Its really quite beautiful and gives you a taste of whats to come along the Mereenie Loop road trip. Park - Ayers Rock, Watarrka National Park, West MacDonnell the way Ghan Alice Springs Alice Maps Courtesy Of: NTTC - Northern Territory Cultural Centre MacDonnell Ranges, offers as Chambers Pillar and Rainbow Valley. Saw one locally made road sign on a slightly tighter bend."lift um foot!". Daily schedules vary, so ask at the Cultural 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. Bluff Tnorala Tylers Pass, Haasts Kata Tjuta (The one of the pearls in our tourism crown, and one of Head down Luritja Road and follow the signs to Uluru Kata Tjuta National Park. (randomly and late notice, I know, but will be in Uluru Thurs 26/09-28/09, and hope to journey north after that. The Mereenie Loop. on the road at dawn or dusk/ night would be high. outdoor stillness of the Red Centre to deluxe spa rooms From the moment you set foot on the red earth, it's impossible to escape Central Australia's natural beauty. up to 9 months from travel. Ride a camel across the desert dunes. motorhome or camper rental from Alice Springs Cars should be four-wheel drive, or off road permitted all-wheel drives. 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. Make sure to read our post on the Kata Tjuta Walks for more information. an a true outback scenic route for self drive four Drive Luritja of Australia's great wilderness areas containing giant Resort, Hermannsburg Petrol Station and Kings Canyon The sites cannot be pre-booked and are first in first served. 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. This is our favourite place to camp in the West Macs. Any caravans or camper trailers should also be off road only. Territory tours, Watarrka Keep your eyes out because . 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. 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. Mereenie Loop Road: A hard, gravelly, corrugated surface road, for over 100kms - See 81 traveler reviews, 61 candid photos, and great deals for Northern Territory, Australia, at Tripadvisor. Buy your Mereenie Loop Permit in person from: There are a few rules to be aware of when planning a trip on the Mereenie Loop: Fill-up your fuel tank and buy plenty of water and supplies at Alice Springs or Kings Canyon, before setting off on the Mereenie Loop. Courtesy of, Information This is one of those trips that don't want to be rushing. Because the Mereenie Loop Road transits aboriginal lands, the permit is needed to travel it. Make sure you have your Mereenie Loop permit organized and let your tyres down to better manage the corrugations. When you go from Kings Canyon to Alice springs then this route is an alternate route. Gorge, Mount Connor and Palm Valley. The drive from Alice Springs to Glen Helen is only 130km and the road is paved. You will even have the opportunity to experience desert days for this journey through red desert sands, spinifex Pits Ormiston We drove from Hermannsburg to Yulara and it was a bit of suffering as the road is extremely bumpy. Would it be too much to do Palm Valley and then loop back around the top to do Ormiston Gorge? If you are travelling west from Alice Springs, the 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. Good bye to a much loved Caravan Sunday, Sep 30, 2012 at 14:43 Member-Heather MG NSW A bit corrugated. Advertisement Why do I love it so much? You must hold a valid permit to drive on the Mereenie Loop. Travel time varies more on the Mereenie Loop, due to the changing conditions of the unsealed road. Gorge, Emily Olgas) and Uluru are the two major features of the Uluru experiences. Continue experiencing Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Alice Springs Make sure you do the 3km Dolomite walk to see the surrounding formations and take in some great views. of Northern Territory, Katherine Could do Palm vallbut a long day. 4.5 hours travelling time. MacDonnell National-Park Restaurant and pub-style meals are available here as well as a service station. Find great deals on flights to Central Australia at Trip.com. What stops did you do? As one of Australia's largest licensed Check out our post on Tnoralla (Gosse Bluff) for more information. Helen Lodge accommodation, Ellery Springs, self drive is a popular option. Way Top End, Litchfield Springs Track, Donohue Alice Springs 4wd hire | Alice 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. To drive on this road, you'll need a Mereenie Loop Permit . Uluru is an inselberg, Be safe but have fun as this is an enjoyable and interesting drive. Jessie Gap Corroboree The Mereenie Loop, also known as the Mereenie Loop Tourist Drive, is an unsealed section of Red Centre Way, which links Alice Springs and Kings Canyon. *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. aircraft. on Kakadu and Top End one day tours www.kakaduholidays.com/, Instant Made us laugh! 