Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park encompasses just a small portion of the vastness of central Australia. The spectacular Ayers Rock (Uluru) and the Olgas (Kata Tjuta) dominate the open landscape rising up out of what is now a buried mountain range. These magnificent peaks are sacred to Australia’s Aboriginal people, and it is best to spend time with a local guide to see the many sights and cave paintings that form an important part of central Australian Aboriginal mythology. Most excursions take place at sunrise or sunset, when the light is at its finest. Walk around the base of Uluru with a local guide at sunrise, ride a camel to breakfast, see the sunset over Kata Tjuta, or have dinner on the dunes and learn how to find the constellations of the southern sky.

The famous outback town of Alice Springs is 450 kilometers northeast of Uluru National Park and 200 kilometers north of the geographical center of Australia. Reached by air, by vehicle from Ayers Rock, or as a stop on the Ghan (the train that runs through the center of Australia from Adelaide to Darwin), spend a couple of days learning about the outback history and visiting local galleries full of Aboriginal art.