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Uluru Review

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Uluru

Fodor's Review:

An inevitable sensation of excitement builds as you approach the great monolith. If you drive toward it in a rental car, you may find yourself gasping at the first glimpse of it through the windshield; if you're on a tour bus, you'll likely want to grab the person sitting next to you and point out the window as it looms larger and larger. Rising like an enormous red mountain in the middle of an otherwise completely flat desert, Uluru really is a marvel to behold.

The Uluru-Kata Tjuta Cultural Centre (Off Lasseter Hwy. 08/8956-1128) is the first thing you'll see after entering the park through a tollgate. The two buildings are built in a serpentine style, reflecting the Kuniya and Liru stories about two ancestral snakes who fought a long-ago battle on the southern side of Uluru. Inside, you can learn about Aboriginal history, and the return of the park to Aboriginal ownership in 1983. There's also an excellent park's ranger station where you can get maps and hiking guides, as well as an art shop, and a pottery store with lovely collectibles. As you work your way around Uluru, your perspective of the great rock changes significantly. You should allow four hours to walk the 10 km (6 mi) around the rock and explore the several deep crevices along the way; you can also drive around it on the paved road. Be aware that some places are Aboriginal sacred sites and cannot be entered, nor can they be photographed. These are clearly signposted. Aboriginal art can be found in caves at the rock's base. If you're looking for an easy walk that takes you just partway around the base, the Mala Walk is 2 km (1 mi) in length and almost all on flat land. The walk goes to the Kanju Gorge from the base of the climbing trail; park rangers provide free tours daily at 8 AM from October to April and at 10 AM from May to September.

There's only one trail that leads to the top of the rock. Though many people visit Uluru with the explicit intention of climbing it, there are a few things you should bear in mind before attempting this. First, Aboriginal people consider climbing the rock to be sacrilege -- so if you believe in preserving the sanctity of sacred native sites, you may have to be content with admiring it from below. Your entry pass into the park even says, "It is requested that you respect the wishes of the Anangu by not climbing Uluru." Second, if you do decide to make the climb, be aware that it's a very strenuous hike, and not suitable for those who aren't physically fit. The ascent is about 1 1/2 km (1 mi), and the round-trip climb takes about three hours. Sturdy hiking boots, a hat, sunscreen, and drinking water are absolute necessities (no food or water available at the summit). The climb is closed when temperatures rise above 36°C (97°F) -- which means after 9 AM most mornings in the summertime. Tour buses that bring groups to climb the rock often arrive at the site as early as 4:30 AM for this reason. Remember that regardless of the season, travelers are advised to drink a quart of water for every hour that they are walking around the national park.

Another popular way to experience Uluru is far less taxing but no less intense: watching the natural light reflect on it from one of the two sunset-viewing areas. As the last rays of daylight strike, the rock positively glows, as if lighted from within. Just as quickly, the light is extinguished and the color changes to a somber mauve and finally to black.

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