Parking
Use the Valley of the Winds carpark at the signed walk start. Parking fees, capacity and overflow details were not found.
Overview
About Karu Lookout Walk
Why go
- A short out-and-back to the first lookout.
Heads up
- Loose stones need careful footing; there are no toilets at the start.
Map & elevation
The route
Loading the Uluru-Kata Tjuta map
Full mapElevation602–659 m
Plan your hike
Before you go
Parking
Safety
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Uluru-Kata Tjuta Tour Guide
Your drive to Karu Lookout Walk, narrated.
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Uluru-Kata Tjuta audio tourRecorded for this trailhead
Valley of the Winds: Choose Your Walk0:00 / 0:33
“Up ahead is the Valley of the Winds trailhead, where you can walk between Kata Tjuṯa's domes. The full circuit is seven point four kilometres and takes three to four hours, with steep, rocky sections and many steps.”
Plays as you drive up to this trailhead in the Parkwolf Uluru-Kata Tjuta Tour Guide.
More stories near here in the app
- Waḻpa Gorge: Between the Domes
- Kata Tjuṯa Sunset Viewing Area: Bring Dinner
- Why the Hotels Moved
- A Calendar You Can Notice
- 40 audio storiesacross Uluru-Kata Tjuta’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
- Wildlife heatmapsfor Dromedary Camel, Black-breasted Kite, Brown Falcon, and 13 more
- Works offlinemaps, 15 trails, 28 places, and audio download before you lose signal
- CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
Trail guide
Hiking Karu Lookout Walk
A short walk to KaruKaru Lookout Walk is a 2.
Karu Lookout Walk is a 2.2 km out-and-back from the Valley of the Winds carpark to Karu, the first lookout. Allow about an hour. This is the short option: turn around at Karu instead of continuing toward Karingaṉa or the full circuit. It is moderately difficult rather than a stroll; loose rocks make the footing uneven, so wear sturdy shoes.
The route and its viewThe path, marked by blue arrows leaves the carpark on an unpaved track, crosses two short…
The path, marked by blue arrows leaves the carpark on an unpaved track, crosses two short plastic-grid bridge sections, then climbs to the lookout. Return along the same corridor. At Karu, the track reaches a viewpoint over Kata Tjuṯa’s domes. This is a culturally sensitive walk: do not photograph or film Kata Tjuṯa anywhere along it. Close-up photos of flora, fauna and people are permitted.
At the startDrinking water is available at the walk start, but there are no toilets.
Drinking water is available at the walk start, but there are no toilets. Dogs are not allowed in the park; assistance dogs are permitted on a leash no longer than three metres, with appropriate documentation. Use the Valley of the Winds carpark at the signed walk start.
Want a longer walk?The separate Karu-to-Karingaṉa option is 5.4 km return and takes about 2.5 hours.
The separate Karu-to-Karingaṉa option is 5.4 km return and takes about 2.5 hours. The full Valley of the Winds loop is 7.4 km and takes three to four hours; the longer loop is easier than walking to Karingaṉa and retracing your steps. When forecast or actual temperature reaches 36°C, the broader Valley of the Winds track closes at Karu from 11 am. Check the park’s access status before planning to continue beyond the first lookout.
Wildlife
Wildlife in Uluru-Kata Tjuta
32 sightingsDromedary CamelMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
14 sightingsBlack-breasted KiteMost seen around 10 AMSighting map
27 sightingsBrown FalconMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
11 sightingsWestern Brown SnakeMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
32 sightingsMain's FrogMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
17 sightingsRed-backed KingfisherMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Uluru-Kata Tjuta. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
