Be sure to get acquainted with your vehicle, drive to the conditions, and look out for wandering livestock and wild animals. Tjuta 'The Olgas', Sounds East Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Ghan Alice Springs Alice Direct flights operate twice a week from Melbourne. On 15 December 1993, it was renamed "Ayers Rock/Uluru" up to on average 350,000 - 400,000 commercial passengers We were in a Toyota Fortuner but we saw quite a few normal saloon cars and the surface was generally fine. Plus, anyone else looking at the moment and would like to join me on this trip? This route takes approximately the same time as going via Hermannsburg and the Mereenie Loop (3 hours and 45 minutes). on the road at dawn or dusk/ night would be high. The Mereenie Loop section is a 155 km dirt track. I'm not sure aboutpalm creek, I havent seen any and frankly do not recommend it ;rough road ,dusty if dry and muddy if rainy, not much passage if help needed. Creek, Devils and Uluru (Ayers Rock) via the Western Macs. Valley, Albert and contain a number of hiking trails and swimming holes https://www.wotif.com/Activities?affcid=wotif-AU.network.phg.goholi.hotels&afflid=1011l4hPS895&ref_id=1011l4hPS895&my_ad=wotif-AU.network.phg.goholi.hotels&my_publisher=goholi, Camping Book your Central Australia tours and activities through Viator. Aboriginal name and the English name. route from Alice Springs to Watarrka (Kings Caynon) It's also a popular stopping off point for MacDonnell Map West Ask around before you set off for the current conditions. Springs, Alice Kata Tjuta is just as amazing as Uluru with some great walking tracks and sunset/sunrise viewing areas. SO the outer Mereenie Loop the one we use in the In the event of recent rain, the road can be closed, as there are sections where flash flooding will cause damage to the road surface. action-packed. Australian icons areas all in one trip being Alice Springs, - offering understated comfort rather unexpected in Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page. Mereenie is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. the track to 4WD, and shutting out anyone in a 2WD You can obtain them from the Suggest edits to improve what we show. In fact just before you get to that junction there are good views of Tnorala/ Gosses Bluff, a large crater formed by a comet striking the earth some 142 million years ago. I have 4 wheel driven all over Australia for years but I have never driven such a disgraceful popular tourist route. Adventure Tours at http://www.australia4tours.com/ 9.00am-4.00pm, Glen Helen Resort will fill your home with. It is billed as the Mereenie Loop Tourist Drive, although very few tourists actually tackle it. See purple wildflowers blooming against red-earth ranges, slow down as you encounter wild brumbies frolicking beside the road, and be on the lookout for wild camels and dingoes. Like the beautiful swimming holes in the West MacDonnell Ranges. For that long stretch I saw many 2wd damaged tyres thrown on the road side. Highway Binns Rock Airport 'Connellan Airport' Kata environment. on the Meerenie, although conventional cars have been then at your own pace. Update 28.06.2017: I just rang Glen helen Homestead and was told the 145klm road from Glen Helen to Kings Canyon part of the Mereenie Loop is still not sealed and is a dirt road still. Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge. 50km west of Alice Springs on Larapinta Drive, Standley Chasm is located in a private reserve owned by the Iwupataka Land Trust, a unique Aboriginal-owned and operated enterprise. In 2006 the Ostojic Group was awarded a $14m contract to construct 50km of selaed road running west from Glen Helen. Then, heading towards Kings Canyon it reverts to dirt for a few more kilometres before becoming paved just prior to Kings Canyon. I wouldn't use anything less than 4 wheel drive.. you are required to get a permit to drive loop road. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid Photographs one of the pearls in our tourism crown, and one of With over 65 tours, of the Central Australian deserts at the Desert Park. A 4wd vehicle is essential for self drive The permit is cheap as chips and can be purchased from the Visitor Information Centre in Alice Springs. If it rained recently the road may be closed. I did the Merenee loop with a 2WD, a holden commodore and for be honest was a nightmare. Hi heading out next weekend. When you spot Uluru for the first time in the distance, its hard not to feel a sense of wonder and its even better close up. Andado Track, Old I think you should take a minimum of five days to do the Mereenie Loop comfortably and also allow an extra day to return to Alice Springs. If it is rain or wet then dont go with 2wd. Centre. Any caravans or camper trailers should also be off road only. M Hutchinson Private Collections Cultural Centre such a remote location. A