This essential Outback experience is unavailable right now, no enjoy this virtual tour as the next best thing to being there!
Uluru is up there with the Great Barrier Reef and the Sydney Opera House for iconic Australian destinations. This incredible rock formation, smack bang in the middle of Australia’s Red Centre, is a bucketlist item for many travellers. With travel restrictions in place, Uluru is pretty much off-limits for anyone outside of the Northern Territory. So roll out your swag, spray some mosquito repellent and join us for a virtual tour of Uluru.
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Base walk
Put your walking shoes on and get ready to start exploring around the 9.4-kilometre circumference of Uluru. We start the walk nice and early to avoid the heat, as daytime temperatures here can be extreme – up to 45 degrees in the summer. What seems like a monotonous desert landscape from afar will reveal its surprising diversity to you as you follow the path around the rock. Some areas are lush and green, where you may spot wildlife foraging for food. Other areas are dry and baron with little shade to shelter from the desert heat. Waterholes dot the area and shady overhangs hide ancient rock art. The Uluru base walk is an incredible opportunity to appreciate the ancient culture and variety of life that has inhabited the area for centuries.
Uluru is sacred to the local Anangu people, who believe it was created with the other rock formations in the area by ancestral beings. While European settlers explored the area and gave Uluru its alternative name, Ayers Rock, few non-Aboriginal people visited the area until the 1940s. The area became popular with tourists and the Anangu people were discouraged from visiting their own land. For decades they fought for the right to use the land and then in 1985 ownership of Uluru was returned to the Pitjantjatjara Aborigines. National Parks and Wildlife now lease the area and manage it jointly with the Anangu.
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Camel Ride
One unique way to explore the desert regions is by camel! First introduced to Australia in the mid-1800s, these animals are exceptionally well adapted to the harsh Australian desert conditions. After the first camel, Harry, arrived in Adelaide in 1840, many were imported from British India and Afghanistan to help with exploration and colonisation of the centre and north of Australia. They were used for transport and carrying supplies on several expeditions including the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition. Camel studs were established in the late 1800s to meet demand, but by the late 1900s motor transport began to replace the need for camels. Cameleers released their animals into the wild where they became the source of the feral population that inhabits central Australia today.
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Kata Tjuta
Uluru’s neighbour Kata Tjuta might not be as well known or instantly recognisable, but is by no means less impressive. The 36 dome rock formations, also known as the Olgas, lie 40 kilometres west of Uluru. Mount Olga, the highest of the domes, is 546 metres tall – roughly 198 higher than Uluru. Enjoy a wander along several walking trails that take you through the gorges to admire the incredible natural scenery, astounding lookout points and perhaps spot some of the shy wildlife that inhabit the area.
The local Anangu people have a strong connection to Kata Tjuta, which means ‘many heads’ in the local language. While most of the traditional stories belong to ‘men’s business’ and are unknown to outsiders, one common story involves Wanambi, a snake king who lives at the summit of Kata Tjuta. Wanambi only comes down in the dry season and he can create a hurricane with his breath to punish bad deeds. Since 1995, the area has been used again for cultural ceremonies.
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Kings Canyon
A few hours drive from Uluru and Kata Tjuta is the Watarrka National Park, home to Kings Canyon. Here you can explore the towering sandstone cliffs, strange rock formations and palm filled chasm via a series of walking trails.
The longest and most difficult of these walking trails in the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, which takes about 3 – 4 hours to complete. The walk will take you along the cliff where you can peer down the 270 metre drop to the lush vegetation below. The crevice is an important habitat for the native plants and animals with around 600 species sheltering from the harsh desert conditions in the relative cool of the canyon. You will pass the Garden of Eden, a permanent water hole that feels like a desert oasis, and the Lost City, a series of beehive rock formations.
An essential experience on any Uluru tour, whether virtual or in real life, is to witness the magical change of colours as the sun sinks in the desert. So pour yourself a glass of bubbly and take a seat to enjoy this incredible sight. As the day draws to an end, we hope you enjoyed this whirlwind virtual tour, and we look forward to welcoming you in real life in the future!
Related article: What is the Best Uluru Tour for me?
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia
Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.