Incredible Things to Do in Uluru and Kata Tjuta

Day 1: Kata Tjuta - The Valley of the Winds Walk

I flew Virgin Australia from Sydney to Ayers Rock, and along the way, I met Aurelie Neyret, who was not only a wonderful person to be around but also a great illustrator herself. We decided to form an expedition to explore the outback together.

We took a free shuttle bus from the Airport to our lodge, the Outback Pioneer Lodge. Behind the lodge, there is an outlook post where we got our first glimpse of the scale of Uluru and Kata Tjuta from afar. The heat was almost unbearable at that point, but what the hell. You are only here once, right?

On my first evening, I decided to go on the Valley of the Winds walk tour by the AAT Kings company. On my way to climb Kata Tjuta.

The Kata Tjuta was my first stop. It may look small now, but you will soon see that is not the case. This was also when I first experienced the infamous swarm of flies of the Australian outback. Boy, it was annoying!

Notice the large black dot on my face? Yup, those are all flies trying to land on either my mouth or inside my nostrils!

The walk started off with a small climb where we occasionally stopped and the guide explained what is what around the area. A guided tour is definitely not my cup of tea.

Here's the first Outlook post where our group was split into two for two different walks: a longer, harder climb to the second outlook or an easier walk around the base. I chose the long walk.

I was stunned to see so many lives in the middle of the desert. It was like a forest inside the canyon.

After a pretty steep climb (at one point there was no walkway; you literally have to climb a steep hill with your hands), we were met with this smiley face on the side of the Kata Tjuta.

And here it is, the Valley of the Winds outlook after an hour and a half of walking in between the creeks of the Kata Tjuta.

This is the true scale of the Kata Tjuta in comparison to a human. It was pretty hard to stand between these ancient rocks and not be overwhelmed by their sheer size.

After soaking myself with the Outback winds, it was time to descend so that we could enjoy our drinks while watching the Kata Tjuta as the sun sets.

I was dwarfed by the Kata Tjuta.

Because of the clear blue sky as a backdrop, it made the vivid red sandstones of the Kata Tjuta stand out, creating a really beautiful contrast.

At the end of the tour, our guide took us to the sunset viewing spot and served us sparkling wines and snacks. I had a couple of great conversations, first with a Korean couple who were curious about which part of Asia I came from. They were quite surprised that I was Thai and traveling alone. Another conversation was with two ladies from Sydney who expressed a great interest in climbing the Himalayas. Naturally, I encouraged them to go for it.

At night, I went to the same outlook behind our lodge again, but this time with a tripod. Since there was no air or light pollution from civilization, I was able to see a portion of the Milky Way's trail that stretches upward from Uluru.

All I could do was stare at it in wonder.

The Universe is huge. The fact that we can see this many stars from Earth is mind-boggling. When I look at the stars, all my problems disappear for a moment. The problems I had were so small, I no longer feel the burden of them.

Day 2: Uluru Sunrise, Cultural Base Walk and Astro Tour

We woke up extremely early to catch a coach from the lobby to the Uluru sunrise spot. People were flocking to the elevated platform, so I decided to take a less crowded route a few meters away so I could be alone with the rock. It was a good call because I was able to capture this shot without having to fight for a spot.

There was absolutely no one around. I love it!

I can do all kinds of stupid poses without anyone judging me. Boy, was I a little nerdy!

The experience was so refreshing I consider this one of the best sunrise experiences I've had. The beautiful gradient sky created a perfect contrasting backdrop for the red sandstone of Uluru as the sun cast its light towards the rock, causing it to shift colors.

I met up with Aurelie, and we continued down the path until we realized that we were late for our next stop, the cultural base walk. We ran like crazy, and I received a pretty deadly stare from my tour mates. Little did we know that this was the beginning of our "Always Late to Everything" saga.

Aurelie and I went on a different walk, so we split up, and I was left with the not-too-happy tour mates. However, we were okay in the end.

The walk started out slowly as our guide explained how the rock was formed. There was life everywhere! Trees grew mightily around the base. The ground was filled with grasses and vegetation. Nothing I anticipated for a desert.

The complexity of the rock became clearer and clearer as I walked around the base.

We went inside this water hole where the water was still intact. Life seems to flourish around here.

