An efficient method for the covalent binding of single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNT) to gold nanorods (AuNR), based on an inverse-electron-demand Diels–Alder (IEDDA) reaction, is established and discussed. This thermally-mild preparation method allows the potential introduction of thermally-labile species to Au–CNT conjugates. This IEDDA approach provides controllable, clean, and facile access to polymer-free organic-soluble AuNR–SWCNT conjugates for potential applications in catalysis, sensing, and electronic devices.