As an absolute dirtbag who actually enjoys being filthy, the idea of bumming around the dusty desert completely appealed to me. Add in the fact that there’s a load of really cool stuff to see, and the fact that the majority of the journey involved off-roading on isolated and remote dirt tracks, and you end up with my perfect road trip.

 

The Route

The plan for this leg of our Red Centre adventure was left relatively open in order to allow flexibility. We planned to decide the specifics based on fuel consumption and food and water supplies. However, the general plan was to spend 7-10 days off-road driving, bush camping and sight seeing. The route we actually ended up taking is shown below. If you are interested in learning more about planning an overloading journey – read this.

 

Itinerary

Day 1

Alice Springs – MacDonnell Ranges

There were loads of incredibles places to stop off and see along this route. We stopped at Stanley Chasm, the ochre pits, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge. They were all worthwhile stops that broke up the journey, but the ochre pits were my favourite. These pits were used to provide material for Aboriginal art for thousands of years. The mixture of red, yellow and white ochre causes the cliffs themselves to resemble a painted canvas.

Our camp spot for the night was the dried up bed of the Finke River. To get to this spot, we drove 2 miles off the main road along an short but fun 4WD track. 

Day 2

Mereenie Loop

The unsealed Mereenie Loop road goes directly from the west MacDonnell Ranges to Watarrka National Park (King’s Canyon). This drive generally requires a 4WD because the track is dusty and corrugated. The track goes through stunning desert country, making this a far more enjoyable alternative to the longer Stuart Highway route. You need a permit to access this track, which can be bought at Glen Helen station beforehand.

When we arrived at Watarrka National Park, we did the King’s Creek walk. This was a short and easy but enjoyable walk that took us through the base of the canyon. The rock formations are incredible!

Day 3

King’s Canyon Rim Walk 

We swapped tyres for hiking boots and spent the day exploring King’s Canyon on the iconic Rim Walk. This is a 6km circuit that brings you up to the Lost City (a mesmerising cluster of rock formations), down into the Garden of Eden (an oasis of vegetation in the otherwise barren landscape) and back to the top of King’s Canyon (where you can admire the panoramic views). This walk generally takes around 3 hours, but we took far longer than this as we explored the plateau and scrambled around the rock pagodas.

Our campsite for the night was a spectacular spot somewhere off the Lasseter Highway, far away from all signs of civilisation!

Day 4

Finally, we headed to the world-renown Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park to check out Uluru (Ayer’s Rock) and Kata Tjuta (the Olgas). We did the Uluru base walk to learn more about the Aboriginal heritage of the area, and hiked into the steep valleys and creek beds of the Olgas. We did not climb Uluru – find out why here. To witness the incredible colour-changing of the rocks, we spent the evening at the Olgas watching the mesmerising sunset with a beer. Although busy, this was a perfect place to capture some beautiful (if cliché!) pictures.

Then disaster struck…

I was walking along flat ground with my high-cut hiking boots and somehow managed to roll my ankle completely over. There was a hideous ‘pop’ and a burst of excruciating pain as I fell to the ground where I remained for what felt like hours, struggling to catch my breath. I have both broken and badly sprained an ankle before (the other ankle!) and this was still the most painful injury I have ever sustained. My brain went into a frenzied panic and I was overwhelmed by (extremely unhelpful) thoughts… “I’ve ruined my ankle/I’m on a HIKING TRIP and I’m not going to be able to walk/I’ll never be able to climb again/people can hear me screaming I need to shut up/I’ve ruined our whole trip”…

We headed to the Yulara health centre where my ankle was put in a ‘back slap’ cast and I was given a pair of crutches. There is no x-ray machine at the centre, and the staff strongly suspected my ankle was broken, so we were advised to head back to Alice Springs hospital. We spent the night at Yulara campsite where I managed to jump/crawl my way up the roof tent ladder!

 

Day 5

Drive back to Alice Springs

Needless to say, the trip was cut short because we had to head back to Alice Springs for an x-ray. No clear fracture was found, but the ligaments were completely macerated. No hiking/climbing/snowboarding/scuba diving for the next couple of months…

 

Red Centre Bush Camping

Without doubt, the absolute highlight of this trip for me was bush camping. We used the Earthmate app that came with our satellite communicator to help us select camping spots, deliberately choosing remote areas where we could camp alone where possible.

The remoteness and isolation of these sites made me feel like Tom and I were the only people in the world. The colourful vistas of the vivid red sand and perfect blue sky give way at night to the most amazing stars capes, free from light pollution. Lying in the roof tent at night we heard nothing but empty and eerie silence, punctuated only by the occasional dingo howl. I got an immense sense of satisfaction being self-sufficient and self-reliant. I can officially confirm I am addicted to bush camping!

 

Advice

          

• Definitely have or rent a 4WD. Although you can get to King’s Canyon/Uluru with just a 2WD, taking the dirt tracks is way more fun.

• Bring jerry cans of fuel if you can to save on costs. The legs between fuel stations are just short enough that you can make it, but fuel is super expensive out in the Red Centre.

• Bring a shit ton of baby wipes! The red dust of the desert gets absolutely everywhere. Unless you are lucky enough to have a portable shower, or you are stopping at real campsites every night, baby wipes will be your best friend.

• Allow spare days when planning the route. If you are anything like us, something unexpected will almost definitely occur!

• Make use of the free water refilling stations at tourist areas and campsites.

• Don’t screw up your ankle…