Distances out here are the easy part. Water, light and fuel are what decide whether a day goes well.
Tourism NT's safety advice comes down to a few habits: check the weather and the road conditions, carry more water than you think, wear a seatbelt, watch for animals, and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back. None of it is complicated. All of it gets skipped by people in a hurry.
Water
Tourism NT says you need at least two litres of water a day in the Northern Territory, more if you are outdoors or exercising. That is drinking water for a normal day, not a day walking a gorge in 33 °C. Carry a spare jerry can or a box of bottled water in the boot as well as what is in your pack. If the car breaks down, stay with it; a car is much easier to find than a person.
Light and wildlife
Tourism NT tells drivers to watch for wildlife, and animals on the road are hardest to see around dawn and dusk. Your hire contract may have its own rules about driving after dark; read it. The practical plan is simple: be where you are going before sunset. Returning to the hotel from the far West Macs means leaving Ormiston by mid-afternoon in winter, when the light goes early.
Fuel
Fill up in Alice Springs before every day trip. Distances to the far gaps are short enough on a full tank, but service stations are few once you leave town, and hours at remote roadhouses vary. On the Red Centre Way, plan each leg's fuel stop before you start it.
Sealed, unsealed and 4WD
| Destination | From the hotel | Road |
|---|---|---|
| Simpsons Gap | 24 km | Sealed |
| Standley Chasm | 50 km | Sealed (the Chasm's own description) |
| Ormiston Gorge | 136 km | Main road (Larapinta and Namatjira Drives) |
| Emily Gap, Jessie Gap | 13–20 km | Main road |
| N'Dhala Gorge | Past Ross River Homestead | 4WD only (Tourism NT) |
| Rainbow Valley | About 75 km south | 4WD access road (Tourism NT) |
| Mereenie Loop to Kings Canyon | Part of 323 km | 4WD, permit needed (Tourism NT) |
Check road conditions on the day. Rain is rare (the BoM's annual average is 283.4 mm at the airport) but when it comes, unsealed roads can close.
Permits for Aboriginal land
Tourism NT says a permit is generally needed to travel through or visit Aboriginal lands and waters in the Territory. In the Red Centre, the Central Land Council issues them. Some take at least ten days to process, and areas can close at short notice for cultural reasons. The Mereenie Loop permit is sold at the Hermannsburg store. If you are on a guided tour, the permit is often included.
Tell someone
Before you leave the hotel, write down your route and your expected return time and leave it with someone. A note to a friend by message is enough. If you are walking a Larapinta section, make sure that person knows which section and when you expect to finish.
- Car kit for a day out
- Water for drinking plus a spare supply in the boot
- A full tank, filled in town
- A paper map and an offline map on your phone
- A first-aid kit and a torch
- Sun protection for the car: a windscreen shade keeps the cabin bearable at a trailhead
- A charged phone, but do not count on coverage away from town
Safety information, Tourism NT. Then plan the day on West MacDonnell or East MacDonnell.