A Long Weekend in Central Australia - Uluru, Kata Tjuta & Kings Canyon

When it comes to domestic travel, a large majority of us (Australians) have an, ‘I’ll do that one day’ mentality. I mean, I get it, it’s expensive and we are so far away from everything, why not do the long-haul trips while we are younger and leave the closer destinations for later in life?

This is exactly what I thought, until my partner, who was visiting from overseas, decided he wanted to go and see the ‘Outback’. As I didn’t have much annual leave, he said he would do a trip midweek, while I was at work…maybe it was a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) but I decided I wanted to do it too and I was going to crash his plans! So, with the limitation of a long weekend, it was going to be a jammed packed few days. To make the most out of our time, we booked on an organised 3 day Uluru Ayers Rock tour with Wayoutback.

Day 1 - Uluru

When I said it was jammed packed, I wasn’t joking, we were up at 3.30am to get a 6am flight. However, to make things easier and faster we parked at the airport itself and had booked a direct flight with Jetstar to Uluru. Nowadays I always park at Brisbane Airport Parking, as it is super convenient and it only cost $59.40 for 4 days, now that’s cheaper than a return Uber trip!! Make sure you pre-book online though and check their Facebook page for deals.

Tip: If flying from Brisbane, grab a window seat on the left-hand side of the plane (seat A). We were on the right and although we saw a small glimpse of Uluru from our window, there were many Oooohs and Ahhhs coming from the left-hand side of the plane!

Once we landed, I thought it would be easy to grab a taxi and head into Yulara (the town near Uluru). When I asked one of the guys working at the airport, he had a little chuckle and said, 'there are no taxis here'! Luckily, they have multiple courtesy coaches for the hotels in town and we were able to hop on one to the Outback Pioneer, even though we weren’t staying there. The staff at the hotel were so friendly and allowed us to store our bags so we could go for a walk around the town while we waited for our tour to pick us up at 1pm.

We started our walk by visiting the Imalung Lookout in the centre of the town. It is a lookout on a dirt mound in the middle of the main ring road around the town. Although it doesn’t sound like much, it has a picture perfect view of Uluru and a definite must if you are in Yulara. We then headed to the museum where we read up on the history of Uluru and saw some lovely local art. We did a quick stop at the IGA for lunch and had a small picnic before heading back to Outback Pioneer to be picked up by our tour group. Although we only had 3 hours to explore Yulara, it is so tiny, that it was definitely plenty of time for a relaxed look around.

Once settled on the bus, we headed straight to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (park fees were included in our tour price, but not in other ones I researched, so be sure to check that when you book your tour) and had a quick photo opportunity not far into the park. It was a spectacular view...I was jumping with excitement!

Satisfied with some happy snaps, we headed to Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre where we learnt more about Uluru, the Anangu People (the traditional owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta) and Uluru's spiritual significance to them. It was very interesting to look around the Cultural Centre and read about the history as well as the Aboriginal stories (Dreamtime) about how Uluru was formed. Some of the history was quite eye opening, especially the fact that the Anangu people were not seen as the owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta for many years and it was only 'handed back' to the them in 1985. I definitely recommend a visit to the Cultural Centre while you are here for a better understanding of the significance of this wonderful place.

With our newfound knowledge, it was clearly time to get up close and personal with Uluru as we made two stops around the rock. Both on opposite sides of the rock, allowing for two different perspectives. At each spot, we did a short walk and our guide retold some of the Dreamtime stories from the Cultural Centre and pointed out specific areas the story spoke about. One of the areas we visited, is where people sometimes climb the rock, something that is a very controversial topic due to its spiritual significance to the Anangu people and the damage it has done to the rock. Up until now, there have been no laws in place to stop people from doing it, however, from October this year the climb will be closed down and it will be officially illegal to climb Uluru.

As the sun was slowly going down, we drove to our campsite and went to the lookout there

to watch the sunset. And what an amazing spot!!! On one side, we could watch the stunning sunset over Kata Tjuta and then when we turned around, we could see the sun bouncing off Uluru, creating some incredible colours.

After setting up our swags and devouring a delicious home cooked meal by our guide, we were picked up to go to the Field of Light (an optional extra for $43 per person). We were a little concerned on the bus trip there as there was a lot of lightning around and 1. The Field of Light was outside, and we didn’t want to miss out and 2. We were sleeping in SWAGS!!!!! Anyway, apart from a small down pour when we first arrived, it all turned out for the best. We not only got to walk through Bruce Munro’s mesmerising art installation, we also got a fantastic lightening show in the sky. The Field of Light was extended until 31 December 2020 and is another reason why you should go visit Uluru now and not put it in the ‘I’ll do that one day’ box. The night just got better because when we returned everyone had set up their swags in the kitchen shelter and there was no room for us, so we were taken to a tent, which had proper beds! Good thing too as there was a huge down pour during the night.

Day 2 - Kata Tjuta

We were up bright and early this morning to watch the sunrise over Uluru, unfortunately due to cloud cover it was very underwhelming, so we hit the road and set out on our Valley of the Winds walk through Kata Tjuta.

Before we started the walk our guide showed us a map and pointed out where we would be walking to (Karingana Lookout) before we turned back. He said that we didn’t have the time to do the round trip but promised we would see the best views on the part that we were doing anyway. No one questioned this, because hey, he was the guide, he knows what’s what, right? Anyway, when we reached Karingana Lookout, he said there was actually enough time if we wanted to do the whole circuit.

