Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Kings Canyon – The Three Wonders of the Australian Outback

Uluru, Kata Tjuta, and Kings Canyon – The Three Wonders of the Australian Outback

My Experience with The Rock Tour

3 Day/2 Night Alice Springs to Alice Springs

When one thinks of Australia, there are a few things that usually come to mind: The Sydney Opera House, the Great Barrier Reef, and the Outback. Now, I have seen the Opera House, I have seen the Great Barrier Reef, but what I had not seen was the Outback. I had not yet experienced the true bush land of central Australia. I had not stepped foot on the red desert. And there is one landmark that sticks out to most when they think of Outback Australia: Uluru.

I first heard of Uluru when reading my Nat Geo travel book; thinking to myself, “I have to go there.” What is Uluru? Uluru is essentially a giant red rock in the middle of nowhere, Australia. At least, that’s what my impression of the rock was before I actually saw it and learned about it.

What’s so special about a giant rock? I asked myself. Well, I wanted to find out what the buzz was all about. So I booked my flight to Alice Springs and set off on a 3-day and 2-night camping tour with The Rock Tour. What I didn’t know was that when I got picked up at 5:25am on Friday the 20^th of May, was that I was about to experience one of the most incredible weekends of my life.

DAY 1 - ULURU

I stayed the night at the YHA in Alice Springs the night before the tour. Like most tours, pick up times vary depending on where you’re staying. Ashleigh (our tour guide, bus driver, chef, and photographer for the weekend), picked me up at 5:25am. An early start to the day, but so worth it!

We had a full tour of 21 people, and after everyone was together on the bus, we set off toward Uluru, our destination for Day 1.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park is actually quite a drive away from Alice Springs, but we were able to sleep in the bus along the way, occasionally gazing out the window at the first of many spectacular sunrises in the Outback. There is something so revitalizing about knowing you are in the middle of nowhere.

We stopped a few times along the way for coffee and toilet breaks, and we also stopped to collect firewood for the campfire as we got closer to the campsite. As we wandered around in search for good firewood, Ashleigh so eloquently reminded us that we were in the desert, “if the stick is moving, it’s not a stick”. Fortunately, no moving sticks were found this time!

When we finally got close enough to the National Park that we could see Uluru, the whole bus lit up. There it is! I thought. There’s that massive rock I have been looking forward to seeing for months. And even from afar, it was magnificent. All that was running through my mind at that moment was, “I can’t believe I am actually here at Uluru!” And it was true – seeing something so unique and extraordinary was genuinely hard to believe.

We arrived at our campsite – Yulara Resort Campground – for the evening around noon, where we dropped off the firewood, our overnight bags, and had some sandwiches for lunch. Finally, we were headed to the Cultural Center to learn about the Aboriginal significance of Uluru, the cultural history of the rock, and why we don’t climb it.

Walking through the cultural center was very enlightening. I learned about the Anangu people, who were the traditional owners of Uluru, and the story of how and why it became a sacred landmark for these Aboriginal people. As I read more about the Anangu people and their beliefs, I felt worse and worse about calling it “some big red rock”. It clearly was not.

When the “white people” came in and discovered Uluru and the Aboriginals that occupied the area, the land and the people were treated with so much disrespect that it made me uncomfortable and sad. Travelers and tours would come in and climb the rock like it was theirs to conquer, completely disregarding any sacred beliefs of the Anangu.

Eventually, the “white people” (Australians) were able to join together with the Aboriginals in a board of directors for the National Park. This board protects both the natural beauty of the rock and establishes and enforces rules for visitors to ensure that Uluru remains a sacred landmark. The rules are very simple: don’t climb the rock, don’t take photos or videos in sacred areas, and respect the land.

Although I was anxious to see Uluru and walk the base walk, I was very happy that we visited the Cultural Center first. This way, when I did get to see Uluru up close, I could appreciate it with that much more respect. Would it be cool to climb it? Sure! But after learning the history of Uluru, I didn’t feel the need to climb it. Just admiring it from the ground was all I needed to take it in.

At last, we left the Cultural Center and headed for the start of the base walk. The walk took about 1.5 – 2 hours, and I found out after that we walked about 6 km. Which is actually insane to think that 6 km walking was only covering the circumference of about three-fourths of the rock. Just to give you an idea in relativity about how big the rock actually is.

Walking around the base of Uluru was incredible. You don’t realize from the photos just how geographically intricate the surface is. And of course, as you’re looking at it, you remind yourself that this is one solid rock and you try to fathom how that is even possible. Uluru definitely served as a (not so subtle) reminder that our Earth is capable of producing some mind-blowing things.

We met Ashleigh close to the watering hole at Uluru for a culture and art talk, as there are some rock Aboriginal rock paintings that we were able to see. It was very interesting to see how Aboriginal people told stories through art.

Next up was the sunset and dinner. We drove over to the location where you can see the best sunsets at Uluru, and prepared for the multitude of photos. Meanwhile, Ashleigh prepared our (delicious) dinner, of pasta, rice, veggies, and chicken.

After sunset, we headed to the campsite to get the campfire going. But of course, having Ashleigh as our tour guide meant we had to make quite the impression on the rest of the campsite, so we blasted “We are the Champions” by Queen as we rolled in, the last ones to arrive. Ashleigh quickly proved to have the best road trip playlist I have ever heard in my life.

The campsite was equipped with indoor plumbing and showers and was very clean. We set up our swags around the campfire and roasted marshmallows and played some campfire games. In case you were like me and had no idea what a swag was, it is basically a rolling mattress and cover for your sleeping bag. We didn’t have tents, we slept in the open air around the campfire and I wouldn’t have it any other way. Sleeping under the stars in the middle of the outback was epic.

DAY 2 – ULURU SUNRISE & KATA TJUTA

On Day 2, Ashleigh woke us up to peaceful music at 5:15 am. We had 30 minutes to use the toilet and pack up camp to get on the bus to catch the sunrise at Uluru.

Ashleigh set up our breakfast so we could eat while we were waiting for the sun to come up. We had hot tea and coffee, toast with jam, cereal, and yogurt. It was a bit cloudy that morning, and we were worried that we weren’t going to get to see a good sunrise. But remarkably, the clouds actually worked in our favor.

