Uluru, formerly known as Ayers Rock, is a place of immense beauty with a definite spiritual aspect. It’s the worlds largest monolith (single big rock), being located in the middle of outback Australia, it towers over the flat surrounding desert.
Official Uluru National Park – Link
At present you can still climb Uluru, although the owners ask that you don’t. The climb is located on the western face, it’s extremely steep, with chains to help climb portions of it. The climb closes at 8am on any day the temperature is forecast to top 36°C (97°F) I shot the climb from the ground but am not allowed to show it.
I chose to respect the wishes of the owners and not climb. Instead I did the 10km (6.2 miles) walk around the base of Uluru. The base walk is amazing. Even if you choose to climb Uluru, make time to walk the base as well.
IMO the best way to walk the base is to start at the south car park before dawn, then walk east, counter clockwise around the rock. This way you walk towards the sun as it breaks the horizon… a sunning sight. As the sun gets a little higher & hotter you turn the eastern edge of Uluru and put your back to the sun walking west along the northern rock face. On this section I was going against the flow of hordes of tourists trying to shield their faces & eyes from the intense sun beating down.
I shot virtual tours all around Uluru, unfortunately I’m prevented from showing any virtual tours of the northern & north western sides of Uluru. The north face is VERY different from the southern views. It’s heavily pock marked with gashes and rock falls. Looks a little like a person someone has taken a knife too, cutting gashes, and removing skin to reveal organs and brain. Not pretty, but fascinating nonetheless.
Uluru map containing virtual tours. Uluru (Ayers Rock) Map with all virtual tours – Link
Really beauty full location
Sach a beautiful location. Really nice panoramas.
Excellent work. Keep it up
Your panoramas are stunning! I wish you would post more often though, this last update was half a year ago…
Thanks Tinus, yes you MUST visit Oz… everyone must
Uluru has many places of spiritual significance, but particularly on the northern face. As you walk around there are signs and roped off areas saying don’t photograph here. Of course I didn’t shoot anywhere near those areas, and couldn’t see the signs or ropes in my panos, but virtual tours take in so much that every single pano I shot on the north side included an off limits area.
Interestingly AFAIK the owners don’t care about non-aboriginals seeing these areas, we’re not allowed to publish them in case other aboriginals see them. Eg women might see areas that only men are allowed to visit… and visa versa.
Seems to me a simple warning on the website would suffice… “Beware this website may show areas offensive or unsuitable for some aboriginal people”. The reality is… an aboriginal person who wanted to see an area they weren’t supposed to could easily do so.
Absolutely stunning Aaron.
Really!
This is one of those locations which you really can’t explore without virtual tours and maps and as always the Panedia quality is unsurpassed.
Thank you for sharing – now I’ll HAVE to come visit Australia!
btw – what’s the issue about not being able to show all of the pics?
I would assume it’s free marketing?
Does it have something to do with the spiritual significance of the site?