One long day from Ayers Rock Resort
Full-day Kings Canyon tour from Ayers Rock Resort
★ 4.6 · 629 guest reviews
- Price fromfrom $242
- Length12 hrs
- Free cancellationIncluded
Save your place
Choose your day. See the total.
Set a day and a group size, and the total updates right away. The next page shows the live price and which departures are open.
- Free cancellation until 24 hrs before
- Secure now, pay later
- Often gone 6 days ahead
Good to know
Included, bring with you, excluded
Included4
- A cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station
- Coach pickup and drop-off at four Ayers Rock Resort points
- A live guide who speaks English
- The choice of the Rim Walk or an easier, shorter walk
Bring3
- Sturdy closed shoes, as the Rim Walk does not allow sandals or heels
- Your NT Parks Pass, pre-bought online as the listing asks
- Plenty of water and a hat for the walk
What is left out3
- Lunch at Kings Canyon, which you pay for yourself
- Shade: the walk is long and the sun is strong
- A guaranteed Garden of Eden stop, which depends on time
629reviews
guest reviews of this Kings Canyon tour
12hours
the listed length of the full day
4pickups
resort points where the coach collects you
24hours
the no-fee cancellation period
Alternatives
Four ways to see Kings Canyon with a guide
A 3-day camping tour with swags
Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon Camping Tour
★ 4.8 · 385 guest reviews
- Price fromfrom $557
- Length3 days
- Free cancellationIncluded
A 3-day trip that ends in Alice Springs
Alice Springs or Yulara: 3 Day Uluru Kata Tjuta Kings Canyon
★ 4.8 · 237 guest reviews
- Price fromfrom $628
- Length3 days
- Free cancellationIncluded
A 4-day trip via the Mereenie Loop
Alice Springs or Yulara: 4 Day Uluru Kings Canyon Adventure
★ 4.7 · 80 guest reviews
- Price fromfrom $901
- Length4 days
- Free cancellationIncluded
Reading the figures
Our single day from Ayers Rock Resort next to three longer trips that fold the canyon into a wider Red Centre route.
These are per-person from-prices, current on GetYourGuide.
Testimonials
Traveler feedback
4.6
★★★★★629 reviews, verified
A great day with guides who clearly knew the area. The breakfast on the way was hot, the rim was hard but worth it, and the shorter walk left time at the resort pool.
JoanneMay 2026, as a couple
Hard going around the rim, with a punishing start, but satisfying to finish. Our guide kept a mixed group together and explained plenty along the way.
RosemaryJuly 2026, as a couple
A long day trip from Uluru that started before dawn, with a nap on the coach, an Aussie breakfast and a choice between the long walk and the short one. We tried camel burgers.
JulietteJuly 2026, with kids
Long but worth it. We dozed on the coach, ate a hot breakfast, saw wild camels and horses from the window, and found the climb at the start the toughest part.
LauraAugust 2026, with friends
Breakfast before the climb was welcome. You do need reasonable fitness, though there is a chance to opt out, and the paths are well kept.
SusanMay 2026, as a couple
An enjoyable day with a guide who shared her knowledge freely and clearly loves the Territory and the country around Uluru.
AmyJuly 2026, traveling solo
the day out
A day to Kings Canyon, from first coach to last
The day starts at Ayers Rock Resort, where the listing includes pickup from four points: Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge, Ayers Rock Campground, Desert Gardens Hotel and Sails in the Desert. The coach runs out to Kings Creek Station first, and the listing includes a cooked breakfast there before anyone walks anywhere.
At Kings Canyon you pick your walk. The listing offers the Rim Walk, which it gives as a 3.7-mile hike with a circuit of 3 hours, or an easier, shorter walk on the canyon floor, and time permitting, guests may go down into the Garden of Eden. Lunch at the canyon is at your own cost.
Then the coach brings everyone back to the same four points. A live guide speaks English, and you can reserve now and pay later. The booking panel lower down shows open dates and the live price.
