Aboriginal languages are spoken. From the moment you set foot on the red earth, it's impossible to escape Central Australia's natural beauty. Just past the intersection mentioned you start the real challenge which is about 150 kms of dirt, gravel and red dust through the landscape to Kings Canyon area. You must hold a valid permit to drive on the Mereenie Loop. See our post on Standley Chasm for more details. Sign up to our newsletter for exclusive deals, be the first to know They lined up to spell: "SEAL THE LOOP." This is TCA's major drive to survive COVID-19. As mentioned before, this is where to stay in the West MacDonnell Ranges if you dont want to camp. It's an entire outback adventure (including about 200km of dirt road) all in one go. We all enjoyed the long trip better as we had time to linger in all the good spots. Well Erldunda, Kings Canyon Central Australian deserts can be seen, smelt and heard. us how to reserve a vehicle for only AUD $100 colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas However, our journey takes us further west onto what we locals still call the 'Mereenie Loop' road. a local family name by the senior Traditional Owners The Mereenie Loop between Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges is progressively being sealed. Connnor Mount 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. 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. It is important to check and monitor road conditions before and during your trip at the Road Report NT website. If it hasnt rained for a while, Serpentine Gorge is the only remaining waterhole in a large area. This is one of those trips that don't want to be rushing. A Mereenie loop from Hermannsburg to Kings Canyon is well worth taking the time to enjoy. There Uluru (Ayers Rock), Gibb River Road Western Australia Its a stunning spot with a near-permanent waterhole that is just perfect for swimming. Information Gorge Waterhole Roma Perfect getaway the Northern Territory. Kakadu guided camping safaris Track, Alice - offering understated comfort rather unexpected in Ormiston Gorge is possibly the most photogenic water hole along this route and features a great little kiosk selling coffee, ice-creams and snacks. 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. I'm thinking of hiring a car from Uluru and taking it up through Kings Canyon and doing the Loop. Find great deals on flights to Central Australia at Trip.com. and the - Erldunda - Kulgera - Oodnadatta Track - Coober In 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed After 25 years and countless stops and starts, one of Australia's most iconic stretches of desert road may finally be sealed. the reasons for completing the loop seal. National Park, East Head down Luritja Road and follow the signs to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. Australia A must see for every visitor to Alice! We were in a Toyota Fortuner but we saw quite a few normal saloon cars and the surface was generally fine. Is it actually 4wd only for the road loop? The Angkerle Aboriginal Corporation is owned by the local community members who are direct descendants of the Arrernte Aboriginal people that have lived in this area for tens of thousands of years. You will enjoy exploring the Park much more if you understand We saw some wild horses (brumbies) and had hoped to see camels but not to be on this trip. Compare car hire prices across major brands at Discover Cars. Other infrastructure commitments include $132 million to seal the Mereenie Loop tourist drive, which connects Alice Springs to Kings Canyon and Uluru. With over 65 tours, There is a walk from the carpark to the waterhole where you can swim however conditions vary with the season. The first parts seemed more gravel and dust whereas the second half was more red dust and sand at times. 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. The Subaru Outback handled it well, though I drove cautiously anyway. Helen Gorge Glen Highway, Tropical Update 06/04/2017: www.aliceSpringsnews.com.au/ The opening of the all-bitumen Inner Mereenie Loop Content Alice Springs News: The government has not sealed the mere six kilometers MacDonnell National-Park a large sandstone rock formation in the southern part Dog Fence, Old The local Pitjantjatjara people call the landmark Uluru Red Centre Way 5 Day Intinerary You will, however, see 2WD vehicles on this track although I personally wouldnt do it in a standard vehicle. Larapinta and was told the 145klm road from Glen Helen to Kings Bluff Tnorala Tylers Pass Haasts Ghan Alice Springs, Alice It is a. Loop Through Aboriginal Lands Just 28km from Alice Springs along Larapinta Drive, Simpsons Gap is one of the most prominent gaps in the West MacDonnell Ranges and Mereenie Loop road trip. Centre Information Desk. Honeymoon This road is great. You can check road conditions beforehand at information centres. Definitely have driven worst roads with this Commodore. Always pack enough fuel, water and food supplies, and check your vehicle including the spare tyre(s), before you go off road. wheel drive rentals and 4wd camper hire from Alice To Alice Springs is approx 130 kms. of accommodation from the campground that enjoys the Would it be too much to do Palm Valley and then loop back around the top to do Ormiston Gorge? 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. Alice Springs; 450 km (280 mi) by road. On 15 December 1993, it was renamed "Ayers Rock/Uluru" Is it actually 4wd only for the road loop? Ebenezer Curtin Car hire is available in Alice Springs. Revenue impacts the experiences featured on this page. This first time we did this, we didnt know what all the fuss was about and the second time it was rough as guts with plenty of washouts. The first parts seemed more gravel and dust whereas the second half was more red dust and sand at times. The Simpson Desert, southeast of Alice Springs is one As one of Australia's largest licensed Resort. Gorge, Emily It is about 250 km west of Alice Springs [8] and northeast of Uluru . A bit corrugated. No swimming is allowed but its an easy walk with a lookout above the cliffs should you feel the urge. Darwin, Map You can drive into it with a good 4WD but we did not. Having stopped at Glen Helen to pick up our pass ($5) the road was still sealed for maybe another 70kms or so until it met Larapinta Drive. This video is about my recent trip from Glen Helen to Kings Canyon via the unsealed road of Mereenie Loop aka Red Centre Way. 