Ayers Rock / Uluru: The Correct Name and the Actual Scale of It

The rock has two names. Uluru is what the Anangu people, who have been the custodians of this place for tens of thousands of years, call it. Ayers Rock is what it was named in 1873 by European surveyor William Gosse, after the South Australian Chief Secretary of the time. Both names remain in official use under the dual-naming agreement that has governed the site since 1993. Most Australians use Uluru.

The climbing ban, permanent since October 2019, resolved a question that should have been resolved decades earlier: Uluru is sacred Tjukurpa (law/religion) to the Anangu, and the Anangu had been requesting that visitors not climb since the site was first opened to tourism. The climbing fence is there, the signs are clear, and the matter is settled. What this means practically is that the base walk, which is the better experience anyway, is now the accepted approach.

The Numbers

348 metres high above the surrounding plain. 9.4km around the base. An estimated 2.5 kilometres of additional rock extending underground. The colour ranges from deep orange-red in midday sun to something approaching violet in the low cloud light of early morning or the golden-pink of the final minutes before sunset. No photograph fully captures either the scale or the colour shifts; this is the rare case where being there is genuinely different from seeing the images.

The park entry costs $38 per adult (children under 18 free), valid for three consecutive days. The park is 450km from Alice Springs; fly into Connellan Airport (Ayers Rock Airport) directly from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, or Alice Springs on Qantas or Virgin Australia.

What to Do

The base walk (10.6km, 3-4 hours) goes around the entire perimeter. The character of the rock changes continuously: steep folded faces on one side, sheltered cave sections with ancient Anangu rock art and ceremonial sites on another, sections of water-worn channels and gorge. Signs indicate restricted photography areas. Respect them without negotiating.

The Mala Walk (2km) on the northwest face includes free guided tours twice daily from the Mala Walk car park, led by Anangu guides. This is the best single activity at the site: the cultural context makes the physical features meaningful rather than simply striking.

Kata Tjuta, 40km west, is the other major formation: 36 domed rock structures covering 21.7 square kilometres. The Valley of the Winds walk (7.4km, 3-4 hours) goes between and through the domes into remote gorges. Start before 10am; the walk closes when temperature exceeds 36 degrees. This is the physically better walking experience of the two.

The Field of Light installation by Bruce Munro covers a wide area of desert floor with 50,000 illuminated stems at dusk. $50 per adult general admission. It is genuinely beautiful and worth doing if your schedule allows the evening timing.

Where to Stay

All accommodation is within the Ayers Rock Resort complex (now Aboriginal-owned), about 15km from the rock. Sails in the Desert is the high end; Desert Gardens Hotel mid-range; the Outback Pioneer Lodge and campground are budget options. Book well ahead for May-September. Pricing is remote resort pricing, more than you’d pay elsewhere for equivalent quality.

The Seasons

April through September is the visit window. Summer (December-February) regularly hits 40+ degrees and some walks close during heat alerts. Winter nights drop below 5 degrees, which surprises almost everyone. The number of visitors who pack only t-shirts for the Red Centre in July and then buy jumpers at the resort shop is remarkable every year.