One of my most memorable moments during my time in the Red Centre of Australia is the fun camel ride through the red sand with stunning views of World Heritage listed Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the background. A camel ride is listed as one of the top things to do in Uluru (Ayers Rock). 😀
Uluru Camel Tours @ Explore the Outback Just As The Early Pioneers Did – On The Back Of A Camel
Uluru Camel Tours is a multi-award winning owner operated tour business based in the heart of Australia, the Red Centre. They’re also the largest camel farm in the Southern Hemisphere, home to over 60 beautiful camels.
Uluru Camel Tours is located at Voyages Ayers Rock Resort. The farm is open all year round and entrance to the camel farm is free. The farm has a camel race track where the Uluru Camel Cup event is organised. There is also a free BBQ area with picnic seating for up to 100 visitors.
Daily Tours Available:
- Camel To Sunset (2.5 hours) – Adult AUD129 per person, Child AUD129 per child
- Camel To Sunrise (2.5 hours) – AUD129 per person, Child AUD129 per child
- Camel Express (1.5 hours) – AUD80 per person, Child AUD80 per child
For more info, kindly visit the website here. 🙂
The Camel Express – 45 Minutes Through Sand Dune Country With Scenic Views Of Uluru & Kata Tjuta
After our 3D/2N camping tour with Emu Run Tours, we had some spare time before flying back to Melbourne the next day. Therefore, Daphne and I decided to complete our Australian Outback experience with a camel ride. 😀 The tour is priced at AUS80 per person. We booked our Camel Express ride online prior to our arrival to avoid any disappointments.
At 10.30am in the morning, we were picked up by an Uluru Camel Tours’ van from our hotel (Outback Pioneer Hotel & Lodge) and brought to the camel farm located not too far away. There, all 29 visitors including Daphne and I were given a short safety briefing and taught the correct way to get on and off a camel without injuring ourselves or the camel.
We found out that the lightest person gets to sit in the front seat because the camel supports the heaviest weight on its back. After that, we were divided into pairs and assigned to our camels. Daphne and I got a good-natured camel named Apollo – how lovely! 😀 After everyone was on their camels, we set out our scenic tour accompanied by several experienced cameleers and a professional photographer too.
Beautiful Photos For Memories
As promised, we were taken through the scenic red sand dune landscape of the Australian Outback. Our camels obediently walked in a single organised line, at a pleasant and comfortable pace. Everyone in the tour group was enjoying their camel ride, even the children.
There were ample opportunities for photography using our own cameras and camera phones. The cameleers and the tour photographer were kind enough to help us take several photographs of Daphne and I on our camel too. One even took a selife of himself using my mobile phone. 😛
The highlight of our Camel Express experience was the stunning views we enjoyed – of World Heritage listed Uluru and Kata Tjuta in the background. We even took turns to pose with our camels in front of Uluru (Ayers Rock) and had our photographs taken by the professional photographer that accompanied us. A hardcopy (DVD) of the photos can be purchased at the gift shop for AUD40 per copy.
Colourful Desert Wildlife & Outback History
Through our fun Camel Express ride, we learnt a lot about the amazing landscape that surrounds us – its unique desert flora and fauna. We were lucky enough to see the elusive thorny devil (a type of lizard) up-close and personal.
Other animals include the greater desert skink, perentie (Australia’s largest lizard), emus and even dingoes. It’s difficult to spot these cleverly camouflaged desert animals with the untrained eye. Our experienced cameleers took the initiative to point out these animals to us so that we may see them in their natural habitat. 😀
Besides that, we were told of the history of the outback pioneers and how they’ve adapted to live on the arid land. We then made our way back to the camel farm to have our photographs processed while we enjoyed some food and shopped for souvenirs in the gift shop.
In A Nutshell
Once we paid and received a copy of the photographs for that day, Daphne and I made our way back to the Uluru Camel Tours van parked outside. We were then given a ride back to our respective hotel. The journey took approximately 10 minutes. The both of us were happy and satisfied with our camel ride experience. That Camel Express experience marked the end of my 5D/4N Backpacking Uluru (Ayers Rock) journey. We took the flight back to Melbourne the next day.
Overall, I really enjoyed my precious time in Australia’s Red Centre with my dear friend Daphne. Together, we have made lots of sweet memories to last a lifetime; from sleeping in a swag underneath the stars, admiring the Southern Cross constellations in the sky, eating exotic meat (camel, crocodile, emu, kangaroo and barramundi), exploring Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon, learning about Anangu Aboriginal heritage and more! 😀
I hope the information provided in my travel blog helps and benefits aspiring travellers from around the globe. A complete list of my Australian Outback blog posts is available here. Safe and happy travels to all!