If you want an opportunity to blow thousands of dollars in less than 24 hours, Ayers Rock (also known by its Aboriginal name Uluru), is an ideal place to do so.
After spending two and a half days in Cairns [see post: Koalas and Reefs: Cairns], my grandmother and I took the first flight out to the southwest corner of Australia’s Northern Territory on Tuesday, August 22, 2017. Not expecting to return to Australia during my lifetime, I wanted to cover all of the country’s highlights in one trip. Of course, this included Ayers Rock.
Let’s cut to the chase – even if you have the money to spend, you do not need more than one night in Uluru. You are traveling to see a rock. Yes, it may be a majestic and culturally significant rock, but, at the end of the day, it is just a rock! For the average person, adding Ayers Rock to an itinerary will be expensive. Flights are expensive. Lodging is ridiculously expensive. Activities are expensive. And, there is really not much to do. Besides spend money.
Ayers Rock Airport offers the only free part of your itinerary – free round-trip airport transfers. Buses wait outside of the arrivals lounge for every flight. You simply grab your bags and head outside to the buses. Five hotels, one lodge, and a campground make up “Ayers Rock Resort”. With limited options comes monopoly pricing. There was no way that I was going to pay hundreds to thousands to sleep in comfort for one night. I ended up convincing my grandmother to stay in a cabin at the Ayers Rock Campground. Although expensive ($179 AUD or about $139 USD for a camp-style accommodation with no toilet inside), it was the cheapest option aside from camping in a tent.
Given my grandmother’s limited mobility, there was not much for us to do. We dropped off our backpacks and walked towards the Town Square – the hub of the Resort.
Similar to most town centers, this area includes restaurants, shops, and galleries. All of which can be covered in about an hour’s time.
There really was not much to do. Besides spend money. So, I did just that. After walking the entire resort in under an hour, I walked into the tours and information center and left $300 AUD (or about $246 USD) poorer. I decided to surprise my grandmother with a quick impromptu helicopter scenic flight. Normally, I would research these types of activities beforehand, especially since I like reading reviews and finding the best deal, but this was unplanned.
Originally, our itinerary did not include getting up close and personal with Ayers Rock. I could not take my grandmother hiking, and I was not going to leave her behind to do so. Note: Climbing Ayers Rock is strongly discouraged. Although it may be just a rock to you, it is culturally significant to the inhabitants of the area, and therefore, disrespectful. The helicopter scenic flight showcased Ayers Rock and the emptiness that surrounds it. Although unplanned, it was definitely the highlight of the day. The 360-degree view of Ayers Rock was specular.
Prior to arriving in Australia, I spent a lot of time researching things to do in the area. Sunrise and sunset experiences seemed to be the most recommended. I arranged our itinerary to include both – Sounds of Silence (sunset) and Uluru Sunrise and Kata Tjuta Tour (sunrise).
Although expensive ($398 AUD or about $309 USD for two people), I now understand why Sounds of Silence was entered into the Australian Tourism Hall of Fame – it truly is a unique and worthwhile fine dining experience. The experience begins with hors d’oeuvres and champagne served on a viewing platform overlooking the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
As the sun sets and darkness falls, you enjoy an evening of dining under the beautiful outback sky. During dinner, the resort’s resident star talker decodes the southern night sky.
The next morning, we were picked up from the Ayers Rock Resort before dawn for the Uluru Sunrise and Kata Tjuta Tour. We entered Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and walked up to a crowded platform overlooking Ayers Rock.
The darkness quickly started to fade. Sleepy faces sipping coffee were quickly brought to life by the sun rising and painting the sky while highlighting the massive rock sitting in the background!
A truly incredible experience – words cannot describe the beauty of Uluru.
The tour concluded around 11:00 in the morning, about three hours before our departure to Sydney [see post: Two Days in Sydney, Australia].
I would not recommend more than one night in Uluru. With the right planning, you can do everything and more in 24 hours. If you have time to spare, the resort also offers a variety of workshops and Segway, motorcycle, and camel tours. Additionally, there are excursions and cultural experiences that you can arrange, such as visiting aboriginal villages. And, if you have the interest and extra money to spend, you can also add the Field of Light art installation to the Sounds of Silence dinner for a complete experience of everything the area has to offer.
