Preparing to visit Australia's Red Centre

Have you ever visited a place that gives you a tingle down your spine?

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I’d long wanted to visit Uluru, a journey to the Red Centre being one of those iconic experiences that many Aussies have on their bucket lists.

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However, I did not expect to be so blown away by this place.

When Uluru came into sight for the first time, I literally got a lump in my throat (I’m not really a sentimental person) I was blown away and overcome with a sense of being in a sacred place.

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It truly is so incredible, as many times as you read about it or see photos of “the rock” they don’t do it the justice of experiencing it for yourself.

You do need to be prepared to visit Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, so here are some helpful tips to make your the most of your journey.⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Whether staying in the campground or other properties at the Ayres Rock Resort - keep an eye out for the Stay 3 / Pay 2 deals which are generally on offer outside the peak periods and we found 3 days to be adequate to see everything we wanted to, with quite a few full days⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• A park pass is required for entry to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park - if you ask at the park entry they will upgrade your 3 day entry to 5 days free of charge ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Only the Star Pass and Field of Light Sunrise tours give you access to the viewing platform which allows you to see the Field of Light with Uluru as it’s backdrop either as the sun sets or when it’s rising.

• (The cheaper option is the Field of Light pass - arriving after dark for a self guided walk)

• Prebook any activities/ tours you want to do eg: Field of Light, scenic flights as they do book up well in advance even in the off peak season⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Lock up your valuables and don’t be an easy target - keep things out of view in your car / caravan.

• Unfortunately there’s lots of reports of theft both at the campground and around Uluru. We actually met someone who’d just had their window smashed in for some lollies that had been left visible in the car. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Be prepared for long days with lots of early starts for sunrises and late evenings for sunsets - these are the best times of the day to see Uluru and Kata Tjuta⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• If you have kids plan a break for a swim / lunch/ rest in the middle of the day

• (There are also free activities at the resort like a bush tucker experience, didgeridoo and painting workshops) ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• The desert can be very cold at night & early morning (in winter it can drop to 1 degree) so don’t forget a good jacket and long pants⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• The Uluru base walk is 10.6kms - whilst it’s nice and flat and we are quite used to long hikes, we probably should have at least brought the kids bikes

• Bicycles can also be hired at the Cultural Centre - although at $170 for a family of 4 we though this was a bit steep)

• Remember to take the short detours to stop and check out the rock art, Mutitjulu waterhole and get up close where permitted.

• There is only one toilet at the Mala car park and one water refill station on the base walk⠀⠀⠀

• Pack the fly nets - trust me, they never rest, even at 5am you can find flies buzzing around

• If coming by road, fill up with cheaper fuel on the way in⠀⠀⠀⠀

• Also, if coming by road a good place to stop is Erldunda Roadhouse - with a pool, bistro, sunset viewing deck & resident camels, roos & emus it’s worth an overnighter

• There’s a reasonably priced IGA in the resort if you require supplies as well as plenty of dining options ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

• The best time to visit is said to be May - September with much more comfortable temperatures, however we enjoyed a variety of weather in March getting to experience in three days a heat wave and then pouring rain which produced cloudy skies and waterfalls on the rock