Sierra escapes is arguably the most luxury and private accommodation in New South Wales, and very accessible as a weekend trip from Sydney,
After 8 weekend trips to Mudgee from Sydney over the last few years, I now feel like a bit of an expert about the Mudgee area from a visitor’s perspective. We have now stayed in many different accommodations available, the most recent being the beautiful, secluded Sierra Escapes.
Staying in Sierra Escapes is one of the more expensive options in Mudgee and could be the perfect excuse for a celebration! It’s a great option for an anniversary, proposal, birthday or Babymoon.
Choices of accommodation at Sierra Escapes
Sierra Escapes started off in the luxury tent sector, winning many awards for the their stunning glamping style accommodation. These tents are an excellent choice of accommodation for those who want an inside/outside experience but still with a touch of luxury.
We opted to stay in the tiny house named Elouera. This accommodation is out of this world! We felt very lucky to be staying here for our Babymoon. From the floor-to-ceiling glass windows in the lounge and bedroom to the excellent cooking facilities, not one other building in sight from the house…it’s just wow! The view has to be one of the best countryside views in New South Wales.
Have the perfect weekend at Sierra Escapes
If this is your first time to Mudgee then you must do a wine tour as part of your visit. In this case staying 3 nights would be worthwhile. This would allow you to divide your time between the beautiful accommodation and seeing the best of Mudgee wineries.
As we had been to Mudgee before quite a few times, then as soon as we arrived at the accommodation we did not plan to leave. If you also plan the same for your getaway in Sierra Escapes, then I recommend to go to the shop first to buy enough food to last the entire stay.
Here are some ideas of how to spend your time in the most stunning and luxury accommodation in Mudgee:
Spend the afternoon having a refreshing swim in the magnificent lap pool!
Relax outside with an evening drink while watching the kangaroos gracefully roam in the billabong from the cozy Tiny House.
Ignite the fire at sunset for an absolutely stunning view that will fill your heart with joy.
Relish delightful breakfasts on the outside decking while basking in the beautiful view.
Enjoy a delightful outdoor bath while watching the stunning sunset.
Immerse yourself in a captivating book in the lounge while the floor-to-ceiling glass presents breathtaking views all around!
Enjoy a magical night of star gazing and marvel at the beauty of the Milky Way!
Book Stephanie, the Sierra Escapes partner photographer if you are celebrating something extra special.
Start the morning opening the automatic curtains showing off the stunning misty morning sunset without evening needing to leave the comfy bed!
Getting to Sierra Escapes
Sierra Escapes is extremely remote with not many other buildings around (view from tiny house has no other buildings!). It is about a 20 minute drive from the middle of Mudgee. Although the website says that some people have shown up in expensive sport cars, after the experience of driving the rocky dirt tracks, I would highly recommend to not do this!
Getting up to the tiny house or tents requires some hilly suspension on your car, which is easy in a sensible car.
The perfect car to take to the accommodation is at least an SUV, in order to not have a very nervous drive up to the stay.
Sierra Escapes Tiny House Elouera in Pictures
A weekend in Sierra Escapes will be an unforgettable experience, and this enchanting place will forever hold a special spot in your heart.
A place full of scenic landscape, good food and wine, Mudgee is the perfect weekend getaway from Sydney and a winter wine weekend. We decided to go on a Winter Weekend in Mudgee after reading about it a while ago, and finding an Airbnb that looked so unique it could have been on Grand Designs.
Winter weekend in Mudgee
We did our first trip Mudgee in a winter weekend in July, with the intention of making the most of the cosy side of Mudgee, that they do so well! You canโt ask for a more well set up place for a winter wine weekend, with fireplaces roaring in all pubs and wineries! The sun still strong enough to sit outside during the day time if it is a sunny weekend! It is also such a picturesque area, it is a beautiful place to take some travel photography.
Accomodationfor the perfect Winter weekend
Our Airbnb called Strikes 2 was perfectly set up on the top of a hill, with an amazing viewing deck and floor to ceiling windows in the lounge. The only other house we could see was the other cottage that can be rented out. I would say that Strikes are are definitely in the luxury Airbnb business, and they do it so well! The accomodation is so unique and sticks out of the ground on stilts. It is the perfect place to have a chilled coffee in the morning whilst cooking sausages on the Weber grill on the veranda in the morning, and having a glass of wine watching the sunset in the evening. An alternative great place to stay for a winter weekend in Mudgee in the town centre is Perry Street hotel, within walking distance of many restaurants and pubs.
