12 hours
The day by coach
From Ayers Rock Resort
- PickupIncluded
- BreakfastCooked, included
- CancelFree until 24 hours before
Group price check
Kings Canyon tour from Uluru: the road, the day and the options
Full-day Kings Canyon tour from Ayers Rock Resort
★ 4.6 · 629 guest reviews
Choose from 4 options
Compare trips that include Kings Canyon
Choose how many are coming and see the from price for the day trip and for longer routes.
- One day by coach12 hours · price per person from $242
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View - Camping tour3 days · price per person from $557
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View - Guided trip3 days · price per person from $628
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View - Guided trip4 days · price per person from $901
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Currency conversion uses the ECB reference rate on GetYourGuide from-prices. The exact price is displayed when you book.
Kings Canyon is a long drive from Ayers Rock Resort on sealed road. Here is the distance, how a one-day coach tour fits it, what driving yourself means and when a longer trip makes more sense.
Editorial team, kingscanyontour.com · Updated November 7, 2026 · ~7 min read
Main facts
- DistanceTourism NT says Kings Canyon is 300 km from Uluru.1
- Drive timeTourism NT gives 3 hours from Uluru, and 3.5 hours from Ayers Rock Airport.2,3
- RoadTourism NT calls the drive easily done, all on sealed roads.4
- One-day tourOur listing runs 12 hours from four Ayers Rock Resort pickup points, from $242.
- No local transportThere are no taxis or shuttle bus services at Kings Canyon.5
The road in numbers
Tourism NT says Kings Canyon lies 300 km from Uluru.1 The same body says Watarrka National Park is only 3 hours drive from Uluru, and gives 3.5 hours from Ayers Rock Airport, so the figure you plan around depends on where you start and how you drive.2,3 Karrke, the cultural experience on the park's edge, also quotes 3 hours from Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.6
The road itself is not the obstacle. Tourism NT's four-day itinerary describes the drive between Uluru and Kings Canyon as easily done, all on sealed roads.4 The difficulty is the distance and the emptiness: there are few places to stop, the sun is strong and a long day on the road is a long day.
For anyone searching for an Uluru and Kings Canyon tour, the question is therefore less whether the canyon can be reached than how to spend the hours around the walk. A coach tour hands the driving to someone else, a rental car gives freedom and a longer trip turns the journey into part of the holiday.
Ways to reach the canyon
Day trip, camping tour or self-drive
| Option | Length | Starts from | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-day coach tour | 12 hours | Ayers Rock Resort | $242 |
| Camping tour | 3 days | Alice Springs or Yulara | $557 |
| Guided trip via Mereenie Loop | 3 days | Alice Springs or Yulara | $628 |
| Longer trip with the West MacDonnells | 4 days | Alice Springs or Yulara | $901 |
Every price is a from price taken from the listing, so the final fare depends on date and group.
A long day by coach from Ayers Rock Resort
Our listing is a full-day tour of 12 hours from Ayers Rock Resort, with pickup included from four points: Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge, Ayers Rock Campground, Desert Gardens Hotel and Sails in the Desert. The same four points are the drop-off at the end of the day, so you are back where you started. It starts from $242, with free cancellation up to 24 hours before for a full refund.
The route runs by coach to Kings Creek Station for a cooked breakfast that the listing includes, then to Kings Canyon for the walk, then lunch at the canyon at your own cost and the coach back. A live tour guide speaks English, and the listing offers a choice between the Rim Walk and an easier, shorter walk on the canyon floor.
The newest English reviews on file all give five stars and describe the rhythm of the day: a very early start, with one reviewer giving 4:45 am, a nap on the coach in the dark, a hot breakfast on the way and a finish around 5:30 pm. It is a long day, and reviewers say so, but they also call it worth it.
