Ask Lonely Planet: More to Uluru than climbing the rock

The Aboriginal people ask that tourists do not climb Uluru as a gesture of respect. Photo / Supplied

My partner and I are planning a trip to the Red Centre of Australia for which one of the highlights was going to be climbing to the top of Uluru (aka Ayers Rock). However, I've been told by a colleague that it causes offence to the indigenous people and she thought climbing had been banned as a gesture of respect. Can you advise what the situation is? Also, if we can't climb the rock are there any adventurous alternatives in the area? I know the sunsets are supposed to be beautiful but we don't want to spend our time sitting and watching the sunset.

- Lauren S

Lonely Planet's Asia-Pacific Travel Editor Shawn Low writes:

Yes, your friend is correct. While there is still access to the top of Uluru/Ayers Rock, the traditional land-owners, the Anangu, request that visitors not climb their sacred site. This doesn't mean that people necessarily respect that and you'll more than often see people climbing to the top. But we'd suggest that you respect the Anangu's request not to climb Uluru.

There are plenty of walking tracks that circuit the big rock. These go from anywhere between 1km to the 10km base walk. Don't forget to take plenty of water.

There are also several other spots in the Northern Territory worth visiting. Kata Tjuta (The Olgas) is a striking group of domed rocks 35km west of Uluru. Take a picnic and go for some walks around Walpa Gorge there. Kings Canyon is also worth checking out.

If you fly into Darwin, Kakadu National Park is a 20,000 sq km ecosystem that also includes a huge concentration of Aboriginal rock art.

Taking the family to Paris

I am finding it difficult to find cheap accommodation for our family of two adults and three children in Paris as they all seem to require that we book two rooms. We want to be fairly central so we can see the sights.

- Sue

Accommodation in Paris can be terribly expensive and sometimes quite pokey for what you pay. For a party your size, you'll definitely find it hard to get a room that fits all of you. It does depend on how old your children are.

If you want a regular hotel room, consider finding a hotel that has two double beds. Two adults can fit on one and you can try to request an extra single bed.

Another option is to look for a self-catering serviced apartment. You can pick anything from a studio to three-bedroom units. Most one and two bedroom units come with at least two beds. That should comfortably sleep five of you. Most are centrally located and 15 to 30 minutes away from the main sights. Prices vary based on size and location.

Try asking around on the Lonely Planet's Thorntree forum. People are friendly and you can access the France section here.

There are various other booking websites such as takethefamily.com and only-apartments.com.

Check those out and I'm sure you'll find something that will suit your family and budget.

Beijing alternatives

Later this year I'm going to Beijing at the start of a trip down the Silk Road. I have been there before and saw most of the attractions: the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, Summer Palace, the Great Wall, Drum Tower, Temple of Heaven, and so on. While they're all worth a second visit, I'd also like to see something different. Can you offer any suggestions?

- Alex James

Beijing is such a sprawling city with so much to see. Each time I go back, I always find something new even at places I've visited before (such as the Forbidden City).

I would also imagine that you've visited the other sights such as the Lama Temple, Chairman Mao Memorial Hall (Mao Zedong embalmed), and a whole slew of museums. The Beijing Underground City is also worth checking out - China's reaction to the Cold War paranoia.

I note that you've seen the Summer Palace. How about the old summer palace? These gardens were laid out in the 12th century and have European-style fittings (now sadly in shambles).

If you fancy another trip to the Great Wall, there are other less-touristy portions to visit. Consider Simatai, 110km northeast of Beijing. This 19km section of the Wall can be climbed: it's steep and exhilarating in sections, there are watchtowers to climb and steep ascents which require you to use both hands.

You can walk along from the Simatai section to the Jinshanling section of the wall. It's a 10km route that will take four hours and is an absolute corker.

I'd also consider a visit to Tianjin. It's only 30 minutes on a fast D train from the West Beijing station. This tiny town (well, tiny compared to Beijing) was a foreign concession and port city and there is loads of concession architecture worth checking out.