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Alice Springs · Northern territory · Australia
5 Days Larapinta Trail Walk
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From $2,314.04 per person
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The Experience
What your day looks like
Our Larapinta Trail Walk in the Northern Territory is one of our most popular walks. Drawing upon our extensive years of expertise in organizing Pack-Free walks along the Larapinta, we’ve crafted an exceptional 5-day itinerary that our guests just absolutely love. Throughout the journey, you’ll spend four nights at our centrally located campsite nestled by the breathtaking Ormiston Gorge, allowing you to take a leisurely stroll to the waterhole and enjoy a rejuvenating swim at the end of each day. Here, walk-in tents will be readied for your arrival, complete with off-ground beds, camping mattresses, and pillows. This, combined with the boundless knowledge of our guides, results in an ideal guided pack-free walk, seamlessly blending adventure with creature comforts. Notably, this trail has been recognized by National Geographic, earning a spot among the top 20 trekking adventures worldwide. It’s astonishing how this ancient landscape is abundant with natural beauty including magnificent gorges, lofty ridges with breathtaking views, and tranquil waterholes. The Larapinta Trail Walk showcases a repertoire of over 600 plant species, teems with diverse wildlife, and offers glimpses into the world’s longest unbroken cultural heritage – the Arrente People, who have inhabited this region for an astonishing 50,000 years.
At a Glance
The experience, in brief
- 5Day Guided Walk
- Centrally Located Campsite
- PackFree Experience
- Expert Guides
- Scenic Beauty and Adventure
Your Itinerary
Your day, step by step
Day 1
Alice Springs
Welcome to Australia: We begin our day in Alice Springs at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel, Alice Springs. Here, you’ll meet your guides for a pre-tour briefing before heading to Standley Chasm
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Hiking at Standley Chasm. Standley Chasm: On this walk, you’ll venture into a landscape where the jagged formations on both sides have been sculpted over countless millions of years, resulting in a stunning and picturesque effect. As you follow the walking trail to the Chasm and its nearby areas, you’ll have the opportunity to encounter a variety of inhabitants, including a diverse range of bird species, lizards, wallabies, as well as native flowering plants, and ancient cycad palms.
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Alice Springs
Eco Tour at Ormiston Pound. Ormiston Gorge: We then travel to Ormiston Gorge which is one of the main highlights of the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park. Enjoy a beautiful and spectacular walk up to a high escarpment overlooking the pound and then we descend into the pound, and across the gorge. The walk takes you through a spinifex covered landscape. You will be amazed at the extensive population of wildlife surrounding the many waterholes along the way. Upstream as you walk through the gorge rising spectacularly on either side are cliff faces that look like Red Lego blocks. You will see ancient pines; river red gums and you may even see the famous Sturt Desert rose. Towards the end of today’s walk is a refreshing water crossing so you may want to pack your swimmers. As we are fortunate enough to have a campsite at the beautiful Ormiston Gorge, today we will walk directly into our campsite, with your overnight bags already safety stowed in one of our luxurious stand-up touring tents. Take a dip in the refreshing waterhole before dinner, a great way to refresh after your day’s walk.
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Alice Springs
A delicious dinner served with Australian wine is prepared for your enjoyment.
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Accommodation.
Day 2
Alice Springs
Eco Tour at Mount Sonder. We have carefully planned your journey so that the most challenging day to Mt Sonder (the highest point of the trail) is at the start of the tour when you are fresh and more energetic, then day by day we alternate difficulty. We start the day early so we can enjoy a glorious walk to Mt Sonder. Europeans were first acquainted with the mountain in the watercolor painting of the famous Aboriginal artist Albert Namatjira. This section’s walk to the summit showcases the stunning colors of the range and amazing views for hundreds of miles into the distance. Initially, we climb through bushland, then the trees gradually become more stunted as the track rises on open spinifex-covered slopes. At the top, we will enjoy sweeping views of where we have been and record our achievement in the Visitors Book. The trip to the peak of Mount Sonder comprises a 7.5km walk from the gorge over rocky and steep terrain suited to fit bushwalkers. We return to our campsite with time to have a relaxing swim in the waterhole before dinner.
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Alice Springs
Tonight enjoy a wonderful dinner featuring local produce and Australian wines.
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Accommodation.
Day 3
Alice Springs
Eco Tour at Ormiston Pound. Ormiston Gorge: Today our walk will take us through Ormiston Gorge. Our walk starts with a magnificent Red Mallee Forest, wildflowers after rains if you’re lucky and a dis-used cattle corral, which reminds us of the past pioneers of this rugged cattle country. Mount Sonder looming in the distance and plains stretching as far as the eye can see. We descend over gently undulating terrain when we come to the junction of Ormiston and Davenport Creeks which is the start of the famous Finke River.
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Alice Springs
Hiking at Finke River. Finke River: The Finke is known as Larapinta (“salty water”) to the Western Arrernte people and is one of the oldest watercourses on this planet. We cross the Finke River to the west bank and rise through a patch of river red gums to an open plain. We then make our way back to the campsite, allowing time for a swim in the waterhole before the evening meal.
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Tonight, enjoy a delightful dinner showcasing local ingredients accompanied by Australian wine.
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Accommodation.
Day 4
Alice Springs
Hiking at Larapinta Trail. Section 8 of the Larapinta Trail: Today we walk Section 8 of the Larapinta Trail. We begin the walk with a steady climb up to Eagles Landing, so named after a Dreaming story about an Eagle Ancestor who soared along the range between Ochre Pits and Serpentine Gorge. After a morning tea stop at Eagles Landing, we then continue to Count Point. This vantage point offers a wonderful opportunity to see the overall geology of the ranges.The straight quartz ridge lines drawing the eye into a spectacular view of Mt Sonder. To the right, in the distance, sits the highest peak in the Northern Territory – Mt Zeil.This vantage point offers a wonderful opportunity to see the overall geology of the ranges and, in our opinion, the best view along the entire Larapinta Trail. After lunch, we descend the range into the plains to the end of our walk at Serpentine Gorge chalet. We then transfer back to the campsite.
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Alice Springs
Tonight, enjoy dinner featuring Australian wine and chat about the day’s adventures.
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Accommodation.
Day 5
Alice Springs
Hiking at Larapinta Trail. Larapinta Trail: Today we hike an easy 4km along the Arrernte Walk from Ochre pits to Inarlanga Pass, where we then connect up to the Larapinta Track for the remaining 4km. The Ochre Pits remain an important cultural practice for the Western Arrernte and the Arrernte Walk follows along Songlines used for thousands of years. The track follows high ground to some of the best views of the whole Larapinta trail. As we enter into Inarlanga Pass, the smoky green fronds of the Macdonnell Ranges Cycads stand out against glowing red walls that formed about 300 million years ago. It’s easy to see why this magnificent area has been an important place of ceremony and water for the Western Arrernte people for thousands of years.
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Afterwards, we head back to the Doubletree Hilton Hotel, Alice Springs arriving at approximately 2.40pm in the afternoon, ending this fantastic journey. Thanks for traveling with us!
Before You Go
What to know before booking
Included
Pack-free fully supported walk with your overnight luggage transported to the campsite Professionally guided Return transfers from Alice Springs on day 1 and 5 of your trip National Park Pass
Not Included
Tips and gratuities
What to Bring
Hiking shoes Comfortable clothes
Meeting & Pickup
Doubletree Hilton Hotel, Alice Springs where we meet on day one
Languages Offered
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Planning Notes
Hotel pickup offered: No Confirmation: Manual By Business
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