This trip was definitely one of the highlights of Australia for me. We had a great tour guide and an amazing group and we saw some absolutely beautiful things out there. After a short stop in Stuarts Well for a camel ride, we made it to Uluru. Uluru is the biggest monolith in the world and has a surprisingly large range of different angles at every turn. We did the Base Walk all around Uluru and were constantly surprised by yet another different nook or crannie. It's difficult to explain, but it's really very impressive and fascinating.
one of Uluru's many different faces during the Base Walk @ Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Unfortunately, there was also a lot of rain. Sadly, this meant no red sunsets or sunrises for us while snapping pictures of Uluru, but on the other hand we had a good time hiking because it wasn't very hot either. I'm grateful for that, because when the sun was shining and the skies were clear, you would soon be overwhelmed in a nasty pool of your own sweat and exhaustion. Besides, we got to see what not a lot of people get to see - huge waterfalls falling from the sides of Uluru.
experiencing a very cold and wet sunrise @ Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
After a very cold and wet night camping in the campsite's kitchen at Yulara, we made our way to Kata Tjuta where we hiked the Valley of the Winds. This was my favorite part during the trip - Amanda, Jochem and I were hiking up front and I felt in great shape. Moreover, Kata Tjuta is breathtaking. It is a collection of massive head-like structures set in a beautiful green valley - absolutely magnificent.
hiking the Valley of the Winds @ Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
the view from the Karinga Lookout @ Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
with Katharina and Amanda @ Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park
Our second night in the Outback had a much nicer end to it than the first one. We drove to King's Creek Station, made a huge campfire and had (vegetarian) chili con carne for dinner. Afterwards a few of us stayed up (despite having to get up the next morning at 4.30 AM for the third time in a row) drank beers and played drinking games. At night we slept at the campfire under a billion stars.
being driven around in the Outback
We started the third and last day of our camping trip at 7 AM in Watarrka National Park to hike through the King's Canyon. To get there, we first had to hike up Heart Attack Hill, but it was well worth the trouble. We were rewarded with amazing views over the canyon's rim and were constantly surrounded by beehive-shaped domes and waterholes.
out of breath after climbing the very steep 100 meters that comprise Heart Attack Hill @ Watarrka National Park
enjoying the view from King's Canyon @ Watarrka National Park
inclined to jump into the refreshing waters of the Garden of Eden @ Watarrka National Park
After that particular hike I was exhausted and my ankles started to give out. With the temperature also climbing, I was glad to be heading back to Alice Springs. At night our group had dinner and drinks together at the Rock Bar and I've been told the festivities lasted well into the night.
sitting, quite literally, in the middle of nowhere
We had very little time to recover from our camping trip because the next day our next tour commenced at 8 AM. We had arranged for a tour to the MacDonnell Ranges because I couldn't bring myself to leave the Outback without seeing these as well. This tour was very different from our camping trip, but equally enjoyable. There were just the five of us, including our tour guide Regina. The West MacDonnell Ranges are located just west of Alice Springs and are not very far, so we never spent more than an hour on the road at a time. Regina oozed relaxation so we felt very relaxed throughout. The food was great and we never had to clean anything. We saw a variety of different sites - I added some pictures below to give you a general idea of how beautiful the area is.
listening to the trickling water effects of a gum tree @ West MacDonnell National Park
Simpsons Gap @ West MacDonnell National Park
Standley Chasm @ West MacDonnell National Park
Ochre Pits @ West MacDonnell National Park
about to jump into the waters of the Ellery Creek Bighole (also known as 'Alice Springs' Beach') @ West MacDonnel National Park
On Monday morning we left Alice Springs and embarked on our longest bus ride yet: 21 hours to Adelaide in South Australia. Despite feeling relieved for fleeing the heat, I also felt a pang of sadness for leaving such beauty. I will always remember the Outback as a perfectly balanced landscape of red earth, green flora, blue skies and white clouds.
If you'd like to see more pictures of our world trip, check out our picture gallery here!
No comments:
Post a Comment