Kings Canyon, in the Northern Territory's red centre, is located in Watarrka Nation Park, at the western end of the relatively high plateau of the George Gill Range. The canyon is about 345 km north of Uluru and Kata Tjuta and formed from the same terracotta-coloured sandstone as its famous neighbours.
Instead of rising up from the surrounding plain like the previously mentioned scenic wonders, the cliffs of Kings Canyon plunge dramatically from the escarpment for about 300 metres into a valley below, forming the region's deepest gorge. The Canyon walls rise above the valley of Kings Creek (named by Ernest Giles in 1872) and are particularly spectacular at sunrise and sunset. The canyon abounds in water holes of great beauty and a bewildering array of fauna and flora. The recent scientific expeditions into the National Park have revealed over 600 different species of native plant. This abundance of fauna is due largely to the location of Kings Canyon which combines areas of the western desert with the more varied flora of the MacDonnell Ranges and the harsh vegetation of the Simpson Desert.

The national park was opened up to tourists only in the 1970s, but visitors can now take in the spectacular scenery from two perspectives; a walking track in the valley provides a good view of the gorge's sheer rock walls, and there is also a wonderful panorama of the canyon and surrounding countryside from the plateau above.
The walk around the rim of the canyon offer spectacular views, but as it can take 3-4 hours, it should only be attempted early in the morning during the summer months. On your way around the rim of the canyon you will pass the tropical pools of the Garden of Eden, and the unusual rock formations called the Lost City, a series of strangely weathered sandstone outcrops that resemble doomed buildings or beehives.

View Larger Map