About half of us decided to go for it and continued the walk while the others turned back. I am so glad that we continued on, as the second part was spectacular! It really gave you a sense of the size of Kata Tjuta, the feel of being in the outback and had a lot less people than the first part. Our guide obviously has to say what he did, in case they run out of time so that people don’t think they are missing out on anything. Like that old saying goes, ‘what you don’t know, won’t hurt you’. If you are travelling to Kata Tjuta by yourself, make sure you have plenty of time to do the whole circuit, it is well worth it.

Tip: The full circuit is 7.4km, so make sure you bring water and wear sunscreen and a hat. Also, start the circuit early as part of the track closes when it reaches 36°C. AND don't forget your camera!!!

With a four hour drive ahead of us, it was time to make tracks and head towards Kings Canyon (where we would be staying the night). On the way we stopped at a cattle station and used their BBQ facilities to have an Aussie Barbie. We also did a short stop at Mount Conner Lookout, somewhere that confused a few people on the bus due to its resemblance to Uluru. In all fairness, most of us had been dozing in and out of naps, so when we saw the rock so close it just didn't compute as we had been driving for quite a few hours. The locals here fondly refer to Mt Conner as 'Fool-uru' and we could understand why!

Our arrival into our camp at Kings Canyon saw us greeted by a curious dingo, who promptly left the area when he saw all of us getting off the bus. The night was quite relaxing, helping chop things for our Kangaroo bolognese (yes, we had Kangaroo mince) and sitting around the campfire. With another early morning ahead of us, we all went to bed quite early.

Day 3 - Kings Canyon

On our drive to Kings Canyon, our guide told us we would be doing a 6km circuit walk called the Rim Walk, starting at the point that they call 'heart attack hill'. After the 500 or so steep steps, we made it up and were suitably sweaty and out of breath. It isn't as hard as it sounds, but it does get the heart rate going and I would recommend being of a decent fitness level before giving it a go. And BRING WATER! Good news is, it is the hardest part of the whole walk, so once you get there, you will be fine. Oh and the 360 degree view at the top is just phenomenal.

After soaking in the wonderful scenery and watching the last of the sunrise, we set off to explore the rest of the Canyon. We made our way past Priscilla’s Crack (a spot that was featured in the Australian film, Priscilla Queen of the Dessert), down to the Garden of Eden and then looked out upon the Lost City. I hadn't expected Kings Canyon to be my favourite spot on this tour, but with each turn bringing a spectacular photo opportunity, it couldn't not be!

Content with our morning expedition, we got back on the bus and set out for our 6 hour drive to Alice Springs. We had two stops on the way, one at a petrol station which was literally in the centre of Australia and the second at the welcome to Alice Springs sign. We were then taken to our various accommodation and bid our group farewell.

We stayed at the Diplomat Motel, quite a simple place, yet comfortable, clean and very helpful and friendly staff - perfect for a stopover stay. The receptionist booked our shuttle to the airport the next morning and even offered us a slightly later check out, so we didn't have to wait around for the transfer.

When I booked our return flight through Qantas, they gave me a voucher for $30 off accommodation, so the room was only $67 for the night...Thanks Qantas! The motel itself, is very centrally located and has a restaurant/pub attached to it. We had a quick peek inside and saw they had a Sunday night $5 burger special, so after a quick walk around the town centre, we ended up there for dinner and the burgers were pretty good!

Day 4 - Alice Springs

With the promise of a late check out, we got up and walked around the centre again, stopping to check out some local art at the Yubu Napa Art Gallery and then for breakfast at Wicked Kneads. We decided on this place because it was inside (so we got away from the flies) and the cabinet display was so enticing we just had to go in! Sharing a ham and cheese croissant, followed by one of the biggest pieces of vanilla slice I have ever seen, we were very happy with our choice in breakfast spots. We then walked back to the motel for a quick shower before we got our shuttle to the airport.

Alice Springs airport is very small, with one cafe with a large seating area which is worth buying a cup of something to sit comfortably while you wait for your flight. The terminal is so tiny, you can go straight from the cafe to boarding in a minute.

Due to timing and price, we ended up on a flight back that went via Adelaide. I know, I know, that makes no sense as it's in the complete opposite direction to Brisbane. However more direct flights were a good $200 per person more, so we decided to suck it up with the extra time for the cost saving. The views from the plane on the way down to Adelaide were amazing and we were so happy that we ended up flying that way.

All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed the trip and I think exploring outback Australia is something you should do now, don’t wait until ‘one day’, because you never know, you might never end up doing it!

Review on Wayoutback Tours:

Being at the lower price range end of tours to Uluru, I had expected this tour to be very basic. Transport, swag camping and simple meals. To my surprise, it was a fantastic experience. A lot to do with the destinations we visited, but also the itinerary was very well done and allowed for us to see as much as possible in a short time. We were lucky too as our guide was very knowledgeable, laid back and friendly. Meals were very tasty and plenty of food for everyone. Communication with the office when booking the tour was also great and very prompt. I would travel with Wayoutback again if I had the chance.

Fun Facts:

At 358 meters tall, Uluru is taller than the Eiffel Tower.
By October 2019, it will be officially illegal to climb Uluru.
Kata Tjuta is made up of 36 domes and it is an aboriginal word for ‘many heads’.
May is a great time to visit the Northern Territory as it is still quite warm during the day and not too chilly at night.
The bush flies are very annoying and come in numbers while out in the outback! Make sure you invest in an insect net hat for your trip, you may look silly, but you’ll be pleased you did it.