FLYING INTO AYERS ROCK AIRPORT is an otherworldly experience, for the sheer vastness of the desert that surrounds it and the stark red of the soil that flanks the landing strip. My daughter and I had come to explore the UNESCO-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, joining the millions of tourists that have visited throughout the years.
I can’t believe it’s taken me, an Australian, this long to visit. Uluru is a spectacular geological wonder—remote, red, formed from tectonic activity—and one of Australia’s most famous landmarks. We’ve come not only to see the rock, but to hear the stories of the Anangu, the Central and Western Desert Aboriginal people who are the original custodians of the land, which is known as Pitjantjatjara–Yankunytjatjara Country.
From the airport, we jump aboard one of the continuous shuttle buses to Voyages Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara and are dropped off at Desert Gardens Hotel, featuring rooms with a view of Uluru. The resort is a thriving hub of activity offering accommodation choices for every taste and budget. There’s a small town center, comprising a supermarket, tour agent, specialty shops, the Gallery of Central Australia (GoCA), and a communication tower, which we are advised to use as a navigation beacon if we ever get lost.
Environmental sustainability is at the forefront of every tourism endeavor in Australia’s “Red Center” and nearly half of the energy used by Voyages Ayers Rock Resort is solar. But it’s cultural sustainability that is by far the biggest focus here, with operations supporting the protection of approximately 6,000 Anangu.
Anangu culture is one of the oldest living cultures in the world. There’s a deep connection to tjukurpa (ancestral lore and laws) that encompass land, language, family, and community. The connection to land is felt everywhere, in the walls and paintings adorned with dotted artworks, many depicting tjukurpa, and even via the glass water bottles at the resort, emblazoned with the words Kapi Wiru, “precious water.”
Though the didgeridoo is not synonymous with this region, it’s an instrument with symbolic ties to Indigenous Australian culture at large. We hear its deep, resonant drone playing from the GoCA as we board our coach to experience the renowned Field of Light Tour.
Atop a remote dune 15 minutes’ drive from the resort, we are greeted with a selection of cool drinks from a leave-no-trace bar setup. The spot, specifically chosen to showcase majestic views of Uluru, is covered with a surprisingly green bush canopy, juxtaposed dramatically against that red soil and a luminous rouge skyline. It’s a “wow” golden hour that deserves a place on a World’s Best Sunset List.
Then, as canapés and refills are offered and the horizon slowly disappears into the darkness, 50,000 glass spheres spread across the plain gently come to life. We take our time to wander peacefully through the Field of Light, a solar-powered art installation by Bruce Munro, under a clear night sky full of brilliant stars.
In these parts it is especially important to make the most of early-morning and late-afternoon tours, to beat the heat in summer and avoid those pesky flies all year round. But even a 5.30 am wakeup call the next day could not dampen our spirit of adventure, knowing we were headed for a sunrise picnic breakfast in the National Park. This feast was followed by a lively Eco-Star accredited Uluru Segway circumnavigating of the entire base of Uluru.
Afterwards, we did the Mala Walk, a two-kilometer trail around Uluru that included the famous Mutitjulu waterhole and caves. Along the way, university-accredited guides told us about the Anangu way of life. (Did you know that the red sap of a bloodwood tree can be used as a natural antiseptic?)
For lunch and barista-made coffee, we return to the bustling Kulata Cafe, back in the town center. Run by trainees of the Voyages National Indigenous Training Academy, the cafe teaches valuable hospitality skills, which help workers find career pathways into hospitality and tourism.
In hotter months it would be easy to relax by the pool, or perhaps join a free garden tour at the resort with an indigenous guide, but instead we opt for a stroll around the GoCA. This meant the chance to explore an incredible collection of dot paintings – vibrant artworks from emerging and established artists – the pieces curated from even more remote art centers, and exhibited here to reach an international audience.
Later that evening, my daughter and I are treated to the spectacular Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner, wintjiri wiru translating to “beautiful view out to the horizon” in the Pitjantjatjara language. The dinner features a light-and-sound show that relays the ancestral Anangu story of the Mala people in the skies through a combination of lasers, projections, and 1,200 drones.
The next morning, our flight home comes too soon, but delivers one last “wow”: a close-up view of what we had come to feel was our new 550-million-year-old friend, Uluru, made all the more familiar to us through the stories and culture of the Anangu.
How to get there:
Fly to Uluru (Ayers Rock) via Ayers Rock Airport (also known as Connellan Airport).
1. International flight to Australia: If you’re traveling from outside Australia, you’ll need to book an international flight to one of Australia’s major airports, such as Sydney (SYD), Melbourne (MEL), Brisbane (BNE), or Perth (PER).
2. Domestic flight to Ayers Rock Airport: From your arrival city, book a domestic flight to Ayers Rock Airport (AYQ). Several airlines, including Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar, offer direct flights to Uluru Ayers Rock Airport from major Australian cities such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Cairns.
3. To see Uluru: Once you arrive at Ayers Rock Airport, Uluru is about a 20-minute drive away. You can take one of the regular shuttle buses, rent a car, or use a pre-arranged tour service to get to Uluru.
The writer traveled as a guest of Voyages. Desert Gardens Hotel, twin share from $420/ night, min 3 nights. Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner from AUD 295 (adult) AUD 125 (child). Field of Light Dinner AUD 335 (adult AUD 168 (child).
Photographs by Rebecca Foreman, unless otherwise noted.
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
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Written By
Rebecca Foreman
Rebecca Foreman is an Australian based in Sydney, previously living between the UK, Singapore and Indonesia. ..Read More
