Destination fit for a King

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It is hard to imagine Kings Canyon. This is a horseshoe shaped canyon, the highest wall peak 300 meters above the canyon floor, fascinating flora, rock formations, giant boulders that Marg had no show of lifting beside the path, and at the right time of year, full of bird life.

This Kings Canyon is a little under 400ks from Uluru, and access is via a good sealed road suffering a little from damaged shoulders, but otherwise an easy drive north off the Lasseter Highway. I asked Marg what was missing on this road, and eventually the penny dropped as they say - despite crossing many creeks, there are no bridges, so this road could be challenging in the wet season. The land varies, some farmed but with an emphasis on arid pasture, other areas would not support cattle. In places the road runs along an old river line, most however through rolling country side.

We stopped and had a look at a couple of free camps along the way, but with a very hot day, we decided that we would stay at the Kings Canyon Caravan Park. This is a good park, very clean and well run, but everything here seems to be platinum plated - that is, very expensive. So go well prepared with supplies, but realise that this will be the most expensive fuel you buy when you top up the tank. About 30cents per litre dearer than other outback servos we have used. Maybe this is The Kings Ransom!

Anyway, this is a great spot, but we were sorry that we did not come here before the excellence of Uluru and Kata Tjuta which are greater marvels. We would like to have done the Rim Walk around the canyon, but the combination of 40c temps and high winds, that would have been foolhardy. But we did walk up the canyon floor and enjoyed the late afternoon colours, the breeze and shade of the floor. The rim walk has no shelter, no shade, but goes down into what is known as The Garden of Eden. From what I have been told, more spectacular than Palm Valley that we visited a week or so ago. So it must be good.

We had a great camp site here, looking across a gorge to walls that looked just spectacular at sunset.

Certainly fit for a King who presumably would have visited here 2 months ago in the cool months and taken the time to enjoy these two walks plus another to some all year round springs about 20ks away.

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Photos

Kings Canyon 08
Technically the rim path was closed - but some folk go anyway.

Comments

[Brian]

Thanks
Rob Thanks for bringing these beautiful photos and telling us of your very interesting times. God Bless you both travel safely Brian and Maureen

[Mum & Dad]

Some canyon
Amazing colours and rock formations. It looked cool in the green stuff down the bottom. Need some shade in such warm temps. Pretty warm here too

[Tavs]

Walking the rim of Kings Canyon
I don't know why the rim is closed but I had a walk around when we were there and it's really a special treat even though it's a bit hard physically especially the climb up the Heart attack hill. But the Garden of Eden which if just behind the back wall of the canyon (where the two side meets) is so beautiful that it makes all the hardship worth it and the strange formations on the top after climbing up from the Garden of Eden is somewhere you could shoot a thousand pictures ;) We really enjoying to follow your travel descriptions Helle & Tavs

[MargAndRob]

Kings Cannyon
The temperature was about 40 centigrade in the afternoon, and very gusty winds the following morning, so we chose not to go. Some will still do it, you can step over the gate when the ranger closes it any way. May go back there again in the future, and we will choose a cooler time of year. The heat has hit earlier this year than the usual, so it may have been just bad luck. Hope all is well with you. When is your next eclipse adventure? Rob