Sunrise was 7:30 am so we took an our time to prepare for our 10am helicopter flight.

Johann our bus driver collected us outside Desert Gardens Hotel to take us to the airport for our flight. There is a helipad just next to the resort but noise restrictions apply so they must leave from the airport for any flights before 10am.

We were led to our helicopter and assisted into the front seats beside Eric, our pilot. There were 2 more passengers in the back seats. We had to wear headsets in order to hear each other and the pilot’s commentary.

We were taken up to 500 metres above sea level and flew past the left and right sides of Uluru first before continuing onto Kata Tjuṯa which were amazing formations that could rival Uluru.

We learnt that there were no kangaroos or emus in this area because of the high population of wild camels who affect their food and water sources. The whole process is well organised and very professional. 

After landing, we walked to the IGA supermarket and bought some supplies before returning to our room to get ready for the next activity. 

A free bush tucker presentation was offered at 1pm daily so we were keen to check it out. It was very informative and then we were given crackers with quandong jam as a sample. The art gallery was next door where we marvelled at the artworks and watched indigenous artists at work.

The booked Field of Lights experience meant that we had to meet our guide at 5pm outside reception. The drivers had a list of our names and guided all the guests onto the bus. We were driven to a viewing platform and enjoyed canapés and sparkling wine while we watched the sunset over Uluru.

The guests were then directed down a path to round tables of ten settings. Gas heaters were scattered around the venue, making the outdoor dining more comfortable. We were also treated to a didgeridoo performance and a talk about how local Aboriginal people use constellations for navigation (although unfortunately we had to imagine where they were due to the cloud cover). There was a colourful drone show playing in the distance, which we were also able to view.

The food was outstanding and the whole process was well organised. Of course as it always is a small world, the host was Polish and there were people from Newcastle and Caringbah at our table (and four out of the ten of us were teachers). 

We then wandered through the impressive light installation, which you could choose a short (200m) or long (700m) walk.  At the end we were met by our guides and bussed back to our accommodation. A very special night and highly recommended.

Good night 😴