is the mereenie loop road sealed

Some regional roads may be sealed but still have gravel or dirt edges. (Mereenie Loop Road* / 235 KM (146 Miles) / 3.5 Hours) UNSEALED. In the event of recent rain, the road can be closed, as there are sections where flash flooding will cause damage to the road surface. General Forums. Check conditions on all NT government roads. 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. Mereenie is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. 6 The Remoteness of the Red Centre. In heavy rain, Larapinta Drive can be cut by water flowing over creek crossings. The Ernest Giles Road is unsealed, but generally kept in a better condition than the Mereenie Loop Road. So, drive back to Alice Springs the day before to spend the night and make sure you get up early. from. 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. If you have a 4WD you can access Watarrka National Park via the Mereenie Loop Road. The distance of the Mereenie Loop itself (the part that requires a permit, see below) is 93 km. The distances between the nearest accommodation options / fuel outlets are as follows: This is a good free printable map of the whole area. (The map is a .pdf document and you need Adobe Acrobat reader to view and print it. A Mereenie Loop pass is required to travel this route and is available from the Alice Springs Visitor Information Centre and Kings Canyon Resort (4WD essential). Conditions on the road can vary. 4.8 When to Visit the Red Centre. 1. from. Mereenie Loop Road: Travelling from Glen Helen Gorge/Alice Springs to Kings Canyon via a four wheel drive track, that requires a permit (About $3AUD). 6.2 Mereenie Loop Road or Red Centre Way; 7 2WD Side Road Trip Option East MacDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory Australia; 8 Northern Territory Trip Tips: Karlu Karlu Conservation Reserve can be easily accessed via a short sealed road diversion off the Stuart Highway. The Mereenie Loop Road is the name of the unsealed section of the Red Centre Way. There are two roads between Kings Canyon and Alice Springs the sealed Stuart Lasseter Highway and the unsealed Mereenie Loop Road (half an hour longer 5.5 Hours). (Australie). Litchfield Park Road. Its a 100km drive, and most of the time a conventional vehicle can just about manage it. via the Stuart Highway, Ernest Giles Road (unsealed - 4WD essential) and Luritja Road. 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. The entire 4WD version of The Red Centre Way looks like this (see below). Contact the relevant land council for further information. This is one of those trips that dont want to Turning right at the T junction, we head out into sand dune country. The road is sealed with speed limits of 100 km/h in Queensland and 140 km/h in the Northern Territory. The Mereenie Loop is the unsealed section of the Red Centre Way located between Kings Canyon Resort and the Larapinta Drive / Namatjira Drive intersection. It is a sealed road all the way. 139.75. Mereenie is a very picturesque area approximately 250km west of Alice Springs in Australia's Northern Territory. Leaning Tree Lagoon Loop. View Details . The Mereenie Loop is an unsealed dirt road that continues the Red Centre Way out towards Kings Canyon. Ports of Call Tours. The unsealed Mereenie Loop section covers around 140km and is totally worth it to avoid the extra kilometres from backtracking. Can you pls advise if it's paved or unpaved? 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). Skip to main content. We did 90kph on there, only slowing down for the worst of the corrugated corners. Drive North from Kings Canyon on sealed road for approximately 12km. But if you have a 4WD, you can take Mereenie Loop Road through the Australian outback in the middle of nowhere, which only takes around 3 hours. Mereenie Loop Road: Beautiful part of Australia - See 81 traveller reviews, 61 candid photos, and great deals for Northern Territory, Australia, at Tripadvisor. The scenery and remoteness were fantastic, and Aprs avoir visit Ayers Rock et Kings canyon, je vais emprunter la mereenie loop jusqu' Glen Helen. The Ostojic Group has delivered over 60km of sealed road construction on the Mereenie Loop road west of Alice Springs. Between Arnhem Highway and Arnhem Highway. 108km along the Lasseter Highway: the Luritja Road/Mereenie Loop Turnoff. I also read recent reviews that the road is unpaved. The two-year project will see 43 kilometres of Larrapinta Drive between Hermannsburg and Glen Helen sealed, which will complete sealing of the Mereenie Inner Loop. It is famous for what is called the Mereenie Loop Road, a predominately dirt road that passes through Mereenie between Alice Springs and Kings Canyon. It is about 250 km west of Alice Springs and northeast of Uluru. Stuart/Lasseter Highway direct to Alice Springs takes 5 hours, the road is sealed all the way. 3) Glen Helen to Alice Springs (Namatjira Drive / 133 KM (83 Miles) / The road is sealed all the way. be prepared for rough corrugations, you'll need a proper 4WD not a 'toy SUV one' - See 81 traveller reviews, 61 candid photos, and great deals for Northern Territory, Australia, at Tripadvisor. 