Along with the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, Uluru is probably one of the most iconic Australian sites. Definitely one of the most photographed.

Previously know as Ayers Rock, it was renamed in 1993 to be known as Ayers Rock/Uluru, with respect to the local Anangu people.  In 2002, this was taken a step further, with the order of the names being reversed to be Uluru/Ayers Rock.  Although officially having the dual name, it is most commonly referred to now simply as Uluru.  The Ayers Rock name is mainly kept alive by the local Ayers Rock Resort.

Until 2019 it was possible to climb the rock. Indeed, in the 1980's and 1990's, much of the tourism to the area was fuelled by people coming to do so.  There would be a constant stream of people going up and own the narrow path. But even prior to 2019 when climbing was banned completely, there were signs up asking people to respect the wishes of the traditional owners and not to climb. Most people took heed of these signs and only a few could be seen climbing regardless.

Throughout the time that it was open for climbing, 37 people died attempting the climb. Some of these from falling, but also a number from medical conditions, not having the fitness to complete the climb.

Today, although climbing the rock is not an option, there are two main reasons people continue to visit.

The first of these is the photos at sunrise and sunset, the rock glowing all shades of red - the true “Red Centre” of Australia.

There is a specific sunset viewing area that turns into a very busy carpark each night.  It is sometimes difficult to get a good vantage position with all the people there, but if you have the ability to sit/stand on the roof of your car, that can give you the best view.

The second is a variety of walks around the base of the rock. These can be self-guided or as part of a tour group.

The walk around the base of the rock is about 10km and takes around 3 hours to complete, depending on how much you are stopping, photographing or taking in the scenery.

There are also some shorter walks for those not wanting to walk all the way around.