Drive from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon
 

How long does it take to drive from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon? I know there are multiple routes. I will have a 4WD rental car and want to take the route that will offer the best experience.

I can see two routes -- one through Hermannsburg and one through Glen Helen -- that split and then converge heading west towards Mereenie Loop. The route through Hermannsburg is about 325 km, and the route through Glen Helen is about 360 km.

Which of these is the preferred route, and how much time should I plan for the drive? I'm hoping to be able to make this drive and still have time to do the 3 1/2 hour Kings Canyon rim walk before sunset. Does this sound possible? I'll be doing this in May.

Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!

The road through Hermannsburg is extremely rough and although it is shorter, you will make better time on the bitumen. I think it is about 500 km on the Stuart and Lasseter Highways but good bitumen road. There are road houses at Stuarts Well, Erldunda and Mt Ebenzer for fuel etc. Don't drive after dark - we saw the results of a truck hitting a mob of camels - not nice.
We've done the Kings Canyon walk twice and I really think the best time to do it is early in the morning. I don't know what time it gets dark at that time of year but think it is fairly early, so take that into consideration. Don't forget you will be tired after a long day in the car.
Kings Canyon is such a beautiful place - I hope you enjoy your walk.

Being in southern Australia the day length changes quite a lot at that time of year.
1 May 2011 Sunrise 7:08 AM 6:18 PM Sunset
15 May 2011 Sunrise 7:15 AM 6:09 PM Sunset
31 May 2011 Sunrise 7:23 AM 6:04 PM Sunset

Generally on bitumen budget for an average 80km/h. The Mereenie loop is very corrugated. I have spoken to people who have done it but wished that hadn't. It was closed to all but high clearance vehicles in July.The Northern Territory Roads department has a list of road closures and times.

It depends on whether you are an experienced 4WD driver or not.

The canyon walk is great but take plenty of water. There are also a couple of water holes to swim in. It is a very long way what ever way you choose.

Kings Canyon Resort has this posted on the "Getting There" page of its website: "Kings Canyon to Alice Springs via Mereenie / Larapinta Loop Road - 320km (about 3.5 hours drive, unsealed road for 198km)." This probably refers to the route through Hermannsburg.

Is this driving time unrealistic in assuming an average of 90km/h on this route that includes the Mereenie Loop?

If Mereenie Loop is open, I would prefer to do this drive. I'm hoping the scenery makes it worth the extra time and bumps that are involved with the unsealed roads. The route through Glen Helen probably takes longer than the route through Hermannsburg due to the extra 35km. But if the route through Glen Helen is more scenic, I'd prefer that.

I just need to make sure I allow enough time for the drive and rim walk in one day. Otherwise we'll have to push the rim walk to the next morning, which requires taking a day out of another part of our itinerary.

You might find this helpful - especially re taking a hire car in the Mereenie Loop.

http://www.exploroz.com/TrekNotes/Re...enie_Loop.aspx

It is a few years since we took this road - but it was very corrugated and slower going than you are expecting.

This site is one you need to check regularly:

http://www.ntlis.nt.gov.au/roadreport/

I strongly doubt you will do 90km/h on the Meerinie Loop. It is 4WD road for a reason!

Contact the Alice Springs Information Centre or NT Roads or NT Police and ASK them specifically for details. Tell them your driving experience and the time of year,time of day (driving into the sun?) and the type a vehicle you will have. The type 4WD will make a difference. Ask for the road conditions.

Are you experienced/capable enough of winching yourself out of sand or lowering your tyre pressure and then refilling them.

Not wishing to scare you, but it is the Outback. You are a VERY long way from roadside care or helpful farmers/people. Your mobile phone if you have one will most likely not be in service out there. Will the 4WD have a HF Radio? Can you hire one?

Even on the bitumen you may only see half a dozen or so other vehicles in the day.

Do your research in depth. Talk to the experts. Not people who were lucky and didn't realise it.

Would most of you experts recommend flying between Alice Springs and Uluru?

Would most of you experts recommend flying between Alice Springs and Uluru?

I'd definitely recommend driving from Alice Springs to Uluru, and then flying back to Alice Springs. You will get a better appreciation of the Australian outback and isolation by road. Have you considered hiring a car - driving is easy, you can't really get lost (basically only one main road) and you can stop for photos and drinks whenever you feel like. There are several roadhouses along the way for fuel for the car and yourself.
Don't drive very early in the morning or after dark - you could have a very close encounter with wildlife.

