Everyone has probably heard of Ayers Rock, or Uluru, as it’s now called. But have you heard of the Bungle Bungles? I hadn’t either until I started Googling Australia before our trip in the autumn of 2023.
Ayers Rock is fantastic, blushing in the sunset’s glow. However, you can only admire it from a distance now, as access to the massive rock has been prohibited out of respect for the Aborigines.
Read more about our Australian trip here: category/australia/
Bungle Bungles, on the other hand, is a vast sandstone mountain area in the north of Western Australia, much larger than Ayers Rock. It offers more diversity with deep canyons and organic formations, and it shares the same fiery red hue in the sunset. The best part? You’re allowed to camp and hike in the area.
You can reach Bungle Bungles by flying in or take a popular helicopter tour over the region. But we decided to embark on a road trip, covering the 1200 kilometers from Darwin, way up north in Australia.
Bad road into the Bungles
All the northern highways are wide asphalt roads with minimal traffic and speed limits of 110 or 130 km/h, so even though it’s a long drive, you can cruise control your way through it. Except for the last 50 kilometers, where you’ll need four-wheel drive and low gear to make it through. Not many challenging stretches, but plenty of corrugations and a few shallow river crossings.
You can’t just wander wherever you like, but there are many hiking trails in the north and south of the mountains. There are also two campgrounds. The camping is quite basic, with an outhouse, no showers, but there’s water. But it’s not drinkable unless you boil it.
Narrow Canyons Lined with Palms
We camped in the north at Kurrajong, with a view of the mountains from a hill behind the campsite. The mountains are a red, cracked wall in contrast to a surprisingly green, bush-covered landscape. Further north from the camp, you can explore trails among the organic mountain formations. Towering walls rise 200 meters above the flat terrain. Echidna Chasm, in particular, was an unforgettable experience. You walk into a canyon where green palms stand in stark contrast to the red rock. The gorge narrows and narrows, sometimes less than a meter wide at the bottom. Up there, you can glimpse the sky as a narrow strip of light. A truly magical experience.
The Stendhal syndrome hits us
We head south to explore the hiking area here. The landscape is mind-blowing. We keep stopping the car again and again to take pictures. If natural wonders have a parallel to Stendhal Syndrome, this must be what we’re afflicted with. Odd cone-shaped mountain peaks, primarily red with black stripes, surround us from all sides. They’re low in the front but rise in height as you go further in. The area is called “Bee Hives” because of the shape. There are several paths weaving in between the hives, and for the longest one, you might need to camp overnight. We venture into Cathedral Gorge, a relatively wide canyon where we follow a dry creek bed. The red mountain walls extend 100 meters above us, partially hanging over the canyon. At the bottom of the canyon, there’s a wide, shallow cave with a small pond that gives the gorge its name.
Hiking in the heat
In the heart of Australia, it’s hot, even in the middle of winter. Expect temperatures up to 40 degrees Celsius. In canyons, there might be shade but no breeze, so it gets hot as well. Therefore, you have to start early in the morning to finish the hike before noon. We had no trouble with that. It gets pitch dark a little after six in the evening, so we were in bed before eight and up at sunrise, just before six.
Bring plenty of water, one liter per hour, the experts say.
Australia is known for having all the world’s venomous snakes and insects. At first we looked around a bit for snakes and spiders, but after a while we didn’t think much of it. And we didn’t see anyone. But the crocodiles are a real threat to be aware of.
Practical Info
Camping reservations for the Bungles must be made in advance here: parkstay-waiting.dbca.wa.gov.au/
There is no telephone coverage, but at the visitor center there is wi-fi (via satellite).
Kurrajong camping is located in the north. It is the largest and has the most shade.
Walardi camp is to the south. Here are the most tours/sights.
The park is open during the winter season: April to October.
Read more here: purnululu-national-park
Read more about our Australian trip here: category/australia/
