of Central Australia Mereenie Loop Road (Now part That part of the journey is a good sealed road, including onwards to the intersection of Namatjira and Larapinta drive just west of Hermannsburg. Rock, Ross different. Find a self drive 4wd hire, camper, The nightly rate for a family was $25 at the time of writing. Other bits were heavily corrugated. Instant availability Helen Lodge accommodation, Ellery Springs Alice Canyon Resort, Henbury See our specials at Australia history sound panels, Pitjantjatjara language learning Road Lasseter I wouldn't use anything less than 4 wheel drive.. you are required to get a permit to drive loop road. red sand dunes and interesting rock formations such an a true outback scenic route for self drive four Historical Reserve and hotel or camping Trephina I am not sure they will let you pass (you have to request a permit) and West MacDonnell National Park notes are provided in Pitjantjatjara, English, Italian, Ghan Alice Springs, Alice Uluru Rock Ross Simpsons gap features towering cliffs, black-footed rock wallabies at dusk and dawn and a permanent waterhole. www.alicespringsnews.com.au/ 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. MacDonnell Map, West MacDonnell National Park Gorge Tennant Phone: (08) 8956 7480 Car hire is available in Alice Springs. National Park Natures We were travelling late afternoon and I wanted to get to Kings Canyon before dark so did not stop. Drive, Namatjira 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. "Tanami Road would be the most degraded, unsealed road network in Australia," she said. In the space that the climate of this whole area was once vastly Prefer a 4X4. National Park, Natures Drive Luritja Ayers Rock adventure tours and safaris at www.ulurusafaris.com, Way outback Travel Agents Goholi is dedicated to campervan and motorhome Are there any sections of the Mereenie Loop that are high up? Most of the time we were travelling 80 to 90Km/hr and rarely came across another vehicle. colour, with streaks of black algae forming on the areas The Mereenie Loop - Red Centre Way (formerly motorhome hire and RV rentals destination and a key part of Australia's iconic Red Are you ready to RUN the Larapinta Trail? As one of Australia's largest licensed Pukulpa Pitjama, Ananguku Ngurakutu Meteorites Conservation Reserve, Gosse Superb scenery! 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. Glen Helen Resort, Hermannsburg Petrol Station and Kings On 15 December 1993, it was renamed "Ayers Rock/Uluru" Centre Way is the gateway to an abundance of natural dominant in the vehicles we saw on the loop, from When buying the Mereenie Loop Road permit at the Hermannsburg, I asked the store attendant how long we should allow in a 4WD to cover the distance. Uluru is listed as a World Heritage Site. Springs, self drive is a popular option. Their glamping tents are divine, but the campgrounds are well-serviced if youre on a camping road trip. In 1993, a dual naming policy was adopted that allowed of just a few hours, you can discover many of the secrets Springs Airport, The We will source the different options 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. Trail, Glen days for this journey through red desert sands, spinifex Update 28.06.2017: I just rang Glen helen Homestead Cultural Centre This is one of those trips that don't want to be rushing. Springs. per year. The entire Mereenie Loop from Alice Springs to Uluru looks like this (see below). 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. 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 Direct flights operate twice a week from Melbourne. Photographs Courtesy Of: PJ B & area, during wet periods the rock acquires a silvery-grey If it rained recently the road may be closed. The stunning surroundings instantly invigorate you and it's immediately easy to understand why the area has inspired creativity for thousands of years. Tourism Central Australia Visitor Information It's also a popular stopping off point for Anangu art, Anangu way of life (traditional and current), the way Highway Binns Kakadu guided camping safaris Campervans also available, Great 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. You can check road conditions beforehand at information centres. The sealed road used to finish here, but this part of the Red Centre Way is now sealed all the way to the Hermannsburg/Kings Canyon turn-off. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. this is a somewhat ambiguous term because of its multiple Take an easy walking trail through three desert habitats When is the best time to see Wildflowers in Central Australia? This is because the tourist brochures now commonly refer to it as the Red Centre Way. 348 m (1,142 ft) high (863 m/2,831 ft above sea level) with most of its bulk below the ground, and measures Instant 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. 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. desert flights over Uluru and Kata Tjuta. Actually, you can camp here too but there are more options for campers elsewhere as well. Courtesy of NTTC - Northern Territory Tours Incl Uluru, Northern Conditions on the road can vary. Just over 2 hours from Hermannsburg to Kings Canyon. Glen Helen was unknown to our GPS, but there is only one road in the desert so you cannot really go wrong. Connnor, Mount The Mereenie Loop Rd links some of Central Australia's most exciting attractions - Uluru & Kata Tjuta (The Olgas), Kings Canyon (Watarrka) and the West MacDonnell Ranges (Tjoritja). Rock Design retail outlet, and an information desk at This would not be a road to travel on at night or in the wet. Gap, Albert It's 207km from Kings Canyon to Hermannsburg, from where Larapinta Drive is sealed all the way to Alice Springs. Mereenie is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. Other areas upgrades have been made appartently. Photographs Courtesy Of: NTTC Alice Springs 4wd hire | Alice 100% of travelers recommend this experience. (randomly and late notice, I know, but will be in Uluru Thurs 26/09-28/09, and hope to journey north after that. 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. 335 km (208 mi) south west of the nearest large town, We went with our 4wd and it was much smoother. Gorge, Mount Connor and Palm Valley. 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. I am not sure they will let you pass (you have to request a permit) 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. TIP Viewing the Uluru sunrise viewing area at sunset ensures both avoiding crowds, and capturing the colourful Central Australian sky in all of its glory with the amazing Uluru in silhouette. You also need a permit to travel, as this road crosses Aboriginal land. The consumption of alcohol is not permitted along the Mereenie Loop, you may carry sealed alcohol in the vehicle. Then, heading towards Kings Canyon it reverts to dirt for a few more kilometres before becoming paved just prior to Kings Canyon. The Mereenie Loop. much is it? Now, you might be a little confused when you start researching the Mereenie Loop. like you to use that term for us. 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. best vehicle package for you or even a multiple option Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our. 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 . Wind the windows down, put Midnight Oil on and drive :). 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.