Uluru aka: Ayers Rock

It’s unlikely you’ll be able to climb Uluru even if you want to—the climb is closed 5/6ths of the year (whenever it’s windy or temperatures are predicted to rise over a certain heat, at which point it’s just plain life-threatening to climb).

But I’d also recommend not climbing just because you’ve been asked not to by a people who’ve got no ability to do anything BUT ask nicely, given an unfair arrangement whereby their longstanding relationship with this land was eventually recognised and ownership of this area granted, but only on the provisor that they lease it to the government long-term, which strips them of the ability to have any control over that which they legally own. It’s symptomatic of the poor way in which we’ve treated the indigenous population of this land overall, and, to me, seems symbolic of your endorsement of that treatment if you do climb.

The base walk’s recommended much more highly anyway for getting a sense of the place - there’s not a whole lot to see from the top of the rock, and what I think would be interesting to see from a high angle - the shape of the thing from above—would be better done from a plane, helicopter or balloon flight, all of which are available to do.

Seconding the warning about flies! Ohmygod, they’re bad! There’s a rock painting some thousands of years old in Kakadu, depicting an Aboriginal guy holding various items including a bird wing, used like a fan to swat the flies away; so I think we can say the fly problem’s pretty long-term! ;)

don’t climb Uluru. The Indigenous people ask you not to and you can see so much more by walking around it.

sadly, the two times we came here, we never got close,
one because it was too windy,
and another time because it was the indigenous peoples ritual day or something stupid. :C

all I did was watch the sunset slowly go down, hungry, thirsty, hot and more then ever, bored. .__.

Uluru is one of the most beautiful and spectacular places i have ever been…
The sunset at Uluru was absolutely magical and i would reccommend it to anyone

XoXo Billy XoXo

The first time in 1988 I climbed the rock and though it was great. However coming back in 1997 it did not appear to have been a good idea any more. I instead respected the spirituality of the locals and just watched amazed…and that is what I recommend

Uluru is such a rugidly beautiful place. You must see the sunrise at Uluru, but nothing is more spectacular than the sunset! The rock changes into all sorts of shades of that infamously glowing orangey-red. The only killer out there is the flies! Heaps and heaps of them! Don’t forget to buy a flynet or you will go mad as they will never leave you alone. Good thing is they go away after dusk and come back a little after dawn

Back when I was younger (way back in the olden days when I was 17/18) I fell in love with the idea of Australia. You would have to first understand, where I grew up was such a small town dreaming and the mall were about the only things you could do. Next thing I knew…rumor’s started to fly around that 2 Aussie guys had moved to my very own small town. OMG!! dreams of dreams!! 2 blocks away!!! OMG, It’s true, they were sooo cute. Spoke to one of them and my heart took off, too bad they were younger than me. What’s worse, I only saw them once or twice more before they went back to Australia. Dreams never die, someday I may even be Old & Gray I will see Ayers Rock not only that but the Sydney Opera House as well. Any offers? Even a photo will do! lol

Please don’t climb Uluru! Enjoy it by walking around it’s base and respecting the wishes of it’s traditional owners.

I went to Ayers Rock when I was 3-4 can’t remember much except being carried most of the way by my mum, lol. Definately want to go again!

Uluru is an amazing place that has to be seen to be believed. I chose to walk around the rock (9.7km) as the Aboriginals don’t want you to climb the rock and it scared me anyway!