As the sun was rising (and of course Ashleigh started playing “The Circle of Life” from the Lion King for dramatic effect), the sky looked as if it was painted with water colors, filled with radiant shades of yellow, orange, pink, and purple. I have never seen a sunrise this spectacular in my entire life. And the fact that it was shining over Uluru just made it that much better. It was absolutely breathtaking. Photos cannot do it justice. I’ll just have to rely on my own memories for this one.

(Ashleigh channeling her inner Lion King at Uluru)

After the sunrise, we had to say goodbye to Uluru, as we were off to our next destination: Kata Tjuta. Kata Tjuta is another solid rock formation, but instead of just one rock, it has many rocks, as its Aboriginal name suggests.

We set forth on the Valley of the Winds walk, which was about 3 hours in total. This hike was fantastic, as you walked through several of the rock domes for amazing views from different angles.

Ashleigh gave us another talk about the geology of both Uluru and Kata Tjuta, explaining how scientists believe they came to be. She also explained that Kata Tjuta is Aboriginal “man’s land”, meaning only men can come here. There are certain domes of Kata Tjuta that no one other than Aboriginal men have even seen before, because they are sacred, hidden, and can only be seen from a location that we are not allowed to set foot on. I found this fascinating, as there is still so much about Aboriginal culture that we have yet to learn, if we ever will.

About halfway through, we walked up a steep dome in between two larger domes, so it kind of felt like we were sitting in the middle of a canyon. Definitely worth the steep incline!

When we completed the hike, we headed back to camp for lunch, which were make-yourself wraps with tons of options for fillings. It was time to leave the national park and make our way toward King’s Canyon. It was about a 4 hour drive to our campsite, but we were so exhausted from the hikes the past 2 days that we all had a nice nap along the way.

We also stopped along the way to get more firewood, and some beers and ciders for the campfire that night.

The second campsite location was at King’s Creek, still equipped with indoor plumbing and showers. This location certainly felt more remote than the first, but in a good way. The only problem we experienced at this campsite were dingoes, which are apparently there most nights. Just be sure to lock up your bags in the bus and don’t leave your shoes out, and all will be fine! The dingoes are more interested in your snacks than you.

Once we started the campfire, Ashleigh cooked us an amazing dinner on the campfire! She baked homemade bread, and made a few pots of meat, veggies, and rice to mix together. It was delicious, and we enjoyed it with our beers and ciders by the fire. The perfect end to day 2.

DAY 3 – KINGS CANYON

Day 3 was the earliest wake up of all – but it was beyond worth it. Ashleigh woke us up at 4:30 am, and we had an hour to go to the toilet, pack our things, and eat breakfast before heading off to King’s Canyon. We arrived early enough to actually hike the first bit of it (about an hour) to the top so we could watch the sunrise from the top of the canyon.

The sunrise at Uluru was hard to top, but this came in close second! As the sun rose up, it lit up the red rocks of the canyon perfectly, and the view was out of this world. We were literally standing on the top of a canyon as the sun was coming up. I have never hiked in the dark before, but it was an amazing experience. Not many can say that they have done that.

After we admired the sunrise, we continued the rest of the hike through Kings Canyon. The rest of the hike was about 2 more hours. We saw the watering hole at the base of the canyon, which has never been empty. This was so bizarre to me, thinking that we are in the middle of the desert, but there was this strange tropical oasis in the bottom of the canyon with a constant source of water.

Ashleigh also taught us about a few of the plants and trees that thrive in the canyon.

Kings Canyon was probably my favorite hike of the three. It was a really beautiful place, along with Uluru and Kata Tjuta. I was sad to be leaving these three wonderful places, but we had explored everything I wanted to and more by the end of the Kings Canyon hike.

We then started our journey back toward Alice Springs, stopping along the way to make lunch, which was wraps and leftovers from dinner the night before. We also stopped at a camel farm, where you could ride a racing camel for only $7! Yes, racing camels are a thing, and it is apparently a very popular sport in the outback.

Our last stop of the tour was to take an obligatory group photo in front of the “Welcome to Alice Springs” sign as we made our way back into civilization.

Even though we were dropped off at our accommodation in Alice Springs, the tour wasn’t over just yet. We had plans to go to the Rock Bar in town together as a tour group to have dinner and drinks and say goodbye to everyone. We had an incredible three days together, and I couldn’t imagine seeing the Australian Outback with any other tour guide (shout out to Ashleigh – you were awesome, and I want your playlist!) or any other random bunch of people.

A huge thank you to the Rock Tour for putting together an amazing 3-day and 2-night camping tour. I will remember this weekend forever!

If you would like to book your camping adventure with the Rock Tour, please visit this link for the Alice Springs to Alice Springs return trip:

There are also other options for start and end locations, visit www.backpackerdeals.com to book the best tour for you!

Author’s note: If you would like to read more written by me, you can visit my personal blog at: https://arielearoundtheworld.wordpress.com/

3 Days on K'gari (Fraser Island) with Dropbear Adventures

I have visited quite a few islands during my travels recently. There's Phillip Island down in Victoria south of Melbourne, Rottnest Island in Western Australia outside of Perth, Magnetic Island in Queensland from Townsville, the Whitsunday Islands surrounding Airlie Beach… Each island has been amazing with its unique flair.

There are remarkably over 8,200 Australian islands within its borders, so it might be pretty difficult to visit all of them. However, like those I listed above, there are certain islands that are very special in some way. And yes, I am thinking of one in particular, the island that I looked forward to seeing the most: Fraser Island.

Fraser Island is the second largest island in Australia, and it is known as the “Great Sandy Island” as it is entirely made up of sand, and is the world’s largest sand island. Now, as a backpacker in Australia, Fraser Island is known as the “let’s drive 4WD on the beach adventure island”. Which is true, there are no sealed roads on the island so you have to have a 4WD vehicle or you won’t make it off the ferry. But I wanted to know more. I wanted to see what else this beautiful island could offer.

So I set off on a 3-day and 2-night camping adventure with Dropbear Adventures. And to my surprise, I learned that there is so much more encompassing this island that makes it one of the most special places I have visited yet.

Dropbear Adventures

3 Day/2 Night Fraser Island Camping Safari

DAY 1

Dropbear Adventures picks up from Noosa and Rainbow Beach. Those coming from Noosa will meet at 6:45AM to watch a 30-minute safety video from the Queensland government. This video explains 4WD laws, safety regulations, and general knowledge around Fraser Island.

