We had a 6.30 hot breakfast at Curtin Springs Station before heading off before sunrise for Uluru. We stopped at a viewing point just after 7.30 for our first glimpses of Uluru.
We arrived at the National park about 8.30 and made a comfort stop before going to Mutitijulu water hole at the base of Uluru. Here Wanampi, an ancestral water snake watches the visitors. We learned how Kuniya and Liru (the woman python and poisonous snake man) helped create Uluru. The spirit of Kuniya is still there today. The art caves are still used by the Anangu today. It was a special place.
We then joined the ranger (and many other visitors) for the Mala walk to Kantju Gorge. This is were the Mala people camped when they arrived at Uluru in the beginning times. Our Indigenous guide told us about the local bush tucker and explained Anangu traditional culture.There were examples of Anangu rock art along the walk and at the end of the walk at the Gorge we experienced the sheer vertical walls and profound peacefulness of Kantju Gorge - where when it rains the largest of the waterfalls from the rock meets country.
After eating our picnic lunches from Curtin Springs in the Cultural Centre we headed back out of the national park to the Yalara precinct to check into our accommodation. We left our bags and got back on the bus to head to Kata Tjuta - the Olgas.
Kata Tjuta is an Angangu men's site and is sacred under Tjukurpa (traditional law). It is Pitjantjatjara meaning "many heads" and is a spectacular landform about 50 km from Uluru and Yalara. Here we completed the Walpa Gorge walk. Walpa (meaning windy) Gorge is a desert refuge for plants and animals. The rocky track gently rose to a clearing with a stream and a grove of spearwood. The sheer walls and beauty of the Gorge was breathtaking. We then travelled to the Sunset viewing area for some last photos of Kuta Tjuta.
Next we travelled back to Uluru for our Sunset viewing. We took our stools and found a good spot to watch the colour changes at Uluru at sunset. It was spectacular. Some locals were also selling art on the roadside and it is amazing how different the Anangu art is to Arrernte art.
Our rooms tonight are very fancy and we had a lovely dinner at a neighbouring hotel. It's Territory Day here today so there were even fireworks tonight! Tomorrow before heading home we will watch sunrise over Uluru and then go to the camel farm for rides before some "dreaming yarns" in the town square and our flight home.
We all agree Uluru is a very special place and completely support the traditional owners decision to close the sacred site to climbers, based on the cultural, safety and environmental reasons. We are just grateful that we could spend time here as part of our immersion.
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