It is about that time of year. It is the season of the gift-giving holidays. Most gifts are physical products, but what about the gift of an experience instead? Instead of giving the new iPhone or whatever other big-ticket presents, you could send you or a loved one to have the experience of a lifetime. There are so many options out there, but I want to talk about a cultural holiday.

A cultural experience is a trip to a destination to experience the local historical culture. There are so many places you could go all over the world; some probably really close to home. I recently took a cultural holiday to the heart of Australia to experience a bit of Aboriginal history. I traveled to Uluru, a sacred site to the Anangu people (the traditional owners of Uluru). Uluru also has a second name, Ayers Rock, given by European settlers. 

If you have heard about the Australian Outback, then you probably have also heard or seen something about Uluru (the giant red rock in the middle of the desert). The pictures are all the same, but they cannot tell you how it feels when you stand at the base of this incredible natural phenomenon. The base walk is an incredible experience that you can only complete in person. Recently, the government closed the climb to the top out of respect for the Anangu People. 

Before heading to the base of Uluru, you should visit the cultural center. Inside the center, you will learn some stories of the Anangu people about the creation and history of Uluru. You will also learn about how they have survived in such a harsh climate for at least 30,000 years. After visiting the cultural center, you can make your way to do some or all of the base walk. On the trail, you will see many of the features of Uluru mentioned in the stories. 

There are two main ways to experience Uluru. You can hire a car and drive there yourself, or you can take one of the many companies that offer tours. I went on a three day trip to Uluru with Wayoutback as part of a more extended ten-day tour. On the three day journey with Wayoutback, and probably many of the other tour companies, you also enjoy a hike at Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon. Kata Tjuta and Kings Canyon are also Aboriginal sites with incredible history. Most of the Anangu stories are not shared publically about these locations, but you can still learn a lot about how they lived. Click this link to see the tour I took: https://www.wayoutback.com.au/destinations/red-centre-tours/3-day-uluru-tour/.

Uluru makes for an amazing cultural holiday that you should experience. Check out the full review of my outback trip by clicking this link!! If you would like to see some other awesome experience gift ideas, then click here!