Uluru - It Rocked

The trip I had been waiting for - Uluru! I had so much excitement and anticipation for this trip, as the outback was the place in Australia I had wanted to go to the most while abroad. I was so excited to be in a completely new area and to be sleeping outside again, and the trip completely blew all expectations I had out of the water. It was like another planet and so beautiful and incredible. I strongly recommend that anyone go, regardless of their outdoor background.

Day 1 - April 10th

Ellis, Paige, Emmy, Juju, Julia, Sophia, and I flew into Ayers Rock airport, landing at 1:40 pm. We signed up for a 4-day 3-night rock-to-rock tour with Mulgas Adventures, but I found the trip through Backpacker Deals. If you book directly through Mulgas you get a free T-shirt so I would do that. We were picked up at the airport at 2 pm by CJ, who was our guide and quickly became one of our good friends. There were 20 people on the trip in total, mostly consisting of Americans, Germans, and individuals from Switzerland and Brazil. We were taken into town, Ayers Rock Resort, where we stocked up on sunscreen, bug nets, and water. It was pretty hot, but not unbearable as the hottest month in the Outback is January. April was a nice time to visit because it was clear and warm during the day and cool at night. I wore a shirt and a sports bra to sleep for reference but slept with my sleeping bag zipped. Once our town stop was done we made our way to Uluru. The rock was spectacular, and we did two separate walks around it. It is 2,831 feet above sea level and 2.2 miles long. CJ taught us about the Anangu people, and it was fascinating to learn about how they coexist with the rock and how it is such a spiritual symbol for them. She taught us about “Tjukurpa,” which is their belief system that is focused on passing down knowledge from the elders to the community. The knowledge has been passed down for hundreds of years, and they include lessons like actions and inactions have consequences and that you must listen to nature and people when they are giving you a warning. She also taught us about how certain areas of the rock are strictly for women’s business, while others are men’s business only, and we could not take pictures of sacred areas. I appreciated learning so much about Uluru and the significance behind it. It helped me understand Australia and the Aboriginal people better, which was the best part of the experience.

Once we were done walking around Uluru, we went to a sunset spot where we watched the sun disappear across from Uluru. The sky was pink, blue, and purple with beautiful clouds everywhere, and it was unlike anything I had ever seen. CJ gave us glasses of champagne and chocolates to celebrate our being there, and it was lovely. After sunset, we got to camp, and the cook crew of the night made us burritos. After dinner, we set up our camping swags, which are basically big ground pads but more comfortable, and you put a sleeping bag inside of them. We were exhausted, so we went to bed shortly after that, sleeping side by side with the beautiful stars above us. I was overjoyed to be sleeping outside again and went to sleep feeling fulfilled and refreshed.

Day 2 - April 11th

We woke up at 4:45 am to watch the sunrise over Uluru. We packed up our swags and had oatmeal and cereal for breakfast. We then drove to a lookout spot and arrived just in time to see the sunrise over Uluru. We were surrounded by grass and little trees, with Uluru in the distance and the Kata Tjuta rock formation nearby. The sunrise created a beautiful silhouette of Uluru which was spectacular.

After we watched the sunrise, we drove to Kata Tjuta and did another walk. It was beautiful-- we were surrounded by huge orange rocks that complimented the blue sky very well. We went to a sacred men’s area that was full of green trees and rocks surrounding them. It was extraordinary and I was in awe. We could not take pictures, so you’ll just have to come see the beauty for yourself!After the walk, we headed back to camp and ate camel burgers for lunch, which was pretty good but a little chewy. Paige and I hacky sacked and walked around while waiting for lunch and checked out the camel exhibit. After lunch, we packed up camp and drove 4 hours to Watarrka National Park. We stopped for snacks and Ellis and I finally found a piano (which we had been talking about all of abroad), I finally got to hear him play, one of the many highlights that day. Once we got to camp, Paige, Ellis, Emmy, and I all went on a run through the desert which was awesome. We met the rest of the group at the sunset spot after our run and watched it together, and then made kangaroo for dinner! Also not bad. CJ and Juju made a fire, so we all sat by it and talked, the conversation being about what kind of food we all were. Emmy said I was a kids trail mix and Ellis and Paige said I was something like an oatmeal raisin cookie or cream pie, but I’m not sure I agree. We roasted marshmallows, ate Tim Tams, and admired the stars - I found Jupiter and Mars. We set up our swags around the fire and CJ played us a story about Uluru and I slept like a baby. It was perfect.