Once the video is over, everyone in Noosa will split into one of four 4WD vehicles, with our tour guide, Dave, driving the lead car, and those legally able and wanting to drive in the other three following cars. Don’t want to drive, don’t have a license, or not 21 or older? No problem. Being a passenger in the 4WD is just as fun!

Those coming from Rainbow Beach need to meet at Dingo’s Backpacker Resort at 9:00 AM to watch the same video. The Noosa gang will arrive in Rainbow Beach to pick them up between 9:45 AM and 10:00 AM.

Once everyone is checked in, there is a short 30-minute drive from Rainbow Beach to the ferry. The ferry takes about 15 minutes, and then… drumroll please… we finally arrived on Fraser Island!

Right away, we were introduced to the thrill of driving a car on the beach, as the ferry literally drops you off on the beach in some pretty deep sand.

We then set off on our (about an hour-long) journey to camp. Dropbear Adventures has their own “base camp” right off the beach where we eat, sleep, and hang out during the morning and evening. We slept in 3-person tents (but only 2 people per tent) and were given sheets, sleeping bags, and pillows. Worried about sleeping in a tent? Rest assured (literally), the sleeping mats in the tents are actually very comfortable, and you will be falling asleep to the sweet sound of the ocean. It’s all part of the experience!

Camp also had a non-flushing toilet and two outdoor showers with hot water.

Now, on to the good stuff!

When we arrived at camp around 12:30PM, lunch was waiting for us. We were given wraps with traditional fillings.

We also met Josh and Gemma, who actually live on Fraser Island and maintain the camp, as well as cook our delicious meals.

As we were eating, Dave gave us a proper welcome to the island, explained all camp rules, and told us what we would be seeing that day. And right away we gathered what we needed and set off on our way for Day 1’s adventures.

Our first destination was Lake Garawongera. But in order to get there meant an awesome drive along the beach and inland.

What I quickly came to find was that normally, when you are driving to some attraction, you just want to get there and see it. On Fraser Island, however, the drive is equally as exciting! I loved being in the car, driving along the beautiful beaches, watching the waves crash as we sped by. Occasionally we would get to go through some treacherous parts along the way, driving through the water or leaning sideways to bypass a rocky area. It was awesome!

Driving inland means deeper sand tracks and being surrounded by the green forest. Everywhere you look on this island, you’re going to see something beautiful.

We then arrived at Lake Garawongera, a beautiful freshwater lake with pure enough water that you can drink it. Actually, we learned that all of the fresh water on the island is drinkable.

Dave gathered us around to tell us about the lake and the tea tree. Dave explained that the sand in Lake Garawongera (as well as Lake McKenzie) is very high in silicone, so it is a natural exfoliate for your skin, hair, teeth, and even your jewelry. Give yourself a good scrub all over with this fine sand combined with the pure water of the lake, and your skin and hair will be soft as a baby’s bottom.

Dave also explained the significance of the tea trees that surround all of the fresh bodies of water on the island. These trees were extremely important to the Butchulla people, who were the Aboriginal group that first inhabited the island they call, “K’gari”. But for our use today, Dave told us that we could crush a few of the leaves together, extract their natural oils to be used as a “conditioner” for our hair. So essentially, we were told to exfoliate our skin and hair with the sand in the lake, and use tea tree leaf oils to condition our hair.

Naturally, this treatment became my shower of the trip. I brought shampoo and conditioner, but as a test, I didn’t use it once to see how my skin and hair would be by the end of day 3. I’ll get to the results later.

Dave told us that the time we had at the lake was ours; we could stay as long as we wanted. And, given our new knowledge of the lake, we jumped in for a swim! Well, I say that loosely. The water was incredibly cold since it is winter now, but that didn’t stop us. Besides, if Dave saw you cowering from the cold and being a wimp about getting all the way in, he showed no mercy and would make sure you got your hair wet!

We took our time exfoliating and swimming around in the beautiful lake. And Dave, as we learned right away, was full of fun games to play and explained the first of many. I’m not sure what the game was called, but it was a lot of fun, and everyone joined in for a good laugh.

We stayed at Lake Garawongera for a little over an hour, which was when most people were ready to warm back up from our cold swim. We jumped back into the cars and made our way into “town”, where we could visit a market for snacks and drinks and use flush-able toilets.

We drove back to camp as the sun was setting, which made for a beautiful drive along the beach. I just couldn’t control my fascination with the island, how it was virtually untouched, and we could just explore along the beach anywhere we wanted to go.

Back at camp, dinner was underway, and we were given time for tea and coffee and a stroll to the beach to watch the sunset and hang out. One of the best things about Dropbear’s camp was the chilled atmosphere. If you want some tea or coffee and to sit at the table and relax, go for it. If you’re feeling a little more adventurous and want to pour yourself a glass of wine or pop open a beer, go for it. The night is yours, and you are free to do what you like (as long as you respect the camp of course).

Dinner was an amazing traditional Aussie BBQ, with steak (cooked to your preference), sausage, potatoes, greens, and bread.

As we were finishing up dinner, Dave showed off his talented Didgeridoo skills and taught us how to play. The Didgeridoo is a traditional instrument of the Aboriginal men, and you could certainly tell that Dave treated the instrument with the utmost respect and felt honoured to be able to play it. The Didgeridoo also became our alarm in the morning, which was a very peaceful way to wake up.

The rest of the evening was ours to hang out, talk, drink, play games, practice the Didgeridoo, and sleep.

DAY 2

Dave woke us up by playing a relaxing melody on the Didgeridoo at 6:00AM. I had no trouble popping right out of the tent, because Dave had told us the night before that since we were on the eastern side of the island, the sun was going to rise on our side. So the first thing I did was make my way down to the beach to check out the beautiful sunrise. What a perfect way to wake up, sleeping right next to the beach and watching the sunrise over the ocean.

We had an hour from our wake-up call to enjoy the sunrise, eat breakfast, and get ourselves ready for the day. We had quite the itinerary planned for Day 2!

For brekky, we enjoyed eggy toast, leftover steak from dinner, bacon, and cereal.

By 7:00AM we were packed and ready to begin the day. We set off for the beach from our campsite, and to our surprise, we were welcomed on to the beach from two airplanes that were landing right in front of us – on the beach!

