Longitude 131: glamping in Uluru's glorious shadow

The hulking form of Uluru is a privilege to see, whether standing in awe at the rock’s base or kicking back in a bathtub at Uluru’s luxurious glamping accommodation.

If there was ever going to be such a thing as an Academy Awards ceremony for bathtubs then this one would be the winner hands down.

It’s a bit about the design of the thing – the bathtub in this ritzy glamping camp resembles a luxe rainwater tank – but it’s mostly about the outlook. It sits in front of a floor-to-ceiling window that perfectly frames Uluru in the distance. A front-row bathtub to one of the most breathtaking views in the world.

I’m standing in the two-bedroom Dune Pavilion at Longitude 131°, the luxury desert basecamp nestled into the scrubby outback landscape of the Red Centre at Uluru-Kata Tjuta – and one of the best glamping experiences in the Northern Territory, if not, Australia.

The Dune Pavilion at Longitude 131 has a bathtub worthy of an Academy Awards ceremony. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

Backstory

This Uluru glamping accommodation is a new inclusion to the property, installed during a $6 million renovation instigated by Baillie Lodges, owners of the celebrated Australian luxury lodges, Southern Ocean Lodge on South Australia’s Kangaroo Island and Capella Lodge on Lord Howe Island, who added the property to its portfolio back in 2013.

The building works, which shuttered the property for some four months, have managed to turn up the volume (all the way to 11) on what was already a world-class offering due to its exclusive proximity to the iconic hunk of sandstone that so captures our collective national imagination.

The Dune Pavilion boasts a private deck and hot tub. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

Location

Arriving at Ayers Rock Airport on a crisp, clear spring morning the day before, I caught fleeting glimpses of Uluru as the plane gently descended onto the red soil (well, the plane lands on a bitumen runway, but you get the idea), but this was just a prelude of things to come.

It is a short ride from the airport to this Uluru glamping site, part of the journey along a private road heading towards the property, which sits at the gateway to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Glamping at Longitude 131 gets you as close as can be to Uluru during a stay. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

First impressions

Alighting from the car, the camp and its rock star view are largely hidden by a low dune of red earth. Following the path into the main lodge of the property, past a subtle front desk and smiling staff kitted out in a desert-ready wardrobe of R.M.Williams jeans, boots and shirts, and the help-yourself bar that can be indulged in at leisure, the space opens up to a cosy collection of lounges and tables set for lunch. And beyond that the view of the Rock itself.

The welcoming communal dining area at Longitude 131. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

I gravitate to the outdoor deck of the glamping pavilion to be just that little bit closer to it. As I sit feasting on a lunch of cold meats, cheeses and sandwiches, guests wander in from wherever it is they have been during the morning, out walking at the base of Uluru or making the most of the more immediate surroundings, including the lovely pool area.

The outdoor deck at Longitude 131 is the perfect spot to sit and soak up the seclusion of the location. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

The rooms

There are 15 luxury tents that make up the property, in addition to the Dune Pavilion. Each named after an explorer or pioneer who fearlessly set out to chart the true scope of the country, they naturally all have uninterrupted views out over the low desert scrub to Uluru beyond.

Stay in one of the 15 luxury glamping tents at Longitude 131. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

Inside, all is appropriately luxurious; from the mammoth bed that looks out through a wall of windows to the little things: homemade snacks in the mini-bar nook and good coffee.

But it is the things that aren’t included that prove to be the ultimate luxury: no television and no radio. The sense of remove that even small considerations like this, instil is absolutely thrilling: you are alone with your thoughts and the surroundings.

Soak up the first-class views of Uluru direct from bed in the Dune Pavillion at Longitude 131. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

The view of Uluru

Again it is impossible not to be drawn toward the view. Ironically no decks or balconies were included in the original design of the glamping tents.

But Baillie Lodges are experts at recognising a good thing when they see it – literally – and maximising its potential, so decks were retro-fitted during the renovation process: sitting in the open air listening to the bird song and the wind rustling through the scrub as you gaze into the distance (good coffee within reach) is transformative.

The Dune Pavilion features a lounge area made for a king. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

Cultural activities

After a blissful night’s sleep – the silence is so thick you can almost touch it – it’s time to get up in the grill of the Rock itself.

My guide Rick Peterman, a transplant to the Red Centre, has a staggering self-taught knowledge of Uluru and its surrounds, and during a 10-kilometre walk around its circumference, he regales us with the stories of the Anangu people, the traditional owners of Uluru and Kata Tjuta, and name-checks the plentiful desert wildflowers that add surprising pops of vivid colour to the scrub during the spring months.

Explore the base of Uluru on foot. (Image: Tourism NT/ Salty Aura)

The landscape and its unforgiving nature are exhilarating and confronting all at once. It makes you feel like you could be the last person on Earth: Rick’s ex-army training and quiet confidence are reassuring.

I also made a trip to Field of Light Uluru by celebrated British artist Bruce Munro, an instalment of 50,000 coloured spindle lights that snake across a vast expanse of desert; the full moon casts a haunting glow over the landscape makes the whole experience otherworldly.

Field of Light has become one of the most popular Uluru attractions. (Image: Tourism NT/Salty Aura)

There are also plenty of other things you can do while at Uluru.

Facilities

Returning to Longitude 131°, the newly installed Spa Kinara (which means ‘moon’) is the perfect antidote to walking weariness.

Inspired by the design of the ‘wiltja’, the traditional shelter of the land’s Indigenous ancestors, treatments here make use of the desert’s plentiful resources of native beauty products, from Kakadu plum, quandong, irmangka-irmangka and desert lime to Australian yellow clay and nutrient-rich desert salts.

Food & Drink

Take in a sunset with your meal at Longitude 131. (Image: Tourism Nt/Julian Kingma)

Every aspect at Longitude 131° is maximised for its wow factor: dinner on my first night is taken atop a dune, where a luxurious deck space with cosy dining ‘pods’ that look out towards the outline of Kata Tjuta in the distance at sunset offers another spectacular option for guests.

And when the golden haze of the day’s end has faded, the stars in the inky-black desert night sky take over, the night chill assuaged by hot water bottles and blankets.

As if trying to out ‘wow’ the previous night’s dining experience, the following evening’s dinner is a multi-course affair at Table 131°, a clearing in the desert blanketed by stars.

Arriving back at my room after dinner, I find the deck area warmed by a gas fire and a luxurious swag bed set up, complete with hot water bottles and a tray of treats: popcorn sprinkled with salt bush-infused salt and a trio of spirits to ward off the cool from the inside. If there was ever such a thing as Academy Awards for deck swags this would surely be the winner hands down.

Stargaze by the light of your firepit on your private deck. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

Details: Longitude 131°, Uluru

Getting there

Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar fly to Uluru from the capital cities.

Staying there

Nightly rates at Longitude 131° start at $1500 per person twin share for a Luxury Tent, and $2900 per person twin share in the Dune Pavilion. This price includes all dining, an open bar with Champagne, premium wines and spirits, an in-suite bar, signature experiences and return Ayers Rock Airport transfers.

The Luxury Tents at Longitude 131 are perfectly positioned for memorable views. (Image: Tourism NT/ George Apostolidis)

What to do there?

While a selection of Signature Experiences are included in a stay at Longitude 131°, a private expedition with your own guide can be booked to explore the protected cultural and natural landscape of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park on four signature experiences, starting from $2400.

Bookings for Spa Kinara’s full range of treatments can be made before arrival or while in residence. The dune-top dining can also be booked as an extra.