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Walking the red centre
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Walking the red centre

A 9-day adventure by Alphadog's Travels Read more
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  • Trip start
    August 10, 2026
    Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Lake Eyre .... from the air!
    Lake Eyre .... from the air!Lake EyreLake EyreLake EyreWestern side of Lake EyreVery empty but you can see tracks where off roaders have beenRiver systemsRed centreVery emptyRock!It is big, even from the planeAgainUluru on the left, Kata Tjuṯa on the right, town of Yulara in the middleKata Tjuṯa, airport on the leftIt looks so close from up here! Might be different when we walk itOur chariotView from our roomSome rock!! Taken from the lookout in the middle of YularaKata Tjuṯa in the distanceOur resort, Sails in the DesertIt is big!

    Uluru and Kata Tjuta

    August 10 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Trace and I are travelling again. This time we are staying domestic and going to the red centre.

    We flew into Yulara and made it to our hotel, Sails in the Desert. We are here for the next three nights then doing an organised walk from Kata Tjuṯa to Uluru which we are really looking forward to.

    Our flight was pretty uneventful, though we did fly over Lake Eyre which is full at the moment. On the descent into the airport we could see both Kata Tjuṯa and Uluru, it looks like a pretty easy walk! Anyway we shall see.

    This place is very photogenic and Find Penguins have recently increased the number of photos we can attach so expect heaps of photos.    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    The Muṯitjulu Waterhole is at the bottom of these valleys
    The Muṯitjulu Waterhole is at the bottom of these valleysNear the waterholeMutijulu WaterholeRock is actually grey in colour, the iron in the rock makes it redA local!Wattle timeNote the black headed monitor in the crack on the rock on the leftUluru and Kata Tjuṯa panorama. Just before sunset at the field of lightsThe colours change every few minutesThis is the field of lights we will walk through after dinnerThe tall skinny trees are desert oaks, thier roots go very deepDinner at the field of lightsField of lightsIt was meant to be only temporary but has been here for a number of years nowAll solar poweredOver 50,000 lights

    Big red rock

    August 11 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    We had a leisurely breakfast and then headed next door to the town centre to visit the tourist information centre and work out what we were going to do today. The town centre has a few cafes and other shops but most importantly it has the only supermarket for hundreds of kilometres.

    We decided we would go to the rock and have a bit of a look around. We scored some bus tickets and headed across. The rock is about a 30 min drive away but the roads are good and the views are spectacular.

    We went for a walk near Mutijulu Waterhole. The photos will explain it better than I can! They have had a lot of rain over the last few months so it was all very green.

    After our walk we went back to the hotel to prepare for dinner tonight. We went to the famous field of lights dinner out under the stars. The meal was excellent and the venue stunning. The field of lights has over 50,000 individual solar-powered lights spread across a large area, a really interesting effect.

    The stars here are amazing. The night sky really does blaze. I can’t describe it and photos don’t do it justice, you really have to come and see it.    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Art works in the Gallery of Central Australia
    Art works in the Gallery of Central AustraliaSome amazing stuffVarious different stylesI liked this oneHigh Tea!Desert Oaks are skinny when young but once their roots hit water they get bushierDesert Oak bark. Thick to protect against fireSeed podGrevilleas are just starting to come outLots of different typesMap of our walkItinerary and distances we will walk each day

    Calm before the hard work begins!

    August 12 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 16 °C

    Our walk starts tomorrow so today was very quiet - which means not many photos. We had a leisurely breakfast followed by another supermarket visit to score some critical supplies.

    The Yulara IGA is pretty good. It is considerably more expensive than what you would get in Sydney but then the nearest competitor is in Alice Springs, nearly 5 hours drive away!

    We checked out the local art gallery before high tea at the hotel for lunch followed by a walk around the town of Yulara.