Dave stopped us and told us to all get out of the cars as the planes landed and made their way over to us for a visit. We hadn’t even made it 3 minutes from camp before we were in the midst of our first adventure of the day!

Air Fraser Island is the only air charter company that uses the 75 Mile Beach of Fraser Island as their airstrip for scenic flights. And we were lucky enough to have them drop by for a visit!

I was just in awe of the fact that I witnessed an airplane land on the beach right in front of me, and now they were offering to take us for a scenic flight? What an amazing surprise opportunity!

Air Fraser Island offered us a special rate of AUD$60 per seat if we could get at least 7 people to want to go on a 15-minute scenic flight. The flight would go over the ocean to try to spot some migrating humpback whales, and also fly us over the island to see some of the beautiful lakes of Fraser from above.

We had a little over 20 people on our tour, and almost everyone went! I couldn’t miss my chance to see the island from the sky. And how often can you take off and land on a beach runway?

The flight was amazing! The view of the ocean, coast, 75 Mile Beach, the lakes… everything! It was incredible and I am very happy that I did it. It’s not every day that a plane lands in your backyard – only on Fraser Island!

Once the hype of the surprise scenic flight had subsided, we set off on our real itinerary for the day! This began with a 1.5 – 2-hour drive along the 75 Mile Beach towards Indian Head and the Champagne Pools.

Along the way, Dave would occasionally spot whales jumping in the ocean and we would pull over to watch them. We were told that the best place to see them was Indian Head, so we couldn’t wait to get there and look for them. As far as I could tell, they were everywhere!

Around 10AM we arrived at the Champagne Pools, which were two natural “pools” of crystal clear water nestled right next to the ocean. Dave gave us an hour here, where we could swim in the pools, climb on the surrounding rocks, lay out in the sun, or (of course), play a fun game with Dave.

A little way down the beach from the Champagne Pools was Indian Head, which is essentially a large cliff that juts out into the ocean. This is why we were told we could see whales from the top of Indian Head very easily because it allows us to see the deeper water from a higher point.

As soon as we arrived, Dave told us that Indian Head is very important to the Butchulla people and that we must treat it with respect. He said there would be “danger” signs along the cliff edge indicating where we can’t walk past, and he said he took them very seriously, not only for our safety but as a sign of respect for the Butchulla people and what took place at Indian Head. Dave explained that there was a story to be told, but that he was going to save it for when we were back at camp this evening. All he told us before we walked up there was that on this site, over 250 Butchulla women and children were murdered.

That was all he needed to say to convince me to respect this land.

Dave taught us a short acknowledgment we could make to pay our respect to the traditional owners of the land. We did this before entering Indian Head, and a few other locations around the island.

Walking up the short hike to Indian Head, I was amazed by the view I could see from Fraser Island’s most easterly point. The 75 Mile Beach was highlighted on both sides, and looking beyond the cliffs of the tip of Indian Head, we could spot countless whales popping their heads up in the distance. In the shallower water up closer to the cliffs edge, I even spotted a few sea turtles swimming about.

I could have sat up there all day, just admiring the surroundings. I also found myself incredibly curious about the story that Dave would tell us that evening about what happened there. It made me very happy to be travelling with a tour company that cared so much for the Butchulla people and their land, and that I would get to learn more about their culture throughout the three days.

After about an hour, we made our way back down the 75 Mile Beach to where we would have lunch at around 12:30PM. We had another traditional camp lunch of make-your-own wraps.

Our next stop was the famous Maheno Shipwreck. Everyone has seen photos of this amazing ship that got stuck in the sand along the 75 Mile Beach. But finally, we got to learn the story of how it got there.

Dave told us the mystery of how the ship arrived on Fraser Island. The Maheno was once a cruise ship between New Zealand and Australia, a war hospital ship during the first world war, and an outdated and unwanted ship in its later years. A Japanese man purchased the Maheno, stripped it of all parts, and planned to tow the ship back to Japan. Now he claims that they hit a cyclone, and the ship became loose from its tow ship and simply washed up onto the shore. But with no evidence of a cyclone at that time… did that really happen? As such, the mystery remains, and so does the Maheno, stuck on the beach.

Our final stop of Day 2 was Eli Creek, aka Fraser Island’s lazy river. This clear, freshwater creek runs at the perfect speed for a gentle cruise downstream. But Dave (of course) had another game to play. This game was called “Crocodile”, and the group was split into crocodiles and gazelles. The object of the game for the gazelles is to make it all the way to the end of Eli Creek. The object of the game for the crocodiles is to take down as many gazelles as you can, by any means necessary.

I love all of Dave’s games because the water is cold, but it gets you in and having fun! I was a gazelle and was taken down by (more than one) crazy crocodile. But after that, I just wanted to float in the creek and let the natural current take me to the end.

We chilled out on the beach next to Eli Creek for the rest of the afternoon. Dave used two of the cars to hold up a “net” separating two sides of beach volleyball. Some of us went down the creek multiple times. Others just wanted to lay in the sun and talk.

After a while, Dave showed off his girly side and offered to braid our hair. As it turns out, he was really good at it! Funny as it was to see macho Dave braiding the girls’ hair, we discovered that he learned how to do it from tying knots in his previous job: being a crocodile “relocator”. He didn’t seem so girly after that! Also Dave… you have had the coolest jobs ever.

As the sun started to set, our day was not over. We headed back to camp to get ready for dinner. Along the way, we were surprised again by seeing a dingo strolling along the beach next to where we were driving! Dingoes are wild dogs native to Australia but are commonly found wandering about Fraser Island. It’s always lucky to get to see one!

Back at camp, we were starving from the day’s adventures and couldn’t wait for dinner, which was chicken and vegetable stir fry with rice.

What we most anticipated, however, was Dave’s story.

Dave gathered us at the tables and sat down for a very long, thorough, and impactful story of the island’s history. This story was well over an hour long, but everyone was engaged and captivated through its entirety.

Now, I don’t want to spoil this story for those that may be traveling with Dropbear in the future, so I will save it for your tour guide. All I will say today is that there is so much more to this island, K’gari, that meets the eye. It’s easy to just want to go there to drive a 4WD on the beach and party with other backpackers at your campsite. But to actually have the privilege of learning about the Aboriginal spirit of K’gari and how she took her island form as Fraser Island, which is why it is known to the indigenous people as K’gari. To understand the Butchulla people and their culture is an honour. To hear of what happened when the white man came to the island is horrific. To be told the “story” of how the island was given the name “Fraser Island” actually, makes me very upset and angry.

