The Uluru Base Walk at a glance
The Base Walk is the loop track around Uluru. It is 10.6 km long, takes about 3 hours 30 minutes and is graded 3. The park text also rounds the length to about 10 km. The 9.4 km figure you may see elsewhere is the circumference of the rock, not the length of the marked track.
The park recommends starting at the Mala car park early in the morning and walking clockwise. You need a park pass to be on the track. Adults pay AUD 38 for 3 days in 2026, and children and teenagers under 18 are free.
The track passes caves, rock art, waterholes and gorges. Some places on the way are sacred, and photography is not allowed there. Read the signs and the section below before you take out a camera.
Walks around the rock compared
Times and distances as stated by the park, return unless noted.
| Walk | Distance | Time | Grade | Heat closure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base Walk (full loop) | 10.6 km | 3 h 30 min | 3 | See the two sections below |
| Mala Walk to Kantju Gorge | 2 km | 1 h 30 min | 2 | – |
| Kuniya Walk to Mutitjulu Waterhole | 1 km | 30 to 45 min | 2 | – |
| North-east Walk | 4.4 km one way | 1 h 45 min | – | From 11:00 at 40 °C or more |
| Lungkata Walk | 4 km | 1 h 30 min | 3 | From 14:00 at 40 °C or more |
The walk times are guides for a steady pace without long stops. Add time for photos at permitted places, water breaks and the bus if you use one.
Our picks: base walk tours
Guided ways round the foot of Uluru, on foot or by Segway.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in Australian dollars (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Sunrise Segway tour at the foot of Uluru
Accommodation transfers, a Segway briefing and a guided route to Mutitjulu Waterhole. Breakfast comes only with a certain option; the park pass is extra.
Check availability →
Guided walk around the base of Uluru
A driver-guide, hotel pickup, tea and coffee and a picnic breakfast on a six-hour small-group trip. The park pass is extra.
Check availability →
Guided sunrise walk at Uluru with breakfast
A driver-guide, a light breakfast, an air-conditioned bus and a certificate as a keepsake. The park pass is extra.
Check availability →Guided Base Walk tours
Small-group walks, sunrise trips and other ways to explore the base of Uluru, with live prices and availability.
Heat, water and closures
The rules differ from walk to walk.
Temperature closures
The North-east Walk closes from 11:00 when the forecast or the actual temperature reaches 40 °C or more. The Lungkata Walk closes from 14:00 at the same temperature. There is no single threshold for all tracks, so check the sign at the start.
Finish by 11:00
In hot weather the park advises finishing walks by 11:00. That is advice, separate from the formal closures above. In the hotter months, a sunrise start is the sensible plan.
Best time to visit →Water
The park recommends carrying and drinking at least 1 litre per person for every hour you walk. Eat regularly, take breaks, wear sun protection and sturdy shoes. Heat exhaustion and dehydration are real risks here. The Mala walk lists drinking water and toilets. The Kuniya walk has no toilets.
Emergencies
Call 000, or 112 from a mobile. Emergency phones stand along many tracks. Do not rely on mobile reception alone.
Liru walk closed since April 2026
The Liru walk is the link path from the cultural centre to the rock. It is not part of the Base Walk itself. It was closed on 1 April 2026 after flooding and remains closed until further notice. Do not plan on using it.
A signed alternative runs along the old road toward Pulari and joins the Lungkata Walk. Pulari is a registered sacred site and a no-photo zone, including along this alternative route. Walk through it, do not take pictures.
Track repairs and short temporary closures have occurred in the past on the Mala and Lungkata sections. Check the notices at the car park before you start.
Where photography is not allowed
Parts of the track are sacred to the Anangu.
The north-east side of the rock, from Kantju Gorge to Kuniya Piti, is a sensitive area. Signs on the track tell you where to put the camera away. Named sensitive places include Tjukatjapi, Warayuki, Mala Puta, Taputji, Kuniya Piti and Pulari. Pulari is a no-photo zone.
At the North-east Walk the signs ask for no pictures of the rock face. The Kuniya Walk and the Mutitjulu Waterhole and Kantju Gorge are places where photography is described as fine, but keep sensitive neighbouring spots out of the frame. When in doubt, do not take the photo. Ask the Anangu for permission before photographing a person.
The Anangu also ask visitors not to enter closed sacred sites, ceremonial grounds, graves or homes.
Other ways to do it
Options if you do not want the full loop.
Ranger-guided Mala walk
Free on top of your park pass. It meets at the Mala car park at 08:00 from October to April and at 10:00 from May to September, lasts about 1 hour 30 minutes and covers 2 km. It is wheelchair accessible. The ranger gives an introduction and meets the group again at Kantju Gorge, so it is not a continuous guided tour.
Anangu culture →Hop On Hop Off bus
A separately paid bus with stops at the Mala car park, the cultural centre, Kuniya Piti and the Mutitjulu Waterhole. It is transport only, not a guided walk. The ticket does not include a park pass. Book ahead for May to October.
Tours compared →The viewing areas
If heat rules out a long walk, watch Uluru from a sunrise or sunset area instead.
Sunrise and sunset →For the rock's background, see the guide to Ayers Rock and Uluru. For the cultural centre, see Anangu culture.
Uluru Base Walk: frequently asked questions
How long is the Uluru Base Walk?
10.6 km, with a park guide time of about 3 hours 30 minutes. The park text also gives the length as about 10 km.
Which direction should I walk?
The park recommends starting at the Mala car park and walking clockwise.
When does the Base Walk close in the heat?
It depends on the section. The North-east Walk closes from 11:00 at 40 °C or more, and the Lungkata Walk from 14:00 at 40 °C or more. The park also advises finishing hot-weather walks by 11:00.
Is the Liru walk open?
No. It closed on 1 April 2026 and stays closed until further notice. Use the signed alternative route instead.
Can I take photos on the Base Walk?
At many places, yes. At sacred sites marked by signs, no. Pulari is a no-photo zone. Follow the signs and ask before photographing Anangu people.
Is there a shorter walk?
Yes. The Mala Walk is 2 km return, the Kuniya Walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole is 1 km return. Both are grade 2.