I bet you’re probably wondering about the best way to see the Red Centre. Well, as you probably already know, visiting Uluru is an experience in itself. But nothing will give you views of the outback like those you’ll see from the air.
Thanks to the team at Professional Helicopter Services, I was able to experience perfect birdseye views of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and the incredible desert, all whilst sitting over the edge of an open helicopter.
I know… I’m pretty nuts!
But before we begin, I’d like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the land, the Pitjantjatjara people, and pay respect to their Elders, past and present.
So, as most of you could probably gather, the Aussie outback is basically dead flat. Meaning that understanding your surroundings is not always the easiest to do. But that’s where helicopters come in! Here in Central Australia, PHS run scenic tours to many of our country’s most famous sights; Uluru, Kata Tjuta, Mount Connor, Lake Amadeus and Kings Canyon.
Luckily for me, I was able to see most of these beautiful sights whilst dangling my feet in the sky. There’s no doubt that this is not for the faint-hearted, but for me, it was nothing short of a thrill!
I was picked up from the town pad at the Ayers Rock Resort in Yulara, and taken for a flight around Uluru and Kata Tjuta, on a bright and sunny outback day!
The amazing pilot gave detailed views of my surroundings as we circled through the sky. Whilst I was perched on the floor of the helicopter, strapped in by a harness with my legs flowing in the wind at 150 km/h, I was given an array of amazing facts about what was beneath me at 1000 ft.
The flight was beautifully smooth, completely safe, and dare I say it, the best in the biz!
On this extended tour, I was shown premium views of the two famous monuments in the National Park. Of course, Uluru and Kata Tjuta are the two things that tourists come here to experience ⏤ but on a scenic flight around Yulara, it’s evident that there’s really so much more to see.
From the air, I was able to look for wildlife, and see the extreme amounts of vegetation, the distant ridges and the outback from a whole new perspective. From the view of a helicopter, you come to realise just how big the desert really is, and likewise, just how big those famous monuments are too.
There’s no doubt that the world seems much bigger when you’re flying thousands of feet above it.
After thoroughly admiring this part of Australia that I’d never experienced before, we landed back down at the Ayers Rock Resort with achy legs and windblown hair. As you can imagine, my heart was still racing, but there was absolutely no doubt that I had a huge smile plastered on my face.
This was another of those experiences that I’ll likely never forget. But for those who may be wondering, hanging out of a helicopter is not an option for the general public. Due to knowing a contact in the company, this flight was organised purely for me ⏤ (lucky I know).
As if it couldn’t get any better, a few days later I was treated to another flight with the amazing staff at PHS, on a private charter to Watarrka National Park. Although this time, the doors were on and I was strapped into the seat – rather than a harness!
I was taken from Ayers Rock Resort and flown over the vast desert for 45 minutes towards the lesser known, but equally outstanding landform, Kings Canyon. On the way, I was treated to ariel views of the largest salt lake in the Northern Territory, Lake Amadeus. This lake, although often completely dry, was filled with a shallow layer of water from the previous weeks of heavy rainfall. From the pilot’s remarks, this was a very rare occurrence!
After passing over the huge salt fields, travelling through the desert and spotting a few herds of camels along the way, we made it to Kings Canyon.
Before landing at the nearby resort, I was flown above the beautiful rugged gorge and the Domes of the Lost City.
Flying in a helicopter gives you a whole new perspective on the earth beneath you. But here at Kings Canyon, that’s taken to a whole new level. Here, there is a vast amount of landscape that you would otherwise be oblivious to if you were to only explore on foot. The towering sandstone walls and immense terrain of Watarrka National Park travel for miles past what the eye can see on land.
The pilot from PHS gave a great commentary on these surrounding landforms; the canyon itself, Carmichaels Crag and the walks that are available once down on the ground.
After landing at the Kings Canyon resort, I was driven by private mini-van to the Canyon where I was able to walk along the luscious creek bed and explore the beauty up close. I spent an hour strolling through the charming canyon, spotting wildlife and enjoying the view before I was picked up, driven back to the helipad and flown all the way back to Uluru.
We flew through the outback over the same famous landmarks, but this time we had a picturesque sunset to bid us on our way.
I came home from this experience extremely grateful for my time with Professional Helicopter Services. Without them, all of these incredible memories would still be just a distant dream. I was able to see so many amazing parts of the heart of Australia that I would otherwise be oblivious to.
I got to dangle out of a helicopter for goodness sake! How could I possibly have any complaints?
If there’s one thing you need to take away from this, it’s that you need to come to the Red Centre and fly with PHS. You certainly won’t regret it!
Thank you to the fantastic team at Professional Helicopter Services for my incredible experience in the Red Centre. Once again, all my opinions are 100% truthful and entirely my own!
[ READ NEXT: Welcome to the Field of Light ]
Leave a Reply