Mobility
Strikes is about a 15 minute drive from the centre, and therefore need to get a taxi to the centre and wineries if you are drinking. The taxi service is 24/7 and very efficient. You can just call 131008 at any point while you are in Mudgee to order.
The Weekend Itinerary
Friday
On the Friday night we were after pub grub and Kellyโs Irish bar in Mudgee city centre defiantly delivered on this, but it was time to leave when an Elvis impersonator turned up. We then made our way to Roths wine bar, which is the oldest wine bar in NSW! There was an amazing singer and guitarist, and we enjoyed the rest of the evening sitting in the indoor-outdoor garden, surrounded by fairy lights and next to the fire. Roth’s is an absolute must bar to visit during any Winter Weekend in Mudgee trip.
Saturday
On the Saturday we joined a half day tour by Mudgee Explorer Tours. They picked us up directly from Strikes and took us to three wineries. Our favourite of these was 1838 which also grow their own olives.
We then got dropped off at Lowes winery so we could spend the afternoon there. Lowes winery has great views and you can order a lunch time platter until 3pm. It seems like a very popular place to hang out, and you can definitely see why!
Sunday
On the Sunday we went to Pipeclay Pumphouse for lunch, wow the food was amazing! The view from Pipeclay Pumphouse was beautiful, and we could imagine a beautiful place to spend a lazy afternoon.
For First Timers to Sydney Siders, this list will show you give you insight into some of the best things to do in Sydney. Use this list to help plan out your holiday or just a weekend!
Enjoy all Sydney has to offer
Sydney is one of the most beautiful, vibrant cities in the world. No matter what time of year you visit, there will always be something going on. Keep reading to find out the BEST things to do in Sydney. If you are only visiting for a short time, I’m sure you will have time for a couple of them.
1. Have a drink at Squires Landing
Number one is a really low key activity but with an epic outcome (in my opinion). If you only have time to go to one pub, this is the one. Squires Landing – restaurant and Brewhouse sits in Circular Quay harbour near the rock. It sits on the end of a wharf and in the middle of the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House. What this means is the view is epic!
Spend as much or as little time here. Minimum can just be one beer or ginger beer (it is a brewery as well!). Maximum you can get a great pub grub meal and stay for as long as you like! I would not recommend booking, as then you sit upstairs, which it isn’t quite as good as the outdoor atmosphere you get downstairs. So just turn up and hope the queue isn’t too long!
This pub is a real all rounder. In winter they have heaters in the huge outdoor space, and every Saturday they have amazing live music. In summer the vibe is amazing, and this place is great daytime and nighttime.
So grab a drink, get an outdoor table and take it all in….this is really one of the best things to do in Sydney.
Squires Landing
For an alternative bar with similar vibes and great views, try the Opera Bar and Kitchen.
2. Walk around Sydney CBD
Sydney is a beautiful city and luckily it is a very walkable city. Join a free walking tour to learn about the history, or take your time and walk your own path.
A good route to take would be Mrs Macquarie’s Chair –> Botanical Gardens –> Circular Quay –> the Rocks –> Town Hall –> Darling Harbour –> Barangaroo
Darling Harbour
3. Bondi to Coogee Walk
I almost have to apologise for putting this on the list, as it is so obvious. However I wanted this to be a full list and, well, this walk is famous for a reason. This will be on 99% of lists that exists of the best things to do in Sydney.
Seeing Bondi Beach is a must when in Sydney, and walking on the Bondi to Coogee walking path next to the ocean to another amazing beach after beach makes for the perfect afternoon spent.
Bondi Beach and Coogee do not have train stops. Get a train to Bondi Junction and then straight on a bus to Bondi Beach. The bus station is within the train station, just follow the signs. Grab an avo on toast brunch or a smoothie at one of the many health cafes on Bondi Beach, and then start the walk. The walk starts just behind the Bondi Icebergs (that famous sea pool photo). The walk will take you from beach to beach. Beautiful white sand and drink stops on the way (e.g. Tamarama Beach Kiosk). If it summer then make this a full day trip and go swimming at each beach!
