Glen Helen Resort

Northern Territory

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At the western edge of the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park is the popular Glen Helen Resort, which has an idyllic back verandah slammed up against the red ochre cliffs of the spectacular gorge. There's a busy restaurant-pub serving hearty meals such as steaks and parmas (mains $25 to $35) and live music some weekend.

There's a good chance you'll spot flocks of colourful budgerigars here while enjoying a cold drink in the evening. Pitching a tent on a grassy patch with your own campfire is a delight.

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

  • Ormiston Gorge

    Ormiston Gorge

    5.2 MILES

    If you've only time for one stop in the West MacDonnell Ranges, make it here. There's a waterhole shaded with ghost gums and the gorge curls around to the…

  • Tnorala

    Tnorala

    24.45 MILES

    Protected by a combination of remoteness and difficult access, Tnorala, as it's known to the Western Arrernte people, is a lost and beautiful world. The…

  • Palm Valley

    Palm Valley

    24.99 MILES

    Top attraction Palm Valley is famous for its red cabbage palms (up to 12,000 of them!), which exist nowhere else in the world. These relics from…

  • Mt Sonder Lookout

    Mt Sonder Lookout

    0.66 MILES

    Just 1km northwest of Glen Helen Gorge, the Mt Sonder lookout has sweeping views out over the West MacDonnells; sunrise and sunset are the best times to…

  • Ellery Creek Big Hole

    Ellery Creek Big Hole

    26.14 MILES

    Ellery Creek Big Hole, 91km from Alice Springs, has a large permanent waterhole and is a beautiful spot. It's a popular place for a swim on a hot day (the…

  • Hermannsburg Mission

    Hermannsburg Mission

    18.95 MILES

    The whitewashed walls of the old mission are shaded by tall river gums and date palms. This fascinating monument to the NT’s early Lutheran missionaries…

  • Redbank Gorge

    Redbank Gorge

    12.23 MILES

    The westernmost of the gorges that puncture the West MacDonnells is multihued, cathedral-like Redbank Gorge. A permanent waterhole runs for kilometres…

  • Glen Helen Gorge

    Glen Helen Gorge

    0.29 MILES

    Glen Helen Gorge is where the Finke River cuts through the MacDonnells. It's not quite as dramatic as nearby Ormiston Gorge, but it's all relative. Only…

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Nearby Northern Territory attractions

1. Glen Helen Gorge

0.29 MILES

Glen Helen Gorge is where the Finke River cuts through the MacDonnells. It's not quite as dramatic as nearby Ormiston Gorge, but it's all relative. Only…

2. Mt Sonder Lookout

0.66 MILES

Just 1km northwest of Glen Helen Gorge, the Mt Sonder lookout has sweeping views out over the West MacDonnells; sunrise and sunset are the best times to…

3. Ormiston Gorge

5.2 MILES

If you've only time for one stop in the West MacDonnell Ranges, make it here. There's a waterhole shaded with ghost gums and the gorge curls around to the…

4. Redbank Gorge

12.23 MILES

The westernmost of the gorges that puncture the West MacDonnells is multihued, cathedral-like Redbank Gorge. A permanent waterhole runs for kilometres…

5. Ochre Pits

12.8 MILES

The Ochre Pits line a dry creek bed in the heart of the West MacDonnell Ranges, 11km west of Serpentine Gorge, and were a source of pigment for Aboriginal…

6. Hermannsburg Mission

18.95 MILES

The whitewashed walls of the old mission are shaded by tall river gums and date palms. This fascinating monument to the NT’s early Lutheran missionaries…

7. Tylers Pass Lookout

19.5 MILES

Tylers Pass Lookout provides a dramatic view of Tnorala, the legacy of an earth-shattering comet impact. It's a 30- to 40-minute drive beyond Glen Helen…

8. Serpentine Gorge

20.03 MILES

Around 102km west of Alice Springs, a rough gravel track leads for 5km north off Namatjira Dr to narrow, ochre-red Serpentine Gorge. It has a lovely…