Advice on Alice Springs / Uluru / West Macdonnell Ranges trip late October

Palm Valley is really nice with good facilities (showers etc) and Finke River NP including boggy hole is nice spot too but no facilities at all.

Cheers

The Larapinta Drive west of Alice runs along the base of Heavitree and Chewing ranges. There are numerous gorges, but you do have to do some walking, you drive to places to start a walk. The Cchre Pits are only a km or so off the Drive
Camp at Ormiston Gorge (they have showers) and do the Ormiston Pound walk. You can also camp at Elery Big Hole but I don't think there are showers.
You can swim at both.
If you are fit there are phenomenal views to be had at Count's look out which is between Serpentine Dam and Chalet. It is a 14km round trip walk, make sure you do it early in the day and take plenty of water (4L per person + water back in vehicle).
Likewise there is a spectacular walk up beyond Stanley Chasm, about 10km return (the chasm part is only a few hundred metres, the back of it is more spectacular to me).
We have stayed at Kings Ck Station over Kings Ck resort. The resort looked fine, but the Station is owned by locals and they tend to have more long term employees who can fill you in on the district better than the Resort. It's normally a 2 night stay, arrive 1 afternoon, walk the Canyon the next day (make sure you look at Kathleen Springs midway between The Canyon and Station).

I have not been to the East Macs, but they tell me there is a worthwhile drive. I researched it a fe wyears ago but as we were hauling a camper trailer decided against it. You end up goping through cattlewater (? or similar name) pass to around Gemtree on the Plenty Highway. Many people say they prefer the East Macs ove rthe West Macs.

Uluru is about 3 days, 1 day at Olgas, 1 day at Uluru, perhaps 1 day of rest and washing. Don't expect to climb it, from Oct with warmer days you will be very lucky to find it open.

Not been into Palm Valley or Boggy Hole, people say it is well worthwhile. Best of luck using that folding shovel, it's one step up from your hands I suppose. IF you are serious you will have a long handled shovel and a snatch strap is useless without another vehicle. Adjust your tyre pressures (have a compressor) otehrwise you will just dig holes in the river bed I'm told, so unless you have them, do your research before going onto Boggy Hole.

G'day Mark, I'll leave the camps to others but you may need to note any restrictions on the hire vehicle as to what roads, if any, are off limits. Another point is, you can cover most of the excess insurance much more cheaply by buying travel insurance for
the appointed driver,rather than paying the exhorbitant extra daily rate the hirer will
ask. Easily available on line from Cover1 & others. Or you can punt it & accept the risk.
cheers.....oldbaz.

We just returned from nearly 4 months in NT. We stayed in caravan parks with power most nights. (aircon in van!)
Glen Helen Resort is good. Kings Canyon Resort, good, but $42 per night. Both have chopper flights starting at about $55 for 5min! We stayed at Family Parks CP in Alice for a few days. Cultural centre across the road is well worth a look. We also went out to Gemtree for a bit of fossicking.
Bear in mind that it is starting to get very hot up there. Sealed roads are good, unsealed are a bit cut up/corrugated.
Current fuel price in these remote places is $2.20 litre. Food/grog is also expensive, so stock up in Alice.
Some places recommend boiling the water before drinking.
Hope this helps.. enjoy your trip
Bob

Hi Mark

It will be getting hot. Walks such as the very worthwhile Kings Canyon Rim walk are closed when the temperature reached 36º. This walk starts with a steep climb and needs to be started early in the day to avoid the heat.

Check out my blogs (my blog section here) for 2008 blogs of our five weeks around Alice Springs. Covers it all except Kings Creek Station, camel rides and chopper flight.

Motherhen

Mark, an option for camel rides is from Jim's Place / Stuart's Well Roadhouse. This is 90 kilometres south of Alice Springs on the Stuart Highway, and not far from the turnoff to the lovely Rainbow Valley. Jim Cotterill is part of the history of Kings Canyon.Camel Rides Jim's Place

Mh