We had a great time in Cairns and were now well rested and on “Australian time.” The next stop on our itinerary was Uluru, the aboriginal name for Ayers Rock.We flew into the airport at Ayers Rock and drove to our "camp” in the middle of nowhere.
Last year, as I was planning this trip, I found a camp in the middle of the Outback that featured views of “the rock” from every “tent.”
I use the word tent very loosely. Longitude 131 is modeled after South African safari camps: elevated luxury tents with stone floors, ensuite bathrooms and all the comforts of a five star hotel, plus an awesome view of Uluru.
I must say that waking up at sunrise and watching the rock change colors from shadowed hues to intense reds was magnificent and well worth the pricey accommodations.One more word about Longitude 131: it is an all-inclusive camp which means all your meals, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and many tours are included in the price of the accommodations. There are 16 tents, all offering unrivaled views of Ayers Rock.
We arrived at the camp in the early afternoon and after a delicious lunch had a guided tour of the area by our aboriginal guide, which included both history and geology lessons. The first question asked was about the name. Uluru is the aboriginal name and has been used by the local Pitjantjatara and Yankunytjatjara peoples for centuries. It has no particular meaning in their language; however, it is considered sacred by the aboriginal people of the area. In July, 1873, the surveyor William Gosse visited Uluru and named it Ayers Rock in honor of the then Chief Secretary of South Australia, Sir Henry Ayers. Since then Ayers Rock became the more common name used by people living outside Australia. However, in 1993 the official name of “the rock” was changed to Ayers Rock/Uluru. In 2002 that was officially reversed and it is now called Uluru/Ayers Rock. A little trivia just in case you ever appear on Jeopardy!!
Geologically speaking, Uluru is a large sandstone rock formation located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, 220 miles southwest of Alice Springs. It is the second-largest monolith in the world (after Mount Augustus, also in Australia,) more then 986 ft high and 5 miles around. It also extends 1.5 miles into the ground. It has a plethora of natural springs and waterholes. It also has rock caves, ancient paintings and an over abundance of very annoying flies. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site.
For dinner that evening we had the unique experience of dining under the stars. At sunset we met for cocktails on a bluff overlooking Uluru and Kata Tjuta (large domed rock formations) and watched once again as “the rock” changed colors with reflections of the setting sun.
Adding the sounds of a didgeridoo in the background was absolutely magical.From there we were driven to a secluded campsite and sat down to a candlelight dinner under the stars.
Even though it was autumn in Australia it was a warm night in the desert. After dinner the candles were extinguished and our guide oriented us to the southern skies and told stories from Aboriginal folklore about the different constellations. From all my trips to South America I actually found the Southern Cross with no problem; however, I’m glad I wasn’t tested on the other constellations.The following morning we were up bright and early for an Uluru Sunrise Walk and again experienced the incredible changing colors of the entire desert landscape and the spectacular sight of Uluru and Kata Tjuta at dawn.
We arrived at the base of Uluru as the sun began to rise and day was beginning in the Australian outback. Our group sat quietly listening to our guide share his personal experiences with “the rock” and the meaning of Uluru to the aboriginal people. A unique and wonderful way to start the morning.That afternoon we toured the Cultural Centre with its impressive display of aboriginal art and literature. There was also an opportunity to shop and many in our group did buy ceramic works and paintings by local artists. Our guide finally managed to get us all out of the Cultural Center and we again traveled to Uluru. We took a short walk into Kantju Gorge
where we were served drinks and hors d'oeuvres ‘inside’ Uluru, and watched the sun set over Kata Tjuta--an awesome site.
We returned to our camp for another wonderful dinner and truly lamented the fact that we were leaving the following morning.We all loved our two days in the middle of nowhere. Uluru is amazing and the camp and our accommodations were perfect. The only criticism I have is the pesky flies that followed us during the day. In the rooms were mosquito type nets to wear on walks that really helped keep the flies away from our faces. Check out the picture of Lisa Lunzer, Bonnie Roberts, Carolyn Groves and me in our stylish “fly netting.”
Join me next week in Adelaide and for some wine tasting in the Barossa Valley.
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