A complete guide to Kings Canyon, The Red Centre.

Kings Canyon is located in Watarrka National Park which is only a three hour drive from its better known neighbour, Uluru and a 3.5 hour drive from Alice Springs with a 4WD, otherwise a five hour drive from with a 2WD. The mighty Kings Canyon features 300m high sandstone walls, watering holes and boasts views that stretch for miles across the desert.

Many people come just for a day trip from Uluru but it is much more than just a day trip destination. The Watarrka National Park has a wide range of walking tracks from over night hikes to short easy 2 km walks, helicopter tours, camel tours and accommodation options ranging form camping to beautiful resort rooms and safari glamping.

WHEN TO GO?

May-Sep. The best of year to go is in the dry season, Australia’s winter from May-Sep. We went in September and this was just perfect. The days were warm but not unbearable and the mornings and evenings were cool but not freezing. In June and July the night temperatures can drop to close to zero so be prepared for cold nights in the middle of the dry season. We were very pleasantly surprised that were no flies and we had no need for our fly nets in September. Day time temperatures in September reached highs of 32 degrees and lows of 15 degrees Celsius at night.

HOW TO GET THERE?

Fly and drive: The closest airport is Uluru Airport, a 3 hour drive away. We flew from Sydney to Ayres Rock Airport (3 hour flight) and hired a car and drove to Kings Canyon. You can also fly into Alice Springs Airport (3.5 hour drive with a 4WD and 5 hour drive with 2WD from Kings Canyon) and hire a car from here.

Drive: You can self drive from any part of Australia once you have time on your side.

Group tour/ coach transfer: AAT Kings offers a variety of different tours, from one-off coach transfers to 19 Day Guided Holidays. They run group bus tours from Alice Springs and day trips from Uluru. They also offer coach transfer from Alice Springs and Uluru.

THINGS TO DO

Hiking: This is a hiker dream with the walks here. They range from 2 day over night trails to easy 2km return flat tracks suitable from wheelchair users.

• Giles Track: a 22km one way track. Grade 3- moderate track. Begins at Kings Canyon and finishes at Kathleen Springs. It can be walked from either direction. It is recommended to do the Giles Track as an overnight walk, splitting the distance over two days. It can get very hot so recommended to start the walk early on both days. On days the forecast temperature for Watarrka is 36 degrees Celsius or above, the Kings Canyon end of the track will close at 11am. You will not be able to start the walk after 11am. You must carry your own food, water and sleeping gear as there is no shops or places to stay along the track.
• The Rim walk: 6 km loop. Grade 4 track. Allow 3 hours. The trail begins with a steep climb up about 500 steps, this is the most difficult part of the track. The track is one way only and must be done in a clockwise direction. The track ascends to the top of the canyon and follows the rim around before descending to the car park. The best place to watch sunrise from is Cotterills Lookout at the top of the rim. Give yourself one hour from the carpark to reach the summit.

• About halfway along is the Garden of Eden, a beautiful rockhole surrounded by rare plants. There is no swimming in the waterhole.

Be careful during the hotter months, from September to April. During this time, you should consider walking other shorter walks during the middle of the day. I would advise doing this walk at dawn any time of the year to see the wonderful sunrise and to avoid the heat. Even during the cooler months it can reach up to 34 degrees in the Canyon. On days when the temperature forecast is 36 Celsius or above, you must start the Kings Canyon Rim Walk before 9am and after the track will close.

• Kings Creek walk: 2.6 km return track. Grade 2. 1 hour. This walk is marked with red marker and is suitable for families. An easy track that follows the same track to return to the car park. The ground is uneven so I do not advise flip flops or sandals for it.

• South Wall return walk: 4.8 km return track. Grade 3. 2 hours. The walk starts with a steep climb to the south wall of Kings Canyon leading to stunning views. The walk ends at a one-way gate. You will return to the car park by the same route. On days when the temperature forecast is 36 Celsius or above, you must start the walk before 11am. You can’t access the Garden of Eden or the rest of the rim walk from the South Wall return walk, it is one way only.

• Kathleen Springs. 2.4 km return sealed track. Grade 1. 1 hour. Wheelchair access. This walk is a sealed track without markers. This walk is good for families and people with limited mobility. Signs along the track will tell you stories of Aboriginal culture and the recent cattle industry. The trail leads to a spring-fed waterhole at the head of Kathleen Gorge. Swimming is prohibited here.

Scenic flight: Get a birds eye view of Kings Canyon, George Gill Range and Watarrka National Park on a scenic helicopter flight. They start from $115 per person for an 8 minute Canyon dash up to $320 for Kings Canyon, Carmichaels Crag and George Gilles Range. Collection from within the Kings Canyon Resort is included in the price.