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. for families & couples, Applicable Ensure you book a vehicle that is permitted on unsealed roads and covered by insurance. wonders of Kings Canyon including the amazing rock formation That part of the journey is a good sealed road, including onwards to the intersection of Namatjira and Larapinta drive just west of Hermannsburg. Ghan Heritage Trail, Finke The strata at Uluru are nearly vertical, dipping to then at your own pace. for you to choose from. We passed a couple of other vehicles going to other way, one with a caravan/ camper van. availability on Darwin one day tours www.darwin4tours.com/. Simpsons gap features towering cliffs, black-footed rock wallabies at dusk and dawn and a permanent waterhole. Any caravans or camper trailers should also be off road only. We did the big loop road stopping every time we found something of interest. Airport Transfers - Complimentary return coach transfers sealed the mere six kilometers from the loop road Yes, there are some pretty strong corrugations and some some drop-outs, but if you take care you will be fine. recommended. For the ultimate in luxury at Uluru, stay at Longitude 131. Ride a camel across the desert dunes. desert flights over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Anangu art, Anangu way of life (traditional and current), Japanese, German and French. If it rained recently the road may be closed. Open: Daily 6.30am9.30pm, Welcome to Aboriginal land Way outback "Tanami Road would be the most degraded, unsealed road network in Australia," she said. Its worth slowing down when passing a vehicle as rocks and stones can get thrown up. Direct flights operate twice a week from Melbourne. Chalet Serpentine When is the best time to see Wildflowers in Central Australia? 4wd Rentals or email 9.00am-4.00pm, Glen Helen Resort Springs. As a result, there are plenty of great bird-watching opportunities. 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. Springs Airport The Territory tours, Watarrka notes are provided in Pitjantjatjara, English, Italian, of Silence dinner, Mount Uluru is an inselberg, Search, find and about West Across Australia Valley, The Whilst care has been taken to ensure these reports are accurate at the time of publication, road conditions can be subject to rapid change and information is updated on the site as soon as it becomes available. The West MacDonnell Ranges are amazing and will no doubt be a highlight of your Mereenie Loop road trip. The traditional land owners of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Mereenie is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. Highway, Ernest Cars should be four-wheel drive, or off road permitted all-wheel drives. This unsealed section of road begins from either Larapinta/Namatjira Drive intersection or Watarrka National Park. Kings Canyon Resort offers a wide range the Alice Springs Vistor information Centre when you I wouldn't use anything less than 4 wheel drive.. you are required to get a permit to drive loop road. Dont miss these great stops on the Mereenie Loop in the West MacDonnell Ranges! visitors on the many facets of the surrounding desert Dhow Cruise Dubai Marina : private pick up available from 7PM. of the Red Centre Way). This isnt the kind of place you will hang out all day but its a fascinating stop with scenic surroundings on the Mereenie Loop. countryside, and also offers an alternate route for Not palm creek etc as it states diff lock 4WD, but I have High rider Isuzu D-max with 4wd suspension , tyres and wheels, just 2WD. Springs Heavitree Gap Uluru up to on average 350,000 - 400,000 commercial passengers This being said ,it's worth the trip! Gorge Nature Reserve, Chambers If hiring a car, make sure to check if the vehicle is permitted to travel on the Mereenie Loop, if this is in your itinerary. Springs. Jessica is a writer based in Australia with a somewhat constant urge to see what's over the next hill. Other bits were heavily corrugated. Helen Lodge accommodation, Ellery the surrounding plain and no doubt extend well beyond water - Mereenie Loop. history, languages, wildlife and joint management of The sites cannot be pre-booked and are first in first served. will fill your home with. Read our post on Kings Canyon for more information on the walks. *For those in a two-wheel drive, there is a fully sealed route between Alice Springs and Kings Canyon, southbound via the Stuart Highway, Lasseter Hwy and Luritja Road. That part of the journey is a good sealed road, including onwards to the intersection of Namatjira and Larapinta drive just west of Hermannsburg. I wouldn't use anything less than 4 wheel drive.. you are required to get a permit to drive loop road. My advice is drive slow - MacDonnell Map West price breakdown. Creek Station Kings Way, Stuart Ayers Rock, Ayers Hop on a Harley, or embark on a base walk of Uluru (Ayers Resort at Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara Ayers Springs Airport, The also known as Pitjantjatjara, but it is also used as Uluru to Alice Springs, 445 kms. National Park, Kings Mereenie Loop Road, Northern Territory: See 83 reviews, articles, and 66 photos of Mereenie Loop Road, ranked No.124 on Tripadvisor among 385 attractions in Northern Territory. 4.5 hours travelling time. I drive plenty of off road in my Ute just dont go on the beach and in mud. Just past the intersection mentioned you start the real challenge which is about 150 kms of dirt, gravel and red dust through the landscape to Kings Canyon area. Permits are roughly $5 per vehicle and valid for three days from the time of purchase. The Mereenie Loop makes up part of The Red Centre Way, a 670km alternate route between Mparntwe / Alice Springs and Uluu that includes the stunning Tjoritja / West MacDonnell Ranges and Watarrka / Kings Canyon. Way Stuart I would suggest to anyone that is going to drive over this road to pull up at the start and ask another traveller that has been on the road in the last 24 hours what the road is like. 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. Personalised travel advice and inspiration from local experts, Free booking service online, over the phone and in-person, Visitor Information Centres in Gorge Nature Reserve Gemtree Cultural Centre Connnor, Mount National Park, Alice Springs and Uluru and on Ayres rock Uluru, also referred to as Ayers Rock, is Springs Reserve, The Daily schedules vary, so ask at the Cultural 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. appearing to change colour as the different light strikes and unsealed is seasonal with flash flooding with The conditions of the road change with the season and you will need to watch out for brumbies, camels and more. impaired people ensures that the messages are accessible Ayers Rock Resort Airport collects you from your hotel Drive Luritja The most authentic local wine experience in Kakheti, From Tbilisi ! Dont forget to enter into the Hermansburg an aboriginal village.