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Larapinta Trail - End To End

A more challenging trek amongst Central Australia's most spectacular desert mountain ranges Australia’s newest long distance walking track along the backbone of the West MacDonnell Ranges, the Larapinta Trail is considered to be one of Australia's finest walks. Extending west from Alice Springs to Mount Sonder, the Larapinta Trail covers a distance of 232 kilometres, offering a unique trek through the heart of the Australian outback,
As the trail winds through the rugged landscape, rocky outcrops surround scenic trails that cut a swathe through the awe-inspiring gorges and expansive plains. The deep reddish colours of the West MacDonnell Ranges form a spectacular backdrop to our trek, whilst camping at night under a canopy of stars allows us to absorb the ambience of the stark Australian outback. This is a challenging trip for experienced trekkers looking to complete one of the great walks in this hauntingly beautiful part of the world.

Gallery View map

Tour Highlights

  • The West MacDonnell Ranges and Larapinta Trail
  • Simpson's Gap
  • Off-the-beaten-track in Redbank Gorge
  • Alice Springs
  • The desert vista from Mount Sonder's summit

Inclusions

  • Peregrine trek leader, support staff and vehicle, swags and camping equipment, park and trek fees.
  • Bus
  • Trek
  • 14 breakfasts, 14 lunches, 13 dinners

