Voyages Sails in the Desert

Begin your day early with a trip to Uluru's base for breakfast. Your driver and guide will accompany you as you embark on the Uluru base walk at sunrise, starting at Kuniya Piti. On this sacred site, you'll hear the Tjukurpa story of the Mala Men and the local Aboriginal people's beliefs and laws. You'll continue anticlockwise around Uluru to the Mala Walk, one of the most significant habitation areas for the local Aboriginal people over thousands of years. The Mala Walk includes a visit to Kantju Gorge, where, after rainfall, water cascades over the side of Uluru and falls some 90 meters. After a brief break, you'll continue to the Lungkata Walk, where your guide will tell you the Tjukurpa story of the cheeky Blue Tongue Lizard. The next stop is the Mutitjulu Waterhole, once an essential water source for the Anangu people. Your guide will highlight the landscape's natural features and Aboriginal rock paintings and share more traditional stories about this special place. Finally, you'll walk back to Kuniya Piti, where your walk began, and board your air-conditioned coach for the short trip back to Ayers Rock Resort. • Duration: 6 hours • Start time: 5.15am • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

After breakfast, your guide will explain the region's natural history. As the daylight reveals animal tracks in the sand, you’ll gain insight into what activity occurred during the night. Once the sun is up, there’s a guided tour at the base of Uluru. The first stop is Kuniya, where you will take a short walk to the Mutitjulu waterhole. Visiting here will help you appreciate its cathedral-like proportions and why it is a powerful and spiritual place for Anangu, local Aboriginal people. Your guide will explain some of the rock paintings as told by the Anangu people. The next stop is the Cultural Centre, a vibrant and engaging learning place where Anangu's local lore is explained in detail. • Duration: 6 hours • Timings vary • Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday departures • Operates year-round • Group experience

Spend an afternoon exploring Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, starting with a visit to the Cultural Centre, where you will have time to see the galleries and watch local Aboriginal artists at work. Afterwards, you’ll head to the base of Uluru, where your local guide will share the Aboriginal creation stories that give life to this giant formation. You’ll walk to the Mutitjulu Waterhole, where your guide will interpret the meaning of the ancient rock art and sacred sites you’ll see along the way. Finally, travel to the Uluru sunset viewing area, where you can relax with sparkling wine as you witness a famous Uluru sunset. After the sunset, you’ll return to Ayers Rock Resort. • Duration: 5 hours • Start time: 3pm • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

As you embark on a sunrise trek around Uluru's 12-kilometre base trail, you can immerse yourself in the culture, geology, and environment that define this remarkable monolith. Your guide will entertain you with the cultural stories and Aboriginal creation stories associated with this central Australian icon. During your journey, you’ll observe the sunrise, explore waterholes, and visit the rock art sites of the ancients while learning about Uluru's cultural significance to the Anangu people. • Duration: 6 hours • Timings vary • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

The next day, experience the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere of a spiritual place as the colours of the sunrise change over Kata Tjuta. Enjoy a delightful picnic breakfast, then walk through Walpa Gorge to learn about this diverse environment and how the 36 domes of Kata Tjuta have evolved over millions of years. Take some time to appreciate the sound of the wind high above and the vastness of the rock walls that surround you. • Duration: 5½ hours over two days (sunset on day 1 and sunrise on day 2) • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

Spend an atmospheric evening dining beneath a sky full of lights. Wintjiri Wiru is a cultural experience at the Ayers Rock Resort. This immersive event begins on a platform for sunset with a cocktail with views of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Once seated in the amphitheatre, guests are treated to a gourmet hamper celebrating native ingredients, paired perfectly with their choice of Australian wine or beer. As the sun sets and darkness falls, guests are treated to a spectacular display of drones, lights, traditional music, and Pitjantjatjara language, which come together to bring to life the Mala story under the desert sky. As the Anangu people are the custodians of the land, they hold the Mala story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru. To share this story with guests, drones, light, and sound create an immersive storytelling experience. • Duration: 3 hours • Timings vary • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

Join a guide on a small group tour vehicle to explore the significance of Uluru – the most profound and culturally important monolith in Australia. Get to know Uluru's culture, geology, and environment as you stroll through Mutitjulu Waterhole, explore the Mala Walk, and visit rock art sites. Your guide will explain the significance of Uluru to the Anangu people and the local aboriginal community. Afterwards, head to the Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area to witness an uninterrupted sunset over Uluru with Kata Tjuta in the distance, sipping on chilled sparkling wine. • Duration: 5 hours • Timings vary • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

You’ll leave Ayers Rock Resort before sunrise and head through vast desert country toward Kings Canyon. A stop at Kings Creek Station for a cooked breakfast breaks up the drive and gives you a chance to ease into the day before arriving at the canyon itself. At Kings Canyon, you choose how to experience it. The classic option is the Rim Walk, a challenging but deeply rewarding hike that takes just over three hours. It begins with a steep, rocky climb, often called Heartbreak Hill, before settling into a loop that follows the canyon's edge before leading you down into the shaded Garden of Eden. The walk then climbs back out to complete the loop. The terrain is uneven and rocky in places, and a good level of fitness is required. If the rim walk feels like too much, there’s a gentler alternative. The Kings Creek Walk follows the canyon floor for a shorter, flatter return walk. • Start time: 4am • Duration: full day • Daily departures from April to November • Wednesday to Monday departures from December to March • Operates year-round • Group experience

The 1.3km walking trail through Walpa Gorge follows the natural creek between two of the tallest domes of Kata Tjuta. • Duration: 5½ hours • Start time: 4.45am • Departs daily • Operates year-round • Group experience

• Duration: 4½ hours • Start time: varies • Departure days vary • Operates year-round • Group experience

Tjoritja West MacDonnell Ranges is a kaleidoscope ancient landscape that extends for 100 miles from Alice Springs. Witness the shades of purple, maroon and orange as you travel through the outback, hearing about the region’s history and geology. Visit John Flynn’s Grave Historical Reserve where the founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service is laid to rest, before heading out on a couple of walks: one at the natural opening in the red rock, Simpsons Gap, where you may spot a black-footed rock wallaby; and the other at Stanley Chasm Angkerle Atwatye, a narrow slot canyon that’s been shaped by rain and flood waters that is of huge cultural importance to (and owned by) the Arrernte community. • Duration: half day • Time: 7.30am to midday • Daily departures from Alice Springs • Operates year-round • Group experience Good to know — Entry to the national park requires a NT Parks Pass which is not included in the excursion.

Kick things off at Flynn’s Grave, with the story of Reverend John Flynn, founder of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, before heading to Simpsons Gap for an expert insight into the natural gorge’s storied past. Next up is Angkerle, also known as Standley Chasm, and take it from us, the scenery here is nothing short of spectacular. Feel your jaw drop as the towering sandstone walls come into view and watch as the midday sun lights up the Chasm in a spectrum of eye-popping hues. Before the day comes to a close, stop off at the School of the Air, before winding up at the iconic Alice Springs Telegraph Station for a deep dive into Australia’s pioneering history and remarkable outback nature. • Duration: full day • Start time: 8am • Operates year round • Group experience