Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Australia
With views direct to Uluru and across the desert to Kata Tjuta, Longitude 131˚ is Australia’s most celebrated luxury camp. Dotted among the red-rust dunes of the Central Desert are sixteen tented pavilions, each offering connection with the outback landscape and its heritage as well as a glamorous base from which to explore the incredible Red Centre. Discover vibrant Aboriginal artworks alongside relics from the region’s explorers, a bar and restaurant offering contemporary Australian dining and friendly staff ready to share a yarn.
Longitude 131°’s distinctive architectural design set it as one of the world’s accommodation icons, and the only lodge to offer views direct to Uluru. With its place in the fragile outback keenly felt, the lodge’s sustainable design includes renewable energies and the ability to be dismantled and removed entirely, restoring the rolling red sand dunes to their original state.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is located in the Red Centre in Australia’s Northern Territory. The main airport, Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ), is three hours’ travel by air from most Australian capital cities. Longitude 131° is located 15 minutes’ drive from Ayers Rock Airport, a 3.5 hour self-drive from Kings Canyon and a 4.5 hour self-drive from Alice Springs.
A cool sanctuary in Australia’s red desert, Spa Kinara is inspired by the clever design of the wiltja, the traditional shelter of the region’s Indigenous Anangu people. Guests at Spa Kinara experience a sense of true calm, of being grounded and connected to the landscape. Spa treatments use local native healing botanicals and traditional massage techniques.
A powerful bush medicine used by Aboriginal ngangkari or healers, irmangka-irmangka is also known as Scented Emu Bush and is used in many treatments at Spa Kinara. The general cure-all is made from the bush’s fresh leaves, mixed with olive oil to form a balm. The balm is made by the ladies in the Ngangkari Program run by the local Ngaanyatjarra Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (NPY) Lands Women’s Council.
Perched high on the outback landscape, the Dune Top is an intimate space comprising a help-yourself bar, outdoor lounges and plunge spa with views to both World Heritage-listed natural icons Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Private dining pods offer a window to the flush of dusk in time for an intimate dinner under the stars.
Longitude 131° is the ultimate luxury basecamp from which to explore the natural and cultural landscapes of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Guests at Longitude 131° embark on a signature itinerary of guided adventures, allowing a personal discovery with the Red Centre’s iconic natural attractions and Aboriginal heritage.
The Uluru Sunset viewing area is the best place to see the sun set over Uluru. It’s also a popular spot for visitors to take selfies, couple and family shots as well as landscape photos of Uluru as it appears to change colour as the sun dips behind the domes of Kata Tjuta to the west.
Embark on a guided sunrise expedition to Kata Tjuta and Walpa Gorge, including morning tea and a visit to the Cultural Centre.
Guests wander at leisure along pathways through the award-winning sculptor Bruce Munro’s incredible light installation. An outback fairyland, the celebrated open air art phenomenon is made up of some 50,000 individual stems crowned with colourful frosted glass bulbs that bloom and appear to sway as the inky night blankets Australia’s spiritual heartland.
Lush green trees and grasses are a surprising sight in this section of Uluru. The Aboriginal story of Kuniya Piti is integral to a better understanding of Uluru and the Anangu belief system. When walking around Mutitjulu Waterhole visitors are surrounded by the presence of two ancestral beings: Kuniya the woma python and Liru the poisonous snake.
A wonderful, challenging hike, this trail traverses rocky terrain, cool groves, creeks and canyons before climbing through a steep gorge between red domes to reveal a relief of rolling green plains. Walkers enter the sacred territory of Aboriginal Anangu men, a place where traditional secret men’s business is carried out. Many walkers experience a spiritual connection with the country.
The Karingana lookout is a highlight along the Valley of the Winds hike through the domes of Kata Tjuta. Walkers start the Valley of the Winds hike from the carpark, and cover rocky pathways on the way to entering the interior of the Kata Tjuta site. Best taken in the early morning to avoid the warmer midday temperatures, this four-hour hike is a walk-and-return hike, with Karingana the tipping point.
Kings Canyon is found in the Watarrka National Park and is roughly midway along the road to Alice Springs from Uluru. Embark on the four-hour Rim Walk which climbs the canyon’s steep stone walls and follows the contour of its dramatic cliffs, leading to the surprisingly lush, fern-filled groves of the Garden of Eden.
Join a camel train through red dune country, with Uluru and Kata Tjuta as a stunning backdrop. Most popular at sunrise and sunset, tours are guided by cameleers who share the animals’ quirky names and stories. These meditative tours are a nod to the original Red Centre pioneers.
Take off in a small charter plane and soar high above the above the desert to see the outback from a spectacular new angle. Choose from a range of light plane adventures taking in the region’s iconic natural attractions or travel further afield to take in Lake Amadeus and Kings Canyon.
Jump on a mountain bike and cycle the ten kilometre path around the base of Uluru. Fun for adventure-loving travellers and families, a mountain-biking tour is a wonderful way to take in the outback giant. Recommended for stays of three nights or for returning guests seeking a fresh perspective.
Dining at Longitude 131° sees a creative, contemporary Australian menu enjoyed with a view to Uluru. The finest premium produce is delivered to the Red Centre and combined with bush ingredients to offer guests a unique taste of Australia.
Lined with nearly 500 unique spinifex tiles each hand designed by the ladies at Ernabella Arts Community, the Dune House bar is a cool retreat. The well-stocked bar features a range of premium spirits – including baillies 9 gin distilled exclusively for the lodges to a secret Kangaroo Island recipe – as well as an excellent selection of wines and local craft beers. Snacks are available and depending on the mood guests sit up at the bar to watch the action or settle into luxurious club-style armchairs.
Set high on a platform above the red sands of the desert, the Dune Top bar offers the chance to relax in the quiet of the vast outback landscape. The outdoor lounge offers panoramic views that sweep from Uluru to Kata Tjuta, while an outdoor bar features a help-yourself fridge stocked with cool Australian white and rose wines and a swag of craft beers. Outdoor loungers and a plunge spa are the perfect spot to enjoy a refreshing beverage while drinking in the views.
The southern skies over Uluru-Kata Tjuta are a glittering kaleidoscope of stars, with cool, clear nights and an absence of manufactured lights from cities or nearby dwellings creating a stargazer’s paradise. Table 131° is renowned around the world as an iconic outdoor dining experience, with a menu prepared on a remote dune top and served under a blanket of stars. The feeling of being in a natural theatre is heightened by the chefs who work by torchlight to present four sumptuous courses.
A stay at Longitude 131° is perfect for seekers of extraordinary experiences, travelers eager to explore rich culture and pristine nature, and those who enjoy active adventures. It is an ideal setting for a romantic getaway or a honeymoon, offering unparalleled luxury and intimacy amidst Australia's breathtaking wilderness.