    Am really looking forward to starting our walk tomorrow. We may not have internet access the whole time but will catch up when we get back online.    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Uluru. It was rather cold as the wind was quite strong
    Uluru. It was rather cold as the wind was quite strongA lunchtime visitorOn the track at Kata TjuṯaWild fig treeWild budgies. There were a few aroundBig patch of buffel grass, an introduced pestGrevilliaView from the track, wasn't the easiest to walk onBush beside the track. Lots of flowers out at the momentLooking north from Kata TjuṯaAmazing flowersOur camp for the first nightWe are going to walk all that way!!Looking west towards the WA borderAmazing coloursSunsetKitchen and dining area, the wilcha at Camp 1Our tent with my bed for the nightLying in the swag looking upStunningTracey was in the tentTaken about midnight

    Uluru to Kata Tjuṯa with the Tasmanian Walking Co.

    August 13 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 10 °C

    Our walk started today. After being collected from our hotel we were taken over to Uluru for a talk from one of the local indigenous owners of the park, TJ. He talked about indigenous culture and how they are connected to land and each other. All very interesting and it really impressed on us the need to minimise our impact on the land as we walk through.

    The first part of our walk involves a walk through the Valley of the Winds at Kata Tjuṯa. This place is stunning. Arguably more so than Uluru. One issue though is that it is a sacred site and so we are asked not to take photos of the rock formations. We can take photos of plants or birds just not the domes themselves.

    Our walk was tough in parts as Kata Tjuṯa is made up of big lumps of volcanic rock embedded in a sedimentary rock. This means there are rocks of all sizes which can be difficult to walk on. The whole group has been tilted so the layers run through at about 22 degrees from horizontal. Some fascinating geology. It reminded me of the layers in the Bungle Bungles.

    After our walk we hopped back on the bus to our first night’s accommodation. The imaginatively named Camp 1 is a bush glamping area with 8 tents, a central amenities block and a separate kitchen and dining area called a wilcha after the indigenous name for a shelter. All of the facilities and buildings were brought in by helicopter to minimise impact on the environment. We have been escorted by two guides today - MC (who is French), and Alyssa (an Aussie), and at the camp we met Blake (also an Aussie).

    We had a few drinks watching the sun set before a really good dinner. Tonight we had the option of either sleeping in the tents or in a swag under the stars - I went for the swag, Tracey took the nice warm bed in the tent. I am writing this lying out under the stars and they are sensational. Only issue is that it will be very cold tomorrow morning, it is meant to get to zero.

    Our tour is all Aussies with 11 women and three men. Many have done previous walks with the Tasmanian Walking Company with excellent feedback all round.

    Step count for today - 17,521. Tomorrow our walk starts in earnest.

    PS. It was nice and warm in the swag under the stars, a strong breeze came up about 3.30am so I had to go into full cocoon mode but it didn’t last long. I also worked out how to take photos of stars using my phone, they actually worked quite well.    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Uluru just before sunrise
    Uluru just before sunriseLooking west at sunriseSunriseTracks in the sandSunriseClouds rolling inOn the trackMulga tree with Mulga ant nest. Raised to keep the water out when it rainsBush apple on a mulga tree. Not ripe yet!On the track - again!Mulga forestBloodwood treeKata Tjuṯa! There are 36 domesMorning tea breakSpinifexSpinifex hopping mouse tracksUpside down tree (flowers are on the bottom) with mouse tracksOn the track ......Kata Tjuṯa is actually higher than UluruUluruThe trackBush tomato plantsKata TjuṯaKata Tjuṯa, Camp 2, and UluruKata TjuṯaCamp 2It is big. And now a lot closer!Oh yeah!!!!

    Day two - Camp 1 to Camp 2

    August 14 in Australia ⋅ 🌙 6 °C

    We were up early to see the sunrise. Unfortunately still no photos of Kata Tjuṯa but we did get some nice ones of Uluru. We were kitted out with headlamps as it was still very dark and rather cold when we left Camp 1.

    The sunrise was stunning and breakfast was good as well. The Tasmanian Walking Company have done a really good job of everything so far.

    The walk took us through spinifex grass fields, desert oak stands, mulga forests, across flat areas as well as up and down the occasional sand dune. We checked out plants as well as birds and tracks in the sand - all very interesting.

    The clouds rolled in during the day so it was rather cool and we covered about 17kms all up. Step count for today was 30,306.

    We are now deemed to be far enough away from Kata Tjuṯa to be able to take photos so see attached.

