After making the decision to not tackle the Mereenie Loop road from Alice Springs to the West MacDonnell ranges due to the recent rain (and the real probability of our vans falling to bits) we went back along the main roads and into Alice Springs. Picked there busiest day of the year to drop in unannounced (the Finke Desert race was on).
Washing/shopping (restocking on beer) and 2 nights in Alice before we headed out west again, this time to the West MacDonnell Ranges. Incredibly glad that we did. Anyone who has done the center and not had a look at the West MacDonnell’s has missed out.
We set up camp at a little campground (no power but has toilets/showers) at Ormiston Gorge. From there we were well placed to have a good look around. We had dingoes visiting the campgrounds at night, even stealing Kylie and Mikes backpack to see what was inside.
Ormiston Gorge itself is fantastic, sheer rock face, waterholes and it seems to go on and on around the bend. It opens up with a view to more mountains. I went into the gorge for some early morning photos and saw 3 rock wallabies that came down to visit us (about 10 meters away).
Redbank Gorge was great in a different way. A lot of rock hopping to get into the gorge itself but once there, a rock pool disappearing in between 2 sheer rock faces. Would be even better if you swam down but the water in these gorges is freezing this time of the year (and a bit manky).
We had a look at Gosse Bluff, where a comet smashed into the earth 140 million years ago. You can drive right into the crater.