would love to hear your experiences with any Uluru Tour Operators or would you recommend we explore it on our own?

Hi - wouldn't want to say whether exploring alone or with a tour is best. There are past threads here dealing with driving. As a solo traveller driving has not been an option for me except for exploring the West Macs which is a fantasic day trip and recommended.

But if you're not rushing through and also fancy seeing something other than Uluru - there are two fantastic trips you can do from Alice.

One day - a full day - takes you out into the desert (although it's not a desert as you would imagine, plenty of flowers some years in July) to Chambers Pillar. 4wd - back roads - interesting for lots of reasons.

If you have half a day spare - the same company can take you out to the East Macs to visit Trephina Gorge for a good not too strenous walk.

Leigh and Sheila are wonderful guides.

www.outbackexperience.com.au

My wife and I will be travelling in late Nov - early Dec. I've read on a couple of sites that tours may be cancelled due to the weather conditions. Has anyone ever had trouble during this time while at Uluru?

Dec is not the best time for the Outback, in general....it's very hot and the flies can drive you mad. June-Aug are probably the best times for Uluru - the only time of year I have been there.

In Dec, I'd consider a different destination such as the Great Ocean Rd in Victoria, or Tasmania.

I'd recommend you rent a car and tour yourself. Then you can go at your own pace and time. We got ourselves up before dawn to walk around Uluru, almost alone and w/ our trusty fly masks enjoyed to the entire Valley of the Windows loop in the Olgas. The tour groups seem ed to be turning back at the overlook.
A/D

To answer your question about tours being cancelled due to weather conditions. I don't believe so. What may be "cancelled" is the opportunity to climb Uluru. That is most definitely off-limits regardless of tour operator, regardless of whether you are visiting independently, if the temperature is over xx at yy. I think it is 34C at 0830 - but it could be a degree, or an hour, either way.

I've visited in January and July. Winter has to be best but Nov shouldn't be too outrageous temperature wise. Of course in the summer it is best to walk early - dawn and the few hours after are a truly beautiful time of day.

we did a 3 day tour with sahara outback tours, visting uluru and kings canyon then back to alice springs. the best thing we did was fly into ayers rock airport and we got picked up from there to start the tour. most of the others on the trip said the ride from alice springs was too long and the flight over uluru was amazing!

sahara was good, not a luxurious camping experience but it was very comfortable trip nonetheless. australia's a big country and there's a lot of driving involved to get from point a to point b.

http://www.saharatours.com.au/about_us.htm

We also did the tour with Sahara and would highly recommend them.

We went with Anangu tours. They're the only aboriginal tour group that operates from Uluru. They do a wonderful sunrise tour (their driver took us to a spot to view the sunrise where there were no other tourists) Afterwards you get a v.g. breakfast at the Cultural Center, then go on a walk with some aboriginal guides. There were only 9 of us so it was good. The day before we had done one of the huge APT tours on a coach. The Anangu tour was much better.

Slv_jr: My wife and I checked into our hotel for a two night stay, knowing we would have only one day to see both Uluru and Olgas. We are reasonably healthy, but can't walk great distances with ease. We also dislike large crowds/buses and we usually greatly enjoy naturalists conversation and knowledge.
Our hotel concierge reviewed our wishes and immediately hooked us up with a tour for sunrise at Uluru and sunset at Olgas, with time for a nap in between back at the hotel.
The point is there are dozens of group tours available, and each has its differences to offer. I would presume that in Dec you would have no problem getting a tour you like upon arrival at the hotel.
Ours was just fine: a small van with about 8 people, nothing fancy to eat, but a very knowledgable naturalist as guide.
We got up at 4 for Uluru, viewed the sunrise after coffee/tea and pastries, drove around the rock, walked up to a falls area. back to the hotel 10-11 or so.
Left about 3 for Olgas, had a walk up a canyon. kind of strenuous, not bad. Munchies and viewed sunset. Back about 9. This was all in August.
By all means, get a fly net at the store the day before your early morning trip. You will learn to love it.
The heat will cancel climbs up the rock, don't know about the individual tours.
Hope this helps.

If we rent a car at the airport can we reasonably find our way around Uluru and get in places without being on an actual tour?

I think that billj and I may have been on a tour with the same company at ULURU. I was also there, in August, and did Uluru/Olgas in a one-day, two night stay. I cannot believe I did NOT write down the name of the tour company. They were really excellent. The naturalist guides were all very kind and knowledgeable. I would not hesitate to tour with them again.. if I could only remember the NAME! LOL

I reread part of my journal and took note of a "note to myself"... NEVER book an OZ trip that goes straight to Uluru, and then think I'm going to see Ayres Rock/Olgas the VERY next day!!! I admit, that was some pretty poor planning. You need time to unwind and adjust to the time change.

You could rent a car at Uluru airport and not get lost, yes. But with all the tours available, I would just opt to take one. But I would NOT take one of the huge buses, IMO, with so many people. A small van, made for 6 to 10 or so is much more relaxing!