Sparkling wine, hors d’oeuvres and a didgeridoo before dinner at Uluru

There are places to eat dinner and there are places to dine but very few are so spectacular that they almost defy description. One of those places is in the desert near one of the most incredible natural wonders of the world, Uluru (commonly as Ayer’s Rock) and this dinner is called "The Sounds of Silence"..

The Adventure begins as the bus pulls up out front of Sails in the Desert Hotel a beautiful high end 5 star resort Hotel about one hour before sunset. The luxury bus ride along red sand roads lasts only about ten minutes and takes you near a large sand dune not too far from Uluru. You then stroll up to the top where you are greeted with Sparkling wine and hors d’oeuvres and for your listening pleasure to verbal and musical stories from a local of the area. All the while, the sun gets lower and the red rock changes color’s of red. A magical start to the evening, with the sun setting, sipping that lovely bubbly listening to the sounds of the didgeridoo reverberating through the desert you feel incredibly small and yet a part of this magical land.

As the sun continues to disappear you are escorted to the dining area. A series of white table cloth tables literally set up in the middle of the desert with an unobstructed view of Uluru changing colors and slowly and majestically disappearing into the darkness and an introduction to Aboriginal culture with a traditional dance performance under the outback sky. But even as the darkness settles in you can feel the presence of this incredible monolith, and if you stand in the darkness and let your eyes adjust you can see the silhouette against the starlight. 

Photo from @Australia.com

For dinner you get to feast on a BBQ buffet of authentic Australian delicacies, examples include barramundi, kangaroo and crocodile, bush salads and classic desserts, complemented by Australian beer and wines and while this happens the millions of stars come out to welcome you. One minor complaint is I would have liked a higher end wine (I know, ponce). As the story teller said "the more wine you drink the more stars you see" I saw a lot of stars!

Until you have seen the stars in the desert you haven’t seen stars!

After dinner a star story teller or startalker, takes you on a tour of the spectacular southern night sky, spinning tales and telling stories of the dreamtime as they relate to the stars bringing magic to the sky.

There are also some telescopes set up for viewing the moon and stars and even the occasional planet. This night we saw the rings of Saturn with amazing clarity.

The evening is about four hours long and will give memories for a lifetime. This is a highly recommend evening that is a Must Go!

To your dinning Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Take a morning flight and see Uluru from a different perspective.

Taking flight at Uluru & Kata Tjuta, Australia

Its 3deg Celsius outside, the sun has yet to come up and I am on holiday, when the alarm goes off sounding like a couple of cat’s in heat. Like a trained ninja I leap out of bed to deal with the..... oh yeah that’s what that was, an alarm clock. Then slowly realize this is the big day, and I start getting ready for an amazing Adventure. What is the adventure at hand on this cold and clear morning in the center of Australia you ask? It’s a scenic flight to and around Uluru & Kata Tjuta  (formerly and or commonly known as Ayers Rock and the Olgas, might still be). If you ever have the chance to go there, don’t hesitate as nothing can prepare you for what you will see.

As I drive up to the airport in the morning glow I must admit to being a little unsettled by the 12yr old that is to pilot the aircraft. Ok, he was not 12, but he was very young. Or is that the perspective of one not as young anymore? You’re not getting any younger either! Turns out he was a fantastic pilot. He was well trained and quite seasoned with a great touch for flying the plane.

As we start to lift off, the sun is starting to peek over the horizon and it’s not long before the massive red sandstone monolith is coming into view, as we, and the sun gain altitude. Just as at sunset the rock shows many different characters and colours as the light changes. The colors in the morning are a little different than the sunset, so make sure to do them both. The sheer beauty of this view is amazing. Both Uluru & Kata Tjuta are spectacular places to see and experience either on foot or by aircraft. I would suggest that you do both!

The views from the plane were incredible and the perspective you get is just breathtaking.

WineWalkabout rates this a Must do.

Tell em we sent you!

 

Happy Adventures,

Cheers,

WineWalkabout

Kiwi & Koala