Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park

From Alice Springs, we do not travel directly to Uluru, but first to Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park. We want to explore this deep gorge with its bright red, almost sheer rock walls. It is the largest gorge in Australia and is located in the 71,000-hectare Watarrka National Park, about a 6-hour drive from Alice Springs.

Kings Canyon is an absolute highlight in the Red Center of Australia. Unfortunately, many tourists overlook the Watarrka National Park where this deep, wide, and red canyon is located. They only know one destination: Uluru. However, especially Australian tourists are aware of the beauty of this canyon.

By the way, the rock layers are over 440 million years old. About 20 million years ago, a fine crack formed in the plateau, which gradually grew wider due to wind and rain.

Like the Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park, Kings Canyon is part of the Red Center - the heart of Australia in the Northern Territories.

Since we are traveling in the Australian winter, the Kings Canyon Rim Walk (about 6 km) is on our to-do list. In summer, with over 104 degrees Fahrenheit in the shade, this path is closed early in the morning. People often collapse on the steep ascent from the gorge to the edge of the canyon.

Note: Start the walk early in the morning, as the Rim Walk will be closed from 9 AM (in summer) if the weather report predicts more than 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Since we were at Kings Canyon in winter (late May), the temperatures were very pleasant for us.

There are almost no shaded places here at all. I'm also wearing a baseball cap, but the wind keeps blowing it off my head and I eventually give up.

Although the Rim Walk is a loop trail, it must be walked in a clockwise direction for safety reasons.

The hike leads us to countless viewpoints offering great views of the gorge and steep rock walls. The canyon is truly impressive, though it might not come across as striking in photographs. Hopefully, you can sense it or experience it for yourself when you visit.

You can complete the hike in less than four hours. However, we kept stopping for photos and filming, or simply sat on the rocks to take in and enjoy the landscape.

We reach the "Amphitheater", the domes of the "Lost City" and a waterhole known as the 'Garden of Eden'. The latter is sacred and definitely should not be approached. Honestly, I can't imagine who would bathe in it, as the water doesn't look particularly inviting.

After the Rim Walk, we embark on the 2.6 km long Kings Creek Walk. It's noon and the sun is high. Fortunately, we find shade in the canyon and the green oasis with palms, trees, and grasses.

We walk at a pleasant 64 degrees Fahrenheit on the plateau around the canyon. The wind is strong and provides a pleasant temperature for hiking. Unstressed and with many photo breaks, we follow the path and visit all lookouts.

We pass sacred places of the Luritja Aborigines, such as the waterhole in the Garden of Eden. Parts of the inner gorge are also sacred and off-limits to us. I willingly respect that.

After the walk, we stay for a free Ranger talk at 3 PM about the national park. He talks about cooperation with Aboriginal people to protect nature. He discusses issues with flora and fauna, and imported grasses threatening native plant species and pushing them back. He also answers all interested questions about the area. A great opportunity for anyone wanting to learn more about Watarrka National Park.

The Discovery Kings Canyon is located in the heart of the Australian Outback - between Alice Springs and Uluru. Formerly known as Kings Canyon Resort, it was renovated in 2021 and taken over by Discovery Parks. Surrounded by red sand, deep blue skies, and dry heat, with roaming dingoes, the accommodation feels like a small oasis in the desert.

For those wanting to explore the Red Center, this is a comfortable place to stay, with a campground in a prime location - only about 10 km from Kings Canyon. For me, one of those places where you can experience the 'real Australia' very intensively.

You can book directly here and here you will also find the campgrounds

We stayed directly at Kings Canyon in Discovery Kings Canyon - formerly known as Kings Canyon Resort. The accommodation is only about 10 km from the canyon entrance - perfect if you want to start a hike early in the morning.

On the premises, there's something for everyone: from campsites (with and without power) to simple budget lodge rooms, comfortable hotel rooms, and even glamping tents. We chose the camping site - but without power, because I unfortunately reacted too late to my reservation request. The powered campsites were already fully booked.

The sanitary facilities were clean and well equipped - there are washing machines, dryers, and enough sockets to charge cameras, phones, and more.

Prices:

Kings Canyon and Watarrka National Park are about 5.5 - 6 hours from Alice Springs (472 km). Kings Canyon is 3 hours by car from Ayers Rock (Uluru) and Alice Springs. Watarrka National Park is 7 km away.

The distance from Watarrka National Park and Discovery Kings Canyon Campground to Uluru (Ayers Rock Resort Campground) is about 305 km, which means about 4 hours of drive time for us with short stops.

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