King's Canyon (near Uluru), Australia

King’s Canyon (near Uluru)

Uluru is the main draw of the Red Center of Australia.  Sadly, most visitors don’t even go out to Kata Tjuja (which oddly means “many heads”) which is less than an hour from the Uluru lodging area.

King’s Canyon is substantially further away, and comparatively few visitors get to see the splendor of the park.  It was my favorite of the 3 areas.  King’s Canyon was more attractive to me because of the more varied scenery.  There was substantially more greenery there and we saw more wildlife.  It reminded me of the national parks in America’s West, although it wasn’t particularly similar to any of them.  It was somewhat like Zion National Park turned inside out.

The main trail there starts with a very steep climb to the top of the rock plateau.  Then a much easier walk around the top (and to portions lower inside the plateau) is a much easier trek.  Because of the remoteness, there are several emergency radios along the path and it is a one-way trail for the majority of the plateau.

Along the way, you’ll see beautiful vistas, intriguingly eroded rock formations, wind-twisted trees, and the solidified remnants of a former sea, the ripples preserved in stone.

If you do go the red center, make sure to have mosquito nets for your head, like these.  They are really cheap to get and will save you a ton of annoyance. The bugs are super-agressive there, and want access to your lips, nose and eyes for the rare water they contain. Click the picture for more info.

Also, did I mention that bees hide in the water taps?

Happy travels!