Reserve and cancel for freeNearby in Kings Canyon
Plan another day from Kings Canyon and the surrounding area
Well-reviewed activities within reach of Kings Canyon and the surrounding area, live on GetYourGuide, cancel at no cost.
Days at Kings Canyon
Kings Canyon: Helicopter Flyover
★ 4.8 (8)8 minFree to cancel
from$102
Learn moreUluru and Kata Tjuta
Uluru: Field of Light Sunrise Tour with Hot Drinks
★ 4.5 (646)2 hrsFree to cancel
from$95
Learn moreScenic flights
Uluru 15-Minute Helicopter Experience
★ 4.8 (639)15 minFree to cancel
from$161
Learn moreFrom the air
Yulara: Uluru and Kata Tjuta 25-Minute Helicopter Experience
★ 4.8 (588)1 hourFree to cancel
from$221
Learn moreDay trips
Yulara: Uluru Sunrise and Kata Tjuta Day Trip by Bus
★ 4.5 (557)5 hrsFree to cancel
from$147
Learn moreClose by and popular
Uluru: National Park Astronomy Tour with Telescope and Photo
★ 4.4 (506)2.5 hrsFree to cancel
from$90
Learn moreWine tasting
Uluru: Sacred Sites and Sunset Tour with Wine and Cheeseboard
★ 4.4 (489)5 hrsFree to cancel
from$147
Learn morePremium
Sunrise Uluru Private Tour
★ 5.0 (7)
from$840
Learn moreWider choice in Kings Canyon
Tours in Kings Canyon, live from the booking site
See Kings Canyon optionsIn pictures
Red rock, rock pools and a very long staircase
Photos from Kings Canyon day trips
the canyon
What you are walking into at Watarrka
Kings Canyon sits in Watarrka National Park, which Tourism NT says is only 3 hours drive from Uluru, with 100 m high sandstone walls and palm-filled crevices. Tourism NT describes the Rim Walk as one of the most iconic hikes in Australia.
The Rim Walk is a 6 km loop that usually takes around 3 to 4 hours, and it is graded moderate to difficult, Grade 4. It begins with a steep, challenging climb, follows the canyon edge and reaches the Garden of Eden rockhole about halfway, where swimming is not permitted.
For a gentler view, Tourism NT gives the Kings Creek Walk as a 2 km return walk graded Level 2, easy, to a raised viewing platform. People who search for a Kings Canyon National Park tour usually mean Watarrka, and the canyon here is the Northern Territory's, not the California park of the same name.
Reserve and cancel for freeWeather guide
Temperatures near Kings Canyon
Highs and lows are NOAA readings from its Watarrka station, 4.6 km from Kings Canyon, averaged over 1991 to 2020; we calculate day length ourselves.
Select a month to see how warm and wet it gets.
Usual daily maximumEach dot shows 20 mm of rainNOAA 1991 to 2020 · Station Watarrka
rim or floor
Two walks, one coach: choosing yours
Choose the rim if you are fit, like steps and want the long views. Tourism NT recommends the walk only for people who are fit and healthy, because it starts with a steep, challenging climb. The circuit takes 3 hours on our listing.
Choose the floor if steps are a problem, if children tire quickly or if the heat is high. The Kings Creek Walk is a 2 km return of around 1 hour, which Tourism NT calls a flat, accessible alternative through the shade of the trees.
You do not have to decide in advance. The listing offers the choice at the canyon, with the Rim Walk or the easier, shorter walk, so you can see how you feel after breakfast and the drive.
Reserve and cancel for free
Your day at the canyon
An early coach and a long view.
Pick a date and a pickup point. If plans change, cancellation stays free up to a day ahead.
the seasons
Hot summers, cold winter mornings
Tourism NT says the Red Centre is prone to extremes, with hot summer days from December to February and cold winter nights from June to August. At the nearest NOAA station, Watarrka, the average daily high is 38.4 °C in January and 21.6 °C in July.
