I had the most AMAZING weekend recently. As you saw I was in Alice Springs for work and I extended my stay to include the weekend so I could travel out to Kings Canyon. As my work mates are spread all around Australia, we organised a 20 seater bus to take us out. I had travelled to Kings canyon four years earlier in a 4WD and "bush bashed" my way out there (not really, there a dirt road option which can be lots of fun), but this time, due to the numbers we headed out with our driver.
It was a long drive that afternoon and many of us found the opportunity to catch up on sleep as there had been some long nights through the week. As my colleagues found it entertaining to take photographs of the "sleepers" on the bus, I managed to stay awake the entire journey chatting with my neighbour Alex in fear of an "unflattering" photo to be taken.
The scenery sped by and Alex and I kept commenting on how green it was. "Aren't we meant to be in the Red Centre?" Alex asked, "Well yes we are, but it's been raining all winter and look at the result! It's quite amazing to see". My last visit had seen red red red!
It's quite different isn't it! We climbed the canyon in the morning before the heat of the day could press upon us. The first part of the 6km walk is the hardest as you climb upwards on the rocky "staircase" and I can tell you Oprah, I was happy to have hit the StairMaster the weeks leading up to it! But the two picture above is what welcomes you when you reach the summit. It's breathtaking isn't it.
The walk takes you around the "Lost City" which are red domes that seem dominate the landscape surrounding the cliffs of the canyon. You see Oprah, another thing you may not have known about Australia, and particularly within Central Australia is that this once was an inland sea and in this normally arid landscape, you can find remnants of this ancient marine history. There are crustation fossils and water ripples in the rock faces and ancient tropical ferns that have managed the adapt to this harsh landscape. Deep within the Canyon you will find the Garden of Eden which hails back to this more tropical history. You find in this crevice a haven from the harsh sun with deep water holes, lush vegetation and cool waterfalls. You forget you are meant to be in the desert and I found myself thinking of the "oasis" in the movies when the hero or heroine find themselves water and respite when they have been lost in the desert. This is such a lovely place and I wonder whether any early explorers stumbled upon this place and rested here.
A few of our fellow travellers went for a swim while we sat and enjoyed the peace of our haven. We trudged back up to stairs to continue on our way and was met by the most SPECTACULAR view! It is the one place on the walk where you can see both sides of Kings Canyon's walls.
and also to give some perspective on intensity of the size and the drop from the edge.
Kings Canyon is a hidden and lesser known destination in Australia and I implore that you try and visit it one day. It is not only extremely beautiful, but it is so interesting with it's geological history. I haven't done the walk with an Aboriginal guide as yet, but I know I will be doing that next time I visit. As yes, there will be a next time as my photo's prove, it will be different again!
And just one for photo for you - as I love Yoga and find Central Australia so "centring" (ha ha please forgive the pun) here's some Dancers Pose from Hatha Yoga to help you find your inner peace.
