Booking choice: The Kings Canyon day tour from Ayers Rock Resort, from $242 per person. Check dates Tour details
Watarrka National Park is jointly managed by the NT Parks and Wildlife Commission and its Traditional Owners, and it sits about 450 km south-west of Alice Springs. Like most NT parks, it charges visitors through one pass, the NT Parks Visitor Pass.
The pass costs from A$10 and is bought online. The two things that catch people out are where you buy it and what it does not cover. If you mean the other Kings Canyon, the national park in California, see the Sequoia and Kings Canyon fees post instead.
The quick answer
An adult NT Parks Visitor Pass costs A$10 for one day, A$20 for three days and up to A$60 for a year (2026 prices). You can only buy it online, before you go. It does not cover Uluru-Kata Tjuta, which needs a separate Parks Australia ticket. Some tours include the pass; the Kings Canyon day tour from Ayers Rock Resort does not, and its listing asks you to buy it online.
Do you need an NT Parks Pass for Kings Canyon?
Yes, if you are visiting the Northern Territory. NT residents do not need one but may be asked for proof.
The NT Government says visitors need an NT Parks Visitor Pass for most of its national parks and reserves, Watarrka included. Residents of the Territory are exempt and may be asked to show proof such as an NT driver licence.
The rule is the same in your own car, a hire car from Alice Springs or Yulara, or on a tour. Tourism NT's advice for tour guests is that the pass might already be in your booking, and to check with the operator. The tour section below shows which of ours include it.
How much is the NT Parks Visitor Pass in 2026?
A$10 for an adult for one day, A$20 for three days, A$30 for two weeks, A$45 for a month and A$60 for a year.
Children aged 5 to 17 pay about half the adult price, and the family pass is for two adults and four children. Concession rates apply to holders of an Australian Government Seniors Card, Pensioner Concession Card or DVA Card, who must show that card with the pass if a ranger asks. Camping and walking fees are separate from the pass, per the NT Government.
For a day trip, the 1-day pass is enough. If you are staying near the canyon and then driving on through the Red Centre, the 3-day or 2-week pass covers every NT Government park on your route for its dates.
| Pass (2026) | Adult | Child 5-17 | Family (2+4) | Concession |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | A$10 | A$5 | A$25 | A$8 |
| 3 days | A$20 | A$10 | A$50 | A$16 |
| 2 weeks | A$30 | A$15 | A$75 | A$24 |
| 1 month | A$45 | A$22 | A$110 | A$36 |
| Annual | A$60 | A$30 | A$150 | A$48 |
How do you buy the NT Parks Pass?
Online only, through the NT parks booking system, before you go.
The NT Government's wording is short: you can only get the visitor pass online, and you should do it before you go. You need to log in to the parks booking system to buy it. Do it while you have reliable signal, in Alice Springs or at Ayers Rock Resort; large parts of the outback have no mobile coverage, and at Kings Creek Station it is limited to the main entrance.
A Rim Walk day starts early, and on days forecast at 36°C (97°F) or more the walk must be started before 9am. Our Rim Walk guide covers the heat rules, water and footwear.
Does the NT Parks Pass cover Uluru-Kata Tjuta?
No. Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu are run by Parks Australia and need their own pass.
Keep the two apart on a Red Centre trip. Kings Canyon is in an NT Government park; Uluru-Kata Tjuta is run by Parks Australia. The NT pass will not get you in there, and the Uluru ticket will not cover Watarrka.
The listing for the Uluru sunrise and Kata Tjuta morning on this site says its park ticket is AUD 38 for adults over 18, free for children, valid for 3 consecutive days and bought online beforehand. If you visit Uluru and Kings Canyon on the same trip, sort both passes in one sitting.
| Park | Managed by | Pass you need |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park) | NT Government | NT Parks Visitor Pass |
| Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park | Parks Australia | Separate Parks Australia pass |
| Kakadu National Park | Parks Australia | Separate Parks Australia pass |
Uluru at sunrise with a hot drink, then a walk into Walpa Gorge at Kata Tjuta (park ticket extra).
Check dates for the Uluru sunrise and Kata Tjuta morningWhich Kings Canyon tours include the park pass?