Is it true that the drive between the two towns is 6-8hours?

I think we took about 4 days to drive from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon! We went via the Glen Helen road. There's quite a bit to see on the way but the gorges are a waste of time stopping if you don't intend to stay for a night or two. The walks through the gorges are magnificent but you need time to appreciate them. Camping facilities at Ormiston Gorge are quite good with toilets and hot showers. Glen Helen Gorge was actually closed when we were there so we were not able to visit there.

We have also travelled to Palm Valley via Hermansberg road and to be honest my memory is that both roads were pretty decent to travel on. But conditions can and do change and you should make calls to establish the road's condition when you are nearing your trip and make the decision at that time.

Kings Canyon is my favourite place on earth and deserves some attention. I wouldn't plan to do the walk after the drive out there. Rest up and head out in the morning. Pack a lunch and enjoy it down in the Garden of Eden - a decadent luxury!

It's well worth the trip!

Google gives the driving distance as just over 6 hours on the main roads.
Don't be tempted to take the Mereenie loop as a short cut as the road is bad plus you probably can't take a rental car there.
Where exactly do you want to go and how much time do you have - we may be able to recommend other places to see.

I am meeting my daughter who works down in Antarctica in May after she finishes working. I am trying to plan a two week trip to Australia that includes going to Alice Springs/Uluru and Adelaide/Kangaroo Island. I don't know yet if my daughter is flying from Tasmania to Sydney or to Adelaide to meet me so am trying to figure out a plan of seeing both areas with a rental car and flying between Adelaide and Alice Springs.
My daughter and I love the outdoors,history,wildlife/ocean (add some wineries and great food)and we are both happy campers.
I must confess that since the 70's (ever since PBS had A Town like Alice on) I have wanted to visit that area so am wanting to get the most out of being in Alice Springs and in Uluru. Thanks for any help!

Stormbird has posted some very good advice. The walk at Kings Canyon in the morning is amazing, according to my husband, although it was starting to get quite warm about half an hour before they started to come down. We travelled down there with an organised group.

I hope you manage to see something of Alice Springs - it is a unique and interesting place to visit. The gorges that stormbird mentioned, Standley Chasm and Simpsons Gap as well as Ormiston, are well worth venturing into. Some of my favourite photos were taken in and around Alice Springs.

I should just clarify that the road to Palm Vally via Hermansberg is fairly decent until the trunoff to Palm Valley - after that it's very rough and tough into Palm Valley but so worth the effort - another little gem in our outback's crown.

The walk around Kings Canyon is a must - about 3-4 hours at a leisurely pace. Another great walk is the Valley of the Winds at the Olgas. There are also walking tracks around the base of the Rock.
In Alice, visit the Desert Park and walk up Anzac Hill for views over the town. Drive out of town to the West McDonnell Ranges and the East McDonnells - both areas have spectacular gorges and waterholes. Glen Helen, Mt Sonder, Trephina are just some of them plus the ones mentioned by dottyp.
The Camel Cup in Alice Springs has to be seen to be believed but that's in July and may be out of your time range.
There are some great wineries and pretty country just out of Adelaide. If you are reluctant to drive yourself, there are wine tours. Our favourite wine areas are the Clare Valley and the Barossa Valley.
Hope you have a great holiday here.

I can't believe I forgot to mention the Camel Cup, the highlight of our first trip to Alice in July 2010. The weather had been very, very wet, and all our trips were cancelled. And the Desert Park, too. A very interesting place to investigate.
We returned in July 2011 and managed to complete our previously-planned activities.
Trephina Gorge is worth the drive, and while on your way there you can stop at Emily and Jessie Gaps (both take about 10 - 15 minutes each or longer if you wish) at Corroboree Rock, and then travel onto Arltunga Historical Reserve.
Stormbird is so right about the drive to Palm Valley but the walks and plant life make the drive worthwhile. We did a bus tour to Palm Valley.

Another trip we found interesting was to the Telegraph Station (origin of Alice Springs). We also visited the Alice Springs School of the Air, and Chambers Pillar.

BTW, Uluru and Kata Tjuta are also amazing. We had 2 nights of sunset at Uluru and a sunrise. I have some pretty amazing photos of both, too.

Enjoy your trip to Alice - it is one place I hope to make a third trip to.