Top 5 Things to Do in Uluru

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The best time to visit Uluru or Ayers Rock is during autumn (around April to May) or spring (around September to October). The winter months (June to August) might be a bit chilly, but as long as you don't go outdoors at night (and you won't have a reason to) you should be fine. Many would generally avoid the summer months from November to March because walking in the desert with a temperature over 40ºC is not exactly the most pleasant experience.

[ADVERT]I visited in late April and it was very hot during the day but cold at night so remember to pack some warm clothing. Bring a fly net too if you have one (otherwise you can buy from the shops at Uluru) because flies are rampant especially during hotter days and insect repellent is not 100% effective.

From experience, two full days is probably sufficient to experience all Uluru has to offer, but if you have three days you can fit in more activities. Driving is highly recommended, as tours can add up to be quite expensive. If you have more time, you can also drive out to Kings Canyon (about 4.5 hours away). Another option is to drive to Alice Springs (about 7 hours away) and fly out of there so you get to explore the town as well.

There are two rock formations that everyone should visit - Uluru and Kata Tjuta, which are both located in the Ulu& #7775 ;u-Kata Tju& #7791 ;a National Park. To visit the National Park, you need to purchase a park pass from the park entrance gate. The park pass costs $25 and is valid for three days.

Below are my top five things to do at Uluru:

1) See sunrise and/or sunset at Uluru


You can either follow a tour or drive out to the viewing sites yourself. The latter provides more flexibility and you can always arrive at the lookouts earlier to avoid the crowd and get yourself a good spot. The colour of Uluru does change as the sun rises or sets, but it is the same for everything really. Nevertheless it was still an amazing sight.

2) See sunrise and/or sunset at Kata Tjuta (a.k.a The Olgas)


I have never heard of Kata Tjuta prior to my visit, so I was really amazed when I first saw this beautiful rock formation. The drive from Uluru to Kata Tjuta takes about an hour, but depending on which lookout you are going to it might only take half an hour. I would recommend seeing sunrise at Uluru and sunset at Kata Tjuta. For the overly ambitious, you can of course do both sunrise and sunset at both locations.




3) Go hiking

There are many hiking and walking trails at Uluru and Kata Tjuta, ranging from easy to difficult and suit people of all ages. Some of the sceneries are really worth the hike. Just note that it can get really hot during the day so bring a hat and sunscreen.










Note that it is not advisable to climb Uluru as it poses some danger and also as a respect to the wishes of Anangu, the Aboriginal owners of the land. It is also not advisable to remove any rocks from the sacred land and take them home as it is disrespectful to the land. There are many superstitious stories about people who encountered bad luck after picking up rocks that they are not supposed to, which you can read about in the "Sorry Book" at the Information Centre (quite an interesting read actually).

4) Ride a camel

Uluru Camel Tours offers a few camel ride options, such as the sunrise and sunset rides. You can also do a 10-minute camel ride at the camel farm for $15 just to see what it's like.

5) Have dinner at the outback


Go on the Sounds of Silence tour. Note that you will be assigned a seat at a table of ten, which is a great way to meet other tourists, but not so great if you want a romantic and private dinner. A three course buffet style dinner was served, which was all right but not exceptional. Also, as dinner is served after the sun sets, you can't really see the Uluru anyway.

Now onto the positive, I really liked the atmosphere. While everything is pitch black and all you see are the stars, you can really experience the outback. The staff also did a great job explaining the Aboriginal culture, Australian outback and the night sky but for a local who has lived in Australia for many years, this is not new information. So this tour is probably catered more to overseas visitors. At $195 per person, although an amazing experience, it wasn't really that great value for money.

For a private romantic dinner, check out Tali Wiru , but it is much more expensive at $325 per person.

Apart from the above activities, the Uluru Cultural Centre is also a great way to spend your time while learning about the history and culture of this majestic place. You can also buy some local artwork there and support the Aboriginal community.

In terms of accommodation, there are not that many to choose from really. The most luxurious is Longitude 131 (which costs about $1000 per person), followed by Sails in the Dessert, Dessert Gardens Hotel, Emu Walk Apartments, Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge, and the Ayers Rock camp-ground. For more information about accommodation, tours and a full range of things to do at Uluru, feel free to visit this link and this link .

Last but not least, let me leave you with a photo of the Red Centre as seen from the plane.



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