Attractions

Discovering Uluru (Ayers Rock)

At Sunrise & Sunset -- The peak time to catch the Rock's beauty is sunset, when oranges, peaches, pinks, reds, and then indigo and deep violet creep across its face as if it were a giant opal. Some days it's fiery, other days the colors are muted. A sunset-viewing car park is on the Rock's western side. Plenty of sunset and sunrise tours operate from the resort. A typical sunset tour is that offered by AAT Kings (tel. 08/8956 2171; ww.aatkings.com): It departs 90 minutes before sunset, includes a free glass of wine with which to watch the "show," and returns 20 minutes after sundown; the cost is A$40 (US$32/UK£16) for adults, A$28 (US$22/UK£11) for children 4 to 14. AAT Kings offers several other tours around the area, so if large-group touring is your thing then I really suggest you check out their website before leaving home.

At sunrise the colors are less dramatic, but many folks enjoy the spectacle of the Rock unveiled by the dawn to birdsong. You'll need an early start -- most tours leave about 75 minutes before sunup.

Climbing It -- Aborigines refer to tourists as minga -- little ants -- because that's what we look like crawling up Uluru. Climbing this thing is no picnic -- there's sometimes a strong wind that can blow you right off, the walls are almost vertical in places (you have to hold onto a chain), and it can be freezing cold or insanely hot. Quite a few people climbing the rock have died from heart attacks, heat stress, or falling off. If you're not in good shape; have breathing difficulties, heart trouble, or high or low blood pressure; or are just plain scared of heights, don't do it. The Rock is closed to climbers during bad weather; when temperatures exceed 97°F (36°C), which they often do from November to March; and when wind speed exceeds 25 knots, so climb in the stillness of early morning. Warning: Wherever you go at Uluru and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), bring lots of drinking water with you from the resort.

If that doesn't put you off, you'll be rewarded with views of the plain, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), and Mount Conner. The surface is rutted with ravines about 2.5m (8 1/4 ft.) deep, which demand scrambling. The climb takes at least 1 hour up for the fit, and 1 hour down. The less sure-footed should allow 3 to 4 hours all told.

Note: The Anangu do not like people climbing Uluru, because the climb follows the trail their ancestral Dreamtime Mala men took when they first came to Uluru. They allow people to climb but strongly prefer that they don't.

Walking, Driving, or Busing Around It -- A paved road runs around the Rock. The easy 9.4km (6-mile) Base Walk circumnavigating Uluru takes about 2 hours, but allow time to linger around the water holes, caves, folds, and overhangs that make up its walls. A shorter walk is the easy 1km (1/2-mile) round-trip trail from the Mutitjulu parking lot to the pretty water hole near the Rock's base, where there is some rock art. The Liru Track is another easy trail; it runs 2km (1 1/4 miles) from the Cultural Centre to Uluru, where it links with the Base Walk.

Make time for the free daily 2km (1 1/4-mile) Mala Walk, where the ranger, who is often an Aborigine, explains the Dreamtime myths behind Uluru, talks about Aboriginal lifestyles and hunting techniques in days past, and explains the significance of the rock art and other sites you see along the way. The 90-minute trip leaves the Mala Walk sign at the base of the Uluru climb at 10am May through September, and at a cooler 8am October through April.

Before setting off on any walk, it's a good idea to arm yourself with the self-guided walking notes available from the Cultural Centre.

Most companies offer base tours. As an example, Discovery Ecotours (tel. 1800/803 174; www.discoveryecotours.com.au) conducts a 5-hour guided base tour that gives you insight into natural history, rock art, and Dreamtime beliefs. It's scheduled to coincide with sunrise. The tour costs A$115 (US$92/UK£46) for adults and A$87 (US$70/UK£35) for children 6 to 15, but it's not suitable for kids under 10. The company also runs a 4-hour sunset trip to the Olgas for A$84 (US$67/UK£34) for adults and A$62 (US$50/UK£25) for kids.