On average if you walk and do not stop it would take under 2 hours. If it is a hot day then add another 30 minutes. For photos and potential swim stops then add on more time!
At the end of the walk grab a cocktail at the beautiful Coogee Pavilion Rooftop bar, before getting a bus back to Bondi Junction.
Route: Bondi Beach –> Tamarama Beach –> Bronte Beach –> Clovelly beach –> Gordens Bay –> Coogee beach. Can be done the other way around also.
All beaches are sand beach apart from Clovelly beach, which is a cool concrete beach and great for swimming as it is a bay. Gordens bay has a snorkelling trail. Most of the beaches have an enclosed sea pool which helps to avoid waves or those who fear sharks.
Gordens Bay
4. A day at Manly Beach
OK another beach, but this is what Australia is great for! Manly beach has a very different vibe to Bondi . If you have time then it is worth going to both. A day at Manly beach starts with taking a 20 minute ferry from Circular Quay to Manly Wharf, then the rest of the day is up to you!
The beach on the Manly Wharf side is a flat water beach great for chilling or paddle boarding. Walk through the small beach town of Manly (grab an ice cream on the way) and you’ll end up reaching the Pine tree lined Manly beach. The beach has a street full of bars and restaurants. The day is yours to choose from if you want to dine and drink, sunbathe and swim or even take up a lesson in surfing!
Tip: keep walking from Manly Beach up to Shelly beach for a lovely short walk and maybe even a lizard on the way!
Manly Beach
5. Take a ferry to Watson Bay
Taking a ferry to Watson Bay from Circular Quay is an experience in itself for the beautiful views. Then once you arrive on Watsons Bay you have a beautiful area to explore along with Sydneys most iconic fish and chips!
Watson Bay Boutique Hotel
Best things to do in Watson Bay:
Have iconic fish and chips near Watson Bay ferry terminal
Have a cocktail at Watson Bay Boutique hotel
Walk to the lighthouse and take in all of the views
Sunbathe and swim at Camp Cove beach
6. High Tea at Queen Victoria Building
OK if you are from England then this may not be a novelty, for anyone else or those who love high teas as much as I do then the Queen Victoria Building (QVB) is THE place to go. It is worth visiting this building even if you don’t plan to eat, this is a beautiful grand building from the Victorian age and wouldn’t look out of place in London.
Turn up and choose your cafe (most on the middle floor will serve a high tea), or book into the The Tea Room for the full experience.
7. Day trip to Blue Mountains
For a day into nature and only just over an hour from Sydney CBD, the Blue Mountains is one of the most beautiful National Parks in the whole of Australia. One thing you might notice when coming to Australia is that as soon as you are outside of the city, it feels very untouched. This is one of the reasons that I love it here so much, nature has been left to be nature. The blue mountains is 267,954 hectares of land, and 10 ties older than the Grand Canyon.
Visit for fresh air, dramatic peaks, walks and waterfalls.
If staying in Sydney CBD, you can either book an organised day trip or hop on an easy 2 hour train journey from Sydney CBD to either Katoomba or Leura for a small town with access to many walking paths.
Blue mountains is great for walking year round. In the summer the mountains can provide some much needed relief from the hot city days, and in the winter it is the perfect time to put on a coat and hat and enjoy a long walk.
Blue Mountains in Winter
8. Have a picnic in Wendy’s Secret Garden
Take a ferry or train to Milsons Point, or walk over the Harbour Bridge to North Sydney. One you reach Luna Park you can walk through it in order to get to Lavender Bay. Take in the views over the water and keep walking until you find the stairs in the middle of the Bay. Walk up the stairs to the beautiful spot of Wendy’s Secret Garden. Then find the grass area with epic views over Sydney Harbour bridge.
Take a rug, some food and drink and have a beautiful time.
Wendy’s Secret Garden
Alternative picnic spot in the city is Botanical Gardens near the Opera house which is also a stunning place to visit and hang out.
9. Dine in a iconic restaurant
There is nothing more memorable than great food and epic views of Sydney, and if you are planning to ‘splash out’ then Sydney has many options. Here are a few of the most well known, best views (and most expensive), make sure to book well ahead!