Throughout my experience with Dropbear Adventures, I became more and more relieved that I was traveling with them instead of a different tour company on Fraser Island. Even just the little things, like teaching us bits and pieces of Aboriginal culture along our drive. Or wearing shirts that say “K’gari” instead of Fraser Island out of respect for the traditional owners of the land. And especially telling us that story that Dave told us during that night.

I could have left this island knowing nothing about the Butchulla people. Or I could have gone with Dropbear Adventures and been enlightened and educated about this region and the oldest surviving culture of the entire world.

Dropbear Adventures cares so much about the Butchulla people that they are even hosting a petition to change the name of the island from Fraser Island to K’gari. What better tour company could you go with than one that takes so much pride in this island? I was beyond impressed with their determination to this amazing cause.

Day 2 was an incredible day and night, and I couldn’t wait to see what more was to come on Day 3.

DAY 3

Dave let us sleep in until 6:30AM on Day 3, waking us up again with the peaceful sounds of the Didgeridoo.

We had breakfast, cleaned up camp, packed our belongings, and made our way to Lake McKenzie.

Lake McKenzie is arguably the most well-known attraction of K’gari (from now on I will use the traditional name). With its white sand beach and crystal clear blue water, this lake has probably one of the most picturesque landscapes I have ever seen. For us, we saved the best for last.

We drove for about 1.5 hours to get to Lake McKenzie and arrived around 8:30AM. We had about 3 hours to relax, swim, play games, and chill at the lake, which was both plenty of time and not enough time! I could have stayed there all day if it were up to me.

It was exactly how I hoped it would be. You know when you arrive somewhere, and it doesn’t look as good as it does in the photos? Well, that is most certainly not the case for Lake McKenzie. It was even more beautiful than I imagined.

The water was very, very cold, but by this point, I had perfected the “just run and jump in” method quite well. The sand here was also very high in silicone, so just like we did in Lake Garawongera, we exfoliated our skin and washed our hair.

As I said before, I decided not to use actual soap on my hair and just use the sand and freshwater throughout the 3 days to see how it would be. And I must admit, that sand did wonders to my hair! It actually felt clean and touch-ably soft by the end of the third day. I wish I could just use the sand forever and throw my shampoo out the window!

I spent some time swimming around and, of course, getting my cliché, Instagram-able photos.

After a while, Dave announced that another one of his many talents was doing the famous life at the end of the Dirty Dancing movie, and he asked if anyone wanted to have a go. Of course, I raised my hand! I am no dancer, but I wasn’t about to miss that opportunity!

It took a couple of tries, but how amazing is this photo?? Shout out to Dave for not dropping me.

After three hours of fun in the sun at Lake McKenzie, we headed into town for lunch and our final destination of the trip: the rainforest and Wanggoolba Creek.

Around 1:00PM, Dave showed us around Wanggoolba Creek, which is sacred land to Aboriginal women. This creek flows through the rainforest of K’gari, which is actually the only rainforest in the world that grows on sand. He taught us about how the Butchulla women would come here to give birth (and finally have the right to do so again today), as well as about several of the native trees and plants.

All too soon, our time on K’gari was coming to an end. We made our way to the Dropbear Adventures Beach House Hostel for some ice pops and to say our final goodbyes to the team.

We arrived back at Rainbow Beach around 4:30PM and those returning back to Noosa arrived around 6:30-7PM.

I want to personally thank Dave and the Dropbear Adventures team for an incredible experience on K’gari. I mean this sincerely when I say I couldn’t imagine a better tour than what you have in place. It is a very special adventure that made a huge impact on me and that I will always remember.

If you would like to book your 3 Day / 2 Night Camping Adventure on K’gari (Fraser Island) and see for yourself why I love this island the most, see the link below and book your tour today!

https://www.backpackerdeals.com/australia/fraser-island/3day-2night-fraser-island-wilderness-camping-4wd-adventure

Want to see K’gari but don’t have 3 days? See the link below for Dropbear Adventure’s 2 Day / 1 Night tour:

https://www.backpackerdeals.com/australia/fraser-island/fraser-island-4wd-safari-adventure

Travelling during the year? Find out what to expect at K'gari in January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December

Epic Ocean Adventures - 3 Hour Surf Lesson and 4WD Experience

Okay, it’s time to talk about surfing in Australia. On the outside, Australia is portrayed as a country with countless small beach towns where everyone that lives there wakes up and heads to the beach for a nice surf before starting their day.

To be honest, this assumption is not far off. This is due in part mostly because of the sheer number of amazing surf spots to check out.

No matter where I am in Australia, I will always pass a beach inhabited with surfers. So, naturally, with the high prevalence of surfers in this beautiful-beached country, it became an Aussie rite of passage to participate in the surf scene. After all, if you visit Australia and don’t take a surf lesson… did you really visit Australia?

I found Epic Ocean Adventures a while back and knew right away that I wanted Backpackerdeals to partner with them. The main reason for this (other than their 5-star rating on TripAdvisor), was that they put an interesting twist on a traditional surf lesson: Double Island Point.

Double Island Point is their secret surf spot. What’s so cool about Double Island Point? Well, to start, it is absolutely gorgeous. From a surfer’s perspective, however, it is home to some of the longest waves you can surf in Australia.

But the real kicker? You can only access Double Island Point by driving 4WD along the beach. So what does that mean (other than a fun 4WD beach driving experience)? Secluded waters away from all of the tourists. Driving to Double Island Point genuinely made me feel like I was about to surf in a private remote location that only few know about. And that is something that you can’t get from most other tour companies here in Oz.

With high expectations for my very first surf lesson, both in Australia and ever, I wanted to go on an epic adventure with Epic Ocean Adventures.

Epic Ocean Adventures

3 Hour Surf Lesson & 4WD Experience

Rainbow Beach, Queensland, Australia

Our day began at 5:45AM (yes, I said 5:45AM), by meeting at the Epic Ocean Adventures office on the main street in Rainbow Beach. Why so early? Well, the departure time of the surf lesson will change throughout the year because it is entirely based on the tide. There are two reasons for this: one being the ability to access Double Island Point safely, since you have to drive along the beach to get there. The other is to allow for the best possible surfing waves during your lesson.

