What Are the Olgas Made Of?

Desert Oaks

The Olgas are a large and impressive looking set of rock formations in the shape of domes located to the west of Ayers Rock. This formation is believed to have formed during a similar time that the Ayers Rock was formed, and the Olgas are often included in tours.

The Olgas or Kata Juta W

If you are wondering what the Olgas are made of, then the answer is that they are made up of 36 rock formations. However, it is thought that the Olgas were actually formed by one huge piece of rock, much like Ayers Rock, before being weathered down in a process that spanned millions of years. The result of that process would be what we call The Olgas today, where the rock has split into many smaller rocks. The Olgas are located 35kms west from the location here Ayers Rock can be found along Lasseter Highway.

The highest point of the Olgas is called Mount Olga, which is 546m high, which is even 200m higher than the highest point of Ayers Rock. While the circumference measures somewhere around 22kms, there are grooves in the rock that visitors can walk straight through in order to take in some stunning vistas, as well as less crowded areas to take in the sights from.
NT signage

Those who are looking for a little hike will be happy to know that the Olgas feature a variety of walks, ranging from as short as 600m to more than 7 kilometres. The most popular walk also happens to be the easiest one, and it is called the Walpa Gorge walk, which is 2.6kms in length. Those who have a little bit more time to invest might be pleasantly surprised at the enjoyment they find in the Valley of the Winds Walk, which will lead them through a looped trail, featuring a number of fantastic places to look out from and see some gorgeous sights. However, those looking to brave this walk might want to come early, due to the fact that it can get very hot and the walk takes three hours from start to finish.

Olgas 2
Although not nearly as popular as its neighbour, the Ayers Rock, the Olgas are an extremely fascinating, beautiful and breath taking rock formation that is definitely worth a visit while you are in the area. Those who want to get the most out of their time in the Northern Territory and seeing what Uluru has to offer should definitely clear some time in their schedule to see Ayers Rock and it’s less famous neighbour, the Olgas. It is recommended to get the best out of your trip to see these magnificent sights that groups make their way out to see Ayers Rock sometime before sunrise, do the climb if they are interested in it, and then carry on to see what the Olgas has to offer and make their way through some of the loops available to travellers there.

It is truly fascinating to see the Olgas, a structure that was once one large rock, but one that is now made of 26 rock formations afternatural processes had acted upon it for millions of years.

Photo Credits:
www.hayleyanderson.com
www.spiritland.net

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