We have a small caravan and will be heading down towards Uluru, Kings canyon etc in the next week or so, (currently in Pine Creek). Would it be better/more cost effective to leave the van at a site on the main highway, and drive in and stay either ready erected tents (if there is such a thing) motels, do an organised trip, or should we just take the van? We plan to travel about 500k per day, we are not in a mad rush. if it's best to just take the van do I need to book ahead, and if so do I need to just ring the day before or should i book well in advance, (which might be difficult as we seem to change our plans often usually after talking to other nomads and listening to their recommendations). Thanks all your advice is much appreciated.
The Lasseter Highway into Uluru is a good sealed 2 lane road, there would be no reason at all to leave the van behind. The caravan park at Yulara outside Uluru does get busy so I would suggest you ring and book, but a day or two ahead should be fine. Its a very large good park with good facilities. Similarly with Kings Canyon, the road from Uluru to Kings canyon is a 2 lane sealed road, no problems at all to take the van, but you should plan to return back to the Lasseter Highway and take it back to the Stuart when leaving, as any other roads from Kings Canyon are unsealed and often very bad. There are a couple of caravan parks in Kings Canyon, I would suggest ringing and booking when you are at Uluru, shouldn't need to do it before then. The shop at the caravan park at Kings Canyon was probably the most expensive we have seen anywhere, but there is a small supermarket at Yulara which we found well priced and stocked, so plan to buy any supplies you need there.
-- Edited by Meredith on Friday 25th of May 2018 07:04:08 PM
This is just us. We did the Red Centre last year in early June but we were heading north and didn't book ahead as we also take the day how it comes as we'll see a sign, or talk and decide on the spot, to take a look at non planned places. We didn't book ahead to either place, but we also free camp. From our experience if wanting to stay at the caravan park at either place, if not pre booked get in around 10.00am. There will be a big line up (could do with an extra staff member in that busy time) but the CP at Yulara is very big. There was a lot of tent camps out on the road to the camel farm but not in use so it seemed. I'd say they were more for bus groups that hire a whole camp area without looking into it. There is a CP at the servo on the highway corner and another on the road in but we didn't stay at either. We free camped at Sandy Way Rest Area. No facilities. We stopped on the gravel area near the road but others went over the sand hills to camp. We got there after dark so stayed on the gravel. We didn't find it noisy. It cost us $50 to enter Uluru (2 persons) and that is for a 3 day entry. It cost us $50 also for a powered site in the CP. We had a look at the "Fields of Light" display whilst there and that you will need to book to see as you can't drive yourself. The bus, if just taking a look, has three departure times, 6pm, 7pm and 8pm if I remember correctly and picks you up outside the CP. Or you can camel trek to it or the meal deal depending on your budget. If I had the money and know what I know now I would try the meal deal. When you go out on the bus you get to walk through it but you don't really get to look over it as you see in the pictures. There is a little bit of a rise near the back with a seat if you have the time to sit. We went out at 7pm and came back on the 9pm bus. At Uluru take a drive out to the sunrise viewing platforms even if not there at sunrise - a good view at any time. On way in to King's Canyon we stayed at the Salt Water Rest Area. A big area. No toilets or showers here either and don't feed the dingo that can hang around the camp area. There was also a dingo/mangy dog cross at the King's Canyon CP. We got there late as we spent time at the canyon itself before going to the CP and could only get an unpowered site ($40) but as we have solar it didn't matter to us. Just a by the by - if you hit Alice Springs on the long week end in June the place is chocka block because of the desert rally but not to worry. If the CPs are full they open up the Alice Springs Showgrounds. We had arrived on the Monday. The showgrounds have toilets and showers and $30 for a powered site. The office closes at 4pm so if arriving later just find yourself a site and pay the next morning. That's what we were told and did. There are a couple shower blocks and the one further around the ring is the better of the two. If you want to use a laundromat for washing be prepared to wait. At the Alice if you have time do the ring road out to Herrmannsburg around to Taylor's Lookout around to Ormiston Gorge etc. etc. or the other way around - this road was fully sealed last year but some maps might not show this yet. Drive up to Howard's lookout and there's another one near Glen Helen Gorge on the other side of the road. Plenty to see and do in that whole area. I rambled on about our experiences but didn't really answer your question. Sorry and Cheers.
PS: I was assuming you meant Pine Creek NT and not Pine Creek South Australia. If going through Coober Pedy go out to the Breakaways for sunset. Leave your van at the CP as it is dirt road or take an organised tour. We stayed at the Oasis CP there and took both their tours - the Breakaways and the town tour. Our MH does not like rough road. We also did the day tour to the Painted Desert which we booked at the information centre.
-- Edited by Gaylehere on Friday 25th of May 2018 10:02:17 PM
Depends on how fit you are and how much time you have.
You can climb the rock and walk around it in a day.
You can do the valley of winds trek in the olgas in a day.
No need to book at Yulara if you get in early in the day, massive place that can always find you a spot.
Very very expensive to stay so only one night is needed.
Get in at 10 am and unhitch the van then drive to the olgas and spend the day there. Return to yulara for the night.
Check out early next day and take your van to the rock and park in the large vehicle area near the chain.
Climb the rock and walk across the top to the cairn and return to the base in an hour and a half if you take it easy.
Do your walk around the rock after lunch and then depart for a free camp back down the highway towards the turn off to kings canyon. There is a very good free camp 51km up the hwy to kings canyon.
Next day drive to kings canyon with your van and park in their car park that has plenty of large vehicle parking spots.
Do the rim walk. Start on the north rim (up the heart-attack stair case) and finish by returning on the easier south rim.
Depart kings canyon and drive back to the same free camp as last night.
Next day you can continue your journey knowing you haven't missed a thing.
The Mereenie Loop road from Alice Springs to Kings Canyon is a very corrugated dirt road from Hermannsburg and not recommended unless you have an off-road van.
If you are not towing it does save you 150km.
Warning! Fuel at Kings Canyon is the most expensive of any tourist destination in Australia at over $2.80 a litre.
They rip you off simply because they can. They know that most travellers will run out before they get back to Erldunda so they have a captive monopoly.
Excuses about freight costs are a furfy.
The same trucks that loaded the pre-refined Indonesian fuel at Darwin port and travel to fill the tanks at Kings Canyon continue on another 2,000km all the way to Adelaide where the fuel is taxed higher but sold at half the price.
It is less expensive to buy a couple of cheap 20litre plastic Gerry cans and fill them in Alice Springs and then throw them away.
Fuel at Erldunda is reasonably priced at not much more than 20cents dearer than the Alice. Yulara is probably 50cents dearer than the Alice.
Just be aware that when you get to Uluru/Ayers Rock, it is highly likely that you will not be able to climb it.
The climb is closed more often that not now for "safety" reasons, and on days it is open, the local indigenous group prefer you do not climb in deference to their beliefs. That decision is up to you and my comment is not meant judgementally in any way.
Personally, as you have to pay for a 3 day pass anyway, I would take an extra day and have a little bit less hectic schedule at Uluru.
I would also take 2 nights at Kings Canyon to allow you to comfortably do the Rim Walk and also the Canyon Walk while there, as well as see the other couple of spots like Kathleen Springs, which has a bit of history and is a nice little water hole.
As for driving in or booking accommodation there, at this time of year, I would probably take the van in, but book a site at Yulara beforehand.
-- Edited by TheHeaths on Monday 28th of May 2018 07:12:46 AM
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Regards Ian
Chaos, mayhem, confusion. Good my job here is done