The multi-day camping tours include park fees, per their listings. The day tour from Ayers Rock Resort does not, for now.
The 3-day Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon camping tour includes "Watarrka and Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park entry fees", which takes care of both passes at once. The 4-day Red Centre 4WD tour includes "All National Park pass entry fees", and so does the 3-day one-way trip through the Mereenie Loop.
The Kings Canyon day tour from Ayers Rock Resort lists the NT Parks Pass as not included, and asks you to buy it online for AUD 10 per person. The listing also says that from 1 April 2027 the pass will be included in the tour price. That is the operator's own wording on its listing, not an NT Government announcement.
| Tour | NT Parks Pass | Uluru-Kata Tjuta ticket |
|---|---|---|
| Kings Canyon day tour from Ayers Rock Resort | Not included: buy online (listing: AUD 10); included from 1 April 2027, per the listing | n/a (Kings Canyon only) |
| 3-day camping tour | Included | Included |
| 4-day Red Centre 4WD tour | Included (all national park fees) | Included (all national park fees) |
| 3-day Mereenie Loop trip | Included (all national park fees) | n/a (no Uluru visit listed) |
A cooked breakfast on the way, then the Rim Walk or an easier canyon-floor walk, back at Ayers Rock Resort the same night.
Explore the Kings Canyon day tour from Ayers Rock Resort Tour detailsWhat changes at Kings Creek Station from 1 November 2026?
Kings Creek Station, 36 km from the canyon, is closed from 1 November 2026 and reopens on 1 March 2027.
The station is a working cattle station with camping and glamping, and it shows up in several plans. The day tour from Ayers Rock Resort lists its cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station; if you travel between November and February, ask the operator where breakfast is served while the station is closed. The transfer to Alice Springs picks up at Kings Canyon Resort at about 12:00 as well as at the station.
Self-drivers lose one place to buy the Mereenie Loop Pass, but Kings Canyon Resort reception, the Hermannsburg General Store, the Stanley Chasm shop, the Central Land Council office and the Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre all sell it. For a bed near the canyon this summer, look at Discovery Resorts - Kings Canyon. Summer is also the hot season: the NT Government limits park access under a heat management strategy from September to March. Read getting to Kings Canyon from Uluru and Alice Springs before you choose a route.
Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the Kings Canyon Rim Walk in three days, with swags, all meals and both park passes included.
Check dates for the 3-day Uluru and Kings Canyon camping tourFrequently asked questions
How much is the NT Parks Pass for Kings Canyon?
In 2026 an adult pass costs A$10 for one day, A$20 for three days, A$30 for two weeks, A$45 for a month or A$60 for a year. Children aged 5 to 17 pay about half.
Where do you buy the NT Parks Visitor Pass?
Only online, through the NT parks booking system, before you go. Buy it before you leave Alice Springs or Ayers Rock Resort, because mobile coverage near Kings Canyon is limited.
Does the NT Parks Pass cover Uluru?
No. Uluru-Kata Tjuta and Kakadu are Parks Australia parks and need a separate pass. The NT pass covers NT Government parks such as Watarrka, where Kings Canyon is.
Is the NT Parks Pass included in Kings Canyon tours?
On some. The 3-day camping tour, the 4-day 4WD tour and the 3-day Mereenie Loop trip include park fees, per their listings. The day tour from Ayers Rock Resort does not; its listing says the pass will be included from 1 April 2027.
Ready to book
Choose your tour
Free cancellation on every option: Kings Canyon Day Tour from Ayers Rock Resort up to 24 hours before; Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon Camping Tour up to 7 days before; 4-Day Red Centre 4WD Tour with Kings Canyon up to 14 days before. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Kings Canyon Day Tour from Ayers Rock Resort
- Coach from Ayers Rock Resort hotels and back
- Cooked breakfast at Kings Creek Station
- Rim Walk (3.7 miles) or a less strenuous walk
Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon Camping Tour
- 2 nights from Alice Springs or 3 from Yulara, in swags with a sleeping bag
- All meals
- Watarrka and Uluru-Kata Tjuta park fees
4-Day Red Centre 4WD Tour with Kings Canyon
The whole Red Centre in one loop
