The Ayers Rock
No one need say it.  The Uluru or Ayers Rock is undoubtedly the most famous Australian landmark and its biggest tourist attraction.  All visitors to down under, whether queen or commoner must stop by.

Towering 348 metres above the surrounding scrubland this 3.6 km long rock is breathtaking.  Standing mighty in the middle of nowhere, its red colour becomes deeper and deeper as the sunset and at dawn.  It is thought that two-thirds of the Rock lies beneath the sand. Called Uluru by the local Anangu Aboriginal people, the rock is of great religious significance. The Aboriginal people own the park, but lease it permanently to the Federal Government. 

Climbing the rock, though allowed, goes against Aboriginal spiritual beliefs.  The Aborigines call the people who climb the Ayers Rock, the 'Minga Mob'.  Minga means ant and that’s how the climbers look from afar.  Thanks to an increased awareness and respect for Aboriginal culture, the numbers of visitors climbing the rocks have declined. 

Walks: Don't climb the Ayers Rock; instead take one of the several walks which highlight the mythology, geology and the wildlife of the area.  Options include the Base Walk , which is 10 kilometres and can take upto five hours.  Just buy a brochure and you'll be fine on your own.  You'll see several sacred sites that are fenced off; to enter these is an offence.  The Mala Walk takes one from the base of the climbing point and lasts about one and a-half hours.  You can take this walk on your own though there are guided tours. The Mutitjulu Walk is a 1 km round trip and goes to the Mutitjulu water hole on the southern side of Uluru. Aborigine mythology speaks of the two ancestral snakes who clashed at the site.

Climbing the Rock: If you really must climb, you should be very careful. Many people have died, usually of a heart attack but some by tumbling down.  The climb is 1.6 kms and takes 2 hours both ways.  The first part is the toughest. Phones are available for emergencies at the base and mid way up. When the temperature goes over 38 degrees the climb is shut till 4 pm in the evening.  Take lots of water and as it is very windy at the top, try not to fly away with the wind.

Aboriginal Tours: The Uluru Kata Kjuta National Park Cultural Centre has great facilities.  There are displays of Aboriginal art, tours on aboriginal culture and a chance to see artists at work and dancers performing.  It lies 1km before Ayers Rock on the road from Yulara. The centre is open from 7am to 5.30 pm in winters and till 6pm in summers. The centre also has excellent picnic areas with open air cooking facilities.

Kata Tjuta: Kata Tjuta or the Olgas are another bunch of rocks 30 km to the west of Uluru.  They are smaller and more rounded but perhaps even more impressive than the Uluru.

Kata Tjuta means many heads and are of sacred significance to the Mala Tjukarpa people. The tallest rock is Mt. Olga at 546 metres, which is taller than the Uluru.  You can walk down the Valley of the Winds, which is a 7 km walk, or go on a train into the Olga Gorge.   But if you want to walk on further west then it is another 1500km to Kalgoorlie and 200 km to Docker River, so unless you have a death wish, we wouldn't recommend that!

The nearby town of Yulara is only 20 kms away from Uluru. The Connellan airport is 5 km away from Yulara and direct flights from major centres across Australia head there.  Rent a car, take a bus, and walk around the town.

The best time to visit is during the winter the in June/July, which is the dry season, though the wet also has its amazing electrical storms and greenery that defies the imagination.  However, the roads usually become swimming pools and quagmires, and the high humidity can be unbearable for those who are not acclimatized to it.  Also some of the national parks are closed, and swimming is out of the question because of the box jellyfish (stingers)

Accommodation is at a premium in Uluru and can set you back by a neat amount. Hotels come at the top end and offer 4 and 5-star facilities including room service, spas and sports facilities. Apartments are a great option in Yulara; they accommodate four to eight people, provide kitchens and TVs and communal laundry facilities and most importantly are centrally located

Campsites and budget options are not very economical and fall in the ‘budget’ bracket, relatively speaking. The other cheap option is dormitory style accommodation, but the facilities badly need upgrading. Cabins on the camping grounds are the most popular, though bathrooms have to be shared.

For more state  and visitor information, see Northern Territory.
For country information, see Australia.