Luxury Escapes Guide to Uluru

Ilkari restaurant’s tremendous buffet offering has as many options as the sky from which, in the local Pitjantjatjara, it takes its name. Boasting an immersive environment and a mouthwatering menu – including, during breakfast, a live pancake and egg cooking station – the restaurant’s menu proudly serves both local indigenous heritage-inspired and international cuisines. Dinner is reservation-only; it is best to book early as this gem is a fan-favourite amongst both locals and travellers alike.

An evening at Tali Wiru – meaning ‘beautiful dune’ in the local Anangu – offers hungry travellers a chance to taste local bush delicacies in a setting seemingly woven out of dreams. Dine beneath the vast, star-filled skies of the Southern Desert as you soak in spectacular views of Uluru and the ancient domes of Kata Tjuta. Across four sumptuous courses – each showcasing native ingredients long prized by indigenous Australians – you’ll discover brand-new bush flavours carefully paired with premium Australian wines. Feast on scampi caviar, Japanese scallops with duck foie gras espuma and Glacier 51 Toothfish with polenta and native beach succulents, enjoying the unique ambiance of the desert stillness as twilight falls over Uluru.

Named after the Pitjantjatjara word for ‘bush plum,’ Arnguli Grill & Restaurant serves spectacular modern Australian bites surrounded by mighty ghost gums and the restaurant’s wonderful gardens. Offering an extensive menu with a variety of quality Australian wines, keen diners will notice a wealth of local grains, spices, seeds and flavours on display. For a true taste of country, go for fresh oysters Kilpatrick (accompanied by local bush tomato) or the Native Tasting Plate, parading local culinary delights such as smoked wallaby, grilled crocodile scallions and kangaroo medallions upon a bed of braised cabbage. Reservations are essential so make sure you book early!

Wintjiri Wiru means ‘beautiful view out to the horizon’ in Pitjantjatjara, and that’s a promise! Lounge upon a dunetop in the open-air desert theatre as you take in unparalleled views of Uluru and get ready for the show to come. Greeted by delectable cocktails infused with bush fruits and spices, feast on a delicious gourmet dinner hamper displaying Wintjiri Wiru’s masterful fusion of cutting-edge culinary techniques and ancient ingredients. As the sun sets behind the fiery rock, witness the indigenous Mala story bought to life in the night sky by projections, lasers and choreographed drones. Accompanied by narration in local Pitjantjatjara and a traditional soundtrack, embark on a journey across millennia in one spectacular night.

As custodians of the land, Anangu hold the Mala story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru. To share their story from Kaltukatjara to Uluru, RAMUS designed and produced an artistic platform using drones, light and sound to create an immersive storytelling experience.

For an authentic taste of Aussie barbecue, look no further than Outback BBQ and Bar. Tucked within the massive Ayers Rock Resort, this laidback dining option offers mighty portions of fun and flavour. Choose from a dazzling array of locally sourced meats – beef, pork, chicken, fish, emu or steak are all available – and then cook them yourself over the flaming-hot grill. Finish with a quick visit to the restaurant’s expansive salad bar and an ice-cold frothy at the end of a day of exploring

Rightfully legendary among visitors to UIuru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Sounds of Silence offers guests a dramatic glimpse into the magic and mystery of the Red Centre from one of the best seats in the house – atop an ochre dune. As twilight falls, canapes are served, wine is poured and the Milky Way arrives in all its spectacular majesty to the rhythmic droning of traditional didgeridoos. Fresh, bush tucker-inspired cuisine awaits as the evening’s resident ‘star talker’ walks you through the evening sky, drawing your attention to constellations and planets that can only be seen in the utterly clear evening atmosphere of the bush.

A breezy three-hour drive from Uluru King’s Canyon hides one of the Red Centre’s most sought-after culinary adventures, Under a Desert Moon. Diners are treated to relaxed canapes and sparkling wine at Carmichael’s Restaurant before being whisked away to a secret location in the great bush beyond. Dining under the desert’s vast canopy of stars, guests are met with five sumptuous courses of bush-inspired, locally sourced cuisine celebrating the flavours of the Northern Territory, all illuminated by the flickering light and whispering warmth of the nearby campfire. It’s an experience that shouldn’t be missed.

After dust-filled days spent exploring Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park’s extraordinary natural splendour, retreat to the Red Ochre Spa at Ayers Rock Resort to soothe your weary body with treatments designed to rehydrate, exfoliate and reinvigorate. Highly recommended is the ‘Dreaming’ signature wellness journey – begin with a full body exfoliation, said to assist with blood flow and lymphatic drainage, followed with a whole-body massage customised to your needs and preferences, and finished with a flash facial designed to fully relax and recharge.

There’s nothing quite like it – the feeling of soaring over mighty Uluru like the local brown falcon (called kirkinpa in Pitjantjatjara) as you take in the Northern Territory’s breathtaking majesty. Make sure you take your camera – the photo opportunities are extraordinary. It’s an especially satisfying ascent for those who’ve hiked the park’s rocky gorges, mulga woodlands and sweeping spinifex-filled grasslands – to behold the entirety of the park at once is an almost spiritual experience well worth seeking out.