Adventure Travel

Australia: Uluru not just any rock

Published August 2018 by Trevor. Updated December 2019.

In this post:

Getting there
About Uluru
Insights

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, is more than just a rock!

Getting there

The nearest large town is Alice Springs, some 450km and 4 1/2 hours drive away. You can base yourself there and do a day trip there and back, either using your own transport or utilise a tour company and let them do the driving for you. We chose the latter as it was a more relaxed way to travel.

The other way is to incorporate the visit into your itinerary heading south. There are a few places you can stay, either within the park or just outside.

About Uluru

Uluru is a massive sandstone monolith in the heart of the Northern Territory’s arid ‘Red Centre’. It is s acred to indigenous Australians, thought to have started forming around 550 million years ago.

Located within Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, you will also find the 36 red-rock domes of the Kata Tjuta (colloquially “The Olgas”) formation.

Approaching Uluru, the one thing that stands out, aside from it’s sheer size rising out of the ground, is its varied red colours. More so at sunset. Walking around its circumference takes around 3 1/2 hours which is a must if you have the time. It is only then when you look up, that you can see the various rock formations and its sheer beauty.

Approximately 15 minutes away, are the 36 red-rock domes of the Kata Tjuta (“The Olgas”) formation – another beautiful area in its own right.

Uluru is a living cultural landscape. It’s considered sacred to the Yankunytjatjara and Pitjantjatjara people. The spirits of the ancestral beings continue to reside in these sacred places making the land a deeply important part of Aboriginal cultural identity.

Onwards and upwards!

Trevor

Insights

Elevation is 863m, and the circumference is 10km.
Uluru is the name in a local Aboriginal language (Arrente), and since the 1980s has been the officially preferred name.

Many people, especially non-Australians, still call it Ayers Rock.
It’s considered to be the world’s largest monolith. A monolith is a large, single block of stone.
This is also an Aboriginal sacred site and Australia’s most famous natural landmark.

The oxidized iron in the sandstone gives the rock its rusty-red colour.
Note: Climbing the sacred site has now been banned (since 26 October, 2019). Prior to this it was discouraged in order to respect the local culture. However many people still climbed the rock which can be dangerous to do. Since record-keeping began, there have been 37 fatalities. On the last day it was open there were queues of people waiting to climb for the last time.

Uluru — You can just make out people climbing the rock.

Colombia: Surviving Bogota

Published February 2018 by Trevor. Updated February 2021.

In this post:

‘Let’s go to Bogota, Colombia’, I said. And with that, we were off. I must confess though, that some bad thoughts were going through my mind when I booked. Kidnappings, bombings, drugs and the Netflix movie ‘Narcos’. ‘Why not just holiday on a nice beach in some tropical paradise?’, I thought. Well, we needn’t have worried.

Back in the late 1990’s, some colleagues had travelled to Bogota for business at the height of Pablo Escobar’s reign and the Colombian drug cartels. They survived – so I thought it can’t be too bad. Can it?

Bogota City

Arriving at Bogota’s main El Dorado Airport, being welcomed by smiling, non-zealous immigration officials and clearing customs in record time, we headed to our accommodation in the old part of the city, just off Bolivar Square.

There we encountered hoards of local university students and a well guarded Ministry of Defence building. In the event of any unfortunate event, at least we could call on well armed reinforcements.

Walking around the vicinity was very safe during the day. In the early evenings, we ventured out to the burbs for the night life and cafe scene.

Of course there are elements of danger in the city, like there are in any big city around the world. However, Bogota is an incredible city, very vibrant and a culturally fascinating city. In our time there, we never experienced anything that would be classed as dangerous or scary.

I couldn’t recommend the country highly enough. The people are so inviting, so hospitable and so eager to rid the country of the stereotypes that they’ll really go out of their way to make sure you enjoy your stay. Even four star generals stop you in the street, smile and say ‘Buenos Dias’.

Fabulous building styles in Bogota — Fabulous Spanish building styles in Bogota

History and surrounds

One of the most appealing aspects of visiting Colombia was its history.

Gold Museum Bogota — Gold Museum, Bogota

Firstly, Bogota’s Gold Museum – which is the largest of its kind in South America. Then there is Pablo Escobar’s famous art collection which he collected over the years.