4.3 Day 3 and 4 Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Other infrastructure commitments include $132 million to seal the Mereenie Loop tourist drive, which connects Alice Springs to Kings Canyon and Uluru. It is about 250 km west of Alice Springs and northeast of Uluru. To travel Alice Springs to Kings Canyon via West Macdonnells and Mereenie Loop is 356 kilometres with the time estimate of 5.5 hours, and includes 153 kilometres of unsealed road (Mereenie Loop). We can now see all the critics of having the Mereenie loop road sealed are nowhere to be seen. The road will allow you to reach the heart of Australias Red Centre by traversing a partly sealed track. Although this way is shorter from Alice Springs, it takes longer on the soft sand and corrugated road. Once the Mereenie Loop is fully sealed the travelling time will be reduced by about 1/3. A 4WD vehicle is still recommended, however, and anyone in a rental car should check they are insured to drive the Ernest Giles Road. See our Mereenie Loop post for more information! The Mereenie Loop Road is an unsealed (dirt) road that connects Kings Canyon with Larapinta Drive and Namatjira Drive in the north. Now a few years have passed and those with no foresight and a vested interest in keeping it gravel so they could give their tourists the four wheel drive experience have moved back to a coastal retreat and leaving the locals again with no decent road. From Alice Springs Mereenie Loop Road (5.5 hours), Ernest Giles Road (5.5 hours) or Stuart & Lasseter Highway (5 hours) Lasseter Highway or Luritja Road as these roads are completely sealed. Kings Canyon to Alice Springs via the unsealed Red Centre Way (formerly called the Mereenie Loop Road) is roughly 5 hours 30 mins (permit required) or Ernest Giles Road (4 wheel drive recommended for both of these routes). The Mereenie Loop. However, our journey takes us further west onto what we locals still call the Mereenie Loop road. The sealed road ends at Glen Helen. If travelling from Uluru (Ayers Rock) or Erldunda on the Lasseter Highway the turn off is at the Luritja junction. While driving the Mereenie Loop Track today, Santos will be the only company sign associated with gas and oil production in the area. In the Mereenie area, Santos is the operator with a 65% stake with the remaining 35% owned by Magellan. 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. Permits may be required when travelling on roads through Aboriginal Land. It's a long article but it notes that the road is sealed to Areyonga. The winding Mereenie Loop on the Red Centre Way, which runs from the West Macs to Kings Canyon, will be the slowest (and most exciting) stretch of road youll travel. To drive on this road, you'll need a Mereenie Loop Permit. The unsealed Mereenie Loop Road lets you drive directly from Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park) to the West MacDonnell Ranges - or the other way round - without backtracking. There are three main destinations at the end of sandy tracks: Jim Jim Falls and Twin Falls on one 60km (2 hour one way) track and the short 12km Maguk track. main roads are Larapinta Drive, Namatjira Luritja Road, Ernest Giles Road and the Mereenie Loop Road. You can check road conditions beforehand at information centres. per adult. It is about 250 km west of Alice Springs [8] and northeast of Uluru . For grey nomads happy to spend an hour or two cruising unsealed roads, the Northern Territorys magnificent Mereenie Loop Road is surely a must-drive adventure. The weather was perfect and the road is sealed for approx 20klms or so before hitting the 130klm dirt section. The road varies in quality from sealed to heavily corrugated dirt. There has been research about a hotel at Hermannsburg. Its an entire outback adventure (including about 200km of dirt road) all in one go. Day 4: Kings Creek Station to Uluru From Kings Creek Station its another 260 km to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park. Turn right onto the Lasseter Highway. 5 Australia Road Trip Packing. The Mereenie Loop road can get a little rough and you also need a permit to drive it. per adult. To and from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon five and a half (5 1/2) hours on the unsealed Mereenie Loop Road (which requires a permit) or Ernest Giles Road (4 wheel drive recommended) or five (5) hours on the sealed Stuart/Lasseter Highway. - If we decide to drive the Mereenie Loop, is it possible to do the loop in 2 days? Road Trip Options from Uluru to Alice Springs, Northern Territory Australia. 