From Uluru to the wetlands in Kakadu, here's why the Northern Territory should be on your Australian itinerary
Australia is at the top of many travellers' bucket lists, and for good reason. To some, it’s a country of urban wonders, home to bustling cities blooming with vibrant food and art cultures; to others, it’s a paradise where some of the world's best waves meet chalky white sand.
Not quite fitting into either of those categories, The Northern Territory is Australia’s best kept secret, steeped in spirituality and an indigenous culture that stretches back 40,000 years. From the Outback’s red earth deserts to aboriginal rock art in Kakadu, a visit to the Northern Territory is an intimate encounter of one of the world's most ancient continents.
1. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
More than just an iconic natural landscape, Uluru is a sacred aboriginal site to its traditional owners, the Anangu people, and is home to one of the oldest living cultures in the world.
Watching Uluru change colours at dawn and dusk is one of the most magical ways to experience Outback Australia, a region known for its extraordinary landscapes of red desert, mountain ranges and rocky gorges.
There are couple of designed viewing platforms to choose from, but we’d recommend Talinguru Nyakunytjaku—or "a place to look from the sand dune" in the local aboriginal language—where you can capture both Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the same shot and marvel at the panoramic views of the surrounding landscape.
It’s especially worth waking up early to watch Uluru come to life at sunrise, as its silhouette appears against the sky changing from a deep purple to a sizzling pink to burnt orange.
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