We've just come back from 3 days at Uluru. What an amazing, magical experience it was!
The light, the landscape, the energy out there is absolutely wonderful. Definitely something you should experience. It was even better than we imagined.
I've popped up some photos of our trip below. I've also shared a quick recap of our itinerary.
Day 1
We flew into Uluru and landed around 2pm. We hired a car from Hertz then drove the 10 mins to our accommodation at Ayres Rock Resort.
We stayed at Sails in the Desert. The resort, rooms and grounds were lovely.
All well maintained, the food was great and the staff were friendly.
We checked in, had lunch then decided to head out to Uluru for our first close up of the rock and a walk.
We headed to the Mala walk for our first stroll.
The light on Uluru was amazing at this time of day, around 4pm. The sun and rock were glowing. There weren't many people around as most people tend to do their walks earlier in the day. There was something special about being so close to the rock, it was very still and very silent in parts.
The contrast between the rock, the sky and the trees was stunning.
Sunset was 6pm and we found a spot nearby with a stunning view. The colours as the sun set were indescribable. I've never seen a better sunset. The best!
We had dinner at Ilkari restaurant. A buffet with Australian delights like crocodile curry, kangaroo loin and other more regular dishes. Delicious! Then time for bed, ready to get up early to see the sunrise.
Day 2
Sunrise was 7.30 am so we left just around 6.30 to drive to Talinguru Nyakunytjaku viewing area for the sunrise. The pink and yellow light captured Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa in the background. It was quite chilly so make sure you rug up. There are various paths to wander as you watch the light change and a raised platform to view Uluru and the surrounding land from a different perspective.
We headed back to the hotel for breakfast and to freshen up. Our room rate included a buffet breakfast so that was a lovely start to each day. We decided to drive out to Kata Tjuṯa and explore that area.
We drove to the Dune viewing platform. There is also Walpa Gorge to explore and the Valley of the Winds. We just did the gentle walks and enjoyed the views. The sun glinting off the spinifex was beautiful.
We spent the afternoon chilling and relaxing in the grounds of the resort and later that night did a tour of the Field of Lights nearby. All the lights and colours were stunning against the night sky, the stars were also so clear. Definitely a worthwhile experience.
"Spanning over the area of seven football fields, Uluru Field of Light is the largest installation that artist Bruce Munro has ever created. Carrying the name Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku (which means looking at lots of beautiful lights), it consists of over 50,000 lights that bring life and colour to the desert."
Day 3
Our last day here, so after breakfast we headed out to Uluru again to explore another part of the area. This time we walked around the Kuniya walk and the Mutitjulu Waterhole. This part was more shaded and cooler and offered a different perspective of Uluru. It was crazy to see how different each part is.
We then drove to the Cultural Centre and browsed around then drove around Uluru seeing it from every angle. We finished up at the Mala walk again for our last wander around Uluru.
It was then time to pack our bags and head to the airport. We brought back lots of red dust, photos and amazing memories of our time there. Amazing!
