Category: Ayers Rock

  • 11 Days Melbourne Uluru Itinerary – Aussie Urban & Outback In One Trip

    11 Days Melbourne Uluru Itinerary – Aussie Urban & Outback In One Trip

    Australia has so much to offer and it is fun to visit different parts each time to piece together a holistic experience of this magnificent continent. If you are bringing your family to Australia for the very first time and would like to give them a good overview experience of Aussie Urban as well as Outback in just one single trip, I have just the itinerary for you. This was a family trip which was planned and executed in 2019. We went for 11 days, exploring both the vibrant Melbourne city and rough it out at Uluru.

    Day Time City Activity Location
    Day 1 9.50pm Singapore Check-in Qantas QF038 Changi Airport T1
    10.00pm Collect the Router at Changi Recommends
    11.50pm Take Off Qantas QF038
    Day 2 9.15am Melbourne Touch Down Melbourne Tullamarine Airport T2
    10.00am Uber To Hotel (30 mins)
    10.30am Reach The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Melbourne ( Check-in 2pm, Luggage with concierge) 630 Little Collins Street, Melbourne, VIC, 3000 Australia
    11.00am Brunch at Higher Ground Cafe (3 mins walk) 650 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
    12.30pm Explore Laneways – Hosier, Degraves St, Flinders, Union & Hardware Lane Take Tram 86 / 96 from Spencer St/Bourke St to Russell St – Stop 7 (Free Tram)
    1.30pm End with a coffee from Brother Baba Budan 1 min from Hardware Lane
    2.00pm Check In Hotel & Rest The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Melbourne
    2.15pm Get Myke Card – Bus Central $15 with $9 value Southern Cross Station or SkyBus Station
    5.00pm Uber To Dinner (15 mins) Uber or Didi
    5.30pm Easey’s Rooftop Dinner. 48 EASEY STREET, COLLINGWOOD 3066
    7.00pm Drinks at Naked In The Sky (if not too tired). 11 minutes walk 285 Brunswick St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia
    9.00pm Rest for the day The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Melbourne
    Day 3 9.00am Melbourne South Melbourne Market Breakfast & Grocery Shopping Coventry St & Cecil Street, Australia (8 mins from hotel on Tram 96)
    1.00am Luna Park Melbourne (Close at 6pm) Luna Park Melbourne (23 mins from hotel on Tram 96)
    3.30pm Beach Stroll / Cakes & Coffee St Kilda Beach / Monarch Cakes / Europa Cake Shop
    5.45pm Sunset & Penguin Watching (Choose a good spot by 5pm) St Kilda Pier
    8.00pm Dinner at The Local TapHouse Take Tram 16 from The Esplanade (7 mins)
    9.30pm Drinks with Live Band The Local TapHouse
    10.30pm Rest The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Melbourne
    Day 4 7.00am Melbourne Check out & leave for airport (30 mins) The Savoy Hotel on Little Collins Melbourne
    7.45am Check in JetStar JQ664 Melbourne Tullamarine Airport T4 Domestic
    9.45am Take Off JetStar JQ664
    12.15pm Ayers Rock Touch Down, exit airport and look for AAT Kings coaches (free shuttle. no booking required) Ayers Rock Connellan Airport
    1.00pm Reach Desert Garden Resort (10 mins away). Early check in before 3pm requested. Yulara Drive, Yulara, Ayers Rock, 0872, Australia
    2.00pm Cultural Performance at Arkani Theatre Mani Mani Indigenous Cultural Theatre
    3.00pm Rest at room Desert Gardens Hotel (No breakfast)
    4.45pm Guided Garden Walk. Meet at Hotel Lobby
    5.45pm Dinner at Resort
    7.45pm Field of Light Pass Departure 2 (1hr 15 mins after sunset)
    9.45pm Back to Resort & rest for the night
    Day 5 6.00am Ayers Rock Camel To Sunrise Tours (Sunrise 7am). Simple bread & coffee breakfast Desert Gardens Hotel
