Desert Adventure Larapinta Trail

Depart Germany on the Friday evening (2 days prior to Day 1). Arrival in Alice Springs on Sunday afternoon (Day 1). After the long flight you will have time to recover with two nights in beautifully located accommodation in Alice springs – enjoy the chance to rest and recharge your batteries for the upcoming adventure. Alternatively, you can take a detour to the “Araluen Arts Centre” (optional). With its great variety of exhibitions, this cultural centre gives you a rare insight into the special features of local ‘living art’ as well as the cultural heritage of Aboriginal people living in the “Red Centre”.

Location: Alice Springs
Accomodation: Hotel
Meal Options: N/A

Early in the morning you can enjoy a Hot Air balloon ride over the Outback (optional). In the School of the Air Museum you have the chance to look behind the scenes at this special form of schooling in the Outback: Primary school and the younger secondary school students did their schooling over the radio, which has now been replaced by the internet. Each day, they receive group or individual lessons for about an hour and the rest of the day they learn with set materials under the guidance of their parents, older siblings or appointed tutors. Once every year all the children get together for a big party in Alice Springs. The school was founded here in 1951, as the first of its kind. In the afternoon, feel free to take a short walk and explore some of Australia’s most famous desert city.

Location: Alice Springs
Accomodation: Hotel
Meal Options: Breakfast

In the morning, we will be departing for a 5-day camping safari that will take us to the highlights and hidden places of the Australian “Red Center”. With a 4WD vehicle we will travel directly to Australia’s most iconic monument: the Uluru, the magical rock colossus and world heritage site for all mankind. During the impressive journey, we will see how the huge monolithic stone domes of the Olgas approach us from a distance. On arrival at Uluru, we will get to know our local Aboriginal guide, who will give us a unique insight into the culture of the indigenous people of Australia. Together, we will take a walk to the Mutitjulu water station, where we can listen to the stories of the Anangu – the local Aboriginal tribe in the area around Ayers Rock. A special highlight of this day is that we are able to take part in an Aboriginal art demonstration and have the chance to create our own little work of art! Finish the day by marvelling at the spectacular colour show of a desert sunset.

Location: Uluru
Accomodation: Permanent tents with 2 beds
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today’s program calls for an early start. For this we will be rewarded by a breathtakingly colourful sunrise over Uluru. Afterwards we will hike through the Valley of the Winds in the neighbouring, but no less spectacular, rocky landscape of the Olgas. This evening we can sit by the campfire in our own Outback camp – in complete peace and seclusion, beneath the beautiful star filled Australian skies.

Location: Uluru
Accomodation: Permanent tents with 2 beds
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

In the morning we hike through the oldest geological region of Australia, including the 200 m deep gorge of Kings Canyon. This is also a landscape of pagoda-like rocky domes, lime-white ghostly trees and waterways teeming with wildlife. Cockatiels, finches and comical budgerigars are frequent visitors to this “Garden of Eden”, which lives up to its name in every way. On the Mereenie-Loop corrugated unsealed road, we will be shaken around again in our 4 wheel drive vehicle. Towards evening we will be approaching the region of the West MacDonnell Ranges for the first time: The wonderful Glen Helen canyon, where water flows all year round, is waiting for you at your camp – wonderful opportunities for wildlife watching and enjoying welcome refreshment in her cool waters.

Location: Kings Canyon
Accomodation: Permanent tents with 2 beds
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

The Ormiston Gorge has water flowing through it the whole year, so its the ideal place for watching a wide variety of wildlife. With a bit of luck you might even get the chance to see the rare black footed rock kangaroo! The Ghost Gum walk offers us breathtaking views over the whole region from the observation point of the same name. Some of these trees with their white bark are rooted in clefts between the rocks, so they can survive the extremely dry conditions. We also visit Ellery Creek, the main attraction here is a spectacular waterhole carved out between the impressive rock formations. From here it is not too far to the Ochre Pits, a sacred place for local Aboriginal Tribes. Today we will be hiking altogether between 4-5km.

