‘Incredible’: Aussie hike that needs a place on your bucket list
This Aussie destination is often overshadowed by a much more famous landmark but it deserves a spot on every traveller’s bucket list.
Hungry tourists are ordering the likes of damper, fried crocodile and braised kangaroo as someone excitedly points out there is a dingo climbing a stack of red rocks directly outside the restaurant window.
It is our second and last night in Australia’s Red Centre and our group travelling with the adventurous GoPro team is sitting around a table at Carmichael’s Restaurant debating whether we can squeeze in the iconic Kings Canyon Rim Walk on our whirlwind trip before the three hour drive back to Ayers Rock Airport.
Confessing I hadn’t heard about the hike, one flash of a picture on someone’s phone had me convinced it was a must-do.
The risk? We could miss our flight home. The only flight that day.
Our planned timings needed to be executed perfectly. There was no room for mistakes.
We were up well before sunrise with our bags packed, aiming to reach the top of the canyon before the sun did.
We stuffed some food from the breakfast buffet in containers and hit the road.
As we began the hike in darkness, it was probably a good thing the only thing we could see was one uneven rocky step in front of us, lit up by a phone torch.
Conversation slowly drifted off, breaths became heavier and the realisation hit that this wasn’t going to be just a handful of steps to speed up.
But there was no time for breaks, so if you stopped, you would have to make up the time.
I imagined this was what it felt like to be part of the Amazing Race.
The excitement started to build as it became easier to see and the need to climb up steep rocks became less frequent.
Turning one last corner, the view of the canyon was finally revealed. Lit up in all its glory. That was the moment I decided it worth the risk of missing the flight home (fortunately, we didn’t).
Kings Canyon serves as the perfect reminder of how vast and magnificent Australia is.
Other hikers not too far away look like ants against the incredible natural backdrop.
Another spectacular way to see Kings Canyon and understand just how big it is, is from the sky.
Professional Helicopter Services offer scenic flights from the Discovery Parks resort.
If the views don’t take your breath away, the pilot’s dedication to giving you the best look by turning the helicopter on its side might.
Misconception about travelling to the Red Centre
The stereotype image of travelling to outback Australia is needing a big 4WD, perhaps a caravan or other off-road gadgets, and plenty of time.
However, it is actually possible to see and experience a lot in just a couple of days.
There are direct flights from Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane into Uluru, and complimentary bus transfers if you are staying at Voyages’ Ayers Rock Resort – which includes accommodations from camp sites and budget-friendly lodges, through to the 5-star Sails in the Desert hotel.
At Kings Canyon, a three-hour drive from the airport, Discovery Parks is the main player but it’s not just your traditional caravan park and cabins there either.
The most luxurious option is a refurbished deluxe room, which features a bathtub with a view.
24 hours in the heart of the Red Centre
With less than 24 hours in Uluru, you bet we were going to watch the sunrise and sunset.
Uluru was named best spot in the world to watch the sunset last month.
Luggage storage company Bounce analysed the most famous sunset hot spots based on their social media popularity, light pollution levels and total number of recommendations.
If you want to splurge and experience the world-renowned sunset in style, there is a new experience called the Wintjiri Wiru Sunset Dinner that launched in April.
Wintjiri Wiru in the local Pitjantjatjara language means “beautiful view out to the horizon”. It’s a fitting name.
Guests are picked up from their hotel and taken to a private viewing deck overlooking Uluru and the surrounding desert to watch the sunset with cocktails and canapes, followed by a gourmet dinner hamper featuring native ingredients, and Australian wine and beer.
When the sun sets, there is a captivating sound and light show, which uses drones, to tell the ancient Mala story of the Anangu people, who live in the areas surrounding Uluru.
It was five years in the making.
David Harper, resort general manager at Voyages, said the last two years involved deep consultation with Indigenous communities up to 400km away to get the show right.
If a sunset at Uluru is on your bucket list, a sunrise should be added too.
There are tour operators that will pick you up from your hotel bright and early. SEIT Uluru offers a picnic breakfast as the sun rises followed by a guided walk at Uluru.
While I’m not sure there is a time of day when Uluru doesn’t take your breath away, my favourite time to see the iconic Australian landmark up close was as sun shone high in the middle of the day.
The vibrant colours are incredible.
Maruku Arts tours, owned and operated by Anangu people, teach tourists about the rock art on Uluru, which has been there longer than anyone can remember.
Visitors learn what common symbols mean and then create dot paintings telling their own story.
It is a truly special feeling sitting in the red dirt at Uluru, painting alongside a talented Indigenous artist under the warm sun.
This writer was a guest of Tourism NT and GoPro.
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