Camel riding: Kings Creek Station is the largest exporter of wild camels in Australia, and is known for its countrywide famous camel burgers. The station is famed for its camel population and offers camel riding in the desert. You can ride through the landscape on these majestic creatures, enjoy the endless desert views, exploring red sand dunes and bushland.

Experience dinner under a desert moon. Under a Desert Moon is a wonderful experience enjoying outback food and wine under a canopy of stars. The stars are incredible here due to the lack of light pollution. The evening begins with canapes and sparkling wine followed by a five-course dinner while a fire flickers nearby. The menu is created from seasonal, locally-sourced produce and paired with a selection of Australia’s best wines. It operates every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday between 1 May and 8 October. Bookings are essential and it is not suitable for children.

Price:
$185 per person

WHERE TO STAY

King’s Canyon Discovery Park: This is without a doubt the best place to stay in Kings Canyon. They offer a wide range of accommodation options from campsites to safari glamping. To book online click here.

Lodge rooms

The budget option is the lodge rooms which can be double, twin or quadruple rooms perfect for backpackers and budget travellers. Each of them includes bed linen, blankets, a refrigerator, television, and tea/coffee making facilities. All guests are welcome to use the swimming pool, playground and the selection of bars, BBQ and restaurants that are within walking distance.

Camping/caravan

CAMPING & CARAVANNING

Without a doubt the most picturesque camp sites in the Red Centre with uninterrupted views of Kings Canyon. Offering powered and unpowered sites Ensuite sites ensure that extra bit of privacy to make your stay even more comfortable. The bars and restaurants, convenience stores and petrol station are available to campground guests. Dogs are allowed in the campground, however must be kept secure and on a leash at all times.

Glamping

We stayed in the superior glamping tents which was the most luxurious camping experience we have ever had. It is glamping style accommodation with all the hotel embellishments and more. The bed and linen were of the highest quality and we had the most restful nights sleep. Each luxurious tent features an enormous modern living area with a dining table, chairs and sofa, outdoor decking and seating to enjoy a coffee on, private ensuite bathroom stocked with beautiful Australian made products, slippers and a robe, air conditioning, a fridge and a nespresso machine. Glamping tents start from $430 a night which includes buffet breakfast. There are 6 glamping tents available, three tents are perfect for couples and three are family-style tents with a king bed plus two singles.

Standard and Deluxe rooms

The resort itself has excellent facilities including:

• BBQ
• General store
• Laundry
• Restaurant and Bar
• Swimming Pool
• Tennis Court
• Free wifi

Standard and Deluxe rooms

The newly refurbished standard resort rooms accommodate up to 5 people featuring either two queen beds or a queen, a single and a sofa bed, with a separate ensuite bathroom. Interconnecting rooms are also available for larger groups. The resort has 4 recently refurbished accessible rooms with one queen bed and one single bed. The rooms all include air- conditioning, hair dryers, tea/coffee facilities, fridge, writing desk and buffet breakfast for two people in Carmichaels restaurant.

The deluxe spa rooms are situated amongst the rugged bush of the resort, these rooms offer guests a touch of luxury, with beautiful scenic views and relaxing atmosphere. Each deluxe spa room includes all the amenities and facilities of the standard rooms with the addition of a spacious spa bath and features a private balcony that overlooks a beautiful rock escarpment.

A delicious buffet breakfast in Carmichaels restaurent is included in the price. The range of fresh fruit, pastries, breads, juices and hot breakfast was incredible. Carmichaels restaurant also serve dinner. This is an a la carte menu and requires a booking.

The newly refurbished bar and grill was perfect for dinner and lunch. They have live music on every night, happy hour from 5-6 pm and a good range of bar food from 11am-late. We ate here both nights and the food is very tasty, quick service and surprisingly good value for its remote location.

My favourite part of the day was sunset at Luritja Lookout. Everyone gathers to enjoy live music and a drink watching the sun change the colours of the canyon. The atmosphere here at the end of the day is magical. The Little Yellow Van serves snacks and drinks. Make sure you have cash on you as they don’t take card payments. If you are staying in the resort you can charge it back to your room but must have the key on you.

Kings Canyon resort was the perfect way to start our Red Centre trip and fully disconnect. There is limited phone coverage here so we had two full days of getting off the grid and enjoying the real outback way of life. It is definitely worth exploring all Kings canyon has to offer and adding it to your Uluru or Red Centre itinerary.