Location: Ellery Creek
Accomodation: Permanent tents with 2 beds
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Following in the footsteps of the first European explorers who ventured into the Outback, we stop off in the wild, remote Owen Springs Reserve.We will visit Rainbow Valley , right in the middle of the Outback. This wonderful valley can only be accessed by 4WD due to the rough, unpaved route and is famous for its beautifully coloured ‘Rainbow’ rock formations. If the opportunity arises , we will visit the the Wallace Rockhole Aboriginal Community and experience the culture of the local indigenous people, who have a deep connection with this region. In the evening, we will check back into our Alice Springs accommodation for two nights, where a hot shower and a “real” bed awaits us.

Location: Glen Helen Gorge
Accomodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast and lunch

Today we have the opportunity of enjoying a Hot Air Balloon ride in the early morning (optional). The residents of the sparsely populated Australian outback only receive their mail once a week, delivered by a special ‘mail plane’ and for larger shopping expeditions t(as you can imagine) they must travel hundreds of kilometres. So how do these residents access medical care and schooling for their children? In the Royal Flying Doctor Museum you will get an insight into their work and discover the history of this non-profit organisation, responsible for round the clock care of all Outback residents. With their specially equiped aircraft these Flying Doctors also attend to patients in all corners of the vast Australian continent, thus enabling comprehensive nationwide coverage. We will also visit the Reptile centre at Alice Springs. Here we can see , and actually get to actually touch, some impressive Australian snakes. Afterwards we will be making our final preparations for out next adventure – the Larapinta Trail. In the next 14 days, we will be hiking 223 km through the highest desert mountains of Australia, the West MacDonnell Ranges – a good reason to take it easy in the afternoon and rest up well beforehand. Alternatively, you could take a stroll over to Todd Mall Market, the artisan and flea market on the popular local shopping strip, which takes place every second Sunday morning. Todd Mall also houses numerous art galleries specialising in the sale of paintings and crafts by Aboriginal people living in Outback communities near Alice Springs.

Location: Alice Springs
Accomodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast

We start off our hiking tour on a pleasant, flat track leading us through bushland. In the second half of the day we start to meander over the typically, heavily eroded stone hills of the West MacDonnell mountain chain – a good start to build up our fitness and prepare us for the next legs of the Trail. Simpsons Gap is an ideal place to stop and be on the lookout for the local black-footed rock kangaroos who generally appear at dusk.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Some of the highlights of the second day are the impressive views from the Arenge Bluff, several crossings of broad, dry river beds – framed by white river eucalyptus – and a visit to one of the rare Brushtail-Possum colonies in the Australian centre.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Now the landscapes starts rising to a higher altitude. This mountain chain reaches some impressive heights by Australian standards. Along the way to Standley Chasm we take a high track along the ridge line of the Chewings Range, which always guarantees wonderful, panoramic views. Not for nothing is the today’s stage one of the shortest of your trekking adventure: through the careful ascents and descents, we gently master a wild and mountainous landscape. As our reward, waiting in the evening, is the dramatic gorge crossing of Standley Chasm – one of the main attractions of the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today we are again treated to breathtaking views of rugged mountain landscapes. Our first destination of the day is the impressive Brinkley Bluff. Our efforts during the ascent will be well rewarded by wonderful 360 degree views from the top. After a steep descent across Stuart’s Pass down to the Hugh River, we follow a track along the river bed to our next overnight camp. The Mintbush Spring near our camp, as well as the Birthday Waterhole itself are frequented by a variety of animals making it an ideal place for wildlife watching.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After an adventurous morning climb through the romantic Spencer Gorge ,we hike along the Razorback Ridge, whose crest line tapers down to a narrow ridge – narrow and yet offering us breathtaking views. After a steep descent taking us through the Linear Valley we will navigate our way by day’s end to the magnificent Hugh Gorge, where narrow and wide landscapes alternate. Often we are surprised to find water-filled basins, so it is quite possible that we will have to pass through one or more of these pools just before reaching our camp for the night.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today we are taking the Ormiston Pound roundtrip on the edge of the West MacDonnell Ranges. The Pound is a valley basin surrounded by mountain chains at Ormiston Gorge. The landscape will impress you with it’s scenic diversity, as well as the beautiful flora and fauna unique to this region. When crossing the year-around water-filled Ormiston river (at the end of this short circular hike) we will roll up our trouser legs and wade through the cool, clear water. This afternoon we take a well-earned rest and gather our strength for the next stage of the journey.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