After checking in and meeting Ty and Sean, the owners and tour guides, we set off for Double Island Point by 6:00AM.

I think it is important to note that not only was this about to be my first surf lesson, it was also my first time driving on a beach. It took about 30 minutes to get to Double Island Point from Rainbow Beach, and 25 minutes of that were 4WD on the beach.

That first moment that we turned off the sealed road and just drove straight onto the beach was so surreal! How strange that you can just literally drive your car on the beach? The ocean was directly to our left, so close that we even drove through the water a few times. The sand was flat and smooth, making it easy to cruise along… and fast.

Ty and Sean told us along the way that beaches in Australia are treated the exact same as sealed roads. They have a speed limit, you drive on the left side when passing other cars, and police do patrol the beach. I thought this was amazing… only in Australia would this be a real thing!

The general speed limit for beaches is 80 km/hr, which is actually very fast considering that the conditions of the beach can change very rapidly. There are certain areas that are reduced to 40 km/hr for safety, and you will actually see a road sign on the side of the beach indicating how fast you can go.

Along our drive, we searched the waters to spot dolphins, which was another perk to waking up so early for the lesson. Occasionally, Ty and Sean would notice a few dolphins pop their heads out of the water and direct us to see them. In my eyes, there was nothing cliché about watching the sunrise while driving along the beach and spotting dolphins.

As we got closer to Double Island Point, Ty and Sean made note of the famous Coloured Sands that we were driving past. These colourful, sandy cliffs lining the beach are a top attraction in Rainbow Beach. With 72 known colours of sand, these cliffs are likely to have been forming since the last ice age and got their colours from years of erosion.

As a part of the 4WD experience, you will definitely go through some more treacherous parts of the beach where the sand is a bit deeper or there is only one narrow passageway to continue further. These parts were the most fun of the drive! It was a bumpy ride, but that brought quite the adventure to our journey.

Finally, we arrived at Double Island Point around 6:30AM and got ready to surf. As it is winter here now, we were given wet suits to help keep us warm. To my surprise though, I came to find that it was actually much warmer in the water than standing on the beach!

Sean was our surf instructor for the day, and he started out by laying our boards on the sand to teach us the proper surfing technique. He helped us determine where to position your body on the board when you were paddling, how to “pop up”, and which foot to place in front. We practiced the procedure several times, with Sean correcting us on anything we were doing wrong. Sean didn’t want us to go into the water until he felt that we could pop up a few times correctly on the sand. This was very helpful, as I already felt more confident with what to do before we even entered the water.

Sean then led us into the water to the best spot to catch waves. The waves were, from my standards, the perfect size to surf for the first time. They weren’t too big as to intimidate me if I crashed (which would happen a lot), but not so small as to make it hard to stand up and balance yourself.

What I liked most about surfing with Sean was that he made it his priority to optimize our time in the water. As soon as we arrived at our starting point, he immediately got the first person paddling up to their first wave.

It was my turn to go, and Sean instructed me to paddle, giving me a gentle push as the wave got closer and said, “NOW!” when it was time to pop up. I managed the pull my body up to get my feet flat, but I realised quickly just how wobbly the board would be when riding the wave! I wiped out right away.

But here was the awesome part: right before I fell off the board, I saw a small sea turtle swimming by in the wave below me! I would like to say that getting distracted by the beautiful sea turtle was the reason I fell, but who am I kidding. This was a very rare sighting and I feel very lucky to have seen it!

Back to surfing, I paddled back to Sean, who watched for any mistakes I had made to improve my ability to stand up on the next go. And right then I was paddling up to the next wave.

Already improving, even on the second go I was able to (sort of) stand up. Every time, I would catch a wave, wipe out, and go back to Sean for guidance.

Finally, on the fifth attempt, I stood up! I was able to balance myself in the proper position and I surfed the wave for about 10 seconds. It was incredible! I see what the buzz is about when it comes to surfing; it is great fun and every time, you want to get better and better, surfing again and again until you catch that perfect wave.

As we started to get better, Sean let us go on our own. His philosophy was that if you feel confident and want to try it on your own – go for it! But he was always there if you wanted some extra help or advice.

Throughout the lesson, Sean gave personalised tips to each of us. If he saw that we were popping up too close to the front of the board, he would tell us to scoot back and show us where our feet should be. Any mistake he noticed, he would not only bring it to our attention, he would show us exactly what to do to fix it and improve it.

But I have to say, my favourite part about surfing with Sean was that every time I stood up, I would look back at Sean and he would be cheering for me with his thumbs up high in the air. He genuinely cared about getting everyone to stand up, and I could tell that every time someone surfed a wave, it was a small victory for him that brought him much joy.

Our last 30 minutes in the water, Sean gave to us to have free time to catch as many waves as we wanted to. I had an absolute blast, paddling up to as many waves as I could, standing up, and wiping out. I could have done that all day! Even wiping out is fun; I think I was smiling and laughing the entire lesson.

What I learned about surfing is that they key to improving is simply not to get frustrated. Just have fun with it! Laugh at yourself when you wipe out and go back and try again.

When Sean called us back onto the beach to return to Rainbow Beach, I knew that couldn’t be my last time surfing. I was very satisfied with the 2-hour lesson, as I felt it was plenty of time to learn how to surf, practice, and actually enjoy surfing. But as I’m sure all surfers out there would agree with me, any time limit is not enough!

Around 8:30AM, we packed up the car and made our way back to Rainbow Beach. The return trip was even better than the first because the sun was up and really highlighted the amazing colours of the Coloured Sands. Ty and Sean pulled over at one point and let us take some photos.

We were back at the Epic Ocean Adventures office by 9:00AM. I couldn’t believe how much I had already done when most people were just starting the day! My first surf lesson couldn’t have been more epic.

I want to personally thank Ty and Sean for letting me tag along on the awesome surf adventure! I had an amazing time, and you two have a wonderful company.

If you would like to join Ty and Sean on their next epic adventure, see the link below to book your 3 Hour Surf Lesson and 4WD Adventure today!

https://www.backpackerdeals.com/australia/rainbow-beach/surf-lessons-and-4wd-adventure-on-rainbow-beach

For more amazing tours and experiences, visit https://www.backpackerdeals.com/ .