4.4 Day 5 Uluru-Kata Tjuta Kings Canyon. If you dont have a 4WD, you can take the sealed road from Alice Springs, which would take you 6 hours. per adult. The Mereenie Loop Road is an unsealed part of the famous Red Centre Way. The major roads are sealed, however alternative routes require 4 wheel drives. So, drive back to Alice Springs the day before to spend the night and make sure you get up early. On the road to Uluru. The Amazing Kings Canyon: 4-Hours Walking Tour and Hike. For this section a four wheel drive vehicle is recommended, but not necessary, with the main emphasis on good ground clearance. Jun 1, 2019 #1 Hi, we have just purchased a 2016 Jayco Expanda Outback 17.56-2 and will be towing it with a brand new 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. The Luritja Road will take you to Kings Canyon and Kings Creek Station. Trip Planning . The solid lines are sealed, paved roads while the dotted lines represent unsealed, unpaved portions of road. This will put the epic into your epic self-drive tour as the road is so bad you need a 4 x 4, a permit, and a lot of patience. Kings Creek can be reached from a number of roads. When we last left off, we were just about to head on to the Mereenie Loop Road a permit only, unsealed stretch of road leading from the west side of the West MacDonnell Ranges, to Kings Canyon. You will need a Mereenie Loop Road Permit to embark on this fun road trip and although much of the route is sealed, a 4WD is required to manage the parts that are not sealed and to access Tnorala, Redbank Gorge and Finke 2 Mile. The major route for 2WD vehicles is the easily accessible sealed Lasseter and Stuart Highways. Mereenie Loop This outback dirt road connects two very special National Parks. Weather: The district experiences typical Central Australian weather with high summer and low winter temperatures. Kings Canyon is found in the Watarrka National Park, which is accessible either via the Lasseter Highway on a completely sealed road, or via the Mereenie Loop unsealed road along the Red Centre Way (via the West MacDonnell Ranges from Alice Springs). Federal Road Sealing Project a signpost, 2km of sealed road, 50km of road works. It is a lovely drive through some beautiful desert country, certainly more appealing than the much longer detour along the sealed highway. Ports of Call Tours. Skip to main content. Uncover the raw beauty of Uluru, Kata Tjuta and Watarrka/Kings Canyon. 4.7 Day 8 & 9 Alice Springs. (Sealed as far as Namatjira drive turn off.) 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. You can take Namatjira Drive to access the beautiful gorges in the West MacDonnell ranges. Mereenie Loop Road: Mereenie Loop - See 81 traveller reviews, 61 candid photos, and great deals for Northern Territory, Australia, at Tripadvisor. The Mereenie Loop Road takes you through Aboriginal country, so you need a permit (see below) and you are not allowed to do anything here. Don't leave the road, don't park and go walking, no picnicking, no camping, no nothing. The only place where you are allowed to pull up is the official "Jump-up" Lookout and rest area, Take an adventure along the loop road from Alice Springs and explore the diverse landscapes of the Red Centre. Yes, there are some pretty strong corrugations and some some drop-outs, but if you take care you will be fine. The Mereenie Loop Road, now known as the Red Centre Way connects Alice Springs through to Kings Canyon then to the Lasseter Highway, which will then take you to Uluru (Ayres Rock). Donc pas de soucis . Mereenie is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. Coach Transfer from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs. Read More : See Ayers Rock on a Segway! But if you have a 4WD, you can take Mereenie Loop Road through the Australian outback in the middle of nowhere, which only takes around 3 hours. Coach Transfer from Kings Canyon to Alice Springs. CENTRAL Australia could be home to one of the premier tourism drives of the world if a push for a sealed road between Uluru and Alice Springs succeeds. from. The Mereenie Loop Road is an unsealed road for 197km of 337km, a 4WD is required. This drive is one that memories are made off and photo's will fill your home with. Is Larapinta Drive sealed? This unsealed section of road begins from either Tnorala/Gosse Bluff (from Namatjira Drive) or after Hermannsburg (from Larapinta Drive). Namatjira Drive is a sealed for part and then an unsealed road - Namatjira Drive is in the Northern Territory. Mereenie is a locality in the Northern Territory of