Ayers Rock, or Uluru, is an Australian iconic image that is known around the world. Visitors love to watch the colors change from burnt orange to deep red as the sun sets over this magnificent landscape. With a history going back centuries, Ayers Rock is an Australian 'must see'.
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Uluru in Central Australia
Uluru is found in central Australia, in the lower section of the Northern Territory. The closest major town is Alice Springs, some 450 kilometers by road. The region is remote outback, and the landscape is desert, with miles of reddish brown dirt stretching into the distance.
The climate is as harsh as the landscape in this part of the world. Rainfall during a year is around 12 inches, and temperatures vary from a staggering 37 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit) in daytime in the summer months, through to 5 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) in winter. This is not a good place to forget the sunscreen, as the sun is relentlessly hot, and the UV levels are almost always high to extreme.
Uluru is probably the most well known of the natural Australian landmarks, and visitors travel great distances to see what is more commonly known as 'Ayers Rock'. It is a World Heritage listed site, and is known by both its traditional Aboriginal name of Uluru and its European name of Ayers Rock.
The Facts and Figures
Uluru is made of sandstone. Some people refer to it as a monolith, while scientists generally prefer the term 'inselberg' (which translates to 'island mountain'). You can but wonder at the scope of the original mountain range which once existed here and left Uluru standing after other parts of the range had slowly eroded.
The trip around the circumference of the rock will take you a while if you choose to embark on this adventure - it is over nine kilometers round trip.
There is a large proportion of the rock which is tucked away underground; in fact there is more under the earth than remains on top. What you can see is a little over 1000 feet in height.
There is evidence found by scientists which shows there was human activity in this region at least 10,000 years ago. It is only in very recent times that the rock has been known to white people.
Uluru is an extremely sacred cultural place for the traditional landowners of the area, the Anangu people.
To climb or not to climb?
Climbing the rock itself has long been a major tourist activity, and the addition of a chain grab rail in steep sections has made the arduous trek to the top easier. Even so, there have been a number of deaths recorded over the years as a result of climbing accidents. The climb is very steep, and the heat of the desert conditions make the hour's climb quite strenuous.
The Anangu people who traditionally own this site request that people do not climb the rock, for reasons linked with the traditional Dreamtime beliefs and the cultural significance of the site. Visitors are permitted to climb the rock; you simply need to understand that the traditional owners of Uluru have asked you not to.
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