Art Museum Bogota — A Picasso painting in Pablo Escobar’s art museum.

There is a very unusual salt cathedral of Zipaquirá, an underground Roman Catholic church built within the tunnels of a salt mine 200 metres underground in a halite mountain near the town of Zipaquirá.

You can also take the cable car (funicular) to the top of Monserrate. Monserrate is a mountain that dominates the city centre of Bogota, rising to 3,152 metres (10,341 ft), with commanding views of Bogota and surrounds.

Beyond the food, there are incredible beaches (on both the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans), the ancient ruins of the Lost City, coffee farms, and the country is the second-most biodiverse country in the world, so you’re likely to see some incredible flora and fauna while you’re there.

In a country troubled by its past, I can’t wait to return.

Onwards and upwards.

Trevor

Town Hall Bogota — Town Hall in Boliva square

Insights

Taking a taxi is safe and relatively cheap by Western standards, though make sure you book a radio taxi to play it safe, rather than flag one down off the street.
Beware of the altitude. Bogota is situated at an altitude of 2,640 m (8,660 ft), so you may feel a tad disoriented with slight altitude sickness for a couple of days.

Word to the wise: Try the arepas — delicious corn cakes served at breakfast time.

Local cake shop — Plenty of good food and coffee in Bogota

Try the local coca tea or chew the leaves – good for altitude. Also, the coffee is pretty good too.

Avoid areas close to the borders of Ecuador and Venezuela.
Make sure you check out your local Foreign Affairs and Trade website or equivalent for the latest updated travel advice and for any warnings.

USA: Bike the Golden Gate Bridge

Published August 2017 by Emma. Updated April 2021.

Try a biking adventure in San Francisco – bike the Golden Gate Bridge. There are plenty of bike hire outlets around the waterfront at reasonable prices. You can do a round trip by bike, or bike to Sausalito then take the ferry back. It makes for a great day out plus gets you out of the city for a different perspective of the bay.

From Fisherman’s wharf, make your way towards the Golden Gate Bridge. There are some great photo opportunities of the bridge as you approach it. Cross the bridge to the arty village of Sausalito. There are plenty of shops and cafes to explore there. We chose to go back to the city by ferry, passing Alcatraz on the way. Spectacular views of the bridge and out to the Pacific Ocean and beyond.

It’s about 1.5 hours easy cycling (only a couple of short hill climbs) by the time you stop for photos, and the trail is mostly bike paths. The circuit is 2-4 hours round trip. Ferries run every 45 minutes.

High up at the centre of the Golden Gate Bridge

Take a good wind breaker jacket and wear plenty of sunscreen to make your bike ride over the Golden Gate Bridge comfortable.

arriving in Sausalito — Arriving in Sausalito

16 Movies to Watch for Adventure Travellers

Published May 2017 by Emma. Updated December 2025.

Put yourself in someone else’s hiking boots and settle in for some prime time Adventure Films:

Everest (2015) – biographical film on the events of the 1996 Mt Everest disaster
Beyond the Edge (2013) – NZ docudrama about Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic ascent of Mt Everest in 1953
Touching the Void (2003) – docudrama about Joe Simpson and Simon Yates’ climb of Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes
The Summit (2008) – a film about the 2008 K2 disaster
Meru (2015) – attempting the impossible climb – the Shark’s Fin on Mt Meru in Northern India
Seven Years in Tibet (1997) – the story of Austrian mountaineer, Heinrich Harrer – his experiences in Tibet between 1944 and 1952, and becoming a close friend of the Dalai Lama
The Way (2010) – a story of adventure and purpose on the Camino de Santiago
Valley Uprising (2014) – a documentary on the history and crazy life and times of rock climbers in Yosemite National Park
The Dawn Wall (2018) – legendary free climber Tommy Caldwell tries to get over heartbreak by scaling 3000ft of an impossible rock face
Free Solo (2018) – follow Alex Honnold as he becomes the first person to ever free solo climb Yosemite’s 3000ft high El Capitan Wall.
Mountain (2017) – An exploration of our obsessions with high places and how they have come to capture our imagination.
Cerro Torre (2013) – David Lama and Peter Ortner set out to free climb a route once thought to be the most difficult in the world.
Pasang: In the Shadow of Everest (2022) – chronicles Pasang Lhamu Sherpa’s tragic and inspiring journey to become the first Nepali woman to summit Everest in 1993.
K2: Siren of the Himalayas (2014) – an attempt to reach the summit of the world’s most challenging peak on the 100-year anniversary of the Duke of Abruzzi’s landmark K2 expedition.
Dhaulagiri (2022) – An Ecuadorian mountaineer balances friendship, love, and luck in his quest to climb a new route on one of the tallest and most dangerous mountains in the world.
Broad Peak (2022) – After climbing Broad Peak mountain, Maciej Berbeka learns his journey to the summit is incomplete. 25 years later, he sets out to finish what he started.

