Kings Canyon, Australia: Rim Walk Guide
A highlight for visitors to the Red Center of Australia is Kings Canyon located in Watarrka National Park. Travelers can see the awe-inspiring sandstone walls of the canyon, especially while hiking Canyon Rim Walk. Follow our complete hiking guide with extra travel tips on where to stay, what to pack and how to get there.
Kings Canyon in Watarrka National Park might be a little overshadowed by the famous Uluru and Kata Tjuta National Park, but to be fair, it is hard to compete with natural wonders of such an extent. Nevertheless, Kings Canyon is a top attraction in Australia's Red Center.
While road tripping across the Australian outback, and heading north (after visiting Uluru), you might want to put Kings Canyon in your Australia itinerary.
We don't think that visiting Kings Canyon is a detour while you are in the area, especially when you take into consideration vast distances when traveling in Australia overall.
To get a better perspective, it took us around 10 days by car to get from Sydney to Kings Canyon. Okay, we cheated a little bit and flew from Sydney to Melbourne.
We hope, that our text and photos will help you decide if King's Canyon is worth a visit.
HOW TO GET TO KINGS CANYON
It takes about 3 to 4 hours (300 km) to get from Uluru to Kings Canyon via a paved Lasseter Highway and then you must take the Luritja Road.
If you have 4WD and looking for an authentic outback experience, then the unsealed road from Alice Springs (or to Alice Springs, it depends from what direction are you coming) will most likely be your choice number one.
We drove to Kings Canyon on asphalt road and arrived earlier than expected, so we decided to go and explore the area and stretch our legs, before sunset.
Road tripping in Australia is amazing, but some days we were craving to leave our small rental car behind, and just go out and explore.
The absolute must and the best things to do in Kings Canyon is hiking the 6 km long (or short) loop also known as the Canyon Rim Walk.
Although the beginning might seem tough, we've heard that families with young kids or elderly were also able to finish the hike.
Always know your health conditions though and don't push your limits.
WHAT TO PACK FOR HIKING IN KINGS CANYON
Remember the climate is equally harsh as in Uluru area so do not forget sunscreen, sunglasses, hat and lots of water.
Sturdy shoes are a must, you don’t need a heavy backpack as this is a half day hike.
It is not uncommon to experience high temperatures around 40°C.
- Hiking Boots for Him & for Her | Hiking is the best way how to enjoy the unique scenery of the Kings Canyon Rim Walk, and sturdy hiking boots are essential.
- Protection Against Sun - Sunglasses, Sunscreen, Lipbalm with Sunscreen, Hat | Sun in the Kings Canyon is harsh, do not walk outside without proper protection.
- Long Pants for Him & for Her | Some people prefer to wear long trousers even in summer as almost everything in Australia is poisonous, and it is better to have legs covered.
- Camera | Capture all memories on your road trip around Australian Outback and bring a compact travel camera.
- Water Bottle | It is super important to stay hydrated, bring plenty of water.
KINGS CANYON RIM WALK
Once we quickly climbed the rocky stairs (ok there is 500 stairs, and locals call it Heart Attack Hill, but we promise it won't take you long and it is not that hard as it sounds), we could've enjoyed the beautiful place and unlike in Kata Tjuta National Park, there were no people around.
The beginning is actually the hardest part, and then the path becomes flat, and it is very easy to follow for the rest of this trek although it is not somehow well-signposted.
At the top, we spotted out two Rock Wallabies, nocturnal mammals, who are most active only just before sunrise and around sunset time, so if you want to try your luck, head to the canyon around those particular times.
Not only you might see wallabies as well, but the light around dusk and dawn is incredible, so you'll take much nicer photos plus you will avoid the deadening heat.
The tranquil 360° degree view from the rim of the canyon is hard to describe, and we could alone admire the impressive weathered formations - those sandstone domes you can see from the viewpoint are known as Lost City.
You should follow the walking trail and don't wander off the path as the part of the gorge is sacred to indigenous people.
