Starting in Alice Springs, this 5 day trek offers the perfect tour of the Australian outback. With days of hiking and swimming and nights around the campsite – this the perfect active Australian adventure.&nbsp;
During your hikes, you’ll enjoy open plains and towering mountains, taking in sights like Ormiston Gorge and a rewarding ascent of Mt Sonder.&nbsp;
Enjoy the unique experience of camping out overnight along the trail, making the most of the remoteness and the star-filled desert skies.&nbsp;

Trek the Larapinta Trail | by Intrepid

We begin our walk from the official start of the trail at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station at 7am. Follow the route of the old telegraph line through the rocky, rolling country that spreads out before you, winding along a path that makes its way over creeks and gullies.&nbsp;
Walk along the scenic spine of the Euro Ridge and take in the excellent views of the surrounding Alice Valley, with the gnarled peaks of the West Macs out in the distance. Follow the trail downhill to Wallaby Gap, home to elusive black-footed rock-wallabies and a great place for birdwatching. After this, you’ll be met by your 4x4 vehicle and transferred to your campsite for the night in Ormiston Gorge, right in the heart of the Western MacDonnell Ranges.&nbsp;
Sleep beneath countless stars in your swag tonight.

Day 1: Alice Springs - Ormiston Gorge

Begin today at the beautiful Ormiston Pound.&nbsp;
The trail weaves its way from Ormiston to the Finke River through rolling limestone hills filled with unique plant life. The Finke is one of the oldest river systems in the world, and the local Arrernte name for this waterway gives the whole trail its name – Lhere Pinte, which means a salty river.&nbsp;
Head to 2 Mile Campground with time to enjoy a tasty dinner and swap stories around the campfire.

Day 2: Ormiston Gorge to Finke River

The next two days are the most challenging and rewarding section of your Larapinta hike.&nbsp;
This trail and its views are dominated by Mt Sonder, the highest point in the West MacDonnell Ranges. It’s an undulating 26 kilometres across spinifex-covered hills, making your way through the foothills towards to the hulking mountain.&nbsp;
Cross the Davenport River then make the climb up to Hilltop Lookout, an ascent that’s rewarded with panoramic views of the peak and its surroundings. Descend through mulga woodland and past distinctive knobbly black rock to shady Rocky Bar Gap and along the southern flank of Mt Sonder to Redbank Creek.&nbsp;

Day 3: Davenport Creek - Redbank Gorge

This trail and its views are dominated by Mt Sonder, the highest point in the West MacDonnell Ranges. It’s an undulating 26 kilometres across spinifex-covered hills, making your way through the foothills towards to the hulking mountain.&nbsp;
Cross the Davenport River then make the climb up to Hilltop Lookout, an ascent that’s rewarded with panoramic views of the peak and its surroundings. Descend through mulga woodland and past distinctive knobbly black rock to shady Rocky Bar Gap and along the southern flank of Mt Sonder to Redbank Creek.&nbsp;
You’ll finish Day 4 at a campsite in Redbank Gorge, in the shadow of the mountain itself.

Day 4: Davenport Creek - Redbank Gorge

Hopefully, you got a good night's sleep, as today you’ll be up with the possums for an early start to climb to the summit of the iconic Mt Sonder.&nbsp;
The early start allows you to climb in the cool morning air before the sun begins to beat down. It’s not an easy climb, but the journey to the peak is worth the sweeping views in all directions of Central Australia, taking in the trails you’ve covered over the past few days, the Tanami Desert in the north, meteor craters in the south, and the NT’s highest mountain in the west. It’s the perfect way to cap off the trip.&nbsp;
Afterward, you’ll make your return to Alice Springs for an arrival in the late afternoon, where you’ll enjoy a well-earned shower and time to rest and maybe celebrate your journey with a farewell dinner.

Summary

Trek the Larapinta Trail | by Intrepid

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