As I walked in, the surroundings shifted from a mild desert to a full-on forest. It was overwhelmingly astounding.

We rested at the water hole for a few minutes to cool down before we headed out in the heat.

During the walk, I met Yoko, a Chinese lady who also travels alone. She was a unique individual. We talked about all kinds of things, from the places we've been to aliens. Yes, aliens. It was quite entertaining.

By the time we finished the tour, it was already noon, and the place was about to heat up really bad, so we went back to our lodge to get ready for the evening tour.

At 9:35 PM, I went on an Astro Tour where we walked out into the desert at night and gazed at the stars. There were 2 telescopes set up for us to take turns and look at the constellations while the guide explained each one.

Nick, the guide was hilariously entertaining the whole time. We exchanged a few nerdy techniques to take better photos of the stars with my RX100 camera.

At the end of the tour, Nick pointed the telescopes at the moon and took off the light filter so we could take a photo of the moon with our camera. The moon was so clear that we could see its craters on the side.

During the tour, I met Caroline, a German woman from Cologne, who shared a similar love for astronomy and was the only one staying at the same lodge as me. The tour ended at 11:50 PM, and Caroline and I were left wondering if there would be a free shuttle bus circulating at this time of day. Another European couple we met during the tour offered us a ride, but I was pretty sure there would be buses, so we decided to wait. After a few conversations, the bus arrived, and that ended my second day at Ayers Rock.

I hope you enjoy this photo essay of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Next up, we will explore Kings Canyon at Watarrka National Park. The Kings Canyon tour was the best out of all the tours, and it deserves its own post, so stay tuned for Australia Part 3 coming in a few days.

Continue on to our next article in our Australia journey:Hiking the Kings Canyon

Uluru Tours & Activities

What to Pack for Uluru, Australia?

As you may already know, I am an advocate of light traveling, and indeed, packing light for a journey like this is a unique art form. Here are some packing tips for your upcoming trip to Uluru, Australia:

• Walking/Hiking Shoes: With all the walking and possible hiking during your travel, a comfortable pair of shoes is a must. I recommend the Timberland 3-Eye Classic Boat Shoes that are my go-to pair for long strolls and hikes.
• Breathable Shirts: Given the potential for hot weather, pack a few breathable shirts for your outdoor adventures.
• Shorts/Jeans: Anticipate lots of walking during your travels? Be sure to pack some breathable shorts and a pair of Levi's jeans for when the weather cools. For women, leggings are excellent for both hot and cold climates, so consider packing some as well.
• Fleece Jacket: For colder weather, layering is the key, and a fleece jacket makes an excellent insulating layer. I recommend the Columbia Steens Mountain Fleece (for women).
• Outer Shell Jacket: An outer shell jacket is great for windy or rainy conditions. I highly recommend the Columbia Watertight Jacket (for women). It's lightweight, breathable, and even comes in a cool orange color.
• Microfiber Towel: A Microfiber towel is the ideal backpacker's towel due to its lightness, quick drying, and compressibility.
• Camera: You should also pack a good camera for your trip so that you can capture all the beautiful experiences you might have. I recommend the Sony a7R V camera together with the Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II lens, which is probably the highest-performance camera and lens combination you can get right now.
• Power Bank: Keep your electronics charged on the go with a 20,000+ mAh Power Bank.
• Water Bottle: The Hydro Flask Trail Water Bottle is a great insulated water bottle to have with you in cities or on hiking trails. It is lightweight and can keep your water cold or warm for more than 12 hours. It's a total game-changer.
• Universal Adapter: You'll need just one universal adapter to plug in your electronics in any country you visit.
• Packing Cubes: Packing Cubes will help you save space in your backpack and keep all your belongings organized.
• Daypack: The Langly Alpha Globetrotter is my go-to everyday camera backpack. It's large enough to carry all my travel gear, and it comes with plenty of slots and pouches. Plus, it's stylish as hell!
• Large Backpack: You will need a large backpack to carry all of your stuff. I recommend the Osprey Atmos AG 65L backpack. With excellent weight distribution and a lifetime guarantee, you can't go wrong with Osprey.

For more information on what I pack in my backpack for this trip, check out: My Packing List: 60 Travel Essentials.