Hunter Valley is the oldest wine region in Australia, and a great option for a weekend getaway from Sydney. Each time we visit there, we have a completely different experience and, with over 150 wineries in Hunter Valley, it will feel like a new place each time.
If it is your first time in Hunter you may want to take a wine tour or the hop on hop off (we have done this and highly recommend it). However, if you know exactly want wineries in Hunter Valley you would like to visit then you can take taxis around (Uber is normally available in the hunter).
The wineries are so diverse, from Australian farm vibes to Tuscany vibes, from commercial to homely. You can truly tailor your experience wondering around this wine rich beautiful green valley however you would like to.
Here is a list of my recommended Must Visit Wineries in Hunter Valley.
1. Iron Gate Estate
I love a good winery that is also very picturesque and transports you to a different place. Iron Gate Estate is the winery that will make it look like you have visited Tuscany in Italy, and having an amazing European holiday!
2. Leogate Estate
Leogate Estate will provide you a classy, vintage experience with a touch of elegance. The outside is stunning, with white Grecian architecture and fountains. To top it all up the views of the Brokenback Ranges that surround the estate are second to none.
Brokenwood Wines
This stunning wooden designed cellar door, Brokenwood Wines is a must visit in the Hunter. A more commercial wine now, this is a cellar door where you have many options. From private tastings, cheese boards, to trying wine at your own leisure on the expansive terrace, this is a great place to spend a couple of hours.
4. Mira Wines
For a more personalised wine tasting experience with Greek inspiration, Mira Wines is a beautiful vineyard owed by a lovely Greek-Australian family. The wine tasting experience includes olives, cheese and beautiful views. The hero of Mira Wines is the limoncello, which is a lovely change to all of the wine in Hunter Vally!
While you are here, it is easy to visit Hanging Tree wines which is walkable next door.
5. Hanging Tree Wines
For a boho, boutique, rustique themed winery, Hanging Tree Wines is a beautiful place to hang out and drink some wine! Just a short walk from Mira Wines, it is worth visiting both while in this area.
Travel is all about seeing and exploring new places. Having said that, staying in amazing accomodation can absolutely elevate a holiday to another level.
Since living on this side of the world we have stayed in some amazing accommodation around Australia and I wanted to share a list of places that have made a trip extra special and even become one of the best memories or experience from a trip.
The Daintree is amazing on all levels, and I don’t believe a trip to this area of Australia can go wrong. Daintree Eco lodge was a very special experience with the cutest lodges scattered around, luxury finishes inside the lodge, bathtub overlooking the forest (only in some rooms), and a restaurant and bar on site serving delicious dinner and a fabulous breakfast. We only had one night at this place, as part of a two week road trip around Queensland, but the memories of how special it is will last forever.
Highlights
Breakfast at Daintree Eco Lodge beautiful restaurant Julaymba in the rainforest
During a road trip between Narooma and Sydney, we stopped at Pebbly Beach Escape for 2 nights. This place is truly beautiful and the self catered beach hut accomodation is amazing. The owner told us this accomodation fortunately narrowly escaped the bush fires in early 2020. When we visited in late 2020 we could see the magical regeneration of the burnt trees in the surroundings.
You should be able to easily find the resident kangaroos on the property grounds and take lots of fun photos with them! Each house/cabin has its own balcony and fire pit near by. We stayed in Mara which has beautiful sea views and good privacy, I would definitely recommend this one for a couple.
Highlights
Pebbly beach to sunbathe, paddle board
Short trip to Bateban’s bay
Chill out in your beach hut and enjoy the surroundings
Everywhere on Hamilton island feels like an absolute paradise. Turning up to the balcony view in one of the Coral Sea Viewย rooms on Reef View hotel was one of those WOW moments. The expansive view of the reef and mountains is insane! The fact that Cockatoos visit the balconies makes this place have the perfect view of Hamilton Island!
Highlights
Day trip to Whitsundays island
Snorkelling or paddle-boarding in the reef just off the island
The Anchorage doesn’t feel well known and that is really surprising considering it is probably one of the best hotels in NSW.
Think boathouse meets luxury Hampton and you’ll have a good idea of what to expect. With two pools (one adult only infinity pool), two restaurants, a classic upscale bar, a beautiful sand beach nearby and a marine boardwalk, you really don’t need to leave this place.
When the days start with a fantastic breakfast served with mimosas then there can never be a bad day!