Watarrka National Park has been home to the Luritja Aboriginal people for more than 20 000 years, and we all should act respectfully and be grateful we can visit this place in the first place.
The depth of the canyon is 100 meters, and its steep vertical walls drop down to the bottom of Kings Creek. The level of water pretty much depends on recent rainfall and season.
A short detour from Rim Walk descends to Garden of Eden, the place exceptional mainly because of a permanent waterhole mirroring the lush green plants on its surface.
At the place like this (one of the hottest places on earth), we very often wonder how something can grow and thrive in such harsh conditions, but obviously, it is possible.
Then we crossed the bridge across the sacred watering hole and emerged on the top again right at the time to see last sunrays turning the edges of the canyon into light orange and then into dark red.
From this point, it is just a short walk around sandstone domes back to the carpark. It is a good idea to take a headtorch with you in case you plan to wait for sunset.
When we got back to the car, it was dark already, and our app showed us there should be a free place to sleep not that far, right behind park's borders, because it is not allowed to camp within the park.
It took us a while to find it as the "campground" was unmarked and hidden behind the bush, and I must admit that I was not a big help to Martin as I did not want to sleep at this abandoned place (surely full of snakes) and I sabotaged the search a little with naive hope that he will give up and we'll find something else.
But unfortunately for me, his navigational skills are too good, and at last, we found the place which was unsurprisingly empty, and so we had (again) a private piece of land where we could spend a night.
Travel Insurance
We never leave home without travel insurance that was designed to cover our expenses if something goes wrong during the trip.
Travel insurance protects against theft, flight delays, injury, illness, cancellations, and much more.
World Nomads provides travel insurance for travelers to cover their trip essentials, including sports and adventure activities.
SafetyWing is affordable travel insurance for backpackers, long-term travelers, and digital nomads.
Travel smarter and safer!
KING'S CANYON TOUR
Visitors, who don't want to drive or just want to experience a true outback adventure, might want to consider a guided tour.
This 3-Day Roundtrip Camping Tour will allow you to see the best of Uluru and King's Canyon have to offer.
WHERE TO STAY WHEN VISITING KINGS CANYON
If you are not a fan of sleeping among snakes, scorpions, and spiders, you should not be camping in Australia Outback.
There are not many options on where to stay close to Kings Canyon, but fortunately, there is at least one you can book online. Otherwise, the closest accommodation possibilities are in Alice Springs (450km) or Yulara (300km), the typical base for visiting Uluru and Kata Tjuta.
When road tripping, you can stay one night in Alice Springs, then hike in Kings Canyon and stay there, or carry on to Yulara (or do it in reverse order). Either way, be prepared that distances in Australia are huge.
We've handpicked accommodation in every location to make your trip comfortable.
Alice Springs | Desert Palms Alice Springs - Clean and large rooms are surrounded by a garden, and you can use here swimming pool, kitchenette facilities and air-condition (believe us, it comes handy).
Kings Canyon | Kings Canyon Resort - This place is probably exactly what you are looking for after all day hiking. The hotel offers a wide range of accommodation options, plus you can enjoy a restaurant, swimming pool and you can refuel your car here.
Yulara | Desert Gardens Hotel - Featuring a hotel pool, rooms set among native gardens, air-conditioned spacious rooms, and just 5-minute walk to the Uluru sunset viewpoint.
Travel Resources
Here you can find links to all the travel resources we use and which you might find helpful when planning your next holiday.
Accommodation: When looking for accommodation, we usually search hotels via Booking.com or Hostelworld.
Tours: Although we love to travel independently, some places are better to visit with a guided tour.
We prefer GetYourGuide for its easy-to-use interface and solid reputation. Another great alternative is Viator.
Rental Cars: When going on a road trip, we always use Rentalcars.com, a reliable site for booking a rental car in advance.
Flight Tickets: When looking for flight tickets, you can search Skyscanner to find the best price.
Travel Insurance: World Nomads and SafetyWing cover against risks of travel.
