Uluru: Beauty in the Heart of the Desert - Arun Kamlapukar

June 27, 2025. It was 10:30 in the morning. Our Jetstar flight soared into the sky from Sydney Airport, marking the beginning of a journey to a truly offbeat destination: Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock. Located approximately 2,800 km from Sydney, it is a natural marvel so extraordinary that UNESCO has recognized it as a World Heritage site. We had a pleasant three-hour flight. The weather was beautiful, with not a hint of turbulence. Below us, there was little to see but the vast, unending expanse of the desert that defined our entire route. At around 1:45 PM, we landed smoothly at Ayers Rock Airport in the town of Yulara. It’s a wonderfully small airport; in terms of traffic, it handles just four flights a day. The terminal building covers barely an acre, and the runway is right next to it, meaning the aircraft’s taxiing time is a mere two to three minutes. Everything is refreshingly streamlined. The car rental office was conveniently located inside the terminal. Having pre-booked our vehicle, we collected the keys and made our way to the eight-seater Kia waiting for us just outside. Our entire family caboodle—my wife and I, our daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters—settled into the pristine vehicle and set off for our resort, the Desert Garden Hotel. After settling in at the resort and finishing a quick lunch and tea, we prepared ourselves for an encounter with a colossal rock. This was it: Uluru, or Ayers Rock, a breathtaking wonder of nature in Australia's Northern Territory. This territory is four times the size of Maharashtra, yet this vast land doesn't have the status of an independent state; it is administered much like our Union Territories in India. It may sound unbelievable, but the population of this immense region is a mere 250,000 people. The entire province is essentially one gigantic desert. Even Yulara, the tourist hub with its resorts and restaurants, has a population of just about a thousand. Step just outside the resort complex, and all you can see, in every direction, stretching to the horizon, is the desert. The landscape is sparsely dotted with a type of hardy grass and stunted trees about five to six feet tall. This minimalist vegetation lends a unique, stark beauty to the desert. To truly experience the splendor of Uluru, one must arrive at its viewing area at least 30 to 45 minutes before sunset. We did just that. Before us lay the immense, monolithic rock, stretching from north to south, too vast to be captured in a single gaze. Uluru is 3.5 km long, 2.5 km wide, and a staggering 348 meters high. These figures barely do justice to its sheer scale. Researchers speculate that this rock was thrust above the ground some 500 million years ago due to tectonic movements. A considerable crowd had gathered to witness the sunset. Cars were lined up along the road, and some people had brought out folding chairs, settling in for the spectacle. Before us, Uluru stood bathed in the sun’s rays, glowing in a deep reddish hue. As the sun began its descent towards the horizon, the colours began to shift. The initial dark red faded to a lighter shade, then a hint of yellow appeared. This was followed by a distinct grey, and at the very moment of sunset, the rock turned completely black. Witnessing this extraordinary natural spectacle is a mesmerizing experience; you lose all track of time. The exact same magic happens on the other side of the rock at sunrise, just with the color sequence in reverse. With the sunset over, there was little else to do, so we headed back to the resort. Our second day was packed. The goal was to explore the region’s mountainous terrain. About forty kilometers from our resort lies Kata Tjuta, a group of thirty-six massive rock domes. Unlike Uluru, which is a single monolith, this is a cluster of formations, but it is equally vast. While Uluru has a flat, plateau-like top, the domes of Kata Tjuta are rounded. The deep red colour, however, is common to both. After our morning routine, we drove the forty kilometers, enjoying the pleasant desert scenery, and arrived at the base of Kata Tjuta. Today's agenda was a mountain hike. Even though it was past 11 AM, the air was remarkably cool, with the temperature hovering around 7°C—perfect weather for a trek. We parked our car and began walking towards the domes. After about three-quarters of a kilometer, we saw a sign indicating the start of a 7.5 km trail. The sign read: "Grade 4 difficult. A steep track, loose rocks." I must admit, a wave of apprehension washed over me. Barely fifty meters from the sign, the trail descended into what felt like a deep valley. The path winding between the towering domes on either side was an exceptionally beautiful sight. The tall formations seemed to be reassuring us. The atmosphere was serene, almost spiritual. After the first major descent, the trail continued with a mix of flat stretches and smaller ascents and descents. About an hour and a half in, we were greeted by a water station. It