Stars BBQ Dinner, Wine Included

Barbecue at an exclusive AAT Kings site inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, with the rock as your backdrop and stars overhead once dinner wraps. Runs 3 hours, from A$219.

Overview

AAT Kings runs this three hour evening inside Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park, at a barbecue site the company uses exclusively, set among red sand dunes and desert oaks and deliberately placed away from resort lighting. Transfer from your hotel is included in both directions, in an air conditioned vehicle with a local driver guide.

The evening follows a simple arc. You arrive, eat a buffet barbecue of steak, sausages, chicken skewers, kangaroo and salads, with beer, wine and soft drinks included, then finish with tea, coffee and dessert. Menus can change. After the meal the guide gives a cultural presentation built around Aboriginal stories and the southern night sky, and, if the sky is clear, uses a high powered spotlight to point out visible constellations.

Reviewers repeatedly mention the guides' storytelling, the setting next to Uluru and the generous food, and families with children have taken part. Note the national park ticket is not included and must be arranged separately.

What's Included

Itinerary

1. Hotel pickupThe tour departs 45 minutes before sunset, and exact pickup times vary through the year with the sunset. You are picked up from your accommodation in an air conditioned vehicle.
2. Drive into the national parkYou travel to the barbecue site inside Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park. The park entry ticket is not included and must be purchased separately.
3. Barbecue dinnerAt the exclusive dune site, away from resort lighting, you eat a buffet barbecue with Australian meats, salads, beer, wine or soft drinks, followed by tea, coffee and dessert.
4. Stargazing and storiesThe guide shares Aboriginal stories tied to the night sky and, weather permitting, points out constellations with a spotlight.
5. Return transferYou are driven back to Ayers Rock Resort at the end of the evening.

What To Expect From The Tour

A few practical points make the evening run smoothly, from reconfirming your pickup time to dressing for a desert night outdoors.

• Reconfirm your pickup. The listing asks you to contact AAT Kings 24 to 48 hours before departure to reconfirm the tour and get your exact pickup time. Be at your pickup point 10 minutes before that reconfirmed time, since sunset-based departure times shift through the year.
• Bring layers. Dinner is eaten outdoors in the desert after sunset, so warm clothing is sensible.
• Book your park ticket. The Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park ticket is not included. A reviewer confirmed tickets must be purchased in advance, so sort this before the evening.
• Food and drink. The buffet covers steak, sausages, chicken skewers, kangaroo and salads, with dessert after, and beer, wine and soft drinks are included. Several reviewers called the food delicious and the servings generous, though menus can change.
• Weather matters. Stargazing is weather permitting, and the constellation pointing only happens if skies are clear. The southern night sky is the main draw of the site's location away from resort lighting, so clear conditions make a real difference to the evening.
• Group feel. Reviewers described a relaxed atmosphere and guides who tell stories well, and one family with children and a grandparent had a good time. Several also mentioned music playing on the bus and festive-looking tables.

Common issues. The national park ticket is a separate cost, and departure times shift with the sunset so the time printed on a voucher may not be accurate, which is why reconfirming 24 to 48 hours ahead matters. Stargazing and constellation spotting depend on clear skies, so a cloudy night means the spotlight segment cannot run. Gratuities are optional and not included. A reviewer confirmed park tickets must be purchased in advance.

Before You Reserve A Seat