Snorkel & Dive the Great Barrier Reef with Reef Daytripper

The Great Barrier Reef is one of those highlights of Australia that I can’t imagine you would even fathom leaving this country without seeing for yourself. You learn about this magnificent reef in school, you see it featured in popular movies like Finding Nemo, and you dream about the day you get to jump off the boat and admire its unique beauty.

When I knew I was going to be coming to Cairns – a Great Barrier Reef hub – of course I planned to head out onto the reef. There are about a million tour companies that head out daily for snorkel and dive tours, and they all visit different reefs and locations. It can be challenging to decide which one to go with, because if you only go once, you want to make it count!

As a traveller, I thoroughly enjoy small, personalised groups when I take a tour, and preferably with an owner-operated company. I am not so much a fan of those giant commercial tour buses that drive everywhere you go and say, “…and to your left we have x, y, z…” because you just feel like a seat on a bus. I’m sure most backpackers out there would agree with me on this one.

That being said, I couldn’t have made a better decision than to go with Reef Daytripper for my Great Barrier Reef tour! With a small, owner-operated catamaran that can only take 20 people max, friendly guides that actually remember your name and genuinely care if you have a great time, and stopping at some of the best locations for snorkelling and diving, Reef Daytripper has everything you are looking for and more!

Snorkel & Dive 1 Day Tour with Reef Daytripper

Our day started at 7:30am at the boat, where we would meet the crew, pay the $15 reef and tax levy (if you hadn’t already), fill out the necessary paperwork for snorkelling and diving, and enjoy morning tea and coffee. The boat departed at 8:00am and we were on our way!

Right away, we got a safety briefing from Lena, one of our guides. She introduced us to our Captain, Des, and our other guide, Trent. She also explained the layout of the catamaran, what to do in case of an emergency, and how to use the life jackets should we need them.

We then continued the two-hour journey to Upolu Reef, where we were able to chill and relax in the amazing bow nets located on the front of the catamaran. These nets were so comfortable, it was like hovering over the water in a hammock with the wind blowing and the hot sun shining over you. Needless to say, I enjoyed a peaceful morning nap.

As we got closer to the reef, Trent gave us a briefing about snorkelling, how to use the mask and fins, and explained how to keep the reef safe while we were out there enjoying it. He also explained a few species of marine life we should expect to see, including clown fish (aka Nemo), sea turtles, reef sharks, and other tropical fish.

For those that were going SCUBA diving, Lena explained the process and safety procedures for Introductory Diving before taking them out on a guided tour. I only participated in the snorkelling, so I did not experience the introductory dive with the others.

Finally, at around 10:30am, we arrived at Upolu Reef, located on the very edge of the outer Great Barrier Reef. We gathered our masks and our fins and we made our way to the back of the boat.

As I made my way down the stairs to the edge of the water, I slipped on my fins and tightened my mask. I jumped into the cool water that felt amazing against the intensity of the hot sun. The sheer thrill of being in the water took over me as I started to swim around in the deep, crystal-clear, blue water. As a group, we followed Trent to the reef, and in an instant, the underwater world came to life.

For 1.5 hours, we followed Trent around the reef in a “loose” guided snorkel tour. I say loose because we were free to see what we wanted, but we stayed as a group and remained near Trent. Which for the first part of the snorkelling was actually very helpful, because Trent knows the reef well and was able to point out amazing things for us to see. He showed us some giant clams, a bright blue starfish, and he found Nemo!

I was just amazed at everything that surrounded me. Everywhere you look, you see something incredible. We dove down over and over again to get a closer look at all of the coral and the tropical fish. There were so many species, all made up of different sizes and colors. I found myself chasing after a lot of the fish, swimming around in circles, taking a thousand photos and videos (even though I knew they wouldn’t be able to depict the true natural beauty accurately).

All too soon, the 1.5 hours had passed by, and we all gathered back onto the boat for lunch at 12:00. As the guides were preparing our buffet-style lunch on the table, we drove about 15 minutes to the next location, still on Upolu Reef but in a different area.

For lunch, the guides served us huge platters of cold meats, drumsticks, pasta salad, potato salad, classic tossed salad, and bread. There was more than enough food for everyone to go back for seconds (or thirds…). We worked up quite the appetite swimming around!

Starting from about 12:30pm (or whenever you finished lunch), we were free to explore the new location of the reef entirely on our own for another 1.5 hours. This second spot was my favourite of the two, as some parts were a bit deeper than the first, allowing us to dive down more. At this location was also where I spotted a reef shark and a beautiful sea turtle.

One minute, we were wandering around, and the next minute, we spotted the shark. It was a little over a meter in length (I would guess), and it was swimming around beneath us without a care in the world. We (quietly) attempted to follow the shark for as long as we could before it swam away. The thing with sharks that is so fascinating to me, is that you equate “shark” with “danger”, understandably so given media history. However, as I followed this reef shark, I was not afraid. In fact, the shark was most assuredly more afraid of me than I of it. In this instance, I felt it was more of a reward than a risk to spot the shark, and I felt very lucky to have had the opportunity to swim with it.

Even crazier, at about the moment we lost the shark, we turned around, and there was a sea turtle swimming under us! Finally, I saw the marine creature I had hoped to see most! It was such an incredible moment to see this (very large) sea turtle cruising about below me. We followed it for what seemed like a few seconds but I’m sure it was a few minutes. Eventually, the turtle swam into deeper water, so we could no longer see it. I was absolutely ecstatic that I was able to experience that moment. Definitely felt like once in a lifetime (although I hope it can happen again someday).

Around 2:00pm, we were called back onto the boat. While I was sad to leave the water, I was very satisfied with my time snorkeling. I could have snorkeled all day if that was possible! But three-hours total was more than enough time to see what I wanted to see.

The Reef Daytripper crew definitely knew how to celebrate a great day on the reef, and we each were able to have a complimentary glass of wine when we got back onto the boat. We certainly had a lot to “cheers” about!

Around 2:15pm, we started to head back to Cairns. Once the boat started moving, it kicked in just how tired I was from all of the snorkeling. I had a nice, relaxing nap during the cruise on the way back to Cairns.

