When I was a lad, fresh from first year uni, I went on a central oz tour – we saw many things, but no the Olgas. Jo and I were determined to explore them this time around and we did so starting with a sunrise.
Driving towards them, you have no sense of their scale, that is soon rectified however.
From a distance, the mounds look smooth, up close the mounds are layered lumpy conglomerate – rocks, stoned and boulders cemented together and glowing red with iron oxide.
We explored Walpa Gorge in the early morning, walking to the furthest most point, joined there by a load of school kids. It was blowy and cool whilst the sun was rising, but soon heated up as the rocks glowed red with the rising sun.
After a short rest, we tackled “The Valley of the Winds” walk, to the first lookout – this path takes you in among the mounds and was most spectacular indeed. We opted not to do the extended circuit (partly because we were already buggered, partly because we had a bigger few days of walking ahead).
Lunch followed and then a leisurely drive back to the resort for a rest and the next sunset vantage point.