Uluru - Ayres Rock. Northern Territory
Kata Tjuta National Park: 280 miles (450km) southwest of Alice Springs. Ayers Rock/ Uluru, the world's largest monolith and an Aboriginal sacred site is Australia's most famous natural landmark. Visitors may wish to make the tough 1.6km ascent to the top or take a walking tour around the rock with an aboriginal guide , learning about its fascinating with the Uluru people and its importance in dreamtime legend.
Uluru is Australia’s most identifiable natural icon and the largest monolith in the world. It is a massive, red rounded monolith rising 348 metres above the plain and 863 metres above sea level, and reaching 6 kilometres below the earth’s surface. Australia is also home to the worlds second largest monolith / rock - Mt Coolum on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland
Uluru features stunning Aboriginal rock art sites that can be viewed on guided walks and tours around the base. The spectacular changing colours of Uluru at sunrise and sunset are visions not to be missed.
Uluru and Kata Tjuta and the surrounding land became a national park in 1958 and lies in the territory of the Anangu people. Ayers Rock has officially been known as Uluru since it was returned to the Anangu, the Aboriginal owners, in 1985. It was then leased to the Australian government and is now jointly administered.
Kata Tjuta, also more commonly known as the Olgas, is Uluru’s sister formation, meaning “many heads”, and comprises 36 magnificently domed and coloured shapes covering about 35 sq km. Take the 3 hour Valley of the Winds walk which winds through the crevices and gorges of this magnificent rock system, with spectacular views and a variety of flora and fauna.
Also in this enormous park are many Aboriginal sacred sites, spectacular scenery and famous rock formations. Visit the Olgas/ Kata Tjuta, a dramatic series of 36 dome-like rock formations which stand up to 1,701ft (546m) high and cover an area of 35km and like Uluru, produce an incredible light show at sunset, with crimsons turning to rusts, and pinks to mauves
Getting to Uluru - Ayres Rock NT
All major Australian cities have flights into Alice Springs, from where you can arrange a rental car / camper or join a tour for transfers to "The Rock"
Average Climate for Alice Springs Region
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Jan |
Feb |
Mar |
Apr |
May |
Jun |
Jul |
Aug |
Sep |
Oct |
Nov |
Dec |
Min C |
21 |
21 |
17 |
13 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
6 |
10 |
15 |
18 |
20 |
Max C |
36 |
35 |
33 |
28 |
23 |
20 |
20 |
23 |
27 |
31 |
34 |
35 |
Rain mm |
38 |
44 |
33 |
18 |
19 |
15 |
14 |
10 |
9 |
22 |
28 |
38 |
Photos courtesy - Tourism NT
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