Have you ever felt small? In our adventure from Uluru to Kings Canyon, we experienced something magical. So absolutely in awe of 100 metre-high sandstone walls guarding a sacred oasis surrounded by thousands of kilometres of arid, severe desert, wrapped under the enormous sky on Earth. Mesmerised at the deep scorched oranges and reds with splashes of lush green and thin purple created over hundreds of millions of years. Warm air fills your nostrils with scents of eucalyptus, Watarrka and relics from a living plant museum.
No? Well, spend some time at Kings Canyon, Watarrka. It may change your life.
Exploring Watarrka National Park
One of our favourite places to visit on the vast and magical continent of Australia is Watarrka National Park. Just a few hours’ drive from famous Uluru, Watarrka National Park covers 710 sq km and has been home to the Luritja and Arrernte folk for over 20,000 years!!!
When we first visited the Red Centre, we had already been touring around Aussie for a year in our faithful tranny van (Ford Transit), Muriel, before we ventured ‘up the guts’ and onto the Red Centre Way.
Our Journey From Uluru to Kings Canyon
An Itinerary to Watarrka
Our first stop was the magnificent Uluru in the Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park. This took our breath away, gigantic, can’t appreciate it until you’re standing next to it, beautiful and spiritual. Next was the Olga’s, a lot less crowded. We spent hours just wandering around, sitting down, taking it all in.
Heading North to an absolute highlight for us, Kings Canyon, also known as Watarrka. Yes, we first saw this stunner of a place on The Adventures of Priscilla, not to be a cliché.
You need a permit as well in Watarrka, FYI. We jumped straight on the rim walk, minus the frock, but with plenty of water, sunscreen, snacks, and fly nets; thank goodness for fly nets!
Kings Canyon Rim Walk
The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is a mesmerising journey through an otherworldly landscape, offering adventurers a chance to immerse themselves in the remarkable natural beauty and geological wonders of the Australian Outback.
It’s a hike that combines challenging terrain with the reward of unforgettable views, making it a must-visit destination for nature enthusiasts and hikers. We cannot wait to return.
It’s easily one of the best hikes in the Northern Territory.
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Priscilla’s Crack and Beyond
This walk gives you the most challenging part first: 500 steps up! Views! Views! Views! Then, straight through Priscilla’s Crack and a magnificent lookout. The walk is around 6 km and can take up to 5 hours. We usually try to beat the heat on hikes and start early before the sun’s peak, but sometimes, you need to slow down.
An ancient city-like formation, The Lost City, is next, providing breathtaking and otherworldly views. Make your way down to the Garden of Eden, an oasis in the desert with iron-stained cliffs reflecting in a pool of dark water. It’s so serene here; make sure you do the 600-metre out and back walk to check this out!
Traversing the Untamed
We then headed back, walking along the rim of the cliff tops with more amazing views of the scorching hot orange landscape in every direction. Looking down into the canyon, rugged sheer cliffs drop, giving us the chills.
A great thing about this walk is that there is no formed path, and you are literally walking on the rocks that make up the cliffs, adding to the feeling of being somewhere untouched by mankind. Just make sure you follow the markers and don’t get close to the cliff edges!
Have you travelled from Uluru to Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park? Comment below and share your experience!
Remember to pack your sense of adventure, respect for nature, and an open mind as you set out to discover the Watarrka National Park. Leave only footprints behind as you traverse the trails and immerse yourself in the pristine wilderness of the National Park! We would love your feedback – we encourage you to share your experiences, questions, and suggestions in the comments below.
You can always get more inspiration for other National Parks to visit by following @northerhq or get your Watarrka National Park daily fix @watarrkanationalpark.
*Cover image is by @tasmantravels on IG.