Highlights
Eating, drinking, chilling and sleeping at the Anchorage
Exploring the surrounding white sand beaches surrounding the hotel
Mimosa breakfast with a view
5. Chi Medicinal farm, Great Ocean Road, Victoria
Sometimes it’s about finding the random unknowns gems. During a 4 day road trip of the Great Ocean Road and Grampians, we stayed at Chi Medicinal Farm for one night in between Lorne and Warrnambool.
The view, the hosts, the relaxed atmosphere, the comfy bed and the food are all reasons to stay here!
Highlights
Great Ocean Road Drive
Breakfast and dinner both served at the accomodation
This is a gem of an accomodation in a gem of a location. Cradle Mountain is an iconic, rugged and wild National Park with tonnes of walks that will keep you going for weeks. It is only a 2 hour windy drive mostly amongst a beautiful forest from Launceston.
Cradle Mountain Lodgeis the perfect place to stay, it provides a luxury wooden ski lodge vibe in this incredible National Park.
Highlights
Sip mulled wine next to the fireplace at the Tavern Bar & Bistroย
Endless amounts of walks to choose from in Cradle Mountain National Park
Treat yourself to an hour relaxation at a large outdoor hot tub with views of the forest and river at The Spa Sanctuary
A modern, clean, stunning, self contained apartment in the best wine region in Australia (in my opinion!). Strikes 2 is the perfect place to ‘get away from it all’, with breathtaking views, the beautiful apartment has a fireplace, a modern bathroom with heated floors and a BBQ on the balcony.
Mudgee is a perfect area to stay in, with endless amounts to do, mainly involving wine and food :).
Highlights
Waking up to amazing view, and cooking breakfast on the BBQ outside.
Noosa is everything one could dream for, for a summers holiday, and staying at Tingirana Noosa is the icing on the cake for a beautiful stay. Situated in the middle of Hastings Street, on the beach, you can’t be any closer to all of the restaurants. Add an infinity pool and beautifully designed studios, need I say anything more?
Highlights
Laze around the Infinity pool and jacuzzi at Tingirana Noosa
Day tour to Fraser island
National Park walk straight from Noosa main beach (Koalas can be spotted here)
Lazy brunches and people watching on Hasting street cafes
We did a campervan trip around Tasmania, and it was epic. We had been researching the trip when we stumbled across Domescapes. This place looked so unique we knew we had to stay there and forfeit a night in the Campervan. A bubble tent on a working vineyard with an outdoor bath, this is what dreams are made of!
On the property are 3 bubble tents, we stayed in the Amarone tent which is the furthest away and felt very private. The hosts of Domescapes are The Swinging Gate vineyard, and as part of the stay you can go wine tasting at the cellar door, only a short walk from the tent!
Highlights
Wine tasting at the cellar door and choose your own bottle of wine, included in the stay!
Eating and drinking on Dome deck
Having an outdoor private bath amongst the vineyard!
What is your favourite accomodation you have stayed in? Leave your answer in the comments below!
It was about time we saw the red Australian desert of the Red Centre and we loved every minute! Carry on reading for our perfect itinerary exploring Uluru driving the Red Centre Way from Alice Springs to Uluru (Ayers Rock) in Australia.
Time of year
We visited the Red Centre early April, during Easter period (so that we only had to take 2 annual leave days). The temperature was still very hot during the day, and warm in the evenings. The flies were out during the day but as long as you buy a fly net (they sell them everywhere in the Ayers Rock Resort local shops), then it is better. I would recommend this time of year (autumn), or more into winter period.
Itinerary
Day1 – Fly into Alice Springs
Day2 – Drive Alice Springs to Uluru
Day3 – Uluru
Day4 – Uluru
Day5 – Fly home from Uluru
Day 1 – Driving the Red Centre way around Alice Springs
We flew into Alice Springs on the morning Qantas flight from Sydney. Arriving at the airport at around 11:30am we then picked up the car from from the airport. We used Avis for the car hire and we had absolutely no issues. We hired a 2wd car to drive the red centre way and there wasn’t any places that we wanted to go that we couldn’t, so I don’t think a 4wd is a necessity.