Tourism NT says winter is the most popular time to visit, with crisp, cool days that are not too hot. In the hotter months, from September to April, it advises avoiding the middle of the day and considering shorter alternatives.
Either way, an early start helps. Tourism NT suggests aiming to finish the rim before 10am to avoid the heat of the day, with lots of water and sun protection. The heat page on this site turns the numbers into a month-by-month plan.
Reserve and cancel for freeStars at a glance
Scores from 629 travelers
4.6
Excellent★★★★★
- 5-star reviews100%
- 4-star reviews0%
- 3-star reviews0%
- 2-star reviews0%
- 1-star reviews0%
Each bar is based on the 10 newest reviews in our dataset, and GetYourGuide orders by best first. The score for all 629 reviews together is 4.6.
See times and availability
from $242 · cancel free of charge
Confirmed immediately · via the booking site
what guests say
What the newest reviews keep returning to
The ten most recent English reviews on file give ten five-star ratings, from April to August 2026. Guests praise guides and drivers by name for knowledge and friendliness, and call the day long but worth it. That fits the tour's rating of 4.6 from 629 reviews.
The details are specific. Reviewers describe a very early start with a nap on the coach, a hot breakfast on the way, wild camels and horses seen from the road, a salt lake and a stop at Curtin Springs on the return. One says the day ended around 5:30 pm.
The challenge appears too. Several guests call the Rim Walk challenging, one says the first steps are the hardest part and one says a reasonable level of fitness is needed, with the chance to opt out. A reviewer who chose the shorter walk says there was time to use the resort pool.
Reserve and cancel for free
FAQ
Need to know?Read on.
How long is the Kings Canyon tour from Ayers Rock Resort?
12 hours.
The listing gives the duration as 12 hours, with pickup included.
Is breakfast included?
Yes, a cooked breakfast.
The listing includes a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station, and lunch is at your own expense.
How long is the Rim Walk?
A loop of 6 km.
Tourism NT says it usually takes around 3 to 4 hours, and our listing says the circuit takes 3 hours.
Is there an easier walk?
Yes, a shorter canyon-floor walk.
The listing offers it, and the Kings Creek Walk is graded Level 2, easy.
What shoes do I need?
Sturdy walking shoes.
Heels, sandals, flip-flops and open toes are not permitted on the Rim Walk.
Do I need a park pass?
Yes, if you are not an NT resident.
The listing says the NT Parks Pass is compulsory and asks guests to pre-purchase it online.
Where does the coach pick up?
At four Ayers Rock Resort points.
They are Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge, Ayers Rock Campground, Desert Gardens Hotel and Sails in the Desert.
Which language does the guide speak?
English.
The listing names a live tour guide in English.
Can I cancel the tour?
Yes, free until 24 hours before.
You can cancel up to 24 hours before for a full refund, and reserve now and pay later.
What if it is too hot to walk the rim?
Take the easier walk.
On days forecast at 36 degrees Celsius or higher, walkers must begin the rim before 9am, and the floor walk is graded easy.
the heat rule
The forecast that closes the rim to late starters
On days when the temperature is forecast to reach 36 degrees Celsius or higher, Tourism NT states that walkers must begin the Rim Walk before 9am, and that entry to the trail is not permitted after that time for safety reasons.
A tour that leaves before dawn fits that rule neatly. Our listing does not give clock times for the day, so ask the operator for the pickup time when you book, but reviewers describe a very early start. The point of the early coach is to put you on the trail while the rock is still cool.
If the forecast is hot and the rim is out of reach, the floor walk is the fallback. It is graded Level 2, easy, and runs through the shade of the trees in the riverbed. The listing offers that easier walk as a normal option, not an apology.
Reserve and cancel for free6km
The loop, measured
Tourism NT gives the Rim Walk as a loop of 6 km.
