Uluru Express Shuttle?
Jul 13th, 2012 | 06:35 AM
#2
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 4,039
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I have not taken this shuttle service, but I did look at their website.
The shuttle times for Uluru seem reasonable (lots of times available), but the times for Kata Tjuta seem somewhat long. For instance, the morning tour at Valley of the Winds is 5 hours, 15 minutes long. The "recommended" time for hiking this trail is 2.5 hours (we did it in around 2 hours), so that leaves you a lot of waiting around time even allowing for travel time and sunrise viewing. Also, with only 2 trips daily to Kata Tjuta, you are really limited.
If you are traveling solo, the cost of the shuttle might be OK, but for more than one person, it's not a good deal. The 2-day pass for one adult is AUD 170. I found a 2-day rental of a Toyota Yaris in September for AUD 170.96 (including all fees and taxes). The car would give you a lot more flexibility (and you could use it to get you to/from the airport.)
So, if 1) you are traveling solo, 2) really don't want to drive and 3) don't mind being tied to specific times of travel, the Uluru Shuttle might work fine for you. Otherwise, a car rental is the better choice. (But I will say that the shuttle is better than the organized tours, which I have taken. Those were definitely NOT worth the price!)
The shuttle times for Uluru seem reasonable (lots of times available), but the times for Kata Tjuta seem somewhat long. For instance, the morning tour at Valley of the Winds is 5 hours, 15 minutes long. The "recommended" time for hiking this trail is 2.5 hours (we did it in around 2 hours), so that leaves you a lot of waiting around time even allowing for travel time and sunrise viewing. Also, with only 2 trips daily to Kata Tjuta, you are really limited.
If you are traveling solo, the cost of the shuttle might be OK, but for more than one person, it's not a good deal. The 2-day pass for one adult is AUD 170. I found a 2-day rental of a Toyota Yaris in September for AUD 170.96 (including all fees and taxes). The car would give you a lot more flexibility (and you could use it to get you to/from the airport.)
So, if 1) you are traveling solo, 2) really don't want to drive and 3) don't mind being tied to specific times of travel, the Uluru Shuttle might work fine for you. Otherwise, a car rental is the better choice. (But I will say that the shuttle is better than the organized tours, which I have taken. Those were definitely NOT worth the price!)