As we got a bit closer to Cairns, Lena and Trent started passing around platters of tropical fruits, cheese, and crackers. A wonderful (and delicious) afternoon snack.

We arrived back in Cairns around 4:30pm after an absolutely incredible day. Thank you so much to Reef Daytripper and the crew for the best experience on the reef I could ask for! And a special thank you to Paul and Renee for letting me tag along! I only have wonderful things to say about your tour 🙂

If you would like to book your 1 Day Great Barrier Reef tour with Reef Daytripper, please visit this link:

https://www.backpackerdeals.com/australia/cairns/reef-daytripper-snorkel-and-dive-sailing-tour

For more amazing tours, visit www.backpackerdeals.com to book the best tour for you!

Author’s note: If you would like to read more written by me, you can visit my personal blog at: https://arielearoundtheworld.wordpress.com/

Pinnacles and Sand Boarding - Tours With A Twist

1 Day Pinnacles Desert and Sand Boarding Adventure

Tours With A Twist

I have come to notice as I have arrived in Perth that Western Australia is extremely underrated. With beautiful and seemingly untouched white sand beaches, bizarre geographic landmarks, and endless adventure, it makes me wonder why more travellers don’t take advantage of the west coast.

When I decided to come to Perth, I learned of a day trip attraction known as the Pinnacles Desert and immediately wrote it down in my list of must-sees from the area. The Pinnacles is a “desert” located in Nambung National Park, covered in a series of strange limestone rock formations. I say “desert” in quotations, because I actually learned from Suzan on the tour that the Pinnacles, while it looks like a desert, doesn’t actually have sufficient features to be considered a desert. But alas, the name stuck, so Pinnacles Desert it is!

Little did I know, I was in for quite the adventure with Suzan and Tours With A Twist! The Pinnacles Desert was just one of many stops throughout the day. Suzan certainly proved to put a “twist” on a traditional day tour.

Tours With A Twist is a locally owned and operated tour company based in Perth. Suzan is wonderful and very knowledgeable about the area. She offers two fantastic tours, a Pinnacles Desert one-day tour (featured here) and a Hold a Koala Tour. Both tours are available for bookings on https://www.backpackerdeals.com/.

1 Day Pinnacles and Sand Boarding Adventure

Pick Up: 8:20am at the Perth Train Station

Our first stop of the day was only about a 30-minute drive from Perth – Yanchep National Park – where we would be able to spot wild kangaroos hopping about the park. There were heaps of them wandering around – we had no problems finding them! Plenty of photo opportunities with one of Australia’s favourite animals.

We also had an opportunity to stroll along the Koala Boardwalk of the park, where we were in search for another Aussie favourite. Of the ten koalas living in the park, we were able to locate seven of them. A few of which decided to take a nap on a branch right in front of us!

We were given a bit of free time to wander around the park on our own. The park itself was beautiful and made for a very scenic walkabout. We of course spotted several more kangaroos soaking up the sun along the way as well.

Suzan told us that our next stop (about a 45-minute drive from Yanchep) was relatively unknown to many tourists, and she referred to it as a “local secret”. It became clear to me upon arriving why the locals prefer to keep the small coastal town of Guilderton to themselves. The Moore river runs through the town, and actually comes to an end as it approaches the ocean. But instead of the water flowing straight into the coastal waters, it is remarkably separated by a natural sand bar. So essentially, you are able to see two completely different bodies of water side by side, maintaining their own unique beauty.

I took a relaxing walk down the sandbar and found it so fascinating to look to my left and see deep blue, red, and gold water that made up the Moore river, and look to my left and see the crystal clear ocean. You also have the option to go for a swim here, but sadly as it has now turned winter for my tour, I wasn’t planning to make the plunge into the freezing waters!

We then made our way toward Lancelin (about a 45-minute drive), where we had a nice lunch of sandwiches and drinks right by one of the beautiful white sand beaches. For lunch we were able to choose between chicken, ham, salmon, and egg sandwiches, or vegetarian options were available. Suzan also gave us a cooler of assorted drinks to choose from.

While we were in Lancelin, Suzan took us to the impressive sand dunes nearby so that we could get a bit of an adrenaline rush! We followed Suzan to the top of one of the steep dunes and she showed us how to properly sand board down the dunes. One by one, we went down the steep slope, and it was such a thrill! There is something about sliding down a natural sand dune that is incredibly exhilarating – perhaps it is because you know you won’t get this opportunity many times in your life! You can always go skiing or snowboarding, but how often can you fly down a massive sand dune?

By this point in the day, we had already had so much fun that I was already satisfied with the tour. But then we made our way to the main attraction – the Pinnacles! Our final stop of the day certainly verifies that sometimes you really do save the best for last.

We first made a stop at the Pinnacles Interpretive Centre, where we could see an art gallery of beautiful photos taken of the Pinnacles. There was also an educational aspect of the Centre, as we were able to learn about how the limestone formations came to be, and what sort of creatures inhabit the area.

Finally, we pulled into the national park, and the view was even more spectacular than the photos and post cards I had seen. The rock formations are simply fascinating. Each one is uniquely different, coming in all shapes and sizes. But the real shock was just how many of them there were. Everywhere you looked, you would see hundreds of them, and I couldn’t help but wonder the entire time how this really happened. I know I read about the science of it at the Centre, but I just couldn’t fathom how it was possible. I had never seen anything like it!

In the Pinnacles Desert there is a driving path that goes through the park. Suzan drove us through the, seemingly off-road desert path and we stopped at 3 different locations where we were given time to wander around and take photos. Each time we stopped, the awe just restarted over and over again. The Pinnacles are beautiful, and I am very glad I was able to see it for myself.

After we left the Pinnacles, we made our way back to Perth, stopping along the way for snacks or food. It was a very long day, but I didn’t want it to end! I wondered what other gems Suzan might have had under her sleeve to show us. Until next time!

Thank you so much to Suzan and Tours With A Twist for a wonderful day!

If you would like to book your 1 Day Pinnacles and Sand Boarding Tour, please visit the following link:

https://www.backpackerdeals.com/australia/perth/pinnacles-and-sand-boarding-full-day-tour

Visit www.backpackerdeals.com to book the best tour for you!

Author’s note: If you would like to read more written by me, you can visit my personal blog at: https://arielearoundtheworld.wordpress.com/