Hiking Trails » Australia

Kings Canyon Rim

Khan — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 17:35:58 +0000

Trail Name:
Kings Canyon Rim

Summary:
In the heart of the Australian outback, follow the weathered rim of an impressive sandstone gorge to a lush oasis.

Trail Description

Kings Canyon is a dramatic gorge of vertical sandstone cliffs formed over millions of years. The rim trail provides many views over the 330 ft/100 m sheer walls – once you have reached the top.

From the parking area, the clear trail along Kings Creek quickly approaches the high canyon wall, and the steep climb begins. Once at the top, the trail crosses the eroded sandstone plateau of the north rim, through a ‘Lost City’ of crevices, rock domes and overhangs. Arrows point to viewpoints at the edge of the rim, where you can peer down to the canyon floor below or stare at the endless desert in all directions.

After crossing the barren plateau, you emerge onto wooden boardwalk and descend to the lush vegetation of the Garden of Eden. This permanent spring is an oasis of ferns, shrubs and trees – but be warned, you may be sharing it with plenty of fellow hikers.

Before climbing the wooden steps away from the Garden, detour off the main track by following the creek for about 1 km to a dry waterfall at the head of the gorge. From here, the view stretches the length of Kings Canyon.

Retrace your steps and leave the waterhole by the wooden stairs. The trail now heads onto the southern rim, where you can peer over the edge for probably the best views of the gorge. It is now a gradual descent through rocky, arid canyon country back to the parking area.

If you would like a closer look at the boulder-strewn canyon floor, take the 2.6 km out and back Kings Creek Walk that also starts from the parking area. This is particularly pleasant in the cool of evening, when the birds are at their most active. The easy walk through gum trees alongside Kings Creek ends at a lookout platform before sheer cliffs at the head of the canyon.

FACT FILE

Location: Watarrka National Park, Northern Territory, west of Alice Springs and north of Uluru (Ayers Rock).

Directions: From Alice Springs, take the Stuart Hwy (Route 87) south for 228 km to Erldunda. Turn right onto Lasseter Hwy (Route 4) and head west for 108 km. Turn north onto Luritja Road, which ends in 167 km at Kings Canyon Resort. From Yulara (Ayers Rock Resort), the Luritja Road junction is 136 km east along Lasseter Hwy.

Trailhead: Kings Canyon parking area. Turn right off Luritja Road before you reach the resort.

Length: 5 miles / 8.0 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: N/A

Duration: 3 hours

Trail Condition: Well maintained and signed, with some steps and boardwalk. Begins with a steep climb. (Interpretive signs and arrows to viewpoints)

Features: Canyon, rock formations, waterhole, desert views.

Climate: Sunny year-round. Extremely hot in summer – daytime temperatures average 36 C in January. Much better hiking conditions in winter – July daytime temperatures average 19 C – but very cold at night and in the early morning.

Accommodation: Motel, bunkhouse, tent and RV sites at Kings Canyon Resort.

Trail Notes: Carry water and hike during the cooler parts of the day to avoid heat stress and dehydration. This clockwise loop trail is popular so a very early start is recommended.

Base Walk

Khan — Sun, 02 Nov 2008 16:15:28 +0000

Uluru, Red Center

Trail Name:
Base Walk

Summary:
Explore a natural wonder of the world and learn about the Tjupurka or Dreamtime, the ancient law of the Aboriginal people.

Trail Description

The giant sandstone monolith of Uluru (Ayers Rock) draws people from all over the world. No doubt the best-known hike here is the climb to the top. However, this follows the route taken by the men of the ancestral Mala (hare-wallaby people) and is of great significance to the Anangu, the Aboriginal people of this area. They call the people that climb ‘Minga’ – ants – because of the way they swarm over the spiritual route just to get to the top. They ask people to respect Uluru by not making the climb.

This should cause no hardship, because a much better way of appreciating Uluru is to walk the trail that loops around the base. This is the only way to truly appreciate the caves, gorges, waterholes, sacred sites and rock art. Indeed, each feature of Uluru has a meaning in Tjukurpa, the traditional Anangu law that explains how the world was created and guides every-day life.

From the main car park, the first 0.6 mile/1 km follows the Mala Walk, an interpretive trail passing caves and rock art sites to a gorge and waterhole. You soon come to a short sidetrack to an ancient painting site, followed by the first cave. The trail then passes below a triangular cave, Mala Puta (the pouch of the female hare-wallaby), an important spiritual site that, like all others, must not be entered or photographed. The next cave, with a huge slab of rock outside, has marks on the ceiling said to have been made by the paws of the Mala children. The Mala Walk ends at Kantju Gorge and waterhole, a beautiful, tree-lined oasis.

Continuing on the Base Walk, leave the gorge and bear right. After passing the sacred site of Warayuki, the trail curves right. Now heading east, you soon reach the next sacred site, Tjukatjapi. A 2 mile/3.2 km section of trail along the scarred north face of Uluru ends at the sacred site of Kuniya Piti, roughly the halfway point of the circuit.

The trail curves right again to follow the south-east face. In around 1.5 miles/2.4 km you approach the short interpretive Mutitjulu Walk, which passes an important Aboriginal shelter and ends at the most reliable waterhole in Uluru. This area is closely associated with two ancestral spirits: Kuniya, a python, and Liru, a poisonous snake. Just before you join the Walk, a very short side-track to the right leads to a good viewpoint of the rock-face, the marks and fissures on the coarse-grained sandstone showing the defeat of Liru by Kuniya in their great battle.

