4-Day Camping Adventure

Camp at Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon over 4 days: rated 4.9 by 355 reviewers.

Overview

This four-day camping trip from Adventure Tours Australia links the three big red centre sights in one loop: Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon. You travel in an all-terrain coach, sleep in a permanent eco tent with bed linen, pillow and towel supplied, and eat most meals with the group, including three breakfasts, three dinners and two lunches. The tents are at powered camps with shared facilities, so there is no pitching your own tent.

The run of days is straightforward. Day one takes in Kata Tjuta and the Walpa Gorge walk before dinner at camp. Day two is all Uluru, with the cultural centre and both sunrise and sunset viewings. Day three moves to Kings Canyon for the rim walk, and Ewings Lookout serves as a sunset viewing area on the trip. Day four is departure, with a final stop at Yulara and breakfast before it ends back at the starting point.

It suits travellers with moderate fitness who want the hiking and camping version of the red centre rather than a resort stay. Groups run to a maximum of 24 people, and a multilingual audio guide app lets you follow the commentary in your own language. Optional activities are the only item you pay for beyond the booking.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Meet at Desert Gardens HotelThe meeting point is Desert Gardens Hotel, 1 Yulara Dr, Yulara. The listing shows pickup at 1.45PM, with the tour ending back at this point.
2. Kata Tjuta, 3 hoursThe first stop is Kata Tjuta, the Olgas, for three hours, including the Walpa Gorge walk. Admission is included.
3. Uluru and cultural centreUluru gets three hours, plus an hour at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre. A park pass is required: A$38 per adult, bought separately. Nights are at a powered camp with shared facilities, covering both Uluru days.
4. Kings Canyon, 4 hoursFour hours at Kings Canyon for the rim walk, with a stop at Ewings Lookout, a sunset viewing area. Admission is free, and the night is at a powered camp.
5. Ayers Rock Town Centre, 5 hoursFive hours at Ayers Rock Town Centre on the departure day section of the itinerary, again with powered camp accommodation and breakfast, lunch and dinner that day.
6. Yulara, 1 hourDeparture day finishes with an hour at Yulara and breakfast. Accommodation on the final night is not included.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points from the listing and from past travellers will help you pack and plan for this one.

• Nights get cold. Several travellers were surprised by how cold desert nights can be, even in July, while days stayed comfortably warm. The eco tents come with blankets and a duvet according to reviews, but bring warm layers for evenings and early sunrise starts.
• Fitness and walking. The listing asks for moderate physical fitness, and the itinerary includes the Walpa Gorge walk and the Kings Canyon rim walk. It is not wheelchair accessible.
• Group feel. The group runs to a maximum of 24 travellers, so expect a shared bus and communal meals. One reviewer found the bus worn and tight for a large group, while most others described the group and guides as excellent.
• Food and diets. Meals are described by reviewers as simple but ample and tasty, with vegan, vegetarian, gluten free and dairy free all catered for. Reviewers said there was extra food in the larder or esky if you were still hungry. Optional activities are the only listed exclusion.
• Bring water. One reviewer reported problems with water supply on a very hot day, so it is worth carrying your own refillable bottle. Sun protection is a given for full days outdoors.
• Audio guide app. Commentary runs through a multilingual audio guide on a mobile app rather than only live talk, so you can follow the tour in your preferred language. Reviewers still credit their guides with plenty of live knowledge.

Common issues. The tour is not wheelchair accessible and requires moderate fitness. One reviewer described a worn, cramped bus with failing air conditioning at 40 degrees and poor water supply. Nights can be far colder than expected, as several European travellers found. Cancellation is strict: full refund only with six full days notice, 50 percent between two and six days, and nothing inside two days. The tour also needs a minimum number of travellers, and if that minimum is not met you will be offered a different date, a different experience or a full refund. Optional activities cost extra.

Before You Reserve A Seat