Distances on the road
How far the Red Centre stops are apart
Stops that make the drive part of the trip
Tourism NT suggests stopping at Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience on the way to Kings Canyon for an overview of the local culture, and says Kings Creek Station across the road is a great place for lunch, with camel burgers as the specialty.11,12 Those two places sit on the road to the canyon, and a self-drive plan can build a morning around them.
On the way back to Uluru, Tourism NT's itinerary stops at Curtin Springs for lunch.13 Reviewers of our listing mention a stop at Curtin Springs on the return, a salt lake along the way, and wild camels and horses seen from the road. The scenery is a large part of the reward for the long drive.
Fuel is the one stop that cannot be skipped by anyone driving. The Outback Oasis General Store at Kings Canyon is both a fuel station and a grocery store, selling diesel, unleaded, snacks and basic convenience items, and its listed hours are 8am to 4pm.14,15
A short chooser
Day trip or something longer?
Start from how many days you can give the canyon.
If I have a single free day at Uluru
The 12-hour coach tour
It starts and ends at Ayers Rock Resort.
If I do not want to drive
A coach tour
There are no taxis or shuttles at the canyon.5
If I want to camp under the stars
The 3-day camping tour
Swags and a campfire dinner are part of it.
If I want the rim at sunrise
An overnight stay near the canyon
Tourism NT suggests a sunrise start.9
If I am short of time and flying in
2 nights at Uluru and 1 night at the canyon
Tourism NT suggests that shape.10
Ways to go
Coach, camp or your own wheels
3 days
The camping tour
Swags and a campfire
- Luggage15 kilograms
- StartsAlice Springs or Yulara
- CancelFree until 7 days before
Self-drive
A hire car
Your own timetable
- Hire atAirport, Yulara or Alice Springs
- BookA few weeks ahead
- On siteNo taxis or shuttles
If you drive yourself
Tourism NT says the only real way to get around Kings Canyon is to drive your own vehicle or a hire car picked up at Alice Springs or Yulara, and that there are no taxis or shuttle bus services.5 That sentence is the case for booking a tour if you do not want to drive: once you are at the canyon there is no local transport to fall back on.
If you do hire a car, Parks Australia says cars can be hired at Ayers Rock Airport, Yulara or Alice Springs, that Yulara has only a limited number of rental cars, and that it strongly recommends booking a few weeks ahead.16 The advice is aimed at visitors to Uluru, but it applies equally to anyone planning a day to the canyon.
A self-drive day is also a long one, because the road takes around 3 hours each way and the Rim Walk usually takes 3 to 4 hours.2,18 A tour that includes a guide, a coach and breakfast makes the same day lighter on the driver and heavier on the wallet, and the choice is yours.
The day tour, in order
From Ayers Rock Resort to the rim and back
Pickup
Four resort points
Pickup is included from four points at Ayers Rock Resort.
Early drive
The coach sets out
Breakfast
Kings Creek Station
A cooked breakfast is included in the listing.
At the canyon
Rim or floor
Guests choose the Rim Walk or an easier, shorter walk.
Lunch
At your own cost
Lunch at the canyon is not included.
Return
Back to the resort
The coach returns to the four drop-off points.
Longer trips that include the canyon
Some trips fold the canyon into a larger route. A 3-day camping tour from Alice Springs or Yulara, from $557, covers Kata Tjuta and an Uluru sunset on day 1 and the Uluru base walk on day 2 and the Kings Canyon Rim Walk on day 3. Luggage is limited to 15 kilograms, and free cancellation runs up to 7 days before.
A second 3-day guided trip, from $628, starts in Alice Springs or Yulara, includes Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park and the Mereenie Loop road to Alice Springs. Guests who prefer to return to Ayers Rock can ask at booking for a shuttle from Kings Canyon arriving about 4:30 to 5:00 pm. A 4-day version from $901 adds the West MacDonnell Ranges.
Tourism NT suggests a similar shape for people short of time: fly directly into Uluru and spend 2 nights there and 1 night at Kings Canyon.10 The trade is clear. One day from Ayers Rock Resort is the cheapest and quickest way to see the canyon, and an overnight stay gives you the rim at sunrise without the long drive on the same day.
