Olgas | Kata Tjuta Travel Guide
The Olgas (Kata Tjuta) are located in Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, a park in the southern portion of the Northern Territory of Australia, part of the so-called Red Centre of the continent. The National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage area. It is best known for Uluru (formerly known as "Ayers Rock"), a single massive rock formation. Yulara is a service town nearby, built to offer supplies and accommodation for visitors to the park. Kata Tjuta is considered a sacred place by the Anangu people, the Aboriginal tribes that have lived there for thousands of years. The Australian government formally returned control of the area to the Anangu in 1985 under the condition that the land be jointly managed by the Anangu and the Australian parks and management services. Visitors will notice efforts throughout the area to include and encourage respect for the Anangu perspective on the land. Much of Kata Tjuta is off-limits, for example. In practice, however, the daily management of the parks is handled by members of the Australian parks department.
The Anangu people have lived in the area for thousands of years. Some records suggest they may have been there for more than 10,000 years. On an expedition in 1872, the explorer Ernest Giles saw the rock formations and chose to name the domes for Olga, the Queen of Württemberg.
The name Kata Tjuta comes from the local Anangu (Aboriginal) people and means "Many Heads". In the Anangu language it is written as Kata Tjuta, the letters with underscores indicating that they are pronounced with the tongue curled upwards and touching the upper part of the palate instead of the front part or the teeth. Apart from the stunning boulders, the Olgas | Kata Tjuta area also protects hundreds of plant species, 24 native mammal species and 72 reptile species. To protect these, off-road access away from Kata Tjuta is not allowed.
In December and January, the temperature can be blistering hot, and some areas may be closed for travellers' safety. July, August and September offer a more temperate climate, although still warm enough to work up a sweat at mid-day.
A three-day permit to enter the National Park costs $25.
Unless you're well-equipped with an appropriate vehicle, supplies and maps, stay on the sealed roads. Keep an eye on your fuel supply before you set off anywhere.
Keep plenty of water with you at all times while you're hiking. Whether or not you're thirsty, stop for a drink at least once an hour. The temperatures can be extreme during the summer (particularly December to January). Wear a hat and don't be shy with the sunscreen. Expect to be annoyed by flies.
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Attractions
Kata Tjuta -- also has a well-marked sunrise / sunset viewing point on the road leading to the domes.
The Walpa Gorge walk (2.6km) is the shorter - and easier - of the two walks around Kata Tjuta.
The Valley of the Winds walk (7.4km) at Kata Tjuta is truly magnificent and should not be missed. It takes about 3 hours, and carrying bottled water is advised, although there are two water stations along the route. The walk may also be closed during extreme weather. A sign at the park entrance will advise visitors whether the walk is open.
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Activities
Anangu tours are also available. These can be arranged at Yulara or at the Cultural Center.
Helicopter tours can be arranged at Yulara. They range from short buzzes over Kata Tjuta (and Uluru) to longer trips taking in more of the landscape, and possibly King's Canyon as well.
Of course, the highlight is hiking up Kata Tjuta and taking Valley of the Winds, Walpa Gorge and Mala walks, taking in the breathtaking scenery and stunning variety of flora and fauna!
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Accommodation
Hotel and hostel accommodation for a range of budgets and a campground are available in Yulara, just outside the park boundary. There is no other accommodation inside the park, and no camping is permitted within the park boundaries. About an hour short of Yulara (coming from Alice Springs) is Curtin Springs Station [3], which offers a free camp site and other facilities.Note that outside the boundaries of the park, there are virtually unlimited opportunites for discrete and responsible "bush camping" at the side of the road.
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Dining | Nightlife
The Cultural Center near Uluru offers surprisingly good - and often vegetarian-friendly - fast food for reasonable prices.
The Sounds Of Silence Dinner is an extremely popular - albeit expensive ($145 per adult) - night under the stars. Advance bookings (e.g. 3-4 days) are essential even in low seasons. Coaches take diners from Yulara to one of a few dining areas out in the desert. Champagne (or beer, upon request) are served while the sun goes down over Uluru and the inevitable didgeridoo plays. The clean, elegant dining area is lit by torches and table lamps. The food is served buffet-style, but it's cooked with the attention of a gourmet chef (considering the circumstances). Between the main course and dessert, an astronomer talks about the stars that are out that night, and telescopes are available afterward. There is also a bonfire. Reservations can be made at the various tour offices around Yulara. Ostensibly, reservations can be made over the internet as well, but it's a good idea to follow-up by phone, as coordination between the resort offices and the tour company are spotty at best.