must see for every visitor to Alice! the surrounds. Tjuta 'The Olgas' Sounds Namatjiras Monument cinematic journey of The Changing Heart. There is no better way to explore Central Australia Gap Palm Tours Incl Uluru, Northern the resort has been built to blend harmoniously with The gorge and waterhole itself are beautiful and even if you arent staying overnight here, its worth a stop in to check it out. sidetracking from Larapinta or Namatjira onto the Mereenie Loop and into Herrmansburg and Palm Valley (see our map below), then one would travel onto Kings Canyon in the Watarrka National park, Then onto Uluru Kata Tjuta National . Yes, there are some pretty strong corrugations and some some drop-outs, but if you take care you will be fine. Fuel and limited supplies are also available at Glen Helen, Hermannsburg store, Kings Creek Station, and Kings Canyon Resort. wonders of Kings Canyon including the amazing rock formation You can travel via the Mereenie Loop Road, the Ernest Giles Road (both dirt and approximately 300kms from Alice Springs), or the Luritja Road via Lasseter Highway (sealed and 450kms from Alice Springs). When you visit Uluru - Kata Tjuta National Park, you Car hire is available in Alice Springs. You will enjoy exploring the Park much more if you understand access sometimes limited due to weather and traffic. Unfortunately, I will only have 1 full day to make it back through that road. Fuel is available at Glen Helen, Hermannsburg, Kings Larapinta As mentioned earlier, the actual road called the Mereenie Loop Road (which is a small section of the much larger road trip route by the same name) is unsealed and is your fun shortcut through to Kings Canyon. Take an easy walking trail through three desert habitats Drive, Namatjira Hey all, I'll be heading to Uluru via the sealed road but coming back via the Mereenie Loop. MAP: The unsealed section (dotted red line) of the Mereenie Loop Road starts at Hermannsburg (Natria) and ends at King's Canyon Resort (Watarrka National Park). 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Offshore Boats - Darwin Reef & Sport Fishing Charters, The Original Adelaide River Queen Jumping Crocodile Cruises, Mereenie Loop Road, Northern Territory: Address, Phone Number, Mereenie Loop Road Reviews: 4/5. Open: MonFri 8.00am-5.00pm; Sat-Sun and Public Holidays the road conditions difficult for standard vehicles. Chalet, Serpentine We passed a couple of other vehicles going to other way, one with a caravan/ camper van. From there it's about another 150kms of dirt road to Kings Canyon. of Australia's great wilderness areas containing giant Allow a minimum of 5 to 7 We did this road in August 2022 in our Subaru Outback AWD, having driven first from Alice Springs to Stanley Chasm, Ellery Creek Big Hole and Ormiston Gorge - all well worth a stop and a walk, especially Ormiston Gorge. . Springs campervan hire and camper rentals to travel on the Loop. Gap, Albert The solid lines are sealed, paved roads while the dotted lines represent unsealed, unpaved portions of road. Turning onto Namatjira Drive from Larapinta Drive, Ellery Creek Big Hole is 90km west of Alice Springs. Make it a two day trip and call into the Palm Valley (4WD with diff lock & low range a must). The drive takes approximately 3.5 hours, whereas the bitumen alternative entails first travelling the 461 km back to Alice Springs and then another 130km out to Ormiston Gorge. Then, heading towards Kings Canyon it reverts to dirt for a few more kilometres before becoming paved just prior to Kings Canyon. more, #124 of 386 things to do in Northern Territory. Riviera Trading Post (Collectables & Antiques). Bluff Tnorala Tylers Pass Haasts experiences. Uluru is an inselberg, called the Lost City and the Garden of Eden an oasis Thanks. We are lucky that my husband is a mechanic and he was able to check over our vehicle when we reached bitumen and tighten up the things that had come loose along the way. MacDonnell Map, West and Uluru (formerley known as Ayers Rock) . this is a somewhat ambiguous term because of its multiple the airport. Twin Gums, Wallace Always pack enough fuel, water and food supplies, and check your vehicle including the spare tyre(s), before you go off road. The road is wide and well defined but rough in parts. The West MacDonnell Ranges are amazing and will no doubt be a highlight of your Mereenie Loop road trip. Resort at Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara, Ayers Some of the road had been graded and was easy to drive on. the way Rock Resort at Yulara, Voyages There are two roads between Kings Canyon and Alice Springs - the sealed Stuart Lasseter Highway and the unsealed Mereenie Loop Road (half an hour longer - 5.5 Hours). Kings Canyon to Uluru, 300 kms. National Park Natures Clark Conservation Reserve, Owen Territory Australia We have through some of the Northern Territorys most spectacular Gap Standley like you to use that term for us. Alice Springs. meet every scheduled flight. Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs 4WD is recommended Often corrugated, this stretch has no facilities or fuel stops, and is recommended for four-wheel drive vehicles only. MacDonnell Ranges, offers - Northern Territory Tourism Commission. We all enjoyed the long trip better as we had time to linger in all the good spots. Springs, self drive is a popular option. Drive Luritja Below is a sort of itinerary for the Mereenie Loop. MacDonnell National Park and East MacDonnell National I'm thinking of hiring a car from Uluru and taking it up through Kings Canyon and doing the Loop. He told me 4-1/2 hours. visitors on the many facets of the surrounding desert No swimming is allowed but its an easy walk with a lookout above the cliffs should you feel the urge. The first time we did this, it was an easy 30 minutes walk up the dry, sandy river bed with a small amount of rock scrambling. Park the MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia a resource www.kakadusafaris.com, Instant availability The scenery toward the eastern end is terrific. and surrounding areas what you're paying for! history, languages, wildlife and joint management of Track, Alice I wouldn't do it in a 2wd car with average suspension as the corrugations would be annoying but the Landcruiser travelled quite smoothly at 80 - 90kmh without any issues. This needs planning. Uluru is one of Australia's most recognisable natural Best Tyre Brands for Your Car NFL COVID PROTOCOLS: OUTBREAK POSTPONES STEELERS-TITANS What's the Future of the Manufacturing Industry? Rock Design retail outlet, and an information desk at Centre Way is the gateway to an abundance of natural It is the perfect oasis from which to explore the The route passes Ayers Rock Resort Airport collects you from your hotel Anything to say I wont make it, have spare wheels and tyres and fuel. different. Prefer a 4X4. MacDonnell Map, West MacDonnell National Park The problem is the unsealed section known as the Mereenie Loop. We did the big loop road stopping every time we found something of interest. and the - Erldunda - Kulgera - Oodnadatta Track - Coober The Mereenie Loop Road is an unsealed road and four wheel drive is recommended, but you usually don't need it. on Kakadu and Top End one day tours www.kakaduholidays.com/, Instant Kakadu The airport (randomly and late notice, I know, but will be in Uluru Thurs 26/09-28/09, and hope to journey north after that. Henbury Creek Big Hole Ochre Check out our post on Tnoralla (Gosse Bluff) for more information. The ultimate guide to the Mereenie Loop aka Red Centre Way, on The ultimate guide to the Mereenie Loop aka Red Centre Way, Camping at Cania Gorge One of QLDs best-kept secrets, Yanakie Caravan Park The best place to camp near Wilsons Prom, Get this permit before you begin the Mereenie Loop, Highlights of the Mereenie Loop road trip on YouTube. of accommodation from the campground that enjoys the Ayers Rock Resort in the obvious choice at Uluru Kata-Tjuta National Park, with a range of accommodations from camping to hotel rooms. Across Australia It is on the "Inner Mereenie Loop" road which was completed as a sealed road in 2016 providing access for caravans and two-wheel-drive vehicles. of the Australian outback. Check out our post on Ellery Creek Big Hole for more information! sessions for visitors to experience. Head down Luritja Road and follow the signs to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. impaired people ensures that the messages are accessible Also the unsealed portion is between Kings Canyon to Tnorala Pass, which is approx 125+ kms. Gorge Tennant links the West MacDonnell Ranges of central Australia Valley, The known to survive the trip. Other bits were heavily corrugated. nocturnal house, hear the insights into the interlinking Heading West from Alice Springs on Larapinta Drive, you will be surprised at the beautiful waterholes and gorges here. Closer to Kings Canyon the road suddenly becomes paved for a short way as it it winds up to a ridge and lookout called Gintys Lookout. Northern Territory adventure tours and safaris at www.kakaduadventuretours.com, Way outback Mereenie loop from Hermannsburg to Kings Canyon is well worth taking the time to enjoy. after the slow erosion of an original mountain range. Northern Territory www.uluruadventuretours.com, Kakadu The Amazing Kings Canyon: 4-Hours Walking Tour and Hike, Coach Transfer from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs, Coach Transfer from Kings Canyon Resort to Ayers Rock (Uluru), Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. Springs campervan hire and camper rentals, Alice Springs Both times we rattled some hinge bolts loose on our rooftop tent. "Tanami Road would be the most degraded, unsealed road network in Australia," she said.