I'd like to get an evening flight from Cairns to Ayers Rock on June 25, but it looks like none are available on Qantas or Virgin Blue. Are there any other airlines that fly these routes? Also, if I have to take a morning flight to Ayers, I'll miss the departure times for the tours to Ayers Rock, etc. Are there any tours that don't leave so early from Ayers Rock, but still enable you to get in a "full" day? Unfortunately, I only have 2 days here for the Rock. Thanks for your help.

My hubby & I took a tour with Discovery EcoTours. We started with a afternoon/sunset tour of the Olgas, then took a sunrise/morning tour of Ayers Rock the next day. Your tour didn't have to be taken the same day, which was nice because we were only there 2 nights.

Good Luck,

Amy

Thanks Amy for the quick response. I've been going over my itinerary, for the millionth time, and have decided to go ahead and take the early flight on the 26th, but not depart Ayers until early on the 28th. I'll be heading to Melbourne for the last 1.5 days, and heard there's not a whole lot to do there..but I haven't researched it yet. It's just going to be a "slow down" city before the end of our vacation. We'll watch the penguin parade though. I don't want to rush out of Ayers Rock. Thanks again Amy.

Donna

We are in the same situation flying in from Sydney. We plan to do either the sunset tour of the Olgas or the Sounds of Silence dinner on the day we arrive. Or maybe rent a car and see the sunset at either the Olgas or Uluru on our own.

Miranda,

I recommend taking a tour if you can (instead of car rentals), just because the guides know so much more about the monoliths and the stories behind them. They are very informative and can tell you more about certain parts of the monolith then you could ever read about. Good luck and have fun.

Amy

PS There is also a Night Sky Show that sounded pretty neat. I wish we would have done that because the desert is so crisp & peaceful at night. No city lights..just stars.

Thanks Amy. I suspect you are right we would get more out of a tour. If we don't do the Sounds of Silence dinner (I'm not sure I want to drag our kids to that), we will probably do the night sky show on one of our two nights in the area.