Ayers Rock and The Olgas

Ayers Rock at sunset

After flying into Alice Springs and staying the night, we drove down to the Ayers Rock Resort at Yulara which is about 5 hours away. We got there in plenty of time to head down to the rock for sunset which is quite a pleasant thing to see.

Ayers Rock and our hotel in the trees

The next day I went hiking in The Olgas. Being the middle of winter down here, it was pretty cold at night getting down below zero but in the daytime it was in the mid to high teens. And no flies at this time of year! Perfect for a bit of walking.

Hiking in The Olgas

Of course I was always on the look-out for new birds and it only took me 5 minutes at our hotel in Alice Springs to bag the Weebill #349 and the Grey-headed Honeyeater #350. There were a couple of Black-breasted Buzzards #351 at The Olgas and an early morning walk at the Ayers Rock sunset viewing area turned up a flock of Crimson Chats #352.

How do you avoid the crowds? Visit the sunset viewing area at sunrise.

Early morning in the desert

Heading back up the Lasseter and Stuart Highways to Alice Springs I managed to get the first of a few fleeting glimpses of flocks of Budgerigars #353 and we also found a Red-backed Kingfisher #354 on some power-lines.