DAY 44 KATA TJUKA

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Today, it was totally KATA TJUKA.

Located approximately 50km west of our accommodation at Yulara, Kata Tjuka means ‘many heads’ and is sacred to the local Aboriginal Anangu people. It forms an important focus of their spiritual life. The ochre-coloured shapes are an intriguing and mesmerising sight. We stopped at the dune viewing platform, still 25kms from Kata Tjuka, and viewed the large dome rock formations, of which there are 36, for an overall view. The highest dome of this sandstone monolith stands 546m above the surrounding plain.

On arrival, we walked together to Karu, the first lookout on the Valley of the Winds trail, before fleet footed mountain goat Jane continued to the second lookout, Karingana, a grade 4 difficult walk. I returned to our starting point.

We visited and walked a small section of the Walpa Gorge trail and the sunset viewing area. In 2006 we had completed every trail (the full circuit). Tomorrow, we pass Kata Tjuka again, as we make our way to the WA border.

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