Your guide on what to pack, what to see and where to park when travelling via motorhome to Uluru in Alice Springs.
Image courtesy of Weyf via Wikimedia Commons/ CC
If you’re stumped on places to go for a vacation in Australia then maybe you might want to consider the great Australian Outback. The Outback is vast and there are so many popular tourist attractions here! So why not head on over to Uluru!
Uluru, previously known as Ayers Rock, is the Aboriginal name for a large sandstone rock formation in Central Australia. It’s considered to be one of the great wonders of the world and an iconic symbol of the Australian Outback!
But what makes the famous rock formation so iconic, and magnetic for tourists? If you’re visiting Australia for the first time then the Uluru is a place that you must see. The colours of the rock formation change spectacularly in sunrises and sunsets. Noted colours are orange, red, brick, shiny silver and violet. The colours change due to weather conditions and the amount of sunlight that that touch Uluru.
So what is there to see and do at Uluru?
There are literally tons of reasons why you should rent a campervan at Uluru. Aside from watching Uluru change colours, here are some other things you can do:
Image courtesy of Sammy Six via Wikimedia Commons/ CC BY 2.0
Ride camels. Travellers says that this is an experience you should not miss! The Camel Tours can be done early in the sunrise or during the a breathtaking sunset. The guides are very informative and are friendly. The dampers that are offered are definitely a must try too!
Fly the outback! What better way than to see the magnificent rock formation than being on air? You can hire an early morning balloon ride and see the wonderful flora and fauna. The heli tours are also something that you might want to try! You’ll surely appreciate the vast scale of this monolith and see its surrounding wonders, with kangaroos to boot. Though you won’t be able to actually fly over the rock, you’ll still be able to see it pretty clearly.
Dine under the stars. There are a number of restaurants located in the area with great food and even better dining experiences! You can choose fromrestaurants like Longitude 131° or Sounds of Silence. In both diners, you’ll be able eat under the beautiful blanket of the starry night sky.
Learn about culture and tradition. A tour in Uluru won’t be complete if you didn’t learn anything about the place. Digest food for the brain and for the soul through educational bushwalking tours. Learn about the Aboriginal culture of the Anangu, the first people that lived in Uluru, and revel in the colourful Anangu paintings and mysterious symbols.
What to pack in Uluru?
Now that you know what there is to see in Uluru, it’s time to consider what to pack. In one of our blog posts, we asked the question “Are You Making These 3 Packing Mistakes?” To get you going with packing for the outback, here are some tips on what not to forget to pack on an outback campervan holiday in Uluru:
Cameras, obvs. Please do everyone a favour and never forget to bring a camera.
Image courtesy of Terminals & Gates on Flickr/ CC BY 2.0
You’ll want to immortalise those memories or share them with your friends. If you’re writing a travel blog, you’ll surely want to add in photos for the best effect. If you want to be handy about it, there’s no need to bring a professional camera, a camera phone will do the trick. And don’t forget a charger!
First aid kits. Whether you’ll actually use it or not, it’s always safe to bring your own first aid kits. Although there is a kit provided in the campervan, you might have preferred medicine that give you the quick remedy you need. It’s also safe to bring these just in case the kids, or even yourself, get some minor scratches that you might get during one of your bushwalking activities.
Boredom killers. It is inevitable that during one of the long trips you’ll have, you’ll get bored. And sometimes, boredom is worst thing about travelling to far places. You’ll need to bring in some reinforcements! You can always bring your favorite board games like Scrabble or Monopoly. Or you can bring a book or tablet to keep you busy. Better yet, check out our blog post on some roadtrip games that entertain.
Image courtesy of USDAgov via Flickr/ CC BY 2.0
All kinds of repellents. Of the enemies of campers are those bugs. Mosquitoes, unwanted flies and other insects will pester your camping holiday. Make these bugs and pesky critters go away. There are a few things you can use like sprays and lotions but if you don’t like applying it to your skin, use citronella candles or patches.
More Ziploc bags! Bring Ziploc bags as containers for food (whether leftover or new), or for chips so they still will be crispy. You can also use these handy bags for watery food, wet clothes and other stuff that need to be separated.
Enough water. No matter how long you’re planning to stay, make sure you have enough supply of your own water. A single bottle of water can be very expensive here and I’m sure you’re not planning on paying extra hundreds of dollars for that.
Extra tip: as you’ll be under the heat of the sun for most of your days here, the best type of clothing to pack are loose-fitting but can get your completely covered. Also, never, ever, forget sunscreen.
How to get there and where to park If you need directions to Uluru or Ayers Rock, then you landed on the correct blog post! There are a number of non-stop domestic flights that go to Alice Springs from the following locations:
Adelaide
Brisbane
Cairns
Darwin
Melbourne
Perth
Sydney
Once in Alice Springs, you can visit our branch there and get your campervan holiday started! Alice Springs Airport is only 15 minutes away from our branch.The directions to 40 Stuart Highway are pretty simple. Just follow these simple directions:
Head northwest on National Highway 87 toward Hele Cres (260 m)
Make a U-turn at Hele Cres (3.9 km)
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on National Highway 87. Go through 1 roundabout (8.0 km)
Continue straight onto Santa Teresa Rd (2.7 km)
The destination will be on the right
CC Image courtesy of CameliaTWU via Flickr/ CC BY 2.0
Uluru is only less than a 7-hour drive from our branch in Alice Springs. Take these steps and you’ll get to Ayers Rock in a jiffy!
Head northwest on National Highway 87 toward Hele Cres (260 m)
Make a U-turn at Hele Cres (3.9 km)
At the roundabout, take the 3rd exit and stay on National Highway 87. Go through 1 roundabout (197 km)
Turn right onto Lasseter Hwy/State Route 4 (signs for Route 4) (261 km)
Follow State Route 4 to your destination (2.3 km / 5 min)
At the roundabout, take the 1st exit (44 m)
Slight left onto Lasseter Hwy/Red Centre Way/State Route 4 (1.5 km)
Sharp right onto State Route 4 (700 m)
Turn left (33 m)
Of course, you’ll need somewhere to park and camp. The best place to camp in Uluru is in the Ayers Rock Campground. The area provides sites for caravans and campervans alike. The Campground will be perfect to make your outback adventure in a campervan rental truly enjoyable!
Want a great deal on campervan hires in Uluru. Book an RV now through our branch in Alice Springs! If you want to find out more about what an Apollo experience is like in Alice Springs check out Keith Harkin’s experience here: http://www.apollocamper.com/happycampers/headin-north/2076-1