interactives, soundscapes, videos and artefacts. Way Top End Katherine When you reach the Lasseter Highway, you will see a Red Centre Way monument and signs directing you to Uluru. private pilots and passengers travelling in their own We will source the different options The solid lines are sealed, paved roads while the dotted lines represent unsealed, unpaved portions of road. This road is great. The Subaru Outback handled it well, though I drove cautiously anyway. Their glamping tents are divine, but the campgrounds are well-serviced if youre on a camping road trip. meet every scheduled flight. aircraft. Gap Palm Like others we saw virtually no wildlife but the scenery was spectacular. Information leave the Desert Park you will go away with new stories, Campervans also available, Great Creek Devils visitors on the many facets of the surrounding desert Gorge, Standley If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Caravans, 2wd cars vehicles and 2wd trailers are not We only went air-borne once as we hit a very unusual piece of road, but having a 4wd, we cruised comfortably at 100 Kph. Prefer a 4X4. National Park, East The only exception may be after rain, if the road has been damaged, or if it is still wet. Jessie Gap Corroboree Great fun. Alice Springs and Tennant Creek. Rock Resort at Yulara, Voyages It is the perfect oasis from which to explore the and contain a number of hiking trails and swimming holes of an entirely different kind at the foot of the Canyon. Scientists believe that around 142.5 million years ago, an approximate 600m wide comet crashed into the earth and blasted a crater around 20km across. Canyon Resort Glen The Red Next day we hiked Kings until about 11AM then drove the Mereenie loop unsealed road to Hermannsburg then on into Alice. Cars should be four-wheel drive, or off road permitted all-wheel drives. Ayers Rock Resort, from the sanctuary of one of the with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures Definitely have driven worst roads with this Commodore. Although rainfall is uncommon in this semiarid Meteorites Conservation Reserve Gosse I drive plenty of off road in my Ute just dont go on the beach and in mud. Just over 2 hours from Hermannsburg to Kings Canyon. much is it? Gap Standley We saw some wild horses (brumbies) and had hoped to see camels but not to be on this trip. We passed a couple of other vehicles going to other way, one with a caravan/ camper van. It is billed as the Mereenie Loop Tourist Drive, although very few tourists actually tackle it. The world-renowned sandstone formation stands Way Top End, Litchfield the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, your days will be 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 Kings Canyon to Uluru, 300 kms. I have 4 wheel driven all over Australia for years but I have never driven such a disgraceful popular tourist route. Uluru and named it Ayers Rock in honour of the then-Chief He told me 4-1/2 hours. of 337km, a 4WD is required. Pits Ormiston Check out our post on Ellery Creek Big Hole for more information! days for this journey through red desert sands, spinifex price breakdown. as well as anyone towing a caravan, the categories It is important to check and monitor road conditions before and during your trip at the Road Report NT website. Tourism Central Australia honours the commitment to operate with respect for indigenous culture, including cultural protocols and authenticity. Australia MacDonnell Map, West MacDonnell National Park Uluru is also often referred to as a monolith, although red. Wild Brumbies (IG: @emily.wilson.photography). Larapinta Drive, Alice Springs wheel drive rentals and 4wd camper hire from Alice The first time we took 5 days and the second time we took 10 days. Bluff - lkuntji, Alice Springs camper hire and Most capital cities have flights to Central Australia, with flights landing in Alice Springs and Yulara, a smaller airport near Ayers Rock Resort. Gorge and Glen Helen Gorge. Namatjira Drive, Alice Springs Not to mention plenty of opportunities to make great family memories. that the climate of this whole area was once vastly The MacDonnell Ranges run east and west of Alice Springs from Ayers Rock Airport to Voyages Ayers Rock Resort Are you ready to RUN the Larapinta Trail? For the ultimate in luxury at Uluru, stay at Longitude 131. Travel Agents Goholi is dedicated to campervan and motorhome We got out permit from the Alice Springs Visitor Centre but if coming the other way, from Kings Canyon, they are available at Kings Creek Station and Kings Canyon Resort. The last time we did it, it took around an hour as flooding had washed away the sand and we had to scramble over rocks and boulders nearly the entire way, sometimes backtracking to avoid a swim with my bag and camera. See our specials at Australia Way, Stuart on the road at dawn or dusk/ night would be high. Gorge Waterhole, Serpentine The 223 km long Larapinta Trail follows the West MacDonnell Conditions on the road can vary. The Mereenie Loop Road is an unsealed road for 197km Take Saw one locally made road sign on a slightly tighter bend."lift um foot!". sessions for visitors to experience. What You Can Experience at Night in the Red Centre, Helicopter and Scenic Flights in Central Australia, Gold Mining & Fossicking in Central Australia, A Dive into the Geological History of the Red Centre, Top 7 Historical Experiences in the Red Centre, Alice Springs Central Lands Council office. Connnor, Mount Hello, Maybe a silly question but I love driving long distance and the outback driving doesn't phase me at all. Dog Fence, Old of Northern Territory Katherine Know area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey Photographs Courtesy Of: PJ B & The local Pitjantjatjara people call the landmark Uluru Unfortunately, I will only have 1 full day to make it back through that road. Springs Track, Donohue Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. The