Canberra to Uluru road trip: Distance, driving time & best stops

Canberra to Uluru road trip: The final leg.

The las leg of the road trip, from Coober Pedy to Uluru, is a long and arduous journey. It takes approximately seven hours and 50 minutes with little to see along the way.

However, the Breakaways range just north of Coober Pedy is a photogenic highlight.

Continuing up the Stuart Highway, you’ll cross from South Australia into the Northern Territory. You then turn onto the Lasseter Highway at the Erldunda Roadhouse.

The Mount Conner Lookout is the best place to stop on the way to Yulara, the hub town for Uluru. Here you can enjoy a great view of Mount Conner, also known as the fake Uluru.

8 great Uluru experiences to book before you arrive

• 1. Understand Uluru’s caves, bulges, gullies and spiritual stories on a guided base walk.
• 2. Be awe-struck by the changing colours on a SUNRISE tour.
• 3. Eat great food on a dune top, and enjoy an expert-guided stargazing session during a once-in-a-lifetime desert dune-top dinner.
• 4. See an entirely different kind of dramatic outback scenery on Kings Canyon day trip.
• 5. Do a lap of Uluru by Segway.
• 6. See the big picture on an outback helicopter flight.
• 7. See Australia’s most spectacular light show – the Field of Light at sunrise.
• 8. Admire the colour-shifting giant rock domes on a Kata-tjuta sunset trip.

The long slog through the desert is worth it at Uluru, however. There’s a massive range of activities to choose from, whether Aboriginal dot painting workshops or Uluru camel tours.

Uluru activities worth booking include the Field of Light experience and helicopter flights over the desert. There’s no need to book to see the famous Uluru sunset, however.

Which Uluru accommodation should I book?

Let’s not sugar-coat it: Accommodation at Uluru is expensive. Specialist Australian accommodation website Wotif lists Uluru accommodation for from $300. Check the top deals page to search through the options.

However, if you stay for three nights rather than two, hefty discounts tend to kick in.

The Uluru accommodation options are designed with different target markets in mind. Book which one fits you best.

• For the lowest prices: Ayers Rock Campground.
• For best quality: Sails in the Desert.
• For families and self-caterers: Emu Walk Apartments.
• For mid-range solidity: Desert Gardens.

More Australian road trips

Stop at the Weereewa Lookout on the Port Macquarie to Canberra drive.

What to do on a Sydney to Eden road trip.

What to see on the drive from Scone to Tamworth.

Where to stop on the drive from Proserpine to Cairns.

What’s the best direction to drive the Great Ocean Road?