Day 7 - Australia 2014 - From Kings Greek Station to Glen Helen via Kings Canyon - Hagen Seyring

October 16, 2014

Day 7 - Australia 2014 - From Kings Greek Station to Glen Helen via Kings Canyon

Canyon Rim WalkThe six km (loop) Kings Canyon Rim Walk traces the top of the canyon and takes three to four hours to complete.

After get up early like always the last days, I have experienced a wonderful sunrise like always with the colorful play of the nature in the outback again.

Sunrise at our campsite in Kings Greek StationKings Creek Station is a working cattle/camel station with facilities for camping, accommodation and an opportunity to experience the outback either by quad (4 wheel motorbike), helicopter or camel.

Our goals for today should be the Kings Canyon and Glen Helen in the MacDonnel Ranges.

The first stop after app. an hour drive was the famous Kings Canyon. We arrived it in the early morning I think at 8 O'clock. But it was a good time, then the Canyon Rim Walk will be closed in the afternoon often, because of the strong heat on the plateaus in the afternoon. So we were asked to take at least 1,5 l water with us.

The six km (loop) Kings Canyon Rim Walk traces the top of the canyon and takes three to four hours to complete.

View from Kings Canyon over the bush landPart of the gorge is a sacred Aboriginal site and visitors are discouraged from walking off the walking tracks.

A steep climb at the beginning of the walk, which locals call "Heartbreak Hill" (or "Heart Attack Hill", due to its steepness), takes visitors up to the top, with spectacular views of the gorge below and of the surrounding landscape.

Climbing to the Kings CanyonThe walls of Kings Canyon are over 100 metres high, with Kings Creek at the bottom. Part of the gorge is a sacred Aboriginal site and visitors are discouraged from walking off the walking tracks.

After passing a beautiful plateau we hat to go through a small crack, called the Priscilla Crack. Through this crack the three drag queens in the movie "Priscilla - Quenns of the desert" had to climb to achieve the top of the Kings Canyon.

Priscilla Crack in the Kings CanyonThrough this crack the three drag queens in the movie "Priscilla - Quenns of the desert" had to climb to achieve the top of the Kings Canyon.

About half way during the walk, a detour descends to Garden of Eden, a permanent waterhole surrounded by lush plant life.

Waterhole in the garden Eden in the Kings Canyon

The last half of the walk passes through a large maze of weathered sandstone domes, reminiscent of the Bungle Bungle.

A slow descent brings the visitor back to the starting point.

After the Kings Canyon we had to drive over the 93 km long Mereenie Loop Road, which is the shortest way from Uluru to the Glen Helen in the MacDonnel Ranges.

Mereenie Loop RoadThe unsealed Mereenie Loop Road lets you drive directly from Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park) to the West MacDonnell Ranges - or the other way round - without backtracking.

It was a really amazing experience to drive with an 4WD car over a red colored wide runway over a so long distance.

The unsealed Mereenie Loop Road lets you drive directly from Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park) to the West MacDonnell Ranges - or the other way round - without backtracking.

It is a lovely drive through some beautiful desert country, certainly more appealing than the much longer detour along the sealed highway.

At the end we arrived the Glen Helen.

Glen Helen ResortFor camping, backpackers or motel guests, adventure holidays or a relaxing drive, Glen Helen Resort can cater to all styles of self drive holidays in the red centre.

Glen Helen is surrounded by the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, and is a destination in its own right, with easy day trip access to the whole West MacDonnell National Park, including Palm Valley, Hermannsburg, Ormiston Gorge, Redbank Gorge and Mt Sonder.

Our tour guide cooked potato gratin, steak and salad for dinner.