Flying Over It -- Several companies do scenic flights by light aircraft or helicopter over Uluru, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas), nearby Mount Conner, the vast white saltpan of Lake Amadeus, and as far as Kings Canyon. Helicopters don't land on top of the Rock, however. As a guide to the flights available, Professional Helicopter Services (tel. 08/8956 2003; www.phs.com.au) does a 12- to 15-minute flight over Uluru for A$115 (US$92/UK£46) per adult, and a 25- to 30-minute flight, which includes the Olgas, for A$220 (US$176/UK£88). Kids under 13 usually pay half price (depending more on their weight than on their age). You can drive to the helicopter site on a Harley-Davidson for A$60 (US$48/UK£24) one-way and A$100 (US$80/UK£40) round-trip.

Motorcycling Around It -- Harley-Davidson tours are available as sunrise or sunset rides, laps of the Rock, and various other Rock and Kata Tjuta (Olgas) tours with time for the Olgas walks. A blast out to the Rock at sunset with Uluru Motorcycle Tours (tel. 08/8956 2019) will set you back A$145 (US$116/UK£58), which includes a glass of champagne. The guide drives the bike; you sit behind and hang on. Self-ride tours are available, too, at a hefty price. You can rent a Harley for a half-day for around A$365 (US$292/UK£146).

Viewing It on Camelback -- Legend has it that a soul travels at the same pace as a camel; it's certainly a peaceful way to see the Rock. Anangu Tours (tel. 08/8950 3030; www.anangutours.com.au) makes daily forays aboard "ships of the desert" to view Uluru. Amble through red-sand dunes with great views of the Rock, dismount to watch the sun rise or sink over it, and ride back to the depot for billy tea and beer bread in the morning, or champagne in the evening. The 1-hour rides depart Ayers Rock Resort 1 hour before sunrise or 1 1/2 hours before sunset, and cost A$95 (US$76/UK£38) per person, including transfers from your hotel. All tours leave from the Camel Depot at the Ayers Rock Resort.

Travel Tip -- Most tourists visit Uluru in the mornings and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) in the afternoon. Reverse the order (do the Valley of the Winds walk in the morning and Uluru in the afternoon) and you'll find both spots a little more silent and spiritual.

Exploring the Olgas

Although not everyone has heard of massive Mount Olga (or "the Olgas"), a sister monolith an easy 50km (31-mile) drive west of Uluru, many folks who have say it's lovelier and more mysterious, and I agree. Known to the Aborigines as Kata Tjuta, or "many heads," the Olgas' 36 momentous red domes bulge out of the earth like turned clay on a potter's wheel. The tallest dome is 200m (656 ft.) higher than Uluru. The Olgas are more important in Aboriginal Dreamtime legend than Uluru.

Two walking trails take you in among the domes: the 7.4km (4 1/2-mile) Valley of the Winds walk, which is fairly challenging and takes 3 to 5 hours, and the easy 2.6km (1 1/2-mile) Gorge walk, which takes about an hour. The Valley of the Winds trail is the more rewarding in terms of scenery. Both have lookout points and shady stretches. The Valley of the Winds trail closes when temperatures rise above 97°F (36°C).

When You See the Southern Cross for the First Time

Light pollution is extremely low in the Red Centre, so the night sky is a dazzler. At the Ayers Rock Observatory, you can check out your zodiac constellation and take a 1-hour tour of the Southern Hemisphere heavens (they're different from the Northern Hemisphere stars).

To visit the observatory, you must join a tour with Discovery Ecotours (tel. 1800/803 174 in Australia, or 08/8956 2563; www.discoveryecotours.com.au), which provides hotel pickup and a tour. Tours depart twice a night; times vary. They cost A$33 (US$26/UK£13) for adults, A$25 (US$20/UK£10) for children 6 to 15. Family rates are available on request.