    Camp 2 is similar to Camp 1 though tonight we are in tents and not swags. The staff even organised some very welcome foot baths for us all.    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Camp 2 morning
    Camp 2 morningSlowly getting closerView from our tent at Camp 2. Not bad at all!Camp 2 kitchen and dining area. A bit more luxurious than Camp 1Camp 2 lookout on the sand dune, amenities block on the rightOn the track. Raincoats requiredLemon Heath Myrtle bushSpinifex grows in circles to contain water and access fresh soilOn the track from Camp 2 to Camp 3. We were quite rugged up as it was coldTermite mounds. None of the really big ones like in the NTSpinifex spiralCamel prints in the foregroundBlue sky! It didn't rain much just drizzled off and onGoodbye Kata Tjuṯa!Hello Uluru!Top of a sand duneEvery plant has a use to the local aboriginesTermites againPiece of quartzAnd another. Both pieces had sharp edgesThe local Anangu use spinifex to make a resin that is a good glueNow starting to see gum trees. This is a blue mallee gum, it doesn't have a trunkCamp 3. Here for two nights. Look how far we have walked!Near camp 3Our room, the window on the right ........... has a pretty good view!!! We can lie in bed and look at this!Plunge pool. It was **way** too cold for a dip

    Ever changing landscape - Camp 2 to Camp 3

    August 15 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Our run of brilliant weather came to an end overnight. It started to sprinkle just as we were going to bed and there were showers off and on all night. Something nice about sleeping in a tent listening to the rain patter on the canvas.

    In the morning it was still drizzling a little but it wasn’t going to impact us much. The Tasmanian Walking Company had kitted us out with raincoats for just this eventuality. Of course there wasn’t a sunrise to see so we had a bit of a sleep in before a big bowl of porridge and fruit for breakfast. We were on the track by 9am.

    Rain here is not that unusual. We aren’t in a desert but in what is called a semi-arid environment. They have actually had a lot of rain this winter so every thing is very green and the water holes at Uluru and Kata Tjuṯa are full.

    Walking through this environment is quite stunning. It changes quite regularly from spinifex grassland to mulga forest to desert oak stands to sand dunes to flatland. There is always something to see.

    There are a lot of signs of camels around - footprints, marks in the sand where they rest - and today we saw our first camel. They are a real pest. There are no emus in this area because the camels eat their food, if you cull them then there is an issue with getting rid of the carcass as they bring flies and their bodies are very acidic so if you leave them they kill the vegetation. Unfortunately they have adapted very well to Australian conditions and now number in the millions.

    We also saw our first signs of indigenous activity. This landscape is all sand but in some areas you find sharpened pieces of quartz that have been brought across from the mountains many years ago.

    The lodge we are staying at tonight is very luxurious. No more tents! These rooms have ensuites, stunning views of Uluru even a plunge pool and spa for a massage! We are here for the next two nights.

    Tomorrow we reach our destination.

    P.S.: Today’s step count was 30,843. A hot shower never felt so good!    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Uluru in the clouds at sunrise
    Uluru in the clouds at sunriseCamp 3 at sunrisePatterns in the dunes and in the plantsOn the track. Still quite cool but not rainingFront view of our accommodation, we were in the room on the rightOur destination is in sightBeautiful coloursKata TjuṯaTexture and colours in this lemon heath myrtle are stunningForest Bathing, Tracey is about 30 seconds in front of meAmazing termitesVideo of the trackTermites in this bushThe trackMulga ants nestTermitesThe Anangu burnt this area last week. Each year they burn about 5% of the parkMade it!!!The Anangu have stories about how all the marks on the rock came to beMutijulu waterholeThis is called the kitchen cave, where women used to prepare foodEmu tracksKantju waterhole, there are 2 semi permanent waterholes around the rockAmazing formationsRock artBeautiful coloursBloodwood treeSo many different viewsView from the lodgeSunsetThe food was excellent!

    The finish line!

    August 16 in Australia ⋅ ☁️ 10 °C

    Have to say Camp 3 has been the most luxurious so far. Very comfortable.

