Ayers Rock

Ayers Rock also known as Uluru lies 450km southwest of Alice Springs.  It is the world’s largest monolith and an Aboriginal sacred site, making it Australia’s famous natural landmark.  It is 9 km in circumference and rises an imposing 348 metres, 380.6 yards above a wide, sandy floodplain covered in Spinifex and desert oak. The enormous size of the rock is astounding when you realise that it is estimated about two thirds exist below the ground. Depending on the position of the sun during the day, Uluru changes colour from shades of fiery red, delicate mauve, blue, pink and brown, and rainfall creates a silver veil over the entire rock.

The only way to truly experience Uluru is to visit it. No Uluru photo can show the magnificence of the size and colours of the rock (348 metres high). Like the Olgas, Uluru is set within the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. At the base of Ayers Rock there is a walking track that runs around the circumference of Uluru giving visitors the opportunity to see some Aboriginal rock art and also the Mutitjulu Waterhole, on a walking tour with an aboriginal guide, learning about its fascination with the Uluru people and its importance in dreamtime legend. Visitors may also wish to make the tough 1.6km ascent to the top of the rock. The walk is worth it, although as with all of the walks you should start early in the morning before the sun gets too hot.
Uluru holds deep Aboriginal significance to the Anangu people, and many stories are told as you wander around the base. You can also learn about Ayers Rock at the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park Cultural Centre. Many of these stories relate to how the ancestral beings formed Uluru and all of its marks and crevices.

Around the base you will see numerous Aboriginal paintings, along with descriptive boards explaining about the paintings. Some areas of the rock are sacred and are clearly marked, so the Anangu people request that you do not take pictures or enter these areas.

Two shorter walks that you can do are the Mala Walk, which is 2km, and the Mutitjulu Walk, which is 1km. The Mala Walk tells the story of the Tjukurpa (traditional law) of the Mala (hare-wallaby people). The Mutitjulu is a permanent waterhole and the walk tells the story of the clash between the two ancestral snakes Kuniya and Liru. You can either follow a guided tour or take the walks on your own.

If you do decide to climb Ayers Rock, then make sure that you have comfortable footwear and take lots of water. You should also aim to be down by 9am during the summer months as it is too hot to climb any later than this. The walk takes about 3 hours in total, with breathtaking views of the Olgas and surrounding area.

If you don't fancy walking around Ayers Rock, you should definitely go to watch it during sunrise or sunset, when the rock changes colours, from greys, to browns, to reds, to oranges, to yellows. It really is an amazing experience to watch this happening.

Accommodation is just a short drive away at the Ayers Rock resort, with a wide selection of accommodation including a camping ground, hostel, apartments and hotels. The resort also offers a servo, as well as numerous restaurants and shops.