Hundreds of tourists have arrived in a stampede of red dust to climb the Australian landmark, an act that will be illegal by the end of next week.
The climbing ban has been a long time coming, however the 26 October cut off has brought tourists from all over theworld to Uluru or Ayers Rock.
There is a 'now or never' approach from the thousands of tourists who are hiking the red 350m ridge, daily. Hotels in central Northern Territory are almost 100 per cent capacity.
The last week of legal climbing has arrived at Uluru. Photo / Supplied, Instagram
This arbitrary cut off point was set by a vote by the National Park board in 2017 and has seen a steadily increasing bottle-neck of tourists arrive, solely to hike the mount.
"This year is another step up in the craziness scale," says park ranger Greg Elliot.
Talking to AFP reporters the ranger who has had to rescue visitors injured in the climb, suffering from what he has called "climb fever".
"It causes us a lot more work, this is too much, we can't do our jobs at the moment and have got so much work we should be doing out in the park, maintenance we don't get to because we have to focus on this."
A chain was built into the steeper parts of the path in 1964, following deaths on the rock. At least 37 people have died from falls.
Although local authorities insist that this safety feature was solely to prevent deaths, and it was always their intention to return the land to the Anangu – original owners and first people of the land surrounding Uluru.
Almost 40 people have died climbing Uluru. Photo / Supplied, Instagram
While it is clearly dangerous, the risk is not putting off climbers from giving it a go.
The ranger insists that there are more deaths per capita on the Grand Canyon or Mt Fuji, though climbers arriving over the next week are determined to make the climb whatever the risks.
Heritage project officer and Anangu woman Shaeleigh Swan welcomes the ban saying it is as much a part of the people expressing their ownership over land as it is the cultural insensitivity of climbers.
"(The ban) is like Native Title, giving them their rights back, giving them their voice back, they should have the opportunity to make decisions on their land and feel empowered," she told AFP.
Climb fever: Rangers say that climbers are a drain on time and resources. Photo / Supplied, Instagram
Australians from across the country have also seen the question of "to climb, or not to climb" as one of identity and connection to the land.
"I've got some pretty strong views on it personally, I was born in Australia, it is part of my culture and ancestry as much as anyone else's but I'm not laying claim to it, saying it is mine or a sacred site or anything like that," said Mr Lis, 52, who had travelled from Melbourne with a childhood friend to make the climb.
On the bucket list: Blogger simon had travelled from Hong Kong to climb the rock. Photo / Supplued, Instagram
International tourists have also been arriving en masse. The urgency and news of the deadline has spread to travellers around the world, though not necessarily the politics of the climb ban.
Hong Kong-based travel blogger Simon climbed the rock yesterday with an Australian flag, saying:
"It's always been on my list of things to do, but like a lot of things in life I've just never got around to it!"