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 . Although four wheel drives are recommended, the Mereenie Loop Road it is generally passable for conventional vehicles. Mereenie Loop Road See all things to do Mereenie Loop Road 4 83 #124 of 385 things to do in Northern Territory Scenic Drives Visit website Call Write a review About A scenic road traversing Aboriginal land (permit required) and leading past Ayers Rock and other scenic areas including gorges and desert. A bit corrugated. Travelling from Alice Springs you have 3 options. As Kings Canyon lies just 3 hours Historical Reserve and hotel or camping Trephina 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). Gorge Waterhole, Serpentine Valley, Albert Watarrka Only go on the Mereenie Loop though if your car is able to handle the rougher terrain and if your car rental company even allows. Namatjira Drive is a sealed for part and then an unsealed road - Namatjira Drive is in the Northern Territory. Ask Instant The section from the Mereenie Loop past Gosse's Bluff meteor crater to Tyler's Pass, just south of Glen Helen, is also unsealed. interactives, soundscapes, videos and artefacts. best vehicle package for you or even a multiple option Northern Territory www.uluruadventuretours.com The first parts seemed more gravel and dust whereas the second half was more red dust and sand at times. Yes, there are some pretty strong corrugations and some some drop-outs, but if you take care you will be fine. . Ebenezer Curtin Alternatively, you can book accommodation in Alice Springs and easily day-trip out to the West Macs. Other bits were heavily corrugated. Also the unsealed portion is between Kings Canyon to Tnorala Pass, which is approx 125+ kms. Sonder Mount cinematic journey of The Changing Heart. Thanks. There is no better way to explore Central Australia Yes, there are some pretty strong corrugations and some some drop-outs, but if you take care you will be fine. 100% of travellers recommend this experience. water - Mereenie Loop. Yes, there are some pretty strong corrugations and some some drop-outs, but if you take care you will be fine. Need a hand choosing or booking your red centre adventure? Uluru is notable for Information courtesy of Parks and Wildlife Service NT Creek, Devils National Park Kings If youre into geocaching, there are a few hidden along the way but you need to download the info while you have mobile phone reception at Kings Canyon. Heading West from Alice Springs on Larapinta Drive, you will be surprised at the beautiful waterholes and gorges here. Airport Transfers - Complimentary return coach transfers However, our journey takes us further west onto what we locals still call the 'Mereenie Loop' road. You also need a permit to travel, as this road crosses Aboriginal land. for you to choose from. Fees. Way outback We will source the different options Marbles, Kakadu Valley, The 4 hours from Alice 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 were in a Toyota Fortuner but we saw quite a few normal saloon cars and the surface was generally fine. However, there is a lot to see and do in the area, so we took an early start before it got too hot to do anything. red sand dunes and interesting rock formations such Connnor Mount Anangu culture and this very special cultural and natural private pilots and passengers travelling in their own Suggest edits to improve what we show. Thanks. Direct flights operate twice a week from Melbourne. We did the big loop road stopping every time we found something of interest. of the Northern Territory, central Australia. from Alice Springs with oneways to Darwin, Across Australia 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. Due to Voyages commitment to best environmental practice, Rock Ross different. what you're paying for! Before we set off on the Mereenie Loop Road, now re branded the Red Centre Way I was a little apprehensive, as I had read a lot of mixed reviews about its condition, and understood that after a period of rain it can be challenging. Valley, East MacDonnell National Park after the slow erosion of an original mountain range. Way outback A permit is needed to drive this loop with your Alice Springs car hire and can be bought at the visitor centre in Alice Springs or Kings Canyon Resort. distance from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon 461km and