After picking up the car we wasted no time. Grabbed some picnic food from the local IGA and drove straight to the West MacDonald Ranges. There are tonnes to see here but we choose two places. These were:
Ellery Creek Big Hole
Our first stop was the famous Ellery Creek Big Hole (Ellery Creek is a Billabong)! This is about an hours drive from Alice Springs airport, but the roads are so easy to drive. So empty and smooth, a very stress free drive and gives you a good taste of driving the Red Centre Way. There is about 5km from the main road to the Ellery Creek Big Hole car park. It is not on a dirt track, but it is still smooth enough for 2WD (we had 2WD and just drove slower down this part).
Once you get there the creek is just a very short walk to the car park. It is just as stunning as all of the photos. It is definitely worth spending a bit of time here and going for a refreshing dip! We also had some lovely chats with other travellers, a lot of people were on long Campervan trips, and they had the most interesting stories!
Simpsons Gap
We left Ellery Big Hole and started to driving back on the Red Centre roads towards Alice Springs. On the way back we saw a sign for Simpsons Gap and without knowing much about this one, we decided to make the turning. Boy, we are glad we did, this place is so stunning. I actually am so surprised that there is somewhere this beautiful so close to Alice Springs. Simpsons Gap is an amazing red rock gorge, with beautiful water hole that reflects the surrounding rocks. We got here at late afternoon and the sun was quite low. This made the area look such an amazing orange-red colour. Wow!
Evening
We were staying one night at the Hilton Doubletree Alice Springs. This was a nice hotel in a good location. Don’t expect any super luxury hotels in Alice Springs. Personally I think the place is about the surrounding areas not the accomodation. For dinner we asked the hotel reception staff where to go, they recommended the hotel restaurant as its the best in the city. Obviously we thought they were bluffing until we looked it up and Tripadvisor and yep the Hilton has the best rated restaurant in Alice Springs! It is called Hanuman Alice Springs, and yes the food was great! It is a mixture of Indian and Thai, so if you like both of those then this restaurant is for you! The hotel bar is also nice and we stayed there for a few drinks before night time!
Day 2 – Driving the Red Centre Way Alice to Uluru
For brunch we decided to check out the Bean Tree Cafe which is located in the Olive Pink Botanic Garden. We walked from the Hilton Doubletree and it took about 15 minutes, mostly pavement and then into the garden botanical which was really nice to see. The food there is great, and I highly recommend to come here for breakfast. Unfortunately we had to then leave Alice Springs to drive to Uluru. I would definitely come back to Alice Springs to visit the Kangaroo Sanctuary and Alice Springs Desert Park.
Journey from Alice Springs to Uluru
The journey from Alice Springs to Uluแนu-Kata Tjuแนฏa National Park takes around 5 hours. Honestly, there is not much going on in the journey (apart from seeing a 130km sign for the first time in Australia!), but it is almost worth driving the Red Centre way just be able to comprehend the mind-blowing emptiness of the Northern Territory Red Centre. The only signs that you see really are to Adelaide and WA Border! Seeing the red soil is really an iconic moment. Arriving into Uluแนu-Kata Tjuแนฏa National Park, we were first fooled by one rock that we wondered if it was Uluru which apparently many people do, but once we had arrived we saw Uluru from a distance and it was a wow moment!
Accomodation
There is a main town near Uluru which I believe is called Ayers Rock Resort. This is made up of hotels and a few cafes, restaurants, tourist shops and an IGA. We had 3 nights at Sails in the Desert, which we had booked during a 50% off boxing day sale 4 months before. Sails in the Desert is a nice, clean, modern choice of places to stay in the Ayers Rock Resort.
National Park Pass
It is advisable to buy the Uluแนu-Kata Tjuแนฏa National Park pass before you arrive. To get to the hotel area (Red Rock) you do not need the pass, but on route to Uluru or Kata Tjuta, you will need to scan your pass at the entrance barrier, or buy one from the staff at the entrance office. If you buy it ahead of time (just go to the website) you can download it on your phone into your wallet, and it is very easy to scan it at the barriers. We bought one 3 day pass each and the money goes the national park.
Sunset at Uluru
We then headed straight to the sunset carpark for some wow moments! I’m sure there are other great places to watch the sunset other than Sunset car park, but in a way it is a really beautiful moment to experience the sunset with a crowd of people watching it. It almost makes it more special to know how many people had travelled so far to see this phenomenon. The changes in the colours of the rock and the sky are spectacular, and you cannot go to Uluru without watching it at sunset!
