Must See Ayer's Rock?
 

I have 3 weeks to spend traveling in Australia this October and I plan on spending a majority of my time in Queensland and Sydney. I want to see Ayer's Rock, but it is out of the way from those 2 areas. <BR><BR>For those people who have seen Ayer's Rock would you suggest that I definitely make the time to see it or would I be better to skip it and hope to make it back to Australia some other time to see it? <BR><BR><BR>

Jenny for a 3 week vacation I would recommend, of course Sydney, which you mentioned, the Gold or Sunshine Coast, & the Great Barrier Reef - all on the east coast of Australia. Ayers Rock is worth seeing, at least for me it was, however I had more vacation time & had traveled to Western Australia & Tasmania so it wasn't out of the way. You only need two days at Ayers Rock so if you really want to include it, you could see if there is a flight from Sydney direct into Ayers Rock which would knock 3 to 4 days off your vacation, depending on the airline schedule. I don't know what your like or dislikes are but if I was to do it I would probably spend a week in Sydney, a week on the Gold Coast, & a week in Port Douglas to see the rainforest & the Great Barrier Reef. For another 3 week vacation I would then go to Adelaide for a week, Perth for a week, and Hobart for a week, including Ayers Rock in the mix. Australia's a hugh country with lots to see & you either have to take a really long vacation or do it in segments.

We had 2 half days in Ayer's Rock and it was enough. We just saw the basics - Ayer's Rock & the Olgas and didn't venture out to Kings Canyon. <BR><BR>It was nice to see it but I wouldn't make a return trip back. Definitely not as memorable as Great Barrier Reef, Sydney or Darwin.<BR><BR>Hope that helps & enjoy your trip.

I wouldn't go - its too far and too expensive just to go there. If you had more time and was incorporating that with a trip through the Northern Territory then that would be a different matter but not with only 3 weeks to use up.

Why???<BR><BR>If you could fly over on a plane trip from Sydney to the barrier Reef then you would have seen it. I flew from Melbourne up to Ayers Rock and had the entire tourist package. This included sunrise at Uluru - Sunset at Uluru with champagne/wine and the Sounds of Silence dinner. Each time you entered Uluru you had to purchase another tour package plus the hotels there were not cheap and it came down to - it's a really big rock in the middle of nowhere. I know I'll get lambasted for this but if you've seen Zion, Arches, Montana, Grand canyon then you've seen some spectacular rocks and beauty. Uluru is spiritual (Aboriginal) and you can't walk completely around it nor should you try to climb it.<BR><BR>In my dumb way - I would say See Sydney See Great Barrier Reef and see lots that Australia has to offer but for my money - Uluru (Ayers Rock) is a tourist trap.

Hi!<BR><BR>We spent three weeks travelling around Australia in Feb/March this year.<BR>We did so much and yes it was very tiring, but we got to see alot and have many memories of all the places we would like to go back to and spend more time.<BR><BR>Our itenary was Bangkok-Sydney-Hamilton Island (GBF)-Cairns-Ayers Rock-Perth-Singapore-Home.<BR><BR>Ayers Rock was one of the highlights of my trip and I would definately reccommend Sounds of Silence dinner. If you have got 2 days to go and see it - it is well worth the extra expense.