Larapinta Trail - End To End

Day 1
Arrive in Alice Springs
Meals Privided:
Your trip starts in Alice Springs, in the heart of central Australia. Today is just an arrival day, so no activities are planned. Please make your own way to our centrally-located joining hotel (details are in your travel documents). In the evening we meet our tour leader and our fellow travelling companions at a Welcome Meeting (this is usually at 6pm, but you will be advised as to the exact time and place on message on a noticeboard located near the reception of our hotel), where our leader will give us a briefing on what lies ahead on our tour.
Day 2
Alice Springs Telegraph Station - Simpson's Gap
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
First walking day is a 23 kilometre walk from Alice Springs Telegraph Station west to Simpson's Gap. It was completed and opened in mid-1990 and has proved tremendously popular with both locals and tourists with about 2000 walkers per year. This section features superb views over Alice Springs and the surrounding lowlands. Visitors also follow the Aboriginal Dreaming Track of the ancient euro (hill kangaroo), ancestor of the modern species of euro, also known as wallaroo. This track also covers several kilometres of the historic Overland Telegraph Line route and offers superb bird watching opportunities, with several species of parrot likely to cross you path. From Simpson's Gap we are transferred to our campsite.
Day 3
Simpson's Gap - Jay's Creek
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 2 is a 24.5 km section of the Larapinta Trail. It is suitable for people of average fitness, used to walking long distances, with some steep ascents. Some of the highlights for this section include passing through the home of one of the few brushtail possum colonies in central Australia and exploring a landscape of rock outcrops that is over 2000 million years old. Overnight Hamilton Downs.
Day 4
Jay Creek - Standley Chasm
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today we tackle Section 3, a 14 km challenging section of the Larapinta Trail. This section is quite challenging and covers some of the steepest and most rugged country in the ranges, although very rewarding with spectacular views from the high broken ridges. An alternative low route is available from Tangentyere Junction to Millers Flat, which is less strenuous for those with an average level of fitness. Overnight at our base camp on Hugh River.
Day 5
Standley Chasm - Birthday Waterhole
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4 covers the 18 kilometres from Standley Chasm to Birthday Waterhole. Another very challenging section, the trail follows the high quartzite ridges of the Chewings Range to the summit of Brinkley Bluff, where walkers are rewarded with breathtaking views in all directions. Steeply descending from the bluff, the trail enters Stuart’s Pass - an upper branch of the Hugh River. It then follows this river valley to Birthday Waterhole - our base for the night. Overnight at our base camp on Hugh River.
Day 6
Birthday Waterhole - Hugh Gorge
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 5 is a 16 km section of the Larapinta Trail that is only suitable for well-prepared and experienced walkers with a good level of fitness. This challenging section of the trail passes through Spencer Gorge, negotiates the spine of Razorback Ridge and then travels down narrow Linear Valley to the junction with the Hugh River. The trail then follows natural watercourses and it may be necessary to negotiate pools of water within Hugh Gorge. Overnight at our base camp on Hugh River.
Day 7
Hugh Gorge (Rest Day)
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
We take the opportunity to rest up in the spectacular surrounds of the Hugh Gorge and Hugh River with opportunities for short walks in this spectacular location. Time to recharge the batteries before the next big days' walks.
Day 8
Hugh Gorge - Ellery Creek
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 6 is a 31.2 km overnight section of the Larapinta Trail. It is only suitable for well-prepared, experienced walkers with a good level of fitness and capable of walking long distances. This section traverses across the Alice Valley from Hugh Gorge in the Chewings Range to Ellery Creek Big Hole in the Heavitree Range. It is one of the longest and most difficult sections of the Larapinta Trail. It can take around 10 hours to complete.
Day 9
Ellery Creek - Serpentine Gorge
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 7 is a 13.8 km section of the Larapinta Trail and is suitable for people of average fitness, used to walking long distances, with some steep ascents. The sharp rocks on the first part of the trail can be hard on tender feet, but gives us the opportunity to learn something of the long geological history of the West MacDonnell Ranges. Another highlight is the abundance of birds including the elusive spinifex bird, a unique species of warbler found only in Australia. Overnight at Serpentine chalet base camp.
Day 10
Serpentine Gorge - Serpentine Chalet Dam
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 8 is a 13.4 km section of the Larapinta Trail that is only suitable for well-prepared and experienced walkers with a good level of fitness. It offers exhilarating views of the high quartzite ridgelines that typify the West MacDonnell Ranges, including Haasts Bluff and Mt Zeil (the highest point in the Northern Territory). Overnight at Serpentine Chalet Dam camp.
Day 11
Ormiston Gorge
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 9 is a 30.5 km overnight section of the Larapinta Trail. It is only suitable for well-prepared and experienced walkers as it takes up to 10 hours for a fit walker to complete. This is one of the more difficult sections of the trail that takes us into the rugged heart of the range country. There are numerous species of birds and mammals such as wallabies that can be seen in the gorge. There is no reliable surface water along the way, so people contemplating this section must be prepared to carry a considerable amount of drinking water for the walk.
Day 12
Ormiston - Glen Helen
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
After breakfast we set off to walk Section 10, a 9.9 km section of the Larapinta Trail that can easily be walked in a day. This is one of the shorter sections of the Larapinta Trail and winds through rolling limestone hills at the headwaters of the Finke River, one of the world’s oldest rivers.
Day 13
Glen Helen – Rocky Bar Gap – Redbank Gorge
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Section 11 is a 25.2 km section of the trail that starts off meandering across low spinifex-covered hills with the spectacular backdrop of Mount Sonder in the background. It then crosses the Davenport River and climbs to a hilltop lookout before descending to shady, tranquil Rocky Bar Gap at the foot of Mount Sonder. We then pass through this gap and travel along the southern flank of Mount Sonder to Redbank Creek.
Day 14
Mount Sonder Ascent
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Today sees us tackling one of the primary goals of the Larapinta Trail, the 16km return climb to the summit of Mount Sonder(1380m). The arduous climb to the peak is well worth the effort and walkers are rewarded with breathtaking views in all directions. Ranges, plains, valleys and salt lakes all combine to create magnificent vistas. This is a great place to experience the grandeur of the desert landscape.
Day 15
Ormiston Pound Circuit Walk - Alice Springs
Meals Privided:
Breakfast, Lunch
In the morning we transfer to Ormiston Gorge where we spend the day doing the Ormiston Pound circuit walk. Starting from the Visitor Centre we wind around some low peaks before descending into the 'pound', which is a flat area enclosed by mountains all around. There are numerous species of birds and mammals such as wallabies that can be seen in the gorge. It takes about 3-4 hours to complete the 7-8 kms circuit and we finally return to the Visitor Centre via the main waterhole. We then conclude with drive back to Alice Springs, where our adventure ends upon arrival.

IN A NUTSHELL

15 days
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