I felt the magic – Uluru
March 2019
I went to Uluru with my Mum, we got a deal from Flight Centre – thanks Mum for organising – so we had flights and accommodation included for like $600 each. We flew from Sydney to Uluru and then hired a car at the airport – I used a work code so it was heavily discounted otherwise car hire was very steep but there are buses to take you everywhere.
Where did we stay?
When you get to the accommodation area, its like a number of hotels and camping grounds that are all owned by the Aboriginal Corporation and so it had a feel of a theme park to me. But you can basically stay for $30 a night or you can go first class and stay at a hotel. We stayed at The Lost Camel Hotel it was great, it was 4 stars and inside the theme park so perfect for what we needed. There is heaps of car parking outside that makes it easy if you do have a vehicle, otherwise the buses pull up out the front of each hotel from memory.
We were there for three nights and we could have easily stayed another couple of nights just to relax by the pool and explore the different pubs etc. The place has such a beautiful feel to it, like I was not expecting to think it was that great but it definitely has this surreal feeling about it. The colours are so beautiful in the sky throughout the sunrise and sunset and it was just so delightful.
Field of Lights
We did a camel ride across the desert and then had canopes and champagne while the sun set and the Field of Lights came to life. The Field of Lights was the one thing Mum wanted to go to Uluru for so I am glad that it was as amazing as it was. This was probably the best evening, such a fun way to get there via the camels – and we beat the buses so we got extra champagne and nibbles!
Field of Light | Ayers Rock Resort check out the link to buy passes. Also I could not recommend a camel ride enough – Camel to Sunrise | Ayers Rock Resort it seriously was a highlight there and ending at the Field of Lights was so special. A very beautiful night.
Walk 10k around the rock
We walked the perimeter of Uluru, its a 10km treacherous journey – just kidding – its flat the whole way but it’s just hot in the sun and long. But its cool to see the changing shapes of the rock as you go around, the caves, water holes that have minimal water – but somehow still have water. It took us about three hours I think so walk around the whole thing.
Climbing the rock
This is a thing of the past, but I will say that I did it. I thought it was so dangerous, I over took everyone and was the first one to the top by like a good twenty minutes. There was a part just before the top where I stopped and waited awhile for others to come cause the wind was so strong and I had to climb up this cliff edge so if i fell, no one would have known. Then i got sick of waiting and ran up it, but holy the wind was so strong! I saw people going up with small children and carrying babies in front and back carriers and honestly, so impressive, and I would do it too but that was hectic in some parts. It’s a beautiful view from the top, but also just a cool feeling to be on top.
Street paintings
There is a cultural centre that has paintings and souvenirs. My advice is grab a painting from the locals that come and sit in the middle of the little town area, they sell them for like $30 where you will pay hundreds in the Cultural Centre.
One thing I found surprising was the lack of Indigenous people at Uluru or near the accommodation area. I think we saw like three locals, apparently the community they live in is outside the area so they rarely come to the tourist area.
Kata-Tjuta
Kata Tjuta is also known as the Olgas, its a group of big rock formations or bornhardts. They are really cool and just as beautiful to see as Uluru itself. They are about 25km west of Uluru and when you drive to Uluru from the accommodation, you see them on the right and Uluru is straight ahead. I would recommend having a day to explore them, we did the Valley of the Winds walks | Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (parksaustralia.gov.au). The trail is 7.4km, grade 3-4 and takes about 2-3 hours when you stop for photos and navigate the rocky paths. It was a very cool walk.
Wish list
Would have been really cool to do a drive to Kings Canyon, have only heard amazing things about it. But it was three hours each way and would have been way too much for us. My thoughts would be to stay at Uluru for the three nights then spend a night up near the canyon so you don’t have to drive so much.
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