Central Australia is a remarkable part of our country, providing a rich experience of culture and landscape.

The World Heritage-listed Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park (Anangu land) is one of the few places on Earth listed by UNESCO for outstanding natural and cultural values.

Readily accessible by air from major Australian cities, Uluru is one of those stunning examples of nature that can take your breath away at first sight.

Rising 348m and measuring 9.4km around its base, Uluru, it is said, started forming 550 million years ago.

Made from arkose sandstone rich in mineral feldspar, the unweathered areas of the rock are typically grey, while sections weathered by rain and air are more red, like rusting iron.

You start to appreciate this incredible natural formation when you do the 10.6km, 3.5-hour walk around its base.

There are a couple of short side hikes which add a bit of time but further enrich the experience, so take in Kantju Gorge and Mutitjulu Waterhole (home of Wanampi, an ancestral watersnake) too.

If you’re doing the full base walk, start early so you finish before the hottest part of the day. There are a couple of water stations along the way but carry plenty of water anyway. A fly net will be handy too.

The walk takes you through varied landscapes, from open, grassed claypans to acacia woodlands.

View of Uluru on the base walk.

You will encounter wildflowers, native grasses, mulga trees, bloodwoods and river red gums. There’s a lot of animal and birdlife too.

The ‘rock’ itself is like an intense landscape painting in progress, transforming as you walk, tossing up surface and colour variations, craggy overhangs, areas darkened by raininduced waterfalls, caves and eroded formations.

Due to cultural sensitivities, some sections of Uluru can’t be photographed. These are signed. Some rock art can be viewed and photographed on the walk to Kantju Gorge.

Interpretive signs help flesh out stories important to the Anangu. Take time to absorb them, as well as the natural beauty. You can join free ranger-guided walks for a more in-depth experience.

If you don’t want to pound the shoe leather, you can hire bikes from the Cultural Centre, near the base of Uluru.

The Cultural Centre provides a good introduction to Anangu beliefs and traditional law (Tjukurpa).

The centre’s mud-brick structure represents two ancestral snakes: Kuniya, the python woman, and Liru, the venomous snake man.

Open daily from 7am, entry is free and free presentations introduce the park and Anangu culture.

Wildflowers in the Valley of the Winds.

Walkatjara Arts, the Mutitjulu-owned art centre, is here too. Watch artists work, learn about their stories and consider buying some of their incredible creations.

Nearby, Maraku Arts displays art and traditional woodwork and sells various items, including jewellery and pottery. Maraku represents more than 20 Indigenous communities.

Other cultural activities within the national park include dot-painting workshops, cave art tours and tailor-made experiences featuring dance ceremonies, bush medicine, bush food and wood carving.

It’s about a 45-minute drive from here to Kata Tjuta (meaning ‘many heads’), an Anangu men’s sacred site.

Rising 546m and comprising 36 steep domes spread over several kilometres, Kata Tjuta is a beautiful place with captivating walks.

Stop at the dune viewing area en route from Uluru. Aside from providing a good overview of the dome formation, the views across the landscape are stunning.

The 7.4km Valley of the Winds circuit takes about four hours. It’s pretty hard going in places and includes some steep climbs and rocky surfaces that challenge your footing.

Alternatively, you can walk the first stage to Karu lookout (one hour return) or as far as the Karingana lookout (2.5 hours return). The trek up to Karingana requires care.

Kata Tjuta rising in the dsitance. 

The track closes at Kara Lookout at 11am if the temperature is forecast to reach 36C. At any time, it’s important to have sun protection and carry plenty of water. There are two water stations on the circuit and one near the start. Good walking shoes are strongly advised. Avoid hiking in the heat of the day.

The Valley of the Winds is a culturally sensitive area and the Anangu ask that you don’t capture images of most of the rock formations throughout the walk.

For a different view of this incredible landscape, the 2.6km, on- hour return Walpa Gorge walk is less challenging.

Hikers at Kata Tjuta should stay on marked tracks. The only toilets are at the Kata Tjuta sunset viewing area so visit them before heading off on your trek. There’s no phone service here either.

Back at Yulara, the town centre servicing the park, there are plenty of facilities.

Accommodation options range from camping to five-star.

To get to Uluru and Kata Tjuta from here, you’ll need to have your own transport or join a tour.

There are dedicated areas near Uluru and Kata Tjuta to view the dramatic sunrise and sunset.

STORY JIM MATHERS

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