The Uluru base walk is a highlight of a visit to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.
Visiting Uluru was high on my wish list for my first trip to Australia.
Back then, you could still climb the rock. However, I chose to walk around it instead.
I never really understood why people wanted to climb it. I mean can you imagine people climbing all over Stonehenge, St Paul’s Cathedral or any other iconic landmark around the world?
After an impassioned plea from our tour guide and an explanation about how it was a site that had great spiritual significance for the local aboriginal people, I knew it was the right decision.
What I didn’t know was how magical the walk around it would be. I can’t imagine climbing it would have been any better.
Even now, all these years later, it is still one of my most memorable travel moments.
With the help of my travel diaries and fading memories here is my Uluru story. I hope it gives you an idea of what to expect should you be planning to visit.
Australia’s Rock Star
Lost in thought staring out of the window of my flight from Perth I suddenly became aware of a large object looming on the ground in the distance.
Jolted back into the real world I remembered where I was. I had said to myself that I wasn’t going to scan the horizon looking for ‘The Rock’ as I arrived in Australia’s Red Centre. I wanted my first view of it to be at ground level.
Of course the temptation was too much. It may have been far in the distance but that large rock was unmistakably Uluru.
Once on the ground it was a short journey to the Ayers Rock Resort. After dropping a few passengers off at some of the luxury accommodation on the resort it was finally my turn.
Sadly a backpackers budget doesn’t quite stretch to 5 Stars so it was the Outback Pioneer Youth Hostel for me.
As my trip around the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park didn’t start until the next day I had some time to settle in. Well, as much as you can in a 25 bed dorm. Every bit as horrific as it sounds.
The sun was starting to set so, cursing my lack of willpower, I headed up to the resort lookout. I’m not sure anything can prepare you for that first view (I’m not counting the glimpse from the plane) of Uluru dominating the skyline.
Yes its a rock but what a rock!
Saying it’s huge is completely inadequate. Doesn’t even come close. Not one bit.
If that wasn’t spectacular enough, the domes of The Olgas were given a stunning red backdrop by the setting sun.
I’d been trying ignore the slight haze in the air. While it kind of gave the outback a ethereal quality it meant bad news. Bush fires nearby were filling the air with smoke.
So it wasn’t too much of a surprise when my tour of the night sky with the local observatory was cancelled. Back to the 25 bed dorm it was.
With people getting up for the sunrise I resigned myself to a night of little sleep. It will be worth it when it was my turn I kept telling myself.
If there is one thing you can say about backpacking it is that it takes you right out of your comfort zone at times. So if you had told me two months previously I’d be spending 48 hours with 21 strangers I wouldn’t have believe you. There’d be more chance of me winning the lottery I would have said.
Morning eventually arrived and putting all the anxious thoughts out of my mind I hopped on the bus excited at what the next two days would bring.
First stop was Kata Tjuta (meaning talking heads in Pitjantjatjara), a group of 36 domes of rock around 32 km from Uluru.
Valley of the Winds
I thought I had misheard at first when our guide said we had a three hour hike ahead of us.
Bitterly regretting not going to the gym as often as I should have I made it an hour or so in to the first look out point. The heat of the day was unbearable and having discovered that rock climbing was not my forte I decided my hiking career was over.
The view probably couldn’t have been bettered anyway. Well that’s what I kept telling myself while waiting for the few brave souls that carried on with the hike.
Reunited, it was back on the bus for the main attraction. Sunset at Uluru.
Perhaps I had built this up in my mind too much but it was a pretty disappointing experience.
There was hundreds (felt like thousands) of people all squeezed into the viewing area. So many we had trouble finding a spot.
The sunset was over in a flash – quite literally as I had wandered up a sand dune to take some photos only to return to find most people had left – and the rock hardly changed colour at all. None of the different hues of red and purple I had read so much about.
There was no time to be disappointed for too long. Back at the camp we were given the choice of sleeping in a tent or in a swag (more comfortable than you expect) under the stars.
Only eight of us were brave enough to sleep outside Putting to the back of my mind all thought of spiders I spent most of the night with one eye looking up at the sky and the other keeping an eye out for any creepy crawlies.
A 4.45am alarm call is not your friend but when you are getting up for sunrise at Uluru it doesn’t seem so bad. Well watching the sunrise was our intention however our tour guide had other ideas.
With all the bush fires that were raging nearby the eastern skies were full of smoke meaning that you wouldn’t get the rock appearing to change colour. Plus you’d be jostling for space with hundreds of other tourists. So, he suggested we go straight to Uluru and get a headstart on everyone else.
After the previous night’s experience it was a no brainer. Thankfully everyone agreed. To this day I thank our tour guide for giving us the opportunity as it is still one of my favourite travel experiences.
On the way we were given an impassioned plea not to climb to the top of the rock for the reason I mention in the introduction to this post. Our guide recommended the base walk instead.
Walking around the base of Uluru
5.8 miles and roughly three hours. That’s the circumference of the base and the time it takes to walk around.
While it kind of gives you sense of the scale it isn’t until you get up close you really appreciate the size of Uluru. And that’s just the bit you can see.
Amazingly two thirds of it are underground. My trip mate and I took as slow stroll around taking in all the different features. I wasn’t really expecting all the waterways, ridges and grooves. The fires has scorched the ground right up to the base.
There was a real stillness about the place – and not just because we were the only group there – that is hard to articulate.
We had the place to ourselves and it was absolutely magical. I didn’t know at the start of the walk that this would turn out to be one of my favourite travel memories.
While climbing Uluru probably gives you a sense of achievement, I feel that the walk around the base really gives you the spirit of Uluru.
With the climb now closed. I hope more people take the opportunity to walk around the base and make their own travel memories.
Header Photo by Holger Link on Unsplash