When we began our journey across Australia’s Red Center, our tour guide-slash-driver handed us a marker and told us to write our names on the window of the van. It’s a way for everyone in the group to easily remember each other’s name.
Since then, every time I looked out the window, I saw my name etched in every dawn and dusk, every starry sky, every vivid picture that sped past me. through the glass, every place is a canvass. Every moment a masterpiece. The Outback is a wild, insane artist.
Our destination: Uluru, Australia’s most iconic landmark. Regarded by many as the heart of the Outback, Uluru is located almost at the center of the continent. The nearest major town is Alice Springs, where our trip began.
Hva er dekket i denne guiden?
Understanding Alice Springs & Uluru
How to get to Alice Springs or Uluru
Best Time to visit Alice Springs or Uluru
Where to stay in Alice Springs or Uluru
Steder å besøke
How to get AroundCar Rental
Bus and Shuttle
Group Tour
Sample 5-Day Alice Springs-Uluru Itinerary
Budget Breakdown
Other tips for the poor Traveler
Flere tips på YouTube ⬇ relaterte innlegg:
Understanding Alice Springs & Uluru
View from ANZAC hill Lookout
To the Aborigines, Alice Springs is known as Mparntwe. since way before Europeans arrived, it has been an important place to the Aranda (Arrernte) people, who have been calling it home for more than 30,000 years. It was John McDouall Stuart who first led an expedition through this part of the continent, establishing a south-north route from Adelaide to Darwin.
The town got its English name from lady Alice Todd, wife of Sir Charles Todd, a telegraph pioneer and Postmaster-General of South Australia from 1870–1901. In 1887, alluvial gold was discovered near the area, attracting people to settle in Alice Springs. during world war II, the town became an important staging base for the Australian military. In the 1960s, the government established here a joint defense monitoring base with the United States.
Today, Alice Springs is more like a tourist hub, closest to many of the Outback’s most popular tourist destinations including Uluru.
Photo by Uluru Camel Tour.
Uluru, on the other hand, is a natural wonder. Its other name “Ayers Rock” was given to it in 1873 in honor of Sir Henry Ayers. Today, both names are accepted. since it was opened as a tourist site in 1936, it has been promoted as a place to climb, which (among others) upsets the local Pitjantjatjara people. For them, Uluru is sacred and they have always been forbidden to climb it. On 26 October 1985, the land was returned to the local Aborigines by the government but must be leased to the national Parks and wildlife Agency. The government and the locals then started co-managing it.
The town nearest Uluru is Yulara, but Alice Springs, located five to six hours away, is also a favorite among tourists because it is much larger and the road in between stems out to other key attractions in the Outback including Kata Tjuta and the Kings Canyon.
The point is: even though Uluru and Alice Springs are six hours apart, if you visit one, it’s best to go see the other.
How to get to Alice Springs or Uluru
Alice Springs and Uluru have their own airports.
Alice Springs is connected to some of Australia’s major cities:
Adelaide – Qantas, Virgin
Ayers rock – QantasLink
Brisbane – Alliance, Qantas
Cairns – QantasLink
Darwin – Airnorth, QantasLink, Virgin
The Granites – Alliance
Katherine – Airnorth
Melbourne – Qantas, Virgin
Perth – Qantas
Sydney – Qantas
Tennant Creek – Airnorth
To get to the town proper from Alice Springs Airport, you may board a shuttle bus operated by Alice Wanderer airport Transfers. There’s a bus for every flight coming in and going out. If you avail of this service, you can be picked up or dropped off at your hotel. You can book online at www.alicewanderer.com.au or you can do that at the airport. Tickets cost AUD16 per passenger (per way).
Ayers rock airport (aka Conellan Airport) is linked to:
Alice Springs – QantasLink
Cairns – QantasLink
Melbourne – Jetstar,
Sydney – Jetstar, Virgin Australia
At Ayers rock Airport, there is a free bus that takes passengers to resorts and hotels in Yulara until 12:30am.
The three key destinations in this part of the Outback — Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta, and Uluru — are closer to Ayers rock airport than Alice Springs, so if for whatever reason, you can only choose one, fly to Ayers Rock.
But the best way to do it is to fly in via one and fly out via the other. This way you get to experience both areas. This is especially advantageous if you’re going on a multi-day camping tour.