    8.30am Back to Resort
    9.00am Breakfast at resort
    10.25am 15 Mins Helicopter Flight (Between 1pm to 5pm) Paid
    11.30am Barn Yard (30 mins Complimentary). Meet at Circle of Sand at Town Centre
    12.30pm Lunch. Free & Easy
    5.30pm Uluru Sunset & BBQ Dinner (75 mins before sunset)
    10.00pm Back to Resort & rest for the night
    Day 6 6.00am Ayers Rock Uluru Morning Guided Base Walk (10km walk). Light Breakfast provided Desert Gardens Hotel
    12.00pm Back to Resort for Lunch
    1.00pm Bush Food Experience (45 mins Complimentary). Meet at Winjiri Arts and Museum
    2.00pm Explore Town Square
    3.00pm Ecology & Museum Tour
    5.30pm Sound Of Silence Dinner
    9.30pm Back to Resort & rest for the night
    Day 7 8.30am Ayers Rock Breakfast Desert Gardens Hotel
    10.00am Check out & leave for airport
    10.55pm Check In JetStar JQ665 Ayers Rock Connellan Airport
    12.55pn Take Off JetStar JQ665
    4.05pm Melbourne Touch Down & Uber to hotel (35 mins) Melbourne Tullamarine Airport T4 Domestic
    5.15pm Reach Mantra City Central Hotel (Hotel aware of late check in) Mantra City Central, 318 Little Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
    6.00pm Reach Hotel Mantra City Central Hotel
    7.00pm Winter Night Market Dinner, Shopping & Drinks (Only on Wednesdays) Queen Victoria Market (Tram 59, Free Tram Zone)
    10.00pm Rest for the day Mantra City Central Hotel
    Day 8 7.30am Melbourne Breakfast on the go Mantra City Central Hotel
    8.00pm Great Ocean Road Experience (Chinese Tour) 108 Little Bourke Street. 7 mins walk from hotel. Drop off same place
    8.30pm Back to Melbourne City
    8.45pm Dinner at Juicy Bao, Si Chuan House or Shandong Mama All within 5 mins walking distance from drop off
    9.45pm Drinks at Madame Brussels / The Rooftop Bar (if not too tired) 10 mins walk away
    10.30pm Rest for the day Mantra City Central Hotel
    Day 9 7.00am Melbourne Lune Croissanterie CBD (Weekday 7am only, 11 mins from hotel) Entrance on Russell Street at Flinders Lane, Shop 16/161 Collins St
    9.00am Coffee & Shopping (on the way to high tea) Bourke Street Mall, Block Arcade & Emporium Melbourne
    11.00am Hopetoun Tea Rooms Brunch High Tea. Reserved Online The Block Arcade. 4 mins walk from hotel
    1.30pm Federation Square, Flinders Street Railway Station & Prince Bridge (8 mins walk) Swanston St & Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
    3.30pm Explore Gertrude Street Lonsdale Street and Swanston St,
    6.00pm Dinner at Grub 87-89 Moor St, Fitzroy VIC 3065, Australia (Tram 96)
    7.00pm Shop at Melbourne Central & QV Melbourne (Close at 9pm) Cnr La Trobe St &, Swanston St
    9.00pm Explore Tattersalls & Drinks At Chuckle Park Bar 400m from hotel
    10.00pm Rest for the day Mantra City Central Hotel
    Day 10 8.00am Melbourne Leave Hotel Mantra City Central Hotel
    8.30am Yarra Valley Winery Tour (1 min walk from hotel) Meet in front of Somerset Hotel. 250 Elizabeth Street (Meet at Elizabeth St entry). Drop off at same place.
    5.00pm Back to Melbourne City
    7.45pm Dinner Reserved Fancy Hanks BBQ Restaurant
    9.00pm Drinks Good Heavens Rooftop Bar
    10.00am Rest for the day Mantra City Central Hotel
    Day 11 8.00am Melbourne Breakfast & Grocery Shopping Queen Victoria Market  (Tram 19,57 & 59, Free Tram Zone)
    12.00pm Final Packing Mantra City Central Hotel
    1.00pm Check out & leave for airport (35 mins).
    2.15pm Check In Qantas QF037 Melbourne Tullamarine Airport T2
    4.15pm Take Off Qantas QF037
    10.25pm Touch down Changi Airport T1

