DESERT DREAMING
We experience the magic of Australia’s Uluru
From the plane, I spy the shimmering water of Lake Eyre below, a mindblowing, vast basin that is so large, it spans across the border of three states. This beautiful outback lake is dry most of the time but approximately every eight to 10 years it receives a significant amount of water and I’m in luck.
Before long, we cross over spans of orange dirt and the enormous, magnificent site of Uluru appears. It’s a sight from above that’s difficult to quantify in words.
The sandstone monolith in the heart of Australia’s Northern Territory is thought to have formed around 550 million years ago and there it stands, surrounded by flat land that stretches miles.
A small airstrip appears before us and we land smoothly at the tiny Ayers Rock Airport.
In the distance, we can see another rock formation that I’ll later learn is Kata Tjuta, also known as The Olgas.
Before long, I’m in transfer, en route to the Sails in the Desert hotel, located inside Ayers Rock Resort, 20km from the airport.
The resort offers a variety of accommodation including camping and
apartments for larger families or groups. As we arrive, large white sails soar out to meet us.
It’s winter and I’m more than comfortable in a light jacket and jeans. There’s not a cloud in the sky and the sun shines brightly above us.
In the foyer, a gift shop on the right has colourful indigenous art by the local Anangu people for sale.
Beyond the gift shop, guests relax in the Walpa Lobby Bar with wine or coffee.
We check in and then sit down to enjoy lunch at the Ilkari restaurant that offers an a la carte menu by day and an impressive buffet by night.
Not game enough to try the kangaroo, I enjoy a fresh quinoa salad.
The hotel offers a number of free activities to get to know the way of life of the local Anangu people and plenty of optional paid activities, some of which I’ll experience during my time in the desert.
After lunch, I head to my room where
I find two oversized king beds and a welcome bottle of wine.
The room is basic but comfortable and an afternoon nap beckons but I fight the urge. From my balcony, I can see the pool area and poolside canteen serving those guests eager to take a dip despite the cooler weather.
Just before sunset, I’m collected for a Voyages signature outdoor experience called Tali Wiru, meaning beautiful dune.
Our small bus heads over the orange sands until we arrive at the bottom of a dune where staff welcome us.
As we ascend, the view before us is striking. A didgeridoo is played, the sun is setting and staff hold out chilled glasses of Champagne.
Uluru is in full sight to our left and to the right, Kata Tjuta is visible.
We all stand in awe for minutes as the sunset throws shades of red, purple and orange across the imposing structures in the stillness of the desert.
The very existence of the formations in such a stark environment boggles the mind. It’s easy to understand why these beautiful landmarks have such inherent spiritual value to the traditional landowners.
After staff introduce us to some local food sourced from the environment we stand in, we’re escorted upward again to a dining area.
Through dinner we’re taken on a mouthwatering journey of native ingredients
including crocodile, kangaroo and barramundi, all matched with Australian wines.
After all of the light of day falls away, staff switch off our lamps and above us appears a vivid star show the clarity of which I’ve never seen before. A Star Talker teaches us how to identify the constellations that shine above us and how they lead Aboriginal stories.
Sitting under the sparkling sky as the temperatures drop, I feel incredibly lucky to be witnessing such natural beauty.
After a restful night’s sleep, I wake early for delicious breakfast at Ilkari before taking off for a tour of Kata Tjuta and the Valley of the Winds with AAT Kings, who collect a small group of us in a coach at 6.30am.
We arrive just as the sun is rising for what will be a three-hour hike through these impressive rock formations.
Our knowledgeable guide tells us about the geology and history of the area and explains how the traditional people of the land use the earth to heal ailments.
We’re the first group to arrive here and the stillness is breathtaking.
A winding walk through curves of orange stone and a climb upward over jagged rocks bring us to the Valley of the Winds.
The valley appears almost unexpectedly after a short climb up through rugged terrain and the view is unlike anything I’ve seen.
Beyond the valley are more magnificent rock formations, each different to the last.
My voice echoes as I let out an appreciative ‘Wow’ a word I’ll repeat on the trip to Uluru.
After an afternoon of rest, I head to the Uluru Camel Farm where I take a beautiful, relaxing hour-long camel ride through the dunes to the Field of Light, an installation by internationally celebrated artist, Bruce Munro.
Munro meticulously created the inspiring colourful artwork that comes to life as the sun falls over Uluru. It’s a truly magical experience, wandering through the illuminated field made up of 50,000 spindles of light in the quiet of the desert and one I’ll never forget.
The next morning, I wake early again to depart for an Uluru sunrise and segway experience. When I arrive at Uluru just as the sun is rising, it’s a breezy four degrees and a ray of pink is illuminating the sky behind the sacred red rock.
I hear others repeat what I’m thinking; there’s something in the air here.
It’s a feeling of significance beyond the beauty of the formation itself.
After a quick lesson in segwaying, I’m off buzzing around with a tour guide who tells me that Uluru started underwater and began with two fans, one made of sand and another of conglomerate rock. Due to movement of the earth’s plates, the pressure resulted in these two fans condensing into rock and as Australia dried up, Uluru appeared as we know it today.
As we venture around this great space, we pass caves and sacred spaces – spots we’ll feel fortunate to see with the naked eye and respectfully not photograph due to their cultural significance to the traditional owners of the land.
As we near the end of our Uluru tour, we notice that tourists are still flocking to climb the monolith – an activity that will be illegal from October 26.
After our tour, we leave the segways and walk towards the rock where we see traditional paintings and markings under the roof of a cave, blackened by years of fire used to warm the space in the cold of the night.
Leaving Uluru, I’m grateful to have seen it and I vow to bring my family back to this truly remarkable destination.