Alice Springs is situated in the most central region of
Australia. It used to be the town everyone flew into to visit Uluru, but then
the big red rock got its own airstrip. Tourist numbers are declining as a
result, which is a shame considering the town’s people are some of the
friendliest we’ve met whilst travelling through the Northern Territory.
While
there isn’t much to do in the town of Alice Springs itself, it serves as a
great base to go and explore the surrounding natural landscape. Here’s what we
found:
Kings Canyon
Travel time from Alice: 5 hours (shorter with 4WD)
We completed the Rim Walk through Kings Canyon in about 2
hours, despite the signs advising us it’d take between 3-4. We overheard a tour
guide explaining it’s the second largest Canyon in the world. I’ve never
visited a canyon so wasn’t sure what to expect, but the rock formations were
interesting and diverse. Toward the end of the walk you can stand next to a
shear drop off point. It looks as though the rock has been carved away to
reveal multiple hues of pink, orange and brown. It was my favourite spot to stop
and consider how it was formed and appreciate the vastness of the place.
Standley Chasm
Travel time from Alice: 45 minutes
A chasm is defined as a
deep fissure in the earth's surface. Because I didn’t know this I had no
idea what we were going to see when we decided to drive out there. We were told
to make sure we reached the chasm by midday, because that’s when the sun
stretches through the crack and lights up the space usually filled with
darkness. Whilst paying our $10 entry fee we learned there was a free tour
starting at 11 o’clock with a local indigenous man named Kevin. We were so
thankful to have him guide us along the track because he pointed out half a
dozen bush foods we would’ve otherwise walked straight by. Even though the
chasm was half lit by the time we entered, I was still freezing because of the
wind. We didn’t stick along long but it was a nice place and the tour made it a
well worth experience.
Ellery Creek Big Hole
Travel time from : 1 hour 10 minutes
I was surprised this place wasn’t more popular because it
looked like heaven to me. I sat on the bank watching tourists dive into the icy
water, breaking the stunning reflections of the overhanging gum trees. There
was a great energy in the air as comradery formed between those who dared to
jump in. One couple brought down a blow up kayak which allowed them to explore
a small channel beyond a rock wall. Despite sharing the space with a dozen or
so people, it was very peaceful and we could’ve stayed for hours had it not
been late afternoon.
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