Larapinta Trail - End to End
Trip Length |
Trip Code |
| 15 days | PDEE |
Activities |
|
| Trekking (Challenging) | |
Maximum Passengers |
|
| 8 people | |
Countries Visited |
|
| Australia | |
Start City |
End City |
| Alice Springs | Alice Springs |
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.
Day to Day Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Alice Springs
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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 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 included: 1 breakfast, 1 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.
Your Trip
What's Included
Peregrine trek leader, support staff and vehicle, swags and camping equipment, park and trek fees.
Summary of accommodation, transport & meals
Transport
- Bus
- Trek
Accommodation
- 1 night Comfortable hotel
- 13 nights Outback camping
Meals
- 14 breakfasts
- 14 lunches
- 13 dinners
Equipment Included
- Swag (roll up mattress with canvas, sheets, pillow and blanket)
Not Included
Flights, airport departure taxes, arrival and departure transfers, visa, insurance, any optional activities during free time, tips or gratuities and items of a personal nature.
What to know
VaccinationsVaccinations may be required for this trip. Talk to your doctor about the up-to-date information for this region.
Visas and PermitsIt is your responsibility to ensure you have all required visas for your trip. Rules and regulations governing the issuance of visas are constantly changing, and vary for different nationalities and you should check visa requirements with your travel agent or relevant consular authority well before travel.
Australia
Nationalities other than Australians and New Zealanders will need a visa to visit Australia. Short term visas have largely been replaced by the Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), however it is your responsibility to check the relevant authorities if this applies to you.
Rules and regulations governing the issuance of visas are constantly changing, and vary for different nationalities. You should check visa requirements with your travel agent or relevant consular authority well before travel.
You are required to have travel insurance before heading off on a Peregrine trip. Insurance can be organised by your Peregrine representative or your travel agent.
Responsible Travel
Our Responsible Travel ethos is at the heart of everything we do, from getting the basics right like respecting local cultures and the environment, to initiating projects that make positive contributions to communities, to our staff’s fundraising efforts and offsetting our carbon emissions.
Please visit our Responsible Travel (http://www.peregrineadventures.com/rt) page for more information.
Our Pre Departure Information packs (provided upon booking a trip) provide tips on how you can show respect for the local customs and culture in the country you are travelling in.
The information listed above is a brief description of some things you may need to consider when booking a trip. Once a tour is booked you will be provided with a Pre Departure Information pack which will contain detailed information.
Further Reading
AustraliaThe Secret River – Kate Grenville
My Place – Sally Morgan
For the Term of His Natural Life – Manning Clark
Voss – Patrick White
Cloud Street – Tim Winton
The True History of the Kelly Gang – Peter Carey
About this Information
The information provided here is given in good faith and has been compiled with all reasonable care. However, things change and some of the information may become out of date. Please keep this in mind when you read it and check with us if you want to be sure about something. The document was correct at time of printing, but you can check online for the most up to date version. If you have any queries, please contact your travel agent or our staff in Australia. We are here to help you!
Last Updated
29 November 2011