That sits beside the 2 km return of the Kings Creek Walk (Tourism NT's figure), the easy alternative the listing also offers, graded Level 2.
photographing it
Photographs on the rim
The rim is a photographer's walk, and the best light comes early. Tourism NT suggests an early start on the Rim Walk to catch the sunrise. Our coach tour makes no promise of a sunrise on the rim, so treat the early light as a bonus rather than the plan.
On the way, the Garden of Eden gives shade and a green edge to the red rock, and the creek walk gives a raised viewing platform to look up at the cliffs. Keep a hand free for the steps, and a lens cloth for the dust.
Take only photographs at the waterhole: swimming there is not permitted. The rock is uneven, so do not walk backwards while framing a shot, and stay on the track.
Reserve and cancel for freeKings Canyon, Watarrka
Early coach, red rock.A long climb, a wide view.Breakfast comes first.
This is the Kings Canyon tour we list: a full day of 12 hours from four pickup points at Ayers Rock Resort, with a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station and a walk at the canyon that you choose, the Rim Walk or an easier, shorter one. It starts from $242.
Free to cancel until a day before
what to wear
Shoes, water and a hat
Footwear is the strict rule. Our listing says sturdy walking shoes are required, and that shoes with heels, sandals, flip-flops and open toes are not permitted on the Rim Walk. Wear closed shoes with a good grip.
Tourism NT tells visitors to keep hydrated, wear a hat, be sun smart and dress to the conditions at any time of year. In the cooler months it adds thick jackets and beanies for nights under the stars, and the early coach in winter is cold too.
Bring water for the whole circuit and a small bag you can carry on a climb. Lunch is at your own expense, and reviewers mention buying it at the resort or bringing their own.
Reserve and cancel for free
the park pass
The one government fee
Tourism NT says visitors to national parks in the NT, including Watarrka National Park, need an NT Parks Visitor Pass, and NT residents do not. Our listing says guests on any tour into Watarrka National Park must hold the pass and asks them to pre-purchase it online.
Tourism NT lists a 1-day adult pass at 10 Australian dollars and a child's at 5, with longer passes and a family price in the same table. The fee page on this site sets out the table and the exemptions.
Buy the pass before the morning of the tour and keep the confirmation on your phone. It is a small line on a long day, and the listing's cancellation window of 24 hours keeps the date flexible.
Reserve and cancel for freeSecure a spot
Dates, spots and booking
Our prices are the booking platform's live prices, shown as is, never typed in by us.
See dates and prices
- Free cancellation until 24 hrs before
- Secure now, pay later
- from $242 per guest
Local time at Kings Canyon: --:--
other ways
If you would rather drive, or stay a night
The canyon can be reached on your own wheels. Tourism NT says Kings Canyon lies 300 km from Uluru, and that the drive between them is easily done, all on sealed roads. There are no taxis or shuttle bus services at the canyon, so a driver has to be self-sufficient.
A night near the canyon changes the plan. Discovery Resorts states that its Kings Canyon resort is 7 km from the entrance to Watarrka National Park, and a stay makes a sunrise start easy.
Longer trips fold the canyon into a bigger route, such as a 3-day camping tour from $557 that includes the Kings Canyon Rim Walk on day 3. The compare table lower down sets those next to our day.
Reserve and cancel for freeis it for you
Who this tour suits, and who should look elsewhere
It suits visitors who are already at Ayers Rock Resort and want the canyon without driving 300 km each way themselves. As a Kings Canyon day tour it also suits mixed groups, because the listing offers the rim or an easier walk, and a guide on board.
It is less suited to a traveler who wants a night at the canyon, in which case a longer trip is a better fit, and the guides on this site explain the options. It is also not the right choice for someone who cannot manage an early start.
One honest caveat: the heat decides the rim, and the road decides the length of the day. A listing with free cancellation up to 24 hours before gives you some room, and the booking panel shows the live price and open dates.
Reserve and cancel for free