It is impossible for me to really communicate the scale of this place. I am lucky enough to be seeing it for the third time and it still blows me away. I mean the rocks are just HUGE. Towering above you. The walk around the base of Uluru is 10+ km. It is a hot tourist spot with carparks full and the campsite overflowing onto a paddock but because the tourist sites are so big there are many opportunities for quiet reflection and awe-inspiring moments of peace. We played hard and invested in multiple touristy activities and none disappointed. We had unexpectedly wet weather which obscured the famous sunrises but the days were clear and the rain left rivulets of water dripping down the rock and full waterholes.
We rode bikes around the base. We have done a number of really big walks with the kids on this holiday and they are great but inevitably we deteriorate from games of eye-spy and songs to coaxing, cajoling, pleading and occasionally carrying Charlotte. The bikes removed all that from the equation. It was awesome fun for everyone. We were still up close and personal with the experience, stopping for every side path and dreamtime story. The girls had to be on tandem bike with Ed and I as there were no small kids bikes available and though they are both capable, independent riders they thought this was great fun. Ed and I started the ride sensibly negotiating our way through muddy patches and around the many large puddles but couldn't help but race some of the longer, clearer sections, spraying mud everywhere and especially on Charlotte!
We went for a camel ride. Sounds cheezy but it was awesome. So much fun and as we went over the dunes we could see Uluru and Kata Tjuta around us.
We did a family astronomy tour one evening. The guide had so much knowledge. As well as astronomy he added in details about some of the constellations that different Aboriginal tribes recognise. He also had a couple of really powerful telescopes and I saw more than I have ever seen!
And of course we had to go and see the Field of light.
Kata Tjuta is also spectacular. We walked through the Valley of the Winds to see a spectacular view then completed the 7.5km loop.
If you have never been here I can only recommend it. It is one of those tourist hotspots that lives up to the hype. Just make sure you bring a fly net.
When it's dreary outside here it's lovely to see your sunny photos xxx
This place. Unlike anything on earth. You may never have noticed it but the big painting over our sofa is of Kata Tjuta, by a local indigenous artist. Get to local art centres on your way if you can! The western desert has produced some of the most culturally significant works in Australia’s history.