Sunset over Uluru (Ayer’s Rock)

In the Red Center of Australia, Uluru is the main attraction.  You can fly directly to the area, or drive south from Alice Springs, or north from Adelaide.  The road is very long and has very little to see other than a few dead kangaroos, some tumbling weeds, and a plant that has dry gourds that look rather like tennis balls.

On the way there are only a few “towns” between Alice Springs and Adelaide. Most are primarily just a roadhouse with a few other buildings and sometimes a gas station.

 

I recommend stopping for a day in Coober Pedy though as it has the unusual distinction of having underground hotels, hostels, book stores, etc.  I have a separate post about CP if you want to know more.

If you decide to walk around Uluru, as many do, there are two main things you need to know.  The first, is that there are only bathroom facilities at one parking lot.  There is nothing else the entire way around the giant rock.  Second, you are supposed to drink a lot of water because it is so hot and dry.  Plan ahead for these limitations.

The signs around Uluru tell the history of the rock and local indigenous people.  Several areas are marked as sacred and signs request you take no pictures.  There are occasional benches for resting and water refill stations.

My favorite thing in the area was the artist installation called “The Field of Light”.  There are sunrise and sunset viewings.  We went to the sunset viewing with canapes and champagne to eat and drink while the sun went down.  After it got dark, we could go down and walk around the light installation.  The lightbulbs change colors, flowing across the field.  It was magical with the clearly viewable stars above, and the multicolored lightbulbs surrounding you on the ground.  No tripods are allowed, so most pictures are a little blurry due to the darkness, but at least a handful of mine turned out basically ok.