A New Way to Experience Uluru: Walking the Ancient Land with Its Traditional Owners

After years of planning and a decade of partnership, a new five-day hiking trail now connects two of Australia's most sacred natural wonders, Uluru and Kata Tjuta, offering visitors an immersive cultural experience guided by the Anangu people.

The trail, developed by Tasmanian Walking Company in close consultation with Anangu leaders, marks the first time since 1985—when the national park was handed back to its Traditional Owners—that an operator has been permitted to lead overnight walks in the area. The route includes 54 kilometers of walking, with 38 kilometers of fresh trail, and features four low-impact glamping camps known as wiltja, which grow progressively more luxurious as walkers approach Uluru.

Anangu elder Tjiangu Thomas greets every group at three points along the journey, sharing cultural knowledge and stories, including the Tjukurpa creation narrative. The walk comes seven years after the controversial Uluru climb was banned in 2019, a move Thomas says marked a shift toward prioritizing respect for culture over tourism revenue.

The experience is a far cry from earlier tourism models that encouraged climbing the 1,141-foot rock, which Anangu consider a desecration. Now, visitors are invited to slow down, learn about native plants and their uses, and hear sacred stories reserved for those who come with open minds—a welcome Thomas extends with the word "palya," meaning hello, goodbye, welcome, or thank you.