was truly commendable that such a facility with clean drinking water was available in such a remote area. There were even benches to sit on. We enjoyed the snacks we had brought, quenched our thirst with the cool water, and continued our journey with renewed vigor. Fifteen or twenty minutes later, just as the sign had warned, we were faced with a very steep climb. It looked like a section where one might need to use hands as well as feet. The rest of my family navigated it cautiously. I was about to resort to getting on all fours when my son-in-law spotted a relatively easier path to the left and suggested I take it. Heeding the age-old wisdom to avoid treacherous paths, I stuck to the well-trodden route and made it to the top safely. For the next half hour, the trail was less challenging. We had only encountered about eight or ten fellow hikers so far. A little further on, we saw a gentleman in his sixties resting on a rock. We struck up a short conversation, and he delivered the auspicious news that a very steep descent lay just ahead, which I would find difficult. Since he didn't understand Marathi, there was no use in sarcastically telling him, "Thanks for the vote of confidence!" Soon enough, the two-hundred-meter descent appeared before us, and a doubt crept into my mind: But there was no alternative. We opened our snack bags again. After devouring a piece of cake and a banana, I began the descent with newfound energy. In the end, the path wasn't as daunting as it had looked from the top. With careful steps, it was quite manageable. Once we were down, the next stretch of the trail felt a bit tedious. We had left the company of the towering domes, and now there was only desert on both sides. However, thanks to the cool air, I didn't feel tired. Soon, another water station appeared. We drank the cool water, feeling refreshed. A sign there that read "Car Parking 2.4 km" brought a wave of relief. We covered that distance in about forty-five minutes. The final section involved climbing back up the same large slope we had descended in the morning. Since it wasn't too difficult, we took it one step at a time and finally reached the car park. The trail was a truly beautiful experience. It was certainly tough and a great test of physical endurance! But on the other hand, it gave me the immense satisfaction of knowing that, at the age of 72, I could still accomplish such a feat. I felt great after the trek, but the next morning, every joint and muscle in my body made its presence keenly known. Despite that, after breakfast the next day, we went for another short excursion. On the first day, we had seen Uluru from a distance. Today, we drove to its base on the other side and fulfilled our wish of walking along the edge of the rock. The full circuit around Uluru is 16 kilometers. Since that wasn't feasible, we stopped the car at two points and walked for about fifteen to twenty minutes each time on completely flat ground. We took in its magnificent form up close and, of course, took plenty of photos before heading back to the resort for lunch and a long rest. Only one attraction remained: the ‘Field of Lights.’ A bus service was available from the resort to take us there. We left at 7:45 PM. After about fifteen minutes, the bus stopped. As we got out, we saw a vast area shimmering with lights. A dense network of thick wires was spread out about three feet above the ground, with a colored bulb glowing on each wire. This festival of over 50,000 multi-colored lights was a truly spectacular sight. There were pathways to walk through this man-made marvel and soak it all in. As I walked, I happened to look up, and there it was—a thick, glittering belt of the Milky Way, clearly visible to the naked eye. No telescope was needed. I stood staring, transfixed by this sight I was seeing for the first time in my life. Countless other stars were also visible. It was as if the entire celestial sphere was adorned with sparkling jewels. I experienced firsthand how enchanting the sky can be in an environment with absolutely zero pollution. Satisfied, we boarded the bus and returned to the resort. June 30 was our day of departure. We had no plans. We had to check out of the resort by 10 AM as per their policy. We spent some time driving around aimlessly and then returned the vehicle at the airport at 1:30 PM. At exactly 2:30 PM, our plane took off, and we began our journey back to Sydney. And so, this is the account of our short trip. Although it's an excellent destination for a three-day excursion, its remote location, nearly 3,000 kilometers from tourist hubs like Sydney and Melbourne, means that no Indian travel companies come this way. That is precisely why I felt compelled to put this experience into words. Arun Kamlapurkar Contact : +91 7972573894 (This article is the translated version of the original article उलुरू - वाळवंटामधील सौंदर्य written by Arun Kamlapurkar published in the Sahitya Chaprak Diwali Ank 2025 ) साहित्य चपराक दिवाळी अंक २०२५ घरपोच मागण्यासाठी लिंक: https://shop.chaprak.com/product/diwali-ank-2025/