Mount Conner is the other big rock in the Red Centre, and many people driving toward Uluru see it first and assume they have arrived. It is a huge flat-topped mesa rising abruptly from the plain, and it makes a very different afternoon from the usual Uluru programme: fewer people, wide open country and a sense of how much emptiness surrounds the park. This small-group tour runs in an air-conditioned four-wheel-drive with a professional guide, collecting you from your Ayers Rock Resort hotel in the early afternoon. The route heads out of the resort area toward Mount Conner, with a stop at a salt lake along the way, and the main event is a sunset viewing spot on the mesa where sparkling wine and light refreshments are served as the light changes. The tour then continues to Curtin Springs Station, a working cattle property, for a three-course dinner, before the long drive back to Yulara. Admission to Mount Conner and to the station is covered, and the day lasts about eight hours, so it is a full outing rather than a quick excursion. It is a good choice for second-day travellers who have already done the headline sights at Uluru and want something quieter.
What to expect on the day
The early start in the afternoon means you are not up before dawn, which makes a pleasant change from most Uluru tours, but you will return after dark, so it suits people who are happy with a late finish. The country is red sand, spinifex and scrub, and the guide fills the long drives with commentary on the land, the cattle stations and the plants and animals.
The salt lake stop is a short walk onto a surface that looks nothing like the rest of the desert. At sunset the mesa glows, and because the viewing spot is private to the small group you will not be competing for a platform with a crowd.
Practical points
Pickup times change with the season, so reconfirm your pickup time after arriving at the resort, and note that guests staying at some of the resort properties are collected from a neighbouring hotel rather than from their own door. The tour operator publishes slightly different group sizes in different places, so treat it as a small group of roughly ten to fifteen. Dinner is part of the price, but drinks beyond the sunset refreshments are not covered. Bring a warm layer for the evening, closed shoes, a hat and a camera.
Who it suits
This is for travellers who like landscape, quiet and a bush-station meal rather than a polished resort dinner. Couples and friends will enjoy the sunset, and older children who can handle a long day will do well. It is a poor fit for anyone who gets carsick on rough tracks, or for people who need the evening free for a resort booking such as the Field of Light.
If you only have one night, the resort night experiences are easier; with two or more, Mount Conner gives you a very different picture of the region and a comparison with Uluru that helps you appreciate both.
What to expect
The experience
A small-group four-wheel-drive afternoon and evening to Mount Conner with a salt lake stop, a sunset viewing with sparkling wine and a three-course dinner at Curtin Springs Station.
Best time
Afternoon into evening, timed to catch sunset on the mesa; a good second-day option once the Uluru headliners are done.
How long
About eight hours, including the drives and dinner.
Tips
Reconfirm your pickup time at the resort, bring a warm layer and closed shoes, and expect to return after dark.
Quick picks
- Best for
- Travellers who want a quieter, wider view of the Red Centre than the Uluru circuit offers.
- Families
- Suits older children who cope with a long day in a vehicle; younger children may tire.
- Couples
- Sunset with sparkling wine on private ground, then a station dinner, is a relaxed romantic evening.
- Pair with
- A morning at Kata Tjuta or the Cultural Centre earlier in the stay.
- Time needed
- An afternoon and evening, about eight hours.
Good questions
What is Mount Conner?+
It is a large flat-topped mesa in the desert east of Uluru. Many visitors mistake it for Uluru when they first see it from the road.
What is included in the tour?+
A professional guide, an air-conditioned 4WD, hotel pickup and drop-off, admission to Mount Conner and Curtin Springs Station, sparkling wine and refreshments at sunset and a three-course dinner.
How long is the day?+
About eight hours. Pickup is in the early afternoon and you return to Yulara after dinner.
Is it a small group?+
Yes. The operator describes it as a small-group tour, with group size stated as somewhere between about ten and fifteen, so check at booking.
Is it suitable for children?+
Generally for older children who are comfortable with a long day and a late return. Younger children may find it tiring.
