Happy Monday traveler!

Passport Inspiration is taking you to the heart of Australia: Uluru, one of the most iconic landmarks in the world.

Rising dramatically from the red desert in the Northern Territory, Uluru (also known as Ayers Rock) holds deep cultural and spiritual meaning for the Anangu people, the Traditional Owners of the land.

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For thousands of years, the Anangu have lived around Uluru, caring for the land and sharing its stories through songlines known as Tjukurpa. The land became known as a national park and was under the control of the government.

In 1985, after years of advocacy, Uluru was officially returned to the Anangu people in a historic handback ceremony. The land was then leased to Parks Australia, forming Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, which is now jointly managed by the Anangu and the government.

Uluru is sacred because it’s connected to ancestral beings who shaped the land. Every cave, rock art site, and waterhole holds spiritual meaning.

Anangu means We the people of the western desert. They do not like being photographed, can often be seen barefoot (to be closely connected to the ground), and live in communal housing about 5 minutes away from Uluru.

In order to access the park, you need to book your park passes here.

Watching the sunrise and sunset over Uluru is a must. The rock glows in brilliant shades of orange, pink, and red as the light changes.

Take a guided base walk with a ranger to learn the cultural stories, or join an Anangu-led art or bush tucker workshop to experience their traditions firsthand.

For something different, rent a bike or Segway to circle the 6 mile base. You can also walk around the base on your own. The trail is flat and relatively easy.

Remember, Uluru is sacred. Climbing on the rock is forbidden.

Climbing on Uluru was once allowed. However, people left their trash up at the top and occasionally got injured during the climb. This was extremely upsetting to the Anangu people.

You can still see a faint line, known as The Scar, on Uluru. This is where a chain used to be to help people climb.

There are also certain areas, particularly on the northern side, where photography/videos are not allowed. You’ll see the signs indicating this. It’s a great time to put your devices away and soak in the beauty.

Don’t miss Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), just a short drive away, where you can explore the Valley of the Winds hike.

How to Get to Uluru:

To get to Uluru, fly into Ayers Rock Airport which located just 10 minutes from Yulara. Direct flights are available from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Alice Springs.

Shuttles will take you to Ayer’s Rock Resort, or you can rent a car and drive yourself. If you want to drive all the way to Uuru, start in Alice Springs. It’s about a 5.5-hour scenic journey through the Outback.

Where to Stay:

All accommodations are found at Ayers Rock Resort in the nearby town of Yulara, just minutes from the park entrance.

• The Lost Camel - where we stayed

• Sails in the Desert – upscale comfort with a pool and Indigenous art gallery.

• Desert Gardens Hotel – mid-range stay surrounded by native gardens.

• Emu Walk Apartments – apartment style rooms with full kitchens
  

What to Eat:

Ayers Rock Resort offers plenty of dining choices. There are places to get quick bites of food, or multi-course meals. Here are a few worth checking out:

Arnguli Grill - known for its local ingrediants and native flavors, try the spiced kangaroo loin!

For a unique experience, book the Sounds of Silence Dinner, where you’ll dine under a blanket of stars with Uluru glowing in the distance.

What to Pack:

Bring light, breathable clothes for daytime and warm layers for cool desert nights.

Don’t forget a hat, sunscreen, refillable water bottle, sturdy shoes, and fly netting (yes, the desert flies are real!). Luckily, we didn’t experience the flies when we were there in the winter.

A camera or phone is a must for capturing the breathtaking colors of Uluru.

What We Did, Loved, and Would Do Differently

We went to Uluru in June (winter in Australia) and flew direct from Brisbane into Ayer’s Rock Airport.

Our window seat on the right gave us a view of Kata Tjuta as we landed. Those that sat on the left side of the plane were awarded the view of Uluru. If we do this flight again, we’d try sitting on the left side for those iconic views.

The Lost Camel was a great place for us to stay. It was the most budget-friendly hotel in Ayer’s Rock Resort.

There is a grocery store within the resort which made it easy to buy food, water, and hiking supplies.

The tourist information center is where you can buy tickets for activities such as guided hikes, cultural experiences and various tours.

We discovered that you need to purchase the Hop On, Hop Off bus tickets for the shuttles going to and from the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park ahead of time, and were almost unable to get one. Next time, we’d purchase these tickets before we arrived. Thankfully, the hotel, Sails of the Desert, was able to help us book them.

The next morning we were picked up for the sunrise tour at 6:00am. There is a special sunrise viewing platform for people to stand on. Bringing a tripod/selfie stick for your camera or phone is a must if you want pictures without people in it.

The shuttle bus then dropped us off at Mala. There are shuttle bus stations around the base of Uluru, and it’s a 6 mile hike to go all around it. We loved being able to walk around at our own pace. The temperatures were cool which made the experience comfortable as well.

We took the Hop On Hop Off shuttle back to our hotel for a little bit to regroup. Then it was time for the Sacred Sites & Sunset + BBQ tour. This was the absolute highlight for our day.

Our guides walked with us around several places at Uluru, sharing Anangu stories (moral lessons), explaining the petroglyphs, and Anangu lifestyle.

It was time to head to the sunset viewing platform after the guided walk. It was absolutely magical watching the rock change colors right before our eyes. Our guides provided champagne and light appetizers to enjoy while watching the sunset.

Once the sun had gone down, the sky turned into a beautiful shade of purple and we were taken to our dinner spot.

This is where we had an Australian barbecue, with kangaroo on the menu. Kangaroo is delicious and tastes like steak.

We were seated at a table with other Aussies and spent much of dinner laughing and comparing stories about the ways of life for Americans and Australians.

As the stars came out, we were given a fascinating lecture on different constellations we could see, such as the Southern Cross. Looking up at stars we’d never seen before in the Southern Hemisphere, with the outline of Uluru in the distance, was an experience we will never forget.

👋🏼 Have an Inspiring Week

Here are a few more of our affiliate links to help you when in Uluru or in general. It’s no extra cost to you and helps us keep this email free for everyone. 😀

• Need some holiday gift ideas for a woman who loves traveling? We got you. 

• Drones aren’t permitted at Uluru, but here is the link for ours…holiday gift, anyone?

• These packing cubes to help you stay organized.

• Samsonite is having a sale on luggage now. 😉 

• Uluru Sunset, Sparkling Wine, Cheeseboard, and BBQ - this is what we did

• Uluru 15 Minute Helicopter Ride - guaranteed aerial views of Uluru

• Best of Uluru - Segway and Walking Tour

• Uluru and Kata Tjuta Safari Camping Tour - the ultimate Uluru experience

See you next week,

Trisha & Bob