Desert Awakenings, occasionaly available, is a breakfast version of the aforementioned Sounds of Silence. It includes a guided tour around the base of Uluru and ends at the Cultural Center.
Drink Water! And lots of it. No alcohol is sold outside of Yulara, and tribal elders have asked visitors not to sell or give alcohol to local Aborigines.
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Shopping
Souvenirs are available at the Cultural Center or at several shops in Yulara. They range from standard shirts, caps and knick-knacks to authentic (and, accordingly, expensive) Anangu art. Food, drinks and photographic equipment are available in Yulara.
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Transportation
Cars can be rented nearby at Connellan Airport or at Yulara. The roads around Uluru and Kata Tjuta are all sealed, paved and well-maintained. Vehicles drive on the left, but there isn't much in the way of traffic in the area - people accustomed to driving on the right can probably manage it.
AAT Kings. ph 03 9915 1500. fax 03 9820 4088. email enquiries@aatkings.com.au. AAT Kings operate bus siteseeing tours of the park, including sunrise over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Tours range from $40 to $150.
Ayers Rock Tours Many of the longer tours of the Ayers Rock Region depart and return to Alice Springs. Some will pick up at Ayers Rock but do not drop back at Ayers Rock. If you are wanting to do a 3 day or 5 day tour and experience the entire region it is best to start and finish in Alice Springs.
Uluru Express offers unlimited access to the Park from your choice of hotel at Yulara for 2-days or 3-days at a cost of $135 AU or $150 AU, respectively, which includes your admission to the Park. This is a great deal for those who wish to see all the attractions in the park at their own pace. Other trips are available.
Olgas | Kata Tjuta Gateways
By car
From the north, in Alice Springs take the Stuart Highway (87) South for about 200km to Erldunda Roadhouse. Turn right onto the Lasseter Highway and 245km further on you arrive at Ayers Rock Resort (officially called Yulara). It's a sealed tarmac road - a bit of a sloping surface in places, but you can easily drive along at 120km/hr. Far more cars on the road than you would imagine, and every driver waves hello to you (that's what you get in these far off places!) Plenty of places to stop and picnic and get water, although no toilets unless you stop at an official roadhouse (few and far between). There's lots of wildlife to see too: camels, cows, dingos and birds.
To the south the nearest town is Coober Pedy. Take the Stuart Highway north to Erldunda, 550km away.
From the west the Docker River Road ends near Kata Tjuta. As this road is considered part of the Gunbarrel Highway, you will find detailed information in that article.
By bus
Greyhound Australia runs from Alice Springs to the National Park. A one-way ticket costs about $84.
By tour
A number of tours operating out of Alice Springs visit Ayers Rock. Tours range from basic 1 day bus tours (beware, this means at least 1000km of driving in 1 day!) to the more adventurous 4WD backpacker tours up to 5 days long, see Ayers Rock Tours. In addition to Uluru, the extended tours typically visit Kata Tjata (The Olgas), Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges. Tours are a great travel option in this region due to the long distances required to drive, and accommodation is also often restricted to camping and the tour companies happily provide all the gear required for this.
Uluru is also very rich in Aboriginal Culture and a good tour guide can often provide valuable information on this subject beyond that which can be picked up at the Cultural Centre, it's a good idea to ask before booking about the aboriginal cultural content of the tour.
By plane
Flights are available to Yulara. Many travellers also fly to Alice Springs and drive or take a tour from there.
By Bicycle
The sealed road from the Stuart Hwy makes for a pleasant & relatively easy cycle tour,undertaken each year by dozens of travellers.However, bicycle travellers need to be well prepared in terms of mechanical reliability, water & food, and will need to "bush camp" several nights at least.
Some information on this page has been derived from http://wikitravel.org/en/Uluru-Kata_Tjuta_National_Park, which is based on work by David, douglas@panix.com, Gary Crockett, Philipp Schäufele, Marc Heiden, James Franklin, Tim Sandell, kayjay, Michele Ann Jenkins, Evan Prodromou and Iain Georgeson, Wikitravel user(s) Tensaibuta, Hypatia, Episteme and PierreAbbat, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.