Turn right onto Mutitjulu Walk. It passes on the left a large cave, a place where the Anangu have lived for thousands of years, before arriving at the waterhole. This is the home of another ancestral spirit: Wanampi, the water snake. The Anangu show it respect, for it is said to be able to stop the supply of water if it is angered.

Retrace your steps and, just past an ancient rock art site, bear right to continue on the Base Walk. According to the Tjukurpa, large boulders to either side of the track are associated with Lungkata, the blue-tongued lizard. The trail curves to the right, past the sacred site of Pulari, and heads north-west for a further 1 mile/1.6 km to complete the circuit.

FACT FILE

Location: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, south-west of Alice Springs. Entrance fee charged, valid for 5 days.

Directions: From Alice Springs, take the Stuart Hwy (Route 87) south for 228 km to Erldunda. Turn right onto the Lasseter Hwy (Route 4) and head west for 244 km to Yulara (Ayers Rock resort). Continue south for 18 km to Uluru (Ayers Rock).

Trailhead: Mala Walk or Mutitjula Walk car parks at the base of Uluru. We describe the route clockwise from Mala, the main car park.

Length: 6 miles / 9.6 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: Negligible

Duration: 2.5 hours

Trail Condition: Wide, well maintained path, easy to follow. Sacred sites at the base of the rock clearly signed.

Features: Rock monolith, caves, gorges, rock art, sacred sites, desert.

Accommodation: Hotels, hostel, tent and RV sites at Yulara. Hotel reservations essential year-round.

Trail Notes: Sacred sites must not be entered or photographed. An interpretive booklet on the Mala and Mutitjulu Walks, two short sections of the Base Walk, is available from the Cultural Center at Uluru.

Kata Tjuta – Valley of the Winds

Khan — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 09:36:11 +0000

Kata Tjuta, Red Center

Trail Name:
Valley of the Winds

Summary:
Find tranquility among the red monoliths of the Olgas.

Trail Description

Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) means ‘many heads’ and it is an apt description for the collection of rust-colored monoliths that lie to the west of Uluru (Ayers Rock), the largest monolith in the world. Uluru draws tourists from the world over, yet far fewer people seem to take the time to visit Kata Tjuta.

The first mile/1.6 km or so is an out and back section that takes you east through a wide gorge. The path includes a series of switchbacks to Karu Lookout, very hot when we walked it in June – the coldest month – and the busiest part of the trail. From the lookout, the path continues into a clearing of scrub and small trees to a junction marking the start of the loop.

Turn right (south) to follow the loop anti-clockwise, heading between two vast monoliths rising from the desert floor. You should soon find patches of welcome shade as you enter the narrow gorge. It is not long before you start to climb – and it’s hard work in the heat – as the trail bears left.

Heading east once again, the path enters another narrow gorge between two parallel monoliths. Climbing to the top, by the Karingana Lookout, the scene is magnificent. In the foreground, steep rock faces of the gorge walls frame the distant view of rounded domes, the red valley floor dotted with green scrub. The rocks of Kata Tjuta are weathered and, from a distance, look like the hides of giant animals sleeping in the desert heat. It is easy to see why they are so important to the Anangu people. Much of the area is associated with rituals that remain the exclusive knowledge of initiated men. No details of these ceremonies have been made public.

The trail now descends through the gorge and veers left across rock. This is roughly half way along the loop section of the hike. When we reached this point, there were no other hikers about, and you suddenly seem alone and lost in the outback. It is a strange sensation – one of exhilaration tempered by the realization that you could not survive for long out here by yourself.

The second half of the loop is through an open area of desert scrub, and far more exposed to the intense sun. But don’t rush. Depending on the time of day, enjoy the brightness of morning, the serenity of late afternoon, or the glow of the monoliths at sunset, as they turn deep red and the shadows grow long.

The trail bears left, heading back towards the huge domes, and soon the loop is completed. Turn right for the 1 mile spur back to the car park.

If you have some extra time, the Olga Gorge Trail is a 1.6 mile/2.6 km out and back trail through Olga Gorge, ending at a sheer cliff face and a rock pool. This trail is best early or late, as it can be busy in the middle of the day. The trail starts from Olga Gorge car park, clearly signed as you leave the Valley of the Winds spur road.

FACT FILE

Location: Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory, south-west of Alice Springs.

Directions: From Alice Springs, take the Stuart Hwy (Route 87) south for 228 km to Erldunda. Turn right onto the Lasseter Hwy (Route 4) and head west for 244 km to Yulara (Ayers Rock resort).

Trailhead: Valley of Winds car park. Continue on the road from Yulara towards Uluru (Ayers Rock). After 8 km, bear right on Kata-Tjuta Road for 42 km. At the end of the road, a short spur leads to the car park.

Length: 4.6 miles / 7.4 km

Trail Type: Loop

Elevation Change: N/A

Duration: 2.5 hours

Trail Condition: Well maintained and easy to follow.

Features: Rock domes, gorges, desert.

Climate: Sunny year-round. Extremely hot in summer – daytime temperatures average 36°C in January. Much better hiking conditions in winter – July daytime temperatures average 19°C – but very cold at night and in the early morning.

Accommodation: Hotels, hostel, tent and RV sites at Yulara. Hotel reservations essential year-round.

Trail Notes: Trail is closed at Karu Lookout from 11am on days where forecast temperatures are 36°C or more. Carry water – emergency water is available towards the end of the loop.