Ayers Rock Australia,
Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park

Ayers Rock Australia is a twice world heritage listed region: once for its natural beauty and the second time for its cultural significance.

The Aboriginal name of the rock is Uluru.

Together with the near-by Kata Tjuta, or the Olgas rock structures, it is part of the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, one of the major tourist attractions in Australia.

Its European name was given by the explorer William Gosse in 1873. Today both names: Ayers Rock and Uluru are in use.

Uluru means "the place to meet" and it has a strong cultural importance to its traditional owners.

The custodians of the land are the Anangu people who have been living there for tens of thousands of years.

To learn more about this, visit the cultural centre in the park. You will see artefacts, videos and various cultural items that will help you understand more about Uluru and its sacred sites.

You can fly direct to Ayers Rocks and find a hotel in Yulara or fly to Alice and get more accommodation options there.

3-Day Uluru Highlights Tour from Alice Springs

Once in Alice you can book a tour to Uluru and enjoy three excellent days in the outback and an unforgettable "sounds of silence" dinner under the stars experience.

Ayers Rock Australia – Uluru, one of
the World Greatest Natural Wonders

It stands 348 metres high but it is said to go more than 6000 metres underground.

Its circumference is 9400 metres and a walk around it will reveal:

• a number of natural features and "designs" or scars on the rock that have generated different stories,


• traditional sites with Aboriginal paintings,
• sacred places where no entry or photography is allowed,
• crystal clear waterholes and the occasional spotting of a native animal.

Climbing the Uluru should be avoided, to respect the traditional owners of the Rock. It is an important part of their culture. Also they don’t want to feel sorry or responsible if something happens to you if you climb. And things can go wrong, as the climb is not easy at all.

Take a guided walk instead, it is a much better experience and also very educational. You can follow the signs, or follow the park rangers who will be happy to share a few stories and give a lot of information.

Kata Tjuta - The Olgas

The English translation of the name means "heads many", but it is also known as The Olgas.

Like Uluru, it changes colour with the time of the day. See how, in the picture above, the sunset has turned the striking red to stunning blue.

The structure, 40 km from Ayers Rock is formed of 36 round domes or heads that cover about 35 sq km. The tallest of them is 546 metres.

It offers many walk paths where you can see the wonderful colours and forms of the structures and also catch sight of a wallaby or other native Australian animals.

Return from Ayers Rock Australia to Alice Springs

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