Uluru ( Ayers Rock),Australia

Uluru or as is often known Ayers Rock, is a large sacred sandstone structure  in central Australia. At 348 m high and 9.4 km in circumference, it is undoubtedly one of Australia’s most recognizable landmarks. Throughout the day, Uluru appears to change color ranging in hue from brown and pink to delicate mauve, and sometimes even fiery red. Impressively the visible part of Uluru is just the tip of an enormous underground stab.

The   History of   Uluru.

Steeped in history archaeological evidence suggests that Uluru has been home to aboriginal people for at least 20.000 years. It’s long been an area  of great cultural significance to its indigenous owners, the Anangu. The Anangu  believe that they are the direct descendants of those who created all the distinct features and living things in the desert landscape you see today. As such they firmly regard themselves as responsible for the protection and maintenance of these ancestral lands.

In 1873  William Gosse named Uluru Ayers Rock aster the Chief Secretary of South Australia at  the time, Sir Henry Ayers. Many years later in 1950 the Ayers rock – Mount Olga National Park was formed. Then in 1985 the Australian government handed the title back to its rightful owners, the Anangu on the provision that it would be leased back for a period of 99 years and jointly managed. This led to the adoption of a dual naming policy in 1993, resulting in the now official name of Uluru/ Ayers Rock.

Climbing Uluru

Climbing  Uluru is undoubtedly a contentious issue as the route follows the sacred path taken by the ancestral Mala. The indigenous aboriginal owners of Uluru, the Anangu specifically request that visitors respect their culture and avoid climbing the rock. Further the Australian government discourage the climb due to the  dangerous involved.  People have died attempting to climb and many more have suffered injuries. That being said, the law does not currently prohibit the climb an dmany choose to disregard the Anangu’s request. If you decide to climb know that despite a chain rope path to help, the climb is strenuous and will take around two hours to complete. As such you should only attempt to climb if you  are fit and healthy. If you are visiting Uluru for the sole reason of climbing, you should bear in mind that is often closed as a result of strong winds or high temperatures. In fact if at any point the temperature exceeds 36 degree Celsius, climbing is prohibited for the remainder  of the day. As  a result  of the extreme heat  during the daytime climbing at down is most popular. Regardless  of what time of day you climb , wearing a hat and using plenty of sun cream is necessary, because between the wind and sun reflections on the rock you will burn a lot quicker than you’d ordinarily expect.

However if you brave the heat and manage to reach the summit, you will be greeted with an exhilarating breathtaking panorama, which many regard as the highlight of their whole Australia experience. If you choose to respect Tjukurpa and Anangu  wishes there are several walks available as an alternative to climbing Uluru. Perhaps the most popular is the magnificent 3.5 – hour 10.6 km Uluru base walk, which takes you around the entire circumference of the rock. Bear in mind that some sacred sights along the way are fenced off from the public domain. The Mala walk provides an interesting alternative offering an opportunity to experiencing several caves and a variety of rock art. For a shorter trip the 1 km Kniya walk takes you to the Mtijulu waterhole where you can experience the Anangu people telling creation stories firsthand. If you’re looking for somewhere to watch the sunset  take a 4 km Lungkata walk, which offers you a fantastic location  close to the rock. Lastly base  of Uluru along which you will often see colorful flowers if it’s  recently rained.

How to get to Uluru

In order to get to Uluru you have to first to fly to Alice Springs from any major Australian airport once in Alice Springs you can  either take a 45 – minute flight to Ayers Rock Airport, or take a 4.5 – hour drive  across Australians outback. Buses from Alice Springs to Uluru are also available. but will inevitably take considerably longer.

Best time to visit Uluru

Uluru is part of the Uluru – Kata Tjuta Natiomnal Park, which is open all year round; though opening times vary. The summer (December – February) will bring extreme heat, whilst the winter weather (June- August) is a lot cooler. If you are planning to climb Uluru or do any of the walks then avoiding the heat and visiting in the cooler months is highly recommended. However if you  just want to see the rock nd take photographs anu time of year would be suitable.

Where to stay near  Uluru

The Ayers Rock resort is situated just 6 km from the Ayers Rock Airport and offers five different accommodation options    at various price points. The choice is between the sails in the Desert Hotel, Emu Walk Apartments, Desert Gardens Hotel, Outback  Pioneer  Hotel &  Lodge and the Ayers roick Campground. Whether you are looking to luxurious accommodation, or just somewhere to lay your head for the night, your preference will be catered for.’