An Australian pilgrimage

Since my last post I've decided to introduce a new concept for my travel blogs: Snug, Feed, Love, Leave – which I'll include at the end of each post for those who want to get a quick snapshot of where I stayed, where I ate, what I loved and what I'd leave out. And there is no better place to start than my recent trip to Australia's red centre – a true bullseye, Uluru should be on every Australian's must-do list!


Arriving at Ayers Rock airport, I could see Uluru as I stepped off the plane and instantly felt a strange but wonderful feeling: a strong connection to our culture and overwhelming, emotional pride. You'll read from this article that I've never felt this way about anywhere I've been in Australia. We took the self-drive option and hired a car which I think works best to see everything at your own pace and spend time learning about the cultural significance of this place and be swept away by the sheer beauty and tranquility of the Western Desert – the traditional land of Anangu. Uluru and Kata Tjuta are recognised by their UNESCO listing as a World Heritage area for both their cultural and natural values. And is the home of Anangu, the world's oldest living culture in existence.

We spent three days, based at Yulara, and were able to see everything at a moderate pace, though an extra day would allow more time to experience all the walks and join a tour. Without giving too much away, the honest value in a visit here is to experience the significance of our national indigenous culture alive at a uniquely spiritual place.

A visit to the Cultural Centre within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park was first on our list. There's loads of information on how best to tackle exploring the park and also on where to find stories about its meaning to Anangu and how to respect the land. Here we saw members of the local Aboriginal community painting, preparing bush foods and making spears. There are four main businesses within the Cultural Centre including two art galleries and place to get something to eat and drink.

Head out at dawn and watch the sunrise on Uluru and Kata Tjuta from the newly opened viewing area at Talinguru Nyakunytjaku. This experience was truly breathtaking! There are also two walks you can do from here – Watiku (men's walk) and Minymaku (women's walk) offering stunning views from every angle.

Take a short stroll along the Kuniya walk and see caves containing rock art by Anangu ancestors and the still, calmness of the crystal clear Mutitjulu waterhole, a place of cultural significance and home of a wanampi, a legendary water snake, known to most non-indigenous Australians as 'The Rainbow Serpent'. This was so beautiful and really got us thirsty for more seeing such wonders at the base of Uluru.

Drive to Kata Tjuta (many heads) about 50 kilometres from Uluru and venture on the Valley of the Winds Walk to witness an amazing vista of these impressive rock formations and boulders, an important sacred men's site. A highlight of the day was the walk through Walpa Gorge down to an eerily silent creek bed with lush green plants, some of which are not found anywhere else in the world, capped off by a magical sunset, watching the rocks' colours change before your eyes and the Earth's shadow rising up behind them.

NEED TO KNOW

SNUG – Sails in the Desert
We stayed at this 5-star hotel but accommodation options are plenty to suit your budget. Staying here was not really worth the money since we spent most of our time in the national park and I'd have preferred the rustic charm of the Outback Pioneer Hotel and Lodge or a cabin in the camping area, and had some extra cash to join an Anangu Tour. Service at the hotel was also fairly ordinary. If you're wanting all the luxury trimmings of overly priced dining, swimming pool and spa treatments, then it's your only option. But we agreed it wasn't overly impressive.

FEED – Sounds of Silence
This multi award-winning tourism concept is an absolute must during your stay at Ayers Rock Resort. Drive by coach to a remote site and watch the sunset on Uluru whilst sipping wine and nibbling canapes on the lookout before walking down a winding trail to a secluded outdoor dining area under the evening desert sky. Enjoy a full buffet dinner and all beers and wine are included. We were joined at our table by Sydney-siders Ned and Sana who we met at the viewing area and had such a fantastic evening with them, accompanied by creation story-telling, songs and a guide to some of Australia's brightest stars. I was completely blown away by seeing Saturn through a telescope!

LOVE – Mala Walk
We joined Ranger Vince for a guided walking tour of some of the important Anangu sites along the base of Uluru. We saw more cave paintings, carbon-dated as being used 25,000 years ago for educating the boys about Tjukurpa – the foundation of Anangu culture, its laws and creation stories. Along this trail are also the areas used for kitchens, Katju Gorge and Warayuki, a sacred site for women. It's a free tour and well-worth it for getting an insight into Uluru and Anangu culture. After the walk you can continue on a circuit around Uluru which takes about 2 hours.

LEAVE
There's not much I can say that is bad about this place but there are some subtle things to look out for.
Shopping
When buying souvenirs check to see if they are unique as many items give sale revenue back to the artist whilst others are literally cheap 'Made in China' knock-offs. There are gift shops in most locations, prices vary a little within the resort but I found it cheaper to buy from the Cultural Centre.
Climbing the rock
It speaks for itself, but Anangu ask that you don't climb Uluru out of recognition of its significance to their culture. It is not Anangu way to forbid anyone from climbing Uluru, they want us to figure it our for ourselves, but as a guest on their land they ask that you respect their wishes and don't risk your life to climb Uluru. No guides are permitted to take you up or enter the climbing site and there are severe danger warnings about the climb. Sadly, after Japanese tourists, the next demographic most likely to climb Uluru are white Australian males.
Dining
Skip the 'fancy' restaurants in the hotels for dining &nash; they're not worth it. Winkiku is quite expensive. We dined at Kuniya Restaurant which was fine and probably the best in terms of quality and value. The resort has an IGA where you can buy groceries to prepare your own meals, however Sails in the Desert doesn't have microwaves or a kitchenette in the room but the other sites have self-contained facilities or communal kitchens.
Tours
There are several tour companies that operate within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, however, I'd opt for an authentic experience with Anangu Tours, an internationally award-winning company and an Australian Tourism Hall of Famer. Plus, they have Aboriginal guides and all profits go back into the community.

Verdict: Love to bits and am itching to learn more about the amazing Western Desert landscape and people on a return visit.

For hotel and Sounds of Silence bookings:
Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia. www.voyages.com.au
For tours and cultural information:
Anangu Tours. ananguwaai.com.au