Best Time to visit Alice Springs or Uluru
Sunset in the Outback
According to the locals we have talked to, the temperate days of autumn (March-May) and spring (August-September) are pleasant for exploring the Outback, but the month of may in particular is the best time to visit. The skies arE også klart, noe som er flott hvis du håper å skyte postkortverdige bilder.
Dette er imidlertid også høysesongene, noe som betyr at du vil dele nettstedene med mange andre turister.
Vi besøkte midt på vinteren. Temperaturer på dagtid spilte rundt 20C, noe jeg syntes var veldig behagelig for fotturer. Men nattetall dyppet til under null, noe som vanligvis førte til frostige tidlig morgen. Hvis du planlegger å besøke i juni eller juli, må du sørge for at du er godt utstyrt for kulden. Jakker er et must!
Hvor du kan bo i Alice Springs eller Uluru
Alice Springs Yha Hostel
YHA Australia har herberger strategisk lokalisert i Yulara (Ayers Rock Yha) og Alice Springs, perfekt hvis du har et stramt budsjett.
Fra juni 2016, her er prisene deres per natt:
Ayers Rock Yha (Outback Pioneer Lodge)
Sovesenger: AUD 38
Privat tvilling/dobbeltrom: AUD 225
Bestill eller sjekk oppdaterte priser her: Ayers Rock Yha
Alice Springs Yha
Soveseng: AUD 25,50 til 33,50
Privat tvilling/dobbeltrom: AUD 88
Privat familierom: AUD 122
Bestill eller sjekk oppdaterte priser her: Alice Springs Yha
For andre alternativer, besøk: Alice Springs Hotels
Steder å besøke
Miniatyrbildene nedenfor tar deg til bestemte innlegg.
Sunset Walk med Kangaroo Dundee. AUD 85.
Kings Canyon. En del av Rock Tour. AUD 375.
Kata tjuta. En del av Rock Tour. AUD 375.
Uluru. En del av Rock Tour. AUD 375.
Kameltur ved soloppgang
Anzac Hill. GRATIS.
Jeg må si at den beste delen av turen er Kings Canyon. (Det var også den vanskeligste delen.) Det er min personlige mening. Folk er vanligvis sjokkerte når jeg sier dette fordi de forventer at Uluru skal være høydepunktet – ikke misforstå, det var magisk å se på solnedgangen og soloppgangen på Uluru – men de som var på turné med oss likte Kings Canyon mest også.
Hvordan komme seg rundt
Alice Springs. Det er drosjer, men de kan være ganske dyre. Dessuten er alle interesser i sentrumsområdet innen gangavstand.
Yulara. Det er en gratis skyttelbuss som opererer rundt området hvert 20. minutt fra 10:30 til 12:30. Det stopper på Hotels, besøkssenter, Resort Town Square, Uluru Camel Farm og campingplassene.
Imidlertid, hvis du skal ut av det store oppgjøret for å besøke nettsteder som Uluru og Kings Canyon, har du tre alternativer:
Bilutleie
Hvis du er en fest på 3 eller 4 pax, kan dette være et godt alternativ. Men sørg for at du leser alle vilkårene før du signerer en kontrakt. Legg også merke til antallet som er tillatt per dag, hvis du ikke tar et “ubegrenset” ordning. Å leie en bil lar deg ta full kontroll over tiden din.
Nedenfor er en tabell med sats av sentral bilutleie, et av de mer kjente selskapene i Alice Springs. Jeg har ikke prøvd dem, og dette er ikke en anbefaling. (Jeg kjører ikke til utlandet.) Jeg viser deg bare prisene for å gi deg en ballpark -figur av hvor mye du vil bruke.
Buss og skyttelbuss
Det er turer til Uluru og Kings Canyon fra Alice Springs og Yulara. Nedenfor er prøvepriser.
Priser av Ayers Rock Resort
Gruppetur
Du finner gruppeturer som du kan være med i Alice Springs og Yulara. Disse turene tar deg rundt og deretter tilbake til hotellet ditt på slutten av dagen.
Men den vi har prøvd, og vi kan absolutt, helhjertet anbefale, tilbys av Rock Tour. De kan ta deg med på en 3-dagers/2-natt campingtur fra Alice Springs til Uluru (eller omvendt) og gjøre stopp på viktige destinasjoner underveis. Du kan også velge å gjøre en tur / retur Alice Springs -turné.
