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Uluru/Ayers Rock

Uluru/Ayers Rock is Australia's most recognizable natural icon. Ayers Rock called Uluru by the native people who consider it a sacred place is a striking monolith which is 3.6 km long, 9.4 km around the base and rises almost 350 meters above the vast pancake-flat surrounding red sandy plain. It is like an iceberg in the desert. Its size has to be experienced in person to be believed, yet supposedly two third of it is still buried below the ground. Besides its monumental size, the detail of its gullies and caves, as well as the colors that it takes at different times of the day all add to its interest.

The native people prefer it that the Rock not be climbed. Tour with Aboriginal guides, who will explain some of the important creation laws of Uluru are available. But if you’d rather explore on your own, there is signage that also provides fascinating details of the significance of Uluru. To climb Uluru requires some effort and should be done early in the morning to avoid the heat later in the day. Carry plenty of water. The Visitor's Centre in the township of Ayers Rock is where accommodation, from camping sites to luxury hotels, can be found.

To the west of Uluru and standing over 200 metres taller than Uluru, are the gigantic domes of Mt Olga/Kata Tjuta, the traditional name meaning many heads. There are in fact 36 separate domes, and you’ll feel as if you need many heads to absorb the myriad of sights. Also known as the Olgas, it to is a sacred site to the indigenous people of the area. A drive to Ayers rock is situated 475km by sealed road from Alice Springs and is a 4.5 hours drive. Darwin is situated 1305km from Alice Springs in the Australian outback. The road from Darwin is a super smooth bitumen highway and there is a 130km/hr speed limit along this stretch of road in Australia.