     

    Overall, we felt it was a really good mix of experience. We used the outback period as a period to ‘detox’ from the urban hustle. I usually like to pack the trip with loads of things to do. Please use the itinerary as a guide and plan your own preferred journey. Do note to check in on the opening hours for the respective attractions and entrance regulations as there may be changes due to COVID. Travel safe and have fun!

  • Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise – Ayers Rock Sunrise On Camel Backs

    Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise – Ayers Rock Sunrise On Camel Backs

    A camel ride is a wonderful activity to experience at least once in your life. That’s why I decided to bring my mom and brother for Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise Tour when we were visiting the red rock in Australia to officially tick this activity off our travel bucket list. Staying at Ayers Rocks Resort, we booked the activity through the resort. The activity was conducted by Uluru Camel Tours – home to over 60 camels and an award-winning owner operated tour business with over 25 years of experience.

    Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise – Getting Ready For The Ride

    We left our resort at 5.45am for an quick briefing on the tour itinerary, key safety and operational instructions on how to ride on the camels. If you are heading there in the winter months like us, please make sure you have dressed appropriately for the ride. Uluru may be a desert area but its winter mornings are brutal.

    When we came out of the briefing room, our camels are already connected, lined up and waiting faithfully to be allocated their passengers. We have been thoughtfully provided with extra red pullovers and a furry seat cover for additional warmth.

    Once we have been allocated to our designated camels, our guides load everyone up and gently nudge these giants to get up on their feet. To be honest, the initial moments on the camel’s back when it lift-off can be quite intimidating. In fact, there was a lady who decided not to go through with the experience. My advice is to give it a while and the fear will slow start to go away.

    Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise – Off We Go!

    Once all the participants are up on the camels, our guides aka expert cameleer hopped onto the first and last camels and led us out of the holding area into the dark desert of Uluru and Kata Tjuta. There were also a few expert cameleers on the ground right beside the camels to ensure safety and share with us information about the desert’s flora and fauna

    They shared that camels are ideally suited to the hot, dry climate of Australia’s interior. They were imported in the 19th century and remained the principal means of outback transport until railways and roads were established.

    Today there are an estimated 200,000 one-humped, dromedary type camels in the wild. Only a few are still used by humans, mostly for touring the desert.

    As we walked towards the rising sun and the initial fear of riding on a camel wore off, you get to feel a growing sense of adventure.

    We rode high above the desert surrounds and explore this central Australian region just as the early Australian pioneers did – on a camel. It was an unforgettable journey through red dune country with Uluru and Kata Tjuta as a stunning backdrop.

    That’s our camel getting his well-deserved rest once we are back at the camel farm.

    Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise – Breakfast Is Served

    Breakfast was a generous spread of the local beer bread with Margarine, Vegemite (must try when you are in Australia but it is an acquired taste), Nutella, Peanut Butter and the usual jams. Not exactly sure if we were feeling famished but the warm, soft and slightly chewy beer bread tasted amazing with the spreads. We doused our meal with juices and soymilk.

    There is a little souvenir store in a same room where the breakfast was held. Once we were done eating and shopping, we headed out to a small petting area where we can get upclosed to camels,

    emus and kangaroos as well as smaller animals such as

    goats and geese. Glad that my mom and brother managed to catch a glimpse of Kangaroos and Emus here during their trip to Australia.

    If you are ever coming to this part of Australia, Uluru Camel Ride To Sunrise experience is an activity I would highly recommend. Do note that the winter period is very much preferred as the temperature is a lot more comfortable compared to the scorching heat in the summer months. The Camel Farm is open all year round and Ayers Rock Resort free shuttle bus stops at the Camel Farm. All camel tours include free return transfers to your accommodation.