Location: Power Street, Alice Springs, NT
There are no two ways about it - while Alice Springs and its surrounds have their own unique and undeniable charms, the main reason most people make the trek to Alice is they have their sights set on Uluru / Ayers Rock.
As perhaps Australia's most famous natural icon, the massive monolith attracts thousands of tourists from across the globe each year, the majority of whom use Alice Springs as their springboard to get a firsthand look at “the Rock”.
In terms of getting to Uluru from Alice Springs, Emu Run Experience is easy to recommend as specialists in not only getting travellers from point A to point B but making the entire experience a warm, friendly and efficient one. Being a smaller, locally-based company, they provide top-notch service that still retains a personal touch that some of the larger corporate affairs simply don't offer.
There are a variety of tour options available here, with your choice depending on how many days you want to invest in exploring Uluru and its other surrounding highlights such as Kata Tjuta/the Olgas and Kings Canyon – both of which are spectacular in their own right.
Uluru is no doubt the star of the trip, however, and their “express” tour that offers the ability to get from Alice to Uluru and back again within the span of a single (LONG!) day offers an efficient yet thorough way do Uluru in a day.
Be prepared for an early start – tours depart at 6 am from Alice Springs and it's a solid itinerary packed with highlights throughout the rest of the day – and you'll have a day of unmatched Aussie adventure to follow. It's also one that's full of humour and a genuine attitude, which goes a long way to enhancing the experience.
All the essential Uluru-area highlights are covered here, witnessed in a series of stops for scenic hikes, along with a number of additional stops for refreshments and bathroom breaks.
Uluru takes on a whole new life at sunset, as the ever-changing lighting conditions play with the natural contours of the stone to form a truly remarkable spectacle.
Heading out of the bus to explore the surrounds is augmented by the Emu Run's friendly guides who know all the best spots along the way for photos to ensure you get that perfect snapshot of your time here, while breakfast and lunch are included to help recharge your batteries.
Options for shorter or longer walks are available that you can choose to suit your personal fitness level and help alleviate some of the fatigue brought on by the daytime sun.
It's dinnertime that serves as the show-stopper of the tour, however – sunset tours offer the chance to enjoy a quality BBQ meal while witnessing one of the most spectacular views in all of Australia that's “magical” in every sense of the word. Uluru takes on a whole new life at sunset, as the ever-changing lighting conditions play with the natural contours of the stone to form a truly remarkable spectacle.
You don't need a cultural affiliation here to feel that it's somehow a “spiritual” event, which is complimented nicely with the modern benefit of some tasty champagne while watching nature at work. Multi-day camping tours are also available that extend the experience over 2 or 3 days and have the added benefit of being able to spend a night under the stars - in what is widely considered one of the world's best night sky destinations – making for a true bucket-list item.
With a comprehensive itinerary that includes the lookouts of Kata Tjuta, the base of Uluru, cave paintings, salt flats and a visit to the Cultural Centre, this is an exhaustive itinerary all full of local character conducted by people who know their stuff – and it's for this combination of reasons why this comes as our top recommended thing to do in Alice Springs.