Two Sams TravellingWhile we were travelling around Australia, we were able to do a lot of bushwalking and it made us fall in love (again) with bushwalking. We had a few boring ones along the way, but there were some that we loved! Below are our five favourite bushwalks that we did while travelling around Australia (in no particular order):
El Questro Gorge
Located near El Questro Station, this walk was probably one of our favourites on the trip. The first part of this walk is relatively straightforward as you walk towards the first swimming hole, and you can stop there or continue onto the next part of the walk. This is where the walk gets quite spicy, as you have to swim across then climb up some rocks before continuing. After another hour of intense rock hopping and climbing, you arrive at another swimming hole with a lovely waterfall. It was very warm when we were there so we stayed at El Questro Station and started the walk at 6:30am, and we were lucky to have the swimming hole to ourselves. It was magical. On the way back the walk was starting to get very crowded so we were happy we got up early to do it. You need a four wheel drive to do this walk as there is a very deep river crossing to get to the car park, and by deep we mean water coming through the doors deep!
Our Tip: Take some waterproof shoes to do the walk in so you can do the river crossings without having to worry. We had surf shoes and they worked nicely (even if they did fall apart at the end of the walk).
Kings Canyon
Just three hours from Uluru, Kings Canyon is located in Watarrka National Park and is definitely worth a detour if you are visiting this part of the Northern Territory. The Kings Canyon Rim Walk is a 6km circuit and starts with 500 steps, so a bit of a spicy start to the walk. Once you get up to the top though, you get the most amazing views and it is worth the climb. Along the walk you can see Priscilla’s Crack, The Lost City, and the Garden of Eden and there is so much variety on the walk. We stayed at Kings Canyon Resort the night before so we could get up early to do the walk. It was a bit pricey, but there aren’t too many options in the area and they have a great platform where you can watch the sunset.
Our Tip: Start the walk early in the morning as it gets very hot as the day goes on. Some of the walks can also close after a certain time if the temperature is too high.
Barrk Sandstone walk
Located in Kakadu National Park, this 12km hike takes you over and around Burrungkuy (Nourlangie). The walk is quite rugged and you have to keep an eye out for markers along the way, but once you complete the steep climb at the start, you are met with fantastic views of Kakadu National Park and surrounding areas. Halfway through the walk, you can take a detour and have a look at the Nanguluwurr art site where there are paintings depicting spirits, animals, ships and people. You still have to do some climbing towards the end of the walk and would only recommend this one to people who are physically fit as it was one of the more demanding walks we did while on our trip. This is another one that you need to start early as it can get very hot at Kakadu National Park and it will take you a good four hours to complete.We stayed nearby at the Jim Jim Billabong campground and it was only a short drive to the start of the walk.
Our tip: Make sure you have enough water! This walk isn’t shady and can get very hot, so having enough water (and snacks) will make the walk a little bit more comfortable for you.
Deep Creek Cove Hike
This hike is located on the Fleurieu Peninsula in Deep Creek National Parks and was one of the first bigger bushwalks we did on our trip around Australia. This 6km return walk starts by hiking down to a secluded cove where Deep Creek meets the ocean. You get ocean views as you make your way down and it can get quite steep at times, but the cove at the bottom is spectacular! We had a great time down at the cove exploring and just taking the view in, we could have sat there all afternoon but unfortunately we had to make our way back to the carpark. The walk back up is quite tough but definitely manageable. The walk starts from the Trig Picnic Area and we stayed nearby at a campground in Deep Creek National Park.
Our tip: Take some time down at the cove once you arrive so you can take in the amazing scenery. You also have a bit of a climb on the way back up to the car park so your legs will enjoy a bit of a rest.
Cathedral Rock
Located in Cathedral Rock National Park in NSW, this is a great walk to do while you are exploring Waterfall Way. It is a bit of a detour off the main road, but the top of the summit provides great views of the area and is worth the drive. The hike is a 6km loop and the majority of the walk is quite easy. If you are looking for a challenge though you can turn off towards the summit and do some rock hopping for around 400m. To get to the summit, you have to use a chain to climb up as it is very steep, but that’s all part of the fun and the views at the top are worth it. We met some people along the way who were just doing the loop without the summit and they were still enjoying the walk, so it is nice that there are options available for people who may not be too keen on a rock climb.
Our tip: The car park here is quite small, so it isn’t a great idea to bring in a big caravan as you won’t have a lot of room to park it. We just managed to fit in somewhere with our car and trailer and we aren’t that big of a rig!
There were so many walks we enjoyed while travelling around Australia and it was hard to narrow our list down to five. We also missed a few walks due to our plans changing, so we are looking forward to doing more bushwalks in the future!
