mereenie loop & larapinta dr.
Submitted: Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:25
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Laura B
just planning more of our holiday in sept. - whats better
mereenie loop or larapinta dr.?? or is there somwhow we could do both......??as long as we get to simspons gap,
Palm valley (finke river/
gorge) and kings canyon and all that......
any
places to miss??
Laura B
Reply By: Laura B - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:26
Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:26
forgot to add....we'll be coming from Alice - Ayres
Rock......cheers...L'B
AnswerID:
161772
Reply By: Member - Doug T (QLD) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:47
Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:47
If you want to find out if your car has any rattles then travel the Ernest Giles Road, which connects Stuart Hwy and Luritja Rd , it was very corrugated when i travelled it but probably get graded for the tourist season
AnswerID:
161782
Reply By: Willem - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:54
Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:54
Hi
Laura
Larapinta Drive is part of the
Mereenie Loop.
I would suggest you go out on Namatjira Drive and visit all the gorges, Gosse
Bluff and then make your way to
Hermannsburg. Then do the
Palm Valley run and then backtrack to take the
Mereenie Loop to Kings Canyon and beyond
Don't miss anything out there!
AnswerID:
161786
Follow Up By: Member - Stillthinkinaboutit - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:24
Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:24
I agree with Willem.
One thing though, if you are planning to
camp at
Palm Valley get in early to set up
camp. The place fills up real quick and the overflow
camping area is nothing to rave about. We arrived at around 3.00pm and the place was already overflowing.
Regards,
Mark
FollowupID:
416503
Reply By: Derek from Affordable Batteries & Radiators - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:41
Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:41
The New 4wd Monthly has a good article on this trip.
Got it in the post yesterday.
I last did the trip in winter 2000 and it was fantastic. Make sure you see everything. I thought The Olgas were as good as the '
Rock'
The Kings Canyon is worth a night stop over and spend a full day looking around.
Regards Derek.
AnswerID:
161846
Reply By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 09:06
Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 09:06
When we were last there, we did the drive west out of Alice, then
the loop.
First night near the end of the gorges, 2nd & 3rd night at Kings Canyon, 4th & 5th night at
Palm valley, next few nights camping at the resort at Ularu. That was a quick trip. Then cut across to
Chambers Pillar and did the east side of the highway back into Alice.
Did investigate doing the drive down the
Finke River from
Palm valley but didn't have time. Don't know if it is open any more.
AnswerID:
161854
Reply By: Max - Sydney - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 18:10
Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 18:10
Laura
Don't expect the
Mereenie Loop to be any sort of aggressive 4WD trail - pleasant enough though.
Think about how much time you spend at Uluru - the
camp site is big, crowded and expensive. Curtin Station is free, has some interesting things to do and only 86 km from
the rock. If you leave KC early, spend two days and one night at Uluru and Olgas, have at least a night at
Curtin Springs each ay, then go up to the Finke
Gorge track to head back to Alice.
What ever you do you will love it!
Max
AnswerID:
161987