On the longest leg of the trail, we will wander through extensive tracts of lush Acacia trees through the bush lined Alice valley. The trail meanders gently up and down, and after crossing some of the valley reaches the Heavitree Range. On the southern flank we will finally reach the highlight of this leg: our destination -the inviting and refreshingly cold pool of the Ellery Creek Big Hole, a beautiful waterhole surrounded by stunning red rock walls.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

After the long hike of the previous day, we will have two shorter hikes ahead of us. Today we can enjoy discovering more about the the long and fascinating geological history of the West MacDonnell Ranges. This part of the trail also has an extraordinary variety of birdlife. The imposing Serpentine Gorge offers a dramatic backdrop to the day’s end, those of us who want to can explore the gorge during the evening.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

In the early morning, after the ascent from the plains to the ridge of the Heavitree Range, you will witness an unforgettable colour spectacle. Today’s tightrope walk will give us spectacular views of mountain chains in the distance, which make the journey a real panoramic experience. Now, for the first time, the end point of our 223 km long hike – Mount Sonder -appears in the distance, as well as the highest mountain of the Australian Northern Territory, Mount Zeil.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Right at the start of the day, the trail leads us into the gorge of the Inarlanga Pass. Here we can admire the beautiful MacDonnell Ranges Cycad, an endemic palm species of absolute rarity which, like the palm trees of the Palm Valley, is living proof of a earlier humid climate that existed here a million years ago. Later we walk through a wonderful, remote high valley leading us to the steep, red quartz walls of the Ormiston Gorge -one of the most famous and mighty gorges of the entire mountain range. Since there are no reliable sources of water available on this leg, we are now carrying all our drinking water for the day.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

We start the day by crossing the (mostly dry) Finke River, which is part of one of the oldest river systems in the world. For over 100 million years it has followed its way into the Simpson Desert along the same riverbed. The clue to the naming of this trail lies here is the Finke River: The Aborigines called it “Lhere pirnte” (Larapinta) meaning “The salty river”. On the evening of this stage, we are joyfully reunited with the lovely Glen Helen Gorge.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

The mostly barren landscape now allows us a breathtaking view of the ever-closer Mount Sonder. Along the southern flank, we’ll work our way to Redbank Gorge. In the afternoon, we should be able to float along in the water and explore this narrow, labyrinthine gorge . The approximately 100 m high, red rock walls, separated only by a narrow gap, are so imposing that they almost block the view to the sky.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast, lunch and dinner

Today is the day! With a light day pack, we will climb the highest vantage point of the Larapinta Trail – Mount Sonder. The efforts for our climb will be well rewarded by a vast, panoramic view: all the surrounding mountain chains, high valleys, plains, small salt-water lakes lie at our feet. Once again the stunning beauty of the highest Australian desert is presented in its full splendour. After the transfer back to Alice Springs we can finish our Outback adventure with a relaxed dinner and – if you are in the mood – a cold beer with your fellow travellers.

Location: Larapinta Trail
Accomodation: 1 Person tent or swag
Meals: Breakfast and lunch

After our exciting adventure in the heart of Australia, it is time to say goodbye and go home (Monday afternoon). Arrival in Germany two days later.

Location: Alice Springs
Accomodation: Hotel
Meals: Breakfast