Description of the attraction
Watarrka National Park is located 323 km south-west of Alice Springs, which includes one of the main tourist attractions in Central Australia - the Royal Canyon. The cliffs of the Canyon soar up to 300 meters, and a small river Kings Creek flows along its bottom. Tourists are not allowed to enter one of the parts of the gorge - it is sacred for the aborigines of the Luritia tribe, who for thousands of years were the only inhabitants of these places. And today thousands of tourists come to the famous "Red Center" to admire the amazing mountain landscape of the park. They are not stopped even by the extreme temperatures characteristic of this desert area - in summer the air often warms up to + 40 ° C. You can get here by taking the Stuart Highway from Alice Springs.
On the territory of the park you can find several species of desert plants, most of which grow around the mountain lake "Garden of Eden". It is also home to exotic birds - earthen pigeon, zebra finch, honey sucker, grass wren and black buzzard.
As usual in national parks, Vatarrka has many hiking trails designed for different levels of tourists' training. Beginners should go for a walk along the Royal Canyon along the King's Creek along the path of the same name, which leads to the observation deck - it offers stunning views of the cliffs overhanging the river. For the more experienced, the 7-kilometer Circle Trail, which encircles the Canyon and leads to its summit, is a good choice. It takes about 5 hours to overcome this path. The most experienced will love the 22-kilometer Giles Track, which leads through the Canyon to the town of Kathleen Springs. At The Kings Canyon Resort, you can also book a helicopter tour, camel ride or ATV ride.
