Jay

We are palnning on visiting Uluru/Olgas in May for 1 night- about 18 hours total as a stop between Sydney and GBR/Daintree where we will spend 1 week. Is this enough to see the basics? Is it worth the trip or is there another (better) way to see some of the outback from the Port Douglas area with these extra 2 days.

ALF

As much as I love Uluru/Kata Tjuta, it doesn't seem worth the cost to go there for only 1 night. You could certainly get in a nice tour of Uluru and Kata Tjuta in 18 hours, but the flight alone is very expensive, and most of the lodging is steep too. <BR><BR>I would take a Top End tour of some sort from out of Port Douglas. You won't see the classic arid landscapes of the Red Interior, but you will get into the wild areas of tropical Oz. You can get a 2-day 4WD tour to Cooktown for about US $250 pp.

Patrice

18 hours should be just enough time. We were there for 48 hours and it was way too much. We saw the Olgas in the afternoon on the day we arrived, then Uluru the following morning (at 5:00am) and were back at the resort by 9:15am...but our flight didn't leave until noon the next day. <BR><BR>I didn't think it was worth the money or the time it took to get out there. Those two days for the airfare, hotel, and tours cost about $1,200 (US).

aussie

Hi Jay,<BR>Take all our advice &amp; stay 2 extra days at Port Douglas.<BR>Ulura/Olgas are worth a visit &amp; 18 hours is plenty of time however do you really want to spend so much time flying. Sure you would be in the outback but you would be very lucky to see anything but dingo's (Australian native dog.) our great rocks &amp; red earth.<BR>Ulura is a mix of different quality accom. from caravan parks to 5 star. because of remoteness it is all very expensive. It is not a town as such but a resort area.<BR>You have to take a bus to the rock &amp; the olgas as they are some distance away.

John in Miami

I have a little different take on this than the others...<BR><BR>If you're the type of person that goes to places to see them and &quot;check them off your list&quot; and you have cash to burn, then by all means go.<BR><BR>Personally, I like to take a lot of time and really get the feel of a place. I spent a lot of time reading about the history, geography and culture of the area prior to our trip and it made my time there much more interesting. There's a lot to see there if you slow down and take the time to look. Uluru and the Olgas can be a very relaxing, spiritual place but you have to be in the right frame of mind to &quot;get it.&quot;<BR><BR>If I were in your situation, I'd wait and visit when I had more time. Alice Springs is a colorful little place (the people, not the town) and I would definitely spend a day there too.<BR><BR>John in Miami<BR><BR>