Kata Tjuta is about 227 miles southwest of Alice Springs and 15.5 miles east of Uluru. The 36 domes of this rock formation cover an area of 8.4 square miles and are composed of conglomerate, a sedimentary rock consisting of cobbles and boulders of varying rock types, including granite and basalt, cemented by sandstone. The highest point, Mount Olga, is 3,497 feet above sea level or approximately 1,791 feet above the surrounding plain (666 feet higher than Uluru).

"We flew into the Ayres Rock airport, where we boarded free shuttles to the resort provided by AAT Kings. We arrived in mid-day and were picked up in late afternoon for an eco-tour (very common in Oz) of Kata Tjuta. Kata Tjuta, know in European terms as the Olgas, is another amazing rock formation about 15.5 miles from Uluru and considered even more sacred to the Anagnu, enough so that climbing there is entirely prohibited.

"The tour company was a small one with a minibus, as opposed to the full tour-bus coaches used by AAT Kings. We drove by Uluru and out to Kata Tjuta, where we walked into a gorge in the formation and then drove to a sunset viewing area where we had champagne and chips and salsa while Kristen, the tour guide (quite a few of our tour guides were women), explained the geological formation of Kata Tjuta and Uluru. The tour guides we've had have been amazingly knowledgeable: point to any plant or animal and they can usually name them immediately and tell you about them.

Unfortunately, nature was not going to cooperate in giving us a beautiful sunset. In fact, we got some much-needed rain. However, in classic style, we were given the consolation prize of a gorgeous rainbow [bottom right] that appeared directly in front of Kata Tjuta." - Larry the O mlog

Up Close and Personal

Wild Camels

Like most of the Northern Territory, the region that includes Kata Tjuta and Uluru is semiarid. So it makes sense that Afghans could create a profitable camel-powered freight-hauling business here starting in 1840. By the turn of the 20th century, however, motor vehicles and the rail link to Alice Springs made the camels obsolete. Of course, the camels escaped, and their descendents are the last wild Arabian camel herd on Earth. En route to Kata Tjuta, we saw a few of these beats sauntering along the side of a small road.

Bush Oak

The bush oak isn't an oak. Then again, the bush plum isn't a plum, a bush tomato isn't a tomato, and a bush banana does not even vaguely resemble a banana, though all three are edible and tasty!

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