Day 3 - April 12th

We got 15 more minutes of sleep today and got up at 5 am, hurray! We ate breakfast, packed up, and made our way to Kings Canyon, which was about a 30-minute drive from our campsite and in Watarrka National Park. We did the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, which started by conquering 500 rock stairs up a hill called “Heart Attack Hill” but it wasn’t too bad. We walked on the ridge line, and there were jagged orange rocks all around us. It looked a bit like Arizona. We entered the canyon, which had green trees and a river through it, which was very pretty. We were in the Garden of Eden and found a spot by the water for a snack break. After that, we walked by the edge of the canyon to the North and Sound Walls. There were huge rocks that were completely vertical and flat with trees growing from them, and I had truly never seen anything like it. It is hard to find the words to describe it, but it was truly incredible. CJ had us give our best “coo-wee” holler, and we got 5 echoes back. She introduced us to her favorite tree, George, and showed us the Red River Gum Tree, which talks to you when you put your ear against it. It was awesome.

We finished the hike by 11 and headed back to camp for breakfast burritos. It was my turn to cook, and I helped make bacon. After lunch, we left for Yulara, which was three hours away. I doodled on the bus window with glass markers, we listened to throwback music, and later we stopped to collect firewood. CJ played pump-up music while we all searched the outback for dead trees and branches, as we needed a fire tonight to cook because there was no camp stove. We all managed to find plenty of wood amongst the flies and the ants, and it was entertaining. Once we got to camp, Ellis, Paige, and I all hacky sacked, and then everyone watched the sunset together. It was our final Outback sunset, and it did not disappoint. Ellis and I stayed up there and chatted for a while before meeting the rest of the group by the fire. CJ was telling everyone about her life and experience as an Aboriginal, and I enjoyed how transparent and honest she was with us about her culture. She made us spaghetti Bolognese by the fire which was delicious, and we all enjoyed each other’s company while listening to some good music. The night winded down, Ellis led some stretches, and I taught Paige the sprinkler method of how to spit out toothpaste without a sink. She wasn’t great at it, but I’m sure next time she’ll get it down. Once again, it was a magical evening to another awesome day.

Day 4 - April 13th

We had a slow morning and left camp at 7:30. We drove an hour back to Ayers Rock Resort and said farewell to CJ. We were dropped off in town and had two hours to kill, so we went to the art gallery and the grocery store and had time to peek inside the other little shops before leaving for the airport. A shuttle was arranged to take us to the airport two hours before take-off, which was super helpful. The airport is incredibly small and it took us about eight minutes to get through. Next thing I knew we were back in Sydney and the trip was over.

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Overall, the trip was insane. The views and rocks were unlike anything I had ever seen before and were truly breathtaking. Furthermore, the culture and history of the area and Australia were fascinating, and I feel so grateful to have been able to see a part of Australia that not a lot of people see. For adventure purposes, scenic purposes, and cultural purposes – go to the outback. I had a lot of misconceptions about safety, specifically the animals, but I never felt in danger, and we never encountered any dangerous animals -- only wild camels and horses. CJ was great at her job and not once was I worried about my safety or where I was.

TIPS FOR OUTBACK

- It is a desert so it is very dusty - I would not bring anything white or anything that you do not want to get a little dirty

-Buy a bug net- Ellis bought us some and they were great against the flies, which were everywhere. They don’t bite but they get annoying

-Bring hand sanitizer to use when you get a snack during the walks and in case there is nowhere to wash your hands

-Bring three liters of water - certain walks you aren’t allowed to do if you do not have enough water

- Bring a sweatshirt as a pillow for the swags and can use it as a jacket when it gets cooler at night

-Bring a camp towel for showering and other basic camping gear if you have it

- You don’t need camping boots- tennis shoes were fine

- There is a lot of history, so it's definitely worth taking the time to read up about it beforehand so you are more educated and prepared

- The sun is a scorcher- bring sun protection like a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen

Tour: https://mulgasadventures.com.au/rock-to-rock-uluru-tour/

- Ellie 4/17/25