Day 20: Mereenie Loop - off to the track!

After breakfast, we got the access permit for the Mereenie Loop and set off. Today was the part of the tour that the children were especially looking forward to: driving the 4WD on the dirt track.

Right after leaving the resort, a dingo ran alongside the road next to us. From a distance, these animals look quite cute from the car. 

A few kilometers past Kings Canyon, the asphalt ended and the gravel road began. 

Since it seemed to have rained not too long ago, the dirt road was in fairly good condition. Despite the corrugated track and numerous potholes, we made good progress. Most of the time we could drive at 80 km/h. We left quite a large dust cloud behind us.

Fortunately, we only encountered two other vehicles on the entire 155 km route - one coming towards us, the other parked on the side of the road. 

However, suddenly there were two horses standing in the middle of the road - a mare with her foal. They didn't make any effort to move. On the contrary, the little one needed to drink first. 

We made good progress and after about 2.5 hours, we had solid ground under the car again. 

Our first stop was at Tnorala Gosse Buff, an old meteorite crater. The way there led over a seemingly single-track sandy path. A short walk led to a viewpoint. 

Then we continued to Glen Helen. We had planned to stay here overnight. But since the end of last year, the resort there has been closed due to water problems. So we only had the short hiking trail to Glen Helen Gorge. 

We then went to Ormiston Gorge. Before walking the Ghost Gum Trail, we took a lunch break. 

The trail then led up one side of the gorge to a viewpoint where the Ghost Gum Tree, one of the white eucalyptus trees, stands. From there, it went down into the gorge and through the riverbed over rocks and sand back to the waterhole and then to the parking lot. 

Last stop for today were the Ochre Pits, a sacred site of the Aborigines. 

Then there were another 120 km on the highway to Alice Springs. There were no other accommodation options until then.

On the way, we encountered the first road train - one of those extremely long trucks. However, it was only a relatively short version.
We arrived in Alice Springs around 4 p.m. and went shopping first. Then we looked for our accommodation - Kathy's Bed&Breakfast. The accommodation is somewhat adventurous - a kind of AirBnb with a family connection.
Before finding something for dinner, we drove up to Anzac Hill, from where you can overlook the entire city.

For the record: Accommodation: Kathys Place B&B, Alice Springs Driven: 399 kmWalked: 11 kmWeather: Sun at 20°C