I had organized to join a three day/two night hiking and camping trip that would pick me up in Alice Springs – with an organization called Connections. It was to be a fairly small group – turned out to be 20 people along, so a nice size. There were more folks from Denmark than anywhere else, a couple of German university students, a couple of Brits and couple of Canadians and one Aussie. Needless to say we gave him a hard time about fairly showing off his country and we made him do everything first to show us how a really Aussie does it. As an Aussie would, he took it in good humour and obliged us.
The drive out to Kata Tjuta is LONG. I think four and a half hours from Alice along the Stuart Highway. But we stopped once an hour for a stretch and refreshments and the time went quickly. Kata Tjuta were known as The Olgas before being returned to their traditional owners. They are made up on 27 enormous boulders that look like they’ve just be dumped out into the desert. They are red, red and red. Over the centuries, grass and trees have grown up in the crevices and gorges and the rocks now 
provide a home to all sorts of wild animals, including camels. We did a 7 km hike into the Olgas on Day One – it was cloudy and cool, perfect for a hike. I wouldn’t have been able to do it in 35 degree heat, which is what had been predicted earlier in the week. The terrain we covered was beautiful but there was so much loose rock on the hiking pathways that you really had to watch just the five feet immedately in front of your feet to keep from taking a misstep and sliding down a slope on your ankles. Everyone once in a while I just had to stop and take a long look at the big picture. The two guides provided a lot of local knowledge.Once the hike was over we boarded the van and headed for Uluru and the sunset viewing area. We watched the sun set on the rock, making it even redder than in full daylight, and sipped champagne and got to know each other better. Except for the Aussie, all were travellers who were doing this one their way to or way from another destination – so everyone shared their favourite trips in Australia and took notes on others’ tips.
provide a home to all sorts of wild animals, including camels. We did a 7 km hike into the Olgas on Day One – it was cloudy and cool, perfect for a hike. I wouldn’t have been able to do it in 35 degree heat, which is what had been predicted earlier in the week. The terrain we covered was beautiful but there was so much loose rock on the hiking pathways that you really had to watch just the five feet immedately in front of your feet to keep from taking a misstep and sliding down a slope on your ankles. Everyone once in a while I just had to stop and take a long look at the big picture. The two guides provided a lot of local knowledge.Once the hike was over we boarded the van and headed for Uluru and the sunset viewing area. We watched the sun set on the rock, making it even redder than in full daylight, and sipped champagne and got to know each other better. Except for the Aussie, all were travellers who were doing this one their way to or way from another destination – so everyone shared their favourite trips in Australia and took notes on others’ tips.We camped the first night in Yalara, the resort area just outside the National Park and t
he closest area that was available to non-Aboriginals for accommodations. The tents had cots and sleeping bags and we were provided with sheets (and had brought our own pillows). There was also a permanent kitchen at the campsite and everyone pitched in to quickly have dinner ready – steak, sausages, salads and baked potatoes.We were roused at 4:30 next morning for breakfast and a quick departure to be at Uluru before sunrise. We spent most of Day Two at Uluru (see below), and then drove on about 3 hours to Kings’ Canyon where we camped the second night. While the two guides cooked us a proper Aussie tucker in the super-hot coals of a campfire, some of us went camel riding. The animals were very well behaved, healthy and clean – not all are,you know. Rides just like a slow horse – maybe a little smoother. Their soft feet pads, no hooves, are perfectly suited to the desert sand. Unfortunately, there is so much broken glass in the desert they are pron
e to deep cuts in their feet pads and, once cut, can’t heal and have to be put down. Otherwise they live and work between 30 and 40 years. They are disease-free in Australia, and wild camels are often captured for sale to mid-eastern countries, where their native animals have been decimated by disease.After supper, everyone was early to bed. Not much sleep tho’ as the wind was furiously flapping the tents all night.
he closest area that was available to non-Aboriginals for accommodations. The tents had cots and sleeping bags and we were provided with sheets (and had brought our own pillows). There was also a permanent kitchen at the campsite and everyone pitched in to quickly have dinner ready – steak, sausages, salads and baked potatoes.We were roused at 4:30 next morning for breakfast and a quick departure to be at Uluru before sunrise. We spent most of Day Two at Uluru (see below), and then drove on about 3 hours to Kings’ Canyon where we camped the second night. While the two guides cooked us a proper Aussie tucker in the super-hot coals of a campfire, some of us went camel riding. The animals were very well behaved, healthy and clean – not all are,you know. Rides just like a slow horse – maybe a little smoother. Their soft feet pads, no hooves, are perfectly suited to the desert sand. Unfortunately, there is so much broken glass in the desert they are pron
e to deep cuts in their feet pads and, once cut, can’t heal and have to be put down. Otherwise they live and work between 30 and 40 years. They are disease-free in Australia, and wild camels are often captured for sale to mid-eastern countries, where their native animals have been decimated by disease.After supper, everyone was early to bed. Not much sleep tho’ as the wind was furiously flapping the tents all night.Once again we were roused at 4:30 to get to King’s Canyon before sunrise. It really was a spectacular sight. We parked in the canyon floor and then hiked up for about half an hour to the rim to see the sunrise. Glorious. Once the sun was up, it again clouded over quickly, again likely to our benefit, because we did a 9 km hike around the rim of the canyon that would have been so hot without the cloud cover. We saw wild dingo and wallabies. Plenty of birds of prey and lots of other tourists. The crevices were cool and often held perfect little tropical gardens of ferns, palms and wildflowers. Just a fabulous spot. Lots of beautiful photographs.
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