Uluru tour – Day Two: Kata Tjuta

Day 100 – Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Australia

The day started before dawn at 4:30 am, when our guide, having relit the fire, put some music to wake us up. Let’s just say that it was cold outside. After a quick breakfast, rolling up of the swags, cleaning up, we were on the road to watch the sunrise over Uluru (and Kata Tjuta at the same time).

Uluru – Sunrise

We went to a viewpoint over a sand dune, with on one side Uluru and on the other Kata Tjuta. We huddled a bit against the cold, and had to share the space with other busloads of tourists, but nothing too nasty. And we were early.

Kata Tjuta – Sunrise

Once the sun up, we drove to Kata Tjuta (meaning “many heads”, for the 36 domes it is made of). For the Aborigines, it is still a place of ceremony, and no story have been shared with outsiders.

We arrived at the Valley of the Winds, which is a walk in three parts: a first leg leads to the first lookout. If one goes forward, one can start the loop around one of the dome. The second lookout is at roughly one third of the loop, and one can choose to go back or to go forward to finish the loop.

Kata Tjuta – The elephant

I chose to finish the loop, because I thought it would be easier ground than going back. Maybe it was, but it was also a couple of months since I had worn closed shoes and I had lost my calluses… meaning between yesterday and today, I was seriously starting to get blisters.  And I got grumpy.

Kata Tjuta – Dead tree

I was the last one back at the bus, and we went back to the camping site for lunch, with camel burgers aplenty to fortify ourselves. I found camel meat a big gamey, but fine otherwise.

We packed everything back in the trailer, as we were switching campsite for the night. We stopped on private property (the size of Belgium) to look at Mount Conner.

Mount Conner

We stopped for firewood again, looking this time for bigger pieces, having a bigger firepit at the new campsite. There were some… puns about *ahem* getting wood. Our guide had an excellent pun delivery.

Looking for firewood

Unfortunately, by the time we arrived at the campsite, our guide was getting sick, so he left us to prepare diner and the fire. I took advantage of the waning light to start preparing the fire, and found hot coals under a layer of ashes… insuring that the new fire would start quickly and easily!

Diner was kangaroo steaks. I didn’t found the taste very different from beef, and it was pretty good! By this time we were pretty well organized to prepare food, clean up the kitchen area, and when needed pack everything up and load the trailer.

We got the happy news that we would have to get up at 4:15 am the next day, when we were hoping to enjoy a lie-in! But they push us to make the walks when the sun isn’t strong yet, which gives us the beautiful light of early morning and less risks of sun strokes.

Kata Tjuta – panorama

I found a better way to arrange the sleeping bag in my swag, so I was all snug and stuff. Of course, I also decided to take the last empty space by the fire, which was under the smoke, and which gave me a delightful light shower of ashes and a cloud of smoke, so after a time, I moved away.

I was one of the first up, having set one of the rare alarms, and got the fire going again for the group. …and the next day’s account is for another day!

Kata Tjuta – The Valley of the Winds

Find all the pictures here.

For the science behind Kata Tjuta, read my account of the previous day here.

For the account of Kings Canyon, click here.