Video
How to spend 4 days at Uluru and Kings Canyon
TravelByTy on YouTube · The clip loads only after you tap play.
The drive is easily done, all on sealed roads.
Choosing between day and overnight
An Uluru to Kings Canyon tour as a day trip suits a traveler whose Uluru days are already full and who wants to see the canyon without changing hotels. Our listing gives that traveler pickup, breakfast and a choice of walks in a single 12-hour day. The price is a from price, and the free cancellation window of 24 hours keeps the date flexible.
An overnight stay suits a traveler who wants the rim at its best hour. Tourism NT suggests an early start on the Rim Walk to catch the sunrise, and a stay near the canyon makes that easy.9 The page on where to stay at Kings Canyon sets out the options, and the heat page shows why sunrise matters in the hotter months.
If you are choosing between these, count your hours. The drive is around 3 hours each way and the rim walk takes 3 to 4 hours, so a day trip leaves little slack for a late start, a slow group or a long lunch.2,18 The coach tour is designed around exactly that tightness, and an overnight stay relaxes it.
What reviewers say about the long day
The ten newest English reviews of our listing, from April to August 2026, all give five stars. They name the guides and drivers for knowledge and friendliness, which matters on a day when you spend most of the hours on a coach.
They also describe the practical shape of the day. A very early start, a nap on the way out, a hot breakfast, wild camels and horses from the window, a salt lake and a stop at Curtin Springs on the way home are all in the reviews, and one reviewer says the day ended around 5:30 pm. Another says that someone doing the shorter walk had time to use the resort pool.
One reviewer notes that May was cool enough for the walk, and another warns that the first steps are the hardest part and not a reason to turn back. Read those as the honest preview of the day: an early alarm, a long coach and a climb, followed by a sense that it was worth it.
FAQ
Short questions, short answers.
How far is Kings Canyon from Uluru?
300 km.
Tourism NT says Kings Canyon lies 300 km from Uluru.1
How long is the drive from Uluru to Kings Canyon?
Can you do Kings Canyon as a day trip from Uluru?
Yes, on a 12-hour tour.
Our listing runs 12 hours from Ayers Rock Resort with pickup included.
Is the road from Uluru to Kings Canyon sealed?
Yes.
Tourism NT calls the drive easily done, all on sealed roads.4
Are there taxis at Kings Canyon?
No.
Tourism NT says there are no taxis or shuttle bus services.5
Is breakfast included on the Kings Canyon day tour?
Yes, a cooked breakfast.
The listing includes a cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station, and lunch is at your own cost.
Where can I fill up on the way to Kings Canyon?
Is there a multi-day trip that includes Kings Canyon?
Yes, three and four-day options.
A 3-day camping tour starts from $557 and a 4-day trip from $901.
Sources
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Drive the Red Centre Way from Alice Springs ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Kings Canyon & Watarrka National Park ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Kings Canyon Rim Walk ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Uluru & Kings Canyon in 4 days ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Kings Canyon Rim Walk ↩
- Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience (official site) · Karrke Aboriginal Cultural Experience & Tours ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Kings Canyon Rim Walk ↩
- Parks Australia (parksaustralia.gov.au) · Getting here ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Kings Canyon Rim Walk ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Uluru & Kings Canyon in 4 days ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Drive the Red Centre Way from Alice Springs ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Drive the Red Centre Way from Alice Springs ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Uluru & Kings Canyon in 4 days ↩
- Discovery Resorts (Kings Canyon park, official site) · Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon ↩
- Discovery Resorts (Kings Canyon park, official site) · Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon ↩
- Parks Australia (parksaustralia.gov.au) · Getting here ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Weather & seasons in the Northern Territory ↩
- Tourism NT (northernterritory.com, Northern Territory Government tourism body) · Kings Canyon Rim Walk ↩
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