Hver rocketurbestilling dekker transport, alle måltider i 3 dager og 2 netter, swags, campingutstyr og en kunnskapsrik og erfaren turguide. Totalpris: AUD 375. Tenk på det: AUD 375 for alt du trenger i 3 dager. Det er mye billigere enn å gjøre individuelle turer for hvert nettsted.
Merk imidlertid at camping ikke er for alle. Hvis du er den typen reisende som er besatt av komfortable sengetøy og som trenger å bruke toalettet hvert 30. minutt, kan du synes det er for grovt eller robust.
Mer om det her: The Rock Tour
Prøve 5-dagers Alice Springs-Uluru-reiserute
Det er oss med våre nye venner!
Hvis du bare har fem dager på denne turen, er her en prøve grunnleggende reiserute.
DAG 1
07:00: Etd Darwin
09:00: Eta Alice Springs
09:30: Avlevervesker på Hostel
10:00: Utforsk byen, besøk Anzac Hill, spis lunsj
02:00: Innsjekking, hvile
17:00: Kangaroo Dundee Tour
17:30: dagligvarehandel, middag
Dag 2
The Rock Tour (Call Time: 05:30 AM på vandrerhjemmet ditt)
Utforsk King’s Canyon, se Mount Connor og Lake Amadeus Sunset
Sove midt i ingensteds
Dag 3
The Rock Tour fortsetter
Kata Tjuta, besøkssenter, Uluru Sunset
Dag 4
The Rock Tour fortsetter
Uluru Sunrise, Uluru Rim Walk
Uluru Camel Farm
Hvile, grillmiddag
Dag 5
Sjekk ut
Fly tilbake dit du kom fra.
Budsjettfordeling
For å gi deg en ide om hvor mye ovennevnte reiserute vil koste deg, her er en oversikt over mulige utgifter.
Kostnad per måltid på en restaurant:AUD 15-25
Alice Springs YHA Hostel (1 night): AUD 25.50
Ayers rock YHA Hostel (1 night): AUD 38
Alice Springs airport Shuttle: AUD 16
Ayers rock airport Shuttle: FREE
The rock Tour: AUD 375
Kangaroo Sunset Tour: AUD 85
ANZAC Hill: FREE
If you keep your food expenses on your first and last days below AUD20 per meal and you stay at dorms on your first and last nights, expect to shell out AUD 620 (USD 453.5) for the whole trip. note that this does not include airfare and incidentals (water, groceries) and souvenirs. You can keep the cost significantly lower if you cook your own meals.
Other tips for the poor Traveler
Choose a hostel with an open kitchen. There are restaurants and eateries in Alice Springs and Yulara, although very limited. but know that meals are generally pricey in Australia. The cost (usually around AUD15-25) can be quite shocking if you’re coming from cheaper countries like those in Southeast Asia or South America. but if you’re staying at a hostel with a kitchen open to guests, you can simply buy ingredients from the supermarket and cook for yourself. It’s your cheapest bet.
Hit the supermarket before the tour. There are very few restaurant options along tour routes. best to buy food before the trip so you won’t get hungry along the way.
Bring a refillable bottle. There are plenty of water refilling areas around Kings Canyon and Kata Tjuta. fill up when you see one because stops are so far apart (often hours).
Wear comfortable hiking shoes. If you plan on exploring the sites, know that there might be a lot of trekking and a bit of climbing. A good pair will make your trip more enjoyable.
Check the weather before packing. I know this sounds obvious, but we’re just reiterating. most people prepare for the daytime heat just because it’s in the middle of the desert, but ready a thick jacket for the cold nights too especially if you’re visiting in winter. We didn’t realize it would be super cold (approaching zero) so we had to buy pants and more layers in Alice Springs.
You can exchange currencies in Alice Springs. We’ve tried transacting at a major bank in Alice Springs and the rates are good and the experience pleasant. We’re not sure about Yulara.
Tipping isn’t obligatory. but if you like the service at the restaurant, 10% should be enough. For the taxis, locals just round off the fare.
In case of emergency, call 000.. This will send an ambulance, firefighters, or the police. Be calm and clearly state your exact address.
This guide is a work in progress. If you have other tips, let us know in the comments section below and we’ll include them.
Flere tips på YouTube ⬇
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The rock Tour: camping trip from Alice Springs to Uluru, Australia
Kings Canyon rim Walk, Australia
Australian Outback: Uluru Camel tour at Sunrise
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