and runs about 4.5 hours, from $156 per person with a rating of 4.7 from 167 reviews. Its Viator dates run from 10 to 31 October 2026 and then June to October 2027, so it skips the hot months. Read our review.

For summer dates, the SEIT small-group trek of Uluru’s base walks the full loop from sunrise with a picnic breakfast, from $174 per person, rated 4.8 from 273 reviews. The AAT Kings Guided Walking Tour at Sunrise covers the Mala and Lungkata sections, not the whole loop. All three, plus the Segway option, are compared on our Uluru base walk tours page. None of them includes the park pass; see our Uluru park pass guide.

Without a car, a guided walk also solves the transport: Yulara has no taxis or public transport, and the resort’s free shuttle does not go into the park. Our Uluru without a car page covers the other options.

Ready to go with a guide? Check availability for the morning base walk.