Walpa Gorge Walk
My first glimpse of Kata Tjuta was when watching the sunrise on Uluru.
My eye was drawn away from the main spectacle to the horizon where, 50 km away across the spinifex and desert oaks plain, Kata Tjuta’s 36 domes vied for attention.
It was much later in the day, having explored waterholes around the base of Uluru and taken in the magical Mala Walk rich in traditional Uluru cultural history…
that I snapped my first closer view from the car window 
Named the Olgas by Ernest Giles in 1872, it is known as Kata Tjuta, which is Pitjantjatjara meaning ‘many heads’.
Rounding a corner our first ‘classic’ view of the Kata Tjuta domes (or should I say some of Kata Tjuta’s ‘many heads’) came into view.
There are two walks at Kata Tjuta -
- The Valley of the Winds walk, a 7.4km circuit. The first 1.1km takes you to the Karu Lookout, where when the temperature rises to or above 36 degrees Celsius (close on 100 Fahrenheit!) the track is closed.
- Walpa (windy) Gorge is a 2.6km return walk following a rocky track that rises and falls within sheer red rugged walls, ultimately reaching a non-permanent stream.
We left our visit till late in the day as it had felt hot, choosing to do the Walpa Gorge Walk, before a planned retreat to a distance for the Kata Tjuta sunset.
We learned later it had been 40C that day!
No wonder we thought it felt a little ‘warm’ 
The heat reflecting off the track, even late in the afternoon was unrelenting.
We were pleased we’d done the:
- Slip (on long sleeved clothing)
- Slop (on sunscreen)
- Slap (on a hat)
- Slide (on sunnies)
AND …
(not part of the slogan)
- Slurped! (with a litre of water per hour/per person)
Unlike Uluru, which is made from the sedimentary rock arkose sandstone, Kata Tjuta is made from a sedimentary rock called conglomerate -
This is a mix of gravel, pebbles and boulders cemented together by sand and mud.
As we penetrated deeper into Walpa Gorge, the sides rose higher as they came in closer together. The highest dome rises to 500 meters (Uluru is 348 meters).
Seen on the map below we took the lower rusty red path, which delves into the heart of Kata Tjuta.
The narrowness between the ‘heads’ can be seen even more clearly on the image below, which was taken by an astronaut in space.
As we neared the end…
it was a pleasant surprise to find this refreshing (impermanent) pool of water
…to take a break and cool off in the shade.
It wasn’t only us enjoying the respite from the pounding sun -
Leaving the gorge behind us…
we noticed this little lizard on a rock beside the path, beautifully camouflaged
From the sunset viewing area we then watched…
as Kata Tjuta’s domes got redder
…a full moon appeared
(disappearing intermittently behind the clouds)
While the sun made its final flamboyant farewell for the day
…as it dropped below the western horizon.
And we said our final goodbyes…
to the resplendent Kata Tjuta that stood before us.
The magic of the Red Centre
Have you been?
Do share in the comments below
That is another stunning series of photographs. I love how you covered it from every angle, even space. Watching the sun change the colour of the rock was another highlight for me and the sunset was gorgeous. Thanks so much for sharing the magic of this area. I can’t wait to visit.
It’s wonderful going to an area that is so photogenic, and exceeds one’s expectations
I really hope I get to go to Uluru and Kata Tjuta next year. I want to take my own photos, but I can’t imagine I can get better photos than these. They are superb.
Thank you so much for the compliment…
But in the Red Centre the photos are but the tip of the iceberg in terms of experience
I think most people visiting Uluru don’t know about existent of Olgas before they get there.
For me Olgas made more impression the Uluru rock.
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I think there’s much one doesn’t know before one gets to the red centre, in general!
I certainly had no idea there would be beautiful waterholes around Uluru’s base -
It seems all one ever sees of this area in marketing photos is the classic distant shot of Uluru – The Rock, which to me says nothing for the variety of vegetation and landforms in the region… such as, as you say, Kata Tjuta
Great read that has the W-O-W effect lasting from the beginning to the end! …and gorgeous shots!
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Thanks Michela -
I’m pleased you enjoyed it ~
Did you do the Walpa walk at Kata Tjuta when you were there?
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