Adventure Films on YouTube and Vimeo

there’s always YouTube or Vimeo where you can search for the next hike/trek/expedition/adventure you’re about to embark on to see exactly what you’re in for.
checkout our Project Base8000 YouTube Channel for our videos and playlists
or in Vimeo
- Roots Rock Arapiles for a short film on rock climbing history in the Arapiles area, Australia
- Khumbu Climbing Centre Documentary
see the documentary by Michael Dillon on Tim Macartney-Snape’s expedition – Everest: From Sea to Summit

Adventure Film Festivals and Events

You might also be interested in local or online events including adventure film festivals listed on our Events page.

Books to Read for the Adventure Traveller

Published May 2017 by Emma. Updated June 2026.

Do you need to feed your spirit of adventure? If armchair mountaineering isn’t for you, there are also many other good adventure travel books we’ve read that give you great insight into travel and diverse countries:

Life-Changing Adventure – Emma Huffam and Trevor Builder. Written by us! Be daring, be inspired. Adventure is waiting for you.
The Art of Travel – Alain de Botton. Provides an insight into everything from holiday romance to hotel mini-bars, airports to sight-seeing. This book suggests how we might be happier on our journeys.
Walking – One Step At A Time – Erling Kagge. A book about the love of exploration, the delight of discovery and the equilibrium that can be found in this most simple of activities.
Adventurous Spirit – Heather Hawkins. Sometimes life takes us to places we never planned to go.
Facing Fear – Lisa Blair. The first woman to sail solo around Antarctica.
Adventure Revolution – Belinda Kirk. The life-changing power of choosing challenge.

Asia

India: Holy Cow – Sarah MacDonald. A rollercoaster ride through a land of chaos and contradiction with a woman on a mission to save her soul, her love life – and her sanity.
India: Shantaram – Gregory David Roberts. A compelling tale of a hunted man who had lost everything – his home, his family, and his soul – and came to find his humanity while living at the wildest edge of experience
Pakistan: A Blonde in the Bazaar – Jill Worrell. Offering a unique insight into Pakistan’s cultures, superb scenery, fascinating history and hospitable and passionate people.
Afghanistan: A Short Walk in the Hindu Kush – Eric Newby. A classic journey from Mayfair, London to the wild mountains of the Hindu Kush, north-east of Kabul. This is one of the most spectacularly beautiful wildernesses on earth.
Tibet (China): Last Seen in Lhasa – Claire Scobie. The story of an extraordinary friendship in modern Tibet, China.
Siberia/Mongolia/Himalayas: The Long Walk – Slavomir Rawicz. The true story of a trek to freedom.

Europe

France: Almost French – Sarah Turnbull. A Sydney journalist recounts her unexpected move to Paris. Here, she fell in love and came to cherish the city’s charm, fashion, food, paradoxes, and dinner parties.
France: A Piano in the Pyrenees – Tony Hawks. Inspired by breathtaking views and romantic dreams of finding love in the mountains, Tony Hawks impulsively buys a house in the French Pyrenees. Here, he plans to finally fulfil his childhood fantasy of mastering the piano, untroubled by the problems of the world.
Italy: Girl by Sea – Penelope Green. Across kitchen tables, in bustling cafés, and over long lunches under vine-covered pergolas, Penny learns the art of Italian cooking, builds friendships, and discovers the rhythms and secrets of island life.

Central and South America

Brazil: Chasing Bohemia – Carmen Michael. A story about living for the day – and the surprising little truths about yourself you can discover through being immersed in poverty, isolation, and a culture that is not your own.