    We are about 8kms from Uluru so we were rolling at a civilised hour of about 8.15am. So far we have been walking more or less as a single group, today we started off like that but then our guides stopped us after a while and made a roughly 30 second gap between each of us. The idea being we could walk in silence and listen to the sounds around us, kind of like the Japanese idea of Forest Bathing. It was really nice, I took the opportunity to take a heap of photos and a couple of videos.

    It wasn’t long (about 4 hours) before we reached Uluru. We walked around to the Mutijulu Waterhole where we had lunch and met the local indigenous landowner TJ again who also spoke to us on our first day. He spoke some more about their connection to country and how they manage the park.

    The locals are the Anangu people and it is really interesting learning about how they make use of just about everything they find in the bush. It took a lot of work to set up the walk we have done, it only started in April of this year. The main objective was to let people use the park but in such a way as to minimise the impact as much as possible. So all the structures at the campsites are raised above the ground and all materials (including the buildings) were brought in by helicopter. It has been done really well.

    After our chat with TJ we went for a walk around the base of Uluru which was about 8kms. Our guide MC explained the significance of some of the features and showed us some of the important sites, all really interesting. Some sections are considered culturally significant and so we couldn’t take photos - frustrating but the Anangu people believe these sites should be experienced in situ and not diminished by being shared outside of the context of being a part of something bigger, in this case Uluru.

    Like I said before from a geological perspective Uluru is different to Kata Tjuṯa in that it is tilted to a 90 degree angle whereas Kata Tjuṯa is about 20 degrees, and the grains in the rock are a lot smaller than at Kata Tjuṯa. This means the northern side of Uluru is about 50 million years older than the southern side as the northern area was laid down first and lifted up.

    We were then picked up by a bus and taken back to Camp 3, don’t dwell on the fact it took us 4 hours to walk what the bus covered in about 20 mins!

    We then had our final dinner for the tour. Tomorrow we get taken back to Sails in the Desert to recover!

    Step count for today: 33,355 a new daily record.    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler
    Sunrise at Camp 3
    Sunrise at Camp 3Uluru in the cloudsClouds have finally broken up and we could get some light on Uluru and Kata TjutaKata TjuṯaSunrise through the bushCamp 3 videoCamp 3 viewing platformBirthday girl!!Kata Tjuṯa in the morning lightKata Tjuṯa againUluruCamp 3 view from the lookoutKata TjuṯaAgainAnd again. I liked Kata Tjuṯa more than UluruInside the Camp 3 wilchaBreakfast celebrations for the birthday girlSpinifexWalkway down to the fire pitMC and the groupOur group. TJ on the right in the front row next to MC and AlyssaPalya means many things - hello, goodbye, welcome

    An easy last day of the walk

    August 17 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Of course the big event today was that it was someone’s birthday - Tracey had a great birthday breakfast complete with cake and champagne!

    We had a leisurely sleep in before breakfast and our last very short walk of only a few hundred metres to the bus.

    Not many photos today though we were up at sunrise again as the clouds had finally broken up and we could get some sun on the landscape.

    We were back it the Sails in the Desert a bit before lunch and had a very restful afternoon recovering from what has been a very challenging few days.

    Today’s step count: 6,442!    Read more

  • Alphadog's TravelsWalking the red centreTraveler

    Palya!

    August 18 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C

    Today we fly home on the Bogan Bullet (AKA Jetstar, an A320-Neo). A few thoughts about this trip:

    - It was no walk in the park (boom-tish!!!). Walking that far was very challenging and at times we both questioned ourselves. That said I would do it again in a heartbeat!
    - The scenery is seriously breathtaking
    - If I had to choose I would visit Kata Tjuta over Uluru. Much more scenic and also more interesting to walk around
    - The staff at the Tasmanian Walking Company were fantastic, super knowledgeable and helpful
    - The food and accommodation were excellent
    - Sleeping in a swag under the stars was definitely a highlight as was the quiet walk on day 4
    - I now have a much greater appreciation of just how fragile this environment is and how critical it is that it be managed properly

    Until next time - Palya!!! Attached are a selection of favourite photos and videos.    Read more

    Trip end
    August 18, 2026