Day 3 – Driving around the Red Centre National Park
Kata Tjuta
We used this day to check out the other rock, less famous but equally stunning, Kata Tjuta. Even in early April, day time is HOT! We arrived at Kata Tjuta at midday after a leisurely brunch at the Academy Cafe in the Red Rock Resort area. Then we drove to the end of the road to get to Kata Tjuta.
I can’t explain how nice driving the Red Centre Way is, empty smooth roads with amazing views, perfect. However, be prepared as soon as you exit your car, you will be attacked with hot air and flies! A fly net is a must at this time of the year.
There were some people arriving who were heading to the Valley of the Winds walk. As much as we would have loved to do it, I have learned to feel very content with not doing everything possible. Also at the time of the day we visited Kata Tjuta (midday), it was far too hot to enjoy the walk. We were shocked some people were attempting it!
We admired Kata Tjuta from a few different view points. I have to say even though the view from the distance is amazing, I felt that the closer the better as you really got the sense of the odd shapes and colour of this amazing monolith.
Evening at the Field of Lights
After an afternoon at the pool and a meal at Sails in the Desert, we got on the bus to see the Field of Lights.
We had pre-booked this trip, and at the time of writing it was $39 per person including transport. If you come to the Red Centre you need to come here, it is mind blowing! Making use of the pitch black darkness of the Red Centre Desert, there are more than 50,000 solar powered lights making up this magical field. No words can describe it, no photos can properly capture it, so you need to see it for yourself.
Day 4 – Exploring Uluru – Sunrise and Sunset activities
Today was the day we watched the spectacular sunrise. So we got up early and got to the Sunrise car park 30 minutes before sunrise. You can check the time sunrise will be for you on timeanddate.com/uluru. As we were there early April for us sunrise was at around 6:50am. However, you need to get there before this time to see all of the colours changing even before the sun comes up.
Uluru Base walk
After the amazing sunrise, we drove to Mala car park and completed the Uluru base walk. This is a really good walk to be able to see Uluru up close, each angle is so different!! There is also amazing aboriginal artwork in some spots, this walk is really worth doing. Make sure to do this walk early before it gets too hot, and take plenty of water.
Time to Chill
There are four hotels in Ayers Rock Resort that have swimming pools. Staying at Sails in the Desert allows you to use Pira swimming pool which also has a bar/cafe. This is a great way to spend an afternoon if you want to get some chill time in (in between all of the activities)!
Sunset camel ride
I really didn’t know what to expect from the Sunset camel ride, but it ended up being our favourite activity whilst exploring Uluru. You get picked up from your resort accomodation and taken to the Camel farm, which is only a 5-10 min drive away. Arriving at the farm is like arriving at the set of a Wild Western film, so cool!
The camels are really well looked after here, and the guides are full of amazing facts. It is another really wow moment, being on a camel during the red sunset and Uluru in the background.
After the camel ride there are sunset drinks and homemade bread, included in the cost. This is at their super cool bar called Old Tom’s Waterhole. We actually ended up stay until about 11pm. This because we were enjoying the setting, cheap drinks and they had sausage sizzle BBQ! It really was the perfect last night in the red centre. The Ayers rock resort shuttle also comes to the camel farm as one of the stops very regularly, so this is easy to then get back to the hotels.
After a chilled morning we flew out of the tiny yet extremely convenient airport at Uluru (called Ayers Rock airport). This airport is less than 10 minutes from Ayers Rock Resort! We dropped our car at Avis desk and no issues at all. Unfortunately, we were on the ‘wrong’ side of the plane. This meant we did not get the view of Uluru like the lucky people on the other side did! However, instead we got a spectacular view of seeing the full vast red centre way desert beneath. Flying out of Ayers Rock Airport is amazing, and much cheaper than getting a scenic flight :D.
Overall – Driving the Red Centre Way
Overall it is very worth visiting and driving the Red Centre Way. It is truly the typical Australia everyone dreams of visiting and really exceeded our expectations.
If you have extra time you can also add Kings Canyon onto this itinerary. We would have loved to do a couple of days there. Maybe this gives us an excuse to go back one day :).