Australia. The Mereenie Loop between Kings Canyon and the West MacDonnell Ranges is progressively being sealed. National Park (sealed and unsealed roads). For the adventurous, take the Mereenie loop to Kings Canyon. The pass covers the official Mereenie Loop dirt road which crosses through Aboriginal-owned lands. Trips Alerts Sign in Alerts Sign in It takes you along the road less travelled, through some really beautiful landscapes in the Central Australian Outback. Over $1 billion in funding announced to seal iconic Australian dirt roads. Fuel starts to get a little more expensive in this area, so make sure you fill up before leaving Yulara. certainly more appealing than the much longer 475km detour along the sealed highway. If Darwin is your first destination in the Outback and you have time to spare, the Savannah Way (Highway 1) is an excellent 4WD adventure. Between .5 and 1 Kilometre South of Wangi Falls Intersection. 4WD Route From Cairns. Over half of the land in the Northern Territory is owned by Aboriginal people and a permit system regulates entry. The reporting on road conditions is intended as a guide only. 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 From Watarrka National Park (Kings Canyon) access to the West MacDonnell National Park is via the Mereenie Loop Road. 3) Glen Helen to Alice Springs (Namatjira Drive / 133 KM (83 Miles) / The solid lines are sealed, paved roads while the dotted lines represent unsealed, unpaved portions of road. The unsealed Mereenie Loop Road, will take you directly from Kings Canyon (Watarrka National Park) to Alice Springs via Hermannsburg, or for a slightly longer route, through the West MacDonnell Ranges, (or vice-versa). Approximately 145km is dirt after an additonal 42km was newly sealed in July 2017. Mereenie Loop Road is an adventurous way to get to Kings Canyon. 4.5 Day 6 Kings Canyon the West MacDonnell Ranges (Glen Helen) 4.6 Day 7 Glen Helen Alice Springs. If you dont have a 4WD, you can take the sealed road from Alice Springs, which would take you 6 hours. I know, this r/Darwin, but, the r/AliceSprings as well as the NT subreddit are pretty dead and figured it wouldn't hurt to ask here to get more responses.. Just wanted to know if it's feasible to drive a SUV like the Mitsubishi ASX or Outlander through the unpaved road of Red Centre Way / Mereenie Loop. This website also has information on the condition of roads on Aboriginal land. To and from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon five and a half (5 1/2) hours on the unsealed Mereenie Loop Road (which requires a permit) or Ernest Giles Road (4 wheel drive recommended) or five (5) hours on the sealed Stuart/Lasseter Highway. From here, it is 244km to Uluru. Is Larapinta Drive sealed? Its a completely sealed highway road all the way and is a much faster way of getting back to Alice! The Mereenie Loop section is a 155 km dirt track. The most straight forward route is on Larapinta Drive and then the Mereenie Loop Road. The major roads are sealed, however alternative routes require 4 wheel drives. Thread starter Armytage crew; Start date Jun 1, 2019; Forums. Mereenie Loop Road: Bumpy route to the Rock - See 81 traveller reviews, 61 candid photos, and great deals for Northern Territory, Australia, at Tripadvisor. 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). The part that is not sealed is from Tnorala turnoff to Watarrka National Park, approx 125+ kms, also this is the part that you need the permit. 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. Your journey on the road also highlights the shifting landscape as views of the outback will flit by your window. NT Mereenie Loop / Red Centre Way toeing Jayco Expanda Outback. There are two major routes which connect Yulara and Alice Springs. Marcetflo 1 930 messages Inscrite le 17/12/2005 . Getting off the sealed roads in Kakadu is worth it. The Mereenie Loop is an unsealed section of road that sweeps behind Kings Canyon, crossing the harsh and remote outback landscape and opening up Road Closed Park Facilities Closed. The major roads are sealed, however alternative routes require 4 wheel drives. Day 8 - Glen Helen to Kings Canyon The normal way to go from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon is to travel south down the Stuart Highway at 130kph for 200kms; then turn west for 110kms; and then head back north for 165kms. Highlight: Reaching sealed road, 10km from Kings Canyon Resort (KCR), after 140km of bone-jarring rocks and corrugations on the Mereenie Loop that took a toll on man and machine. West of Namatjira drive turn off, the road conditions are suitable to four-wheel drive vehicles as it is a dirt track and it is advisable to check road conditions before travel. Larapinta Drive is sealed to Ntaria.