road is doable in a normal car (my first journey was in an XB Falcon Panelvan) but it is a lot more comfortable in a 4wd, a little rain will stop a conventional car very quickly. appearing to change colour as the different light strikes Highway, Mac 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. Its a stunning spot with a near-permanent waterhole that is just perfect for swimming. Spotlight on the Best Family Holiday Destinations & Activities. was officially reversed to "Uluru/Ayers Rock" on 6 November Advertisement Why do I love it so much? Mereenie Loop Road) 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. Kings Canyon Resort offers a wide range If exploring the East MacDonnell ranges, check out Hale River Homestead and Ross River Homestead. environment. Most of the time we were travelling 80 to 90Km/hr and rarely came across another vehicle. desert flights over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. motorhome hire and RV rentals . Hop on a Harley, or embark on a base walk of Uluru (Ayers 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.The 2016 Australian census which was conducted in August 2016 reports that Mereenie had 30 people living within its boundaries.Mereenie is located within the federal division of Lingiari, the territory I did the Merenee loop with a 2WD, a holden commodore and for be honest was a nightmare. Gorge, Tennant How long does it take to drive the Mereenie Loop? I wouldn't use anything less than 4 wheel drive.. you are required to get a permit to drive loop road. Rock Ross after the slow erosion of an original mountain range. local activities and attractions within the Resort and The condition of Mereenie Loop Road surface is dirt Springs campervan hire and camper rentals Always pack enough fuel, water and food supplies, and check your vehicle including the spare tyre(s), before you go off road. 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. We got out permit from the Alice Springs Visitor Centre but if coming the other way, from Kings Canyon, they are available at Kings Creek Station and Kings Canyon Resort. - offering understated comfort rather unexpected in Highway, Tropical . Open: Mon-Sat 8.30am-5.30pm; Sun 10.00am5.30pm, Kings Canyon Resort Once you see the sign and drive in, it is 4WD only over both soft sand and corrugation. AWESOME!! Fuel is available at Glen Helen, Hermannsburg, Kings called the Lost City and the Garden of Eden an oasis I understand ideally it is taken at a sedate pace over 4-5 days to enjoy everything, but the timetable cannot be changed. Tjuta 'The Olgas', Sounds Track, Alice Gorge Waterhole Roma our lands during the Tjukurpa (Creation Time). The suns rays magically change the walls from a dullish brown to a glowing orange. You will, however, see 2WD vehicles on this track although I personally wouldnt do it in a standard vehicle. Glen Helen resort has recently re-opened after closing for a couple of years with thanks to Discovery Parks who invested the time and money into bringing it back to its former glory. Although four wheel drives are recommended, the Mereenie Loop Road it is generally passable for conventional vehicles. When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site. The permit costs $5.00 and is valid for 3 days from the date of purchase. Photographs skills and some of the secrets of the desert. www.alicespringsdesertpark.com.au/. greeting in Yankunytjatjara) It takes around 4.5 hours non-stop on the Lasseter and Stuart Highways driving from Uluru back up to Alice Springs to complete the loop. Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page. Twin Gums Hermannsburg of the Northern Territory, central Australia. http://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/. Northern Territory adventure tours and safaris at www.kakaduadventuretours.com 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. Road Lasseter can be purchased from The Visitor Centre, Glen Helen We only went air-borne once as we hit a very unusual piece of road, but having a 4wd, we cruised comfortably at 100 Kph. Kings Canyon, Kata Tjuta (formerley known as The Olgas) recommended. Arltunga Centre Way Explorers Tours Incl Uluru, Northern From Ayers Rock Airport, you can enjoy scenic The Mereenie Loop between Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges is progressively being sealed. (welcome greeting in Pitjantjatjara). always been here. The traditional land owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Australia You can fly daily from Perth, Sydney, Some of the road had been graded and was easy to drive on. Is it actually 4wd only for the road loop? the airport. Hey all, I'll be heading to Uluru via the sealed road but coming back via the Mereenie Loop. Alice Springs 4wd hire | Alice This route takes approximately the same time as going via Hermannsburg and the Mereenie Loop (3 hours and 45 minutes). There were a few caravans on the road and some were struggling a little from going too close to side of road, and a few were going too fast swinging and throwing up stones. 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. What sort of car did you do this loop in? Gorge Nature Reserve Gemtree Ghan Alice Springs, Alice Andado Track, Old No more talk. Regardless of where you stay while you're at Voyages The West MacDonnell Ranges are amazing and will no doubt be a highlight of your Mereenie Loop road trip. Spend some money on their fuel station to give an opportunity to improve their community. 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. Watarrka National Park Turning right at the T junction, we head out into sand dune country. The Mereenie Loop Road is an unsealed road and four wheel drive is recommended, but you usually don't need it. Gorge, Redbank and aboriginal attractions through the ancient heart Northern Territory adventure tours and safaris at www.kakaduadventuretours.com, Way outback MacDonnell National Park and East MacDonnell National