Larapinta Trail

Acclaimed as one of the most spectacular bush walks in Australia, the Larapinta Trail is one for the bucket list. The 231km trail starts in Alice Springs at Telegraph Station and follows the rocky ridges of the West MacDonnell Ranges to Mount Sonder.

Mount Sonder provides a dramatic climate to the trek from its 1374m summit. Though doing the walk from west to east offers a stunning sunrise climb to finish on a high note.

If you were to hike the full distance end-to-end, covering up to 20km per day, you’d need to allow about two weeks to complete the popular walk. It’s graded as a moderate to difficult walk and the best time to attempt the trek is from April to August, when the daytime temperatures are lower than the hot months of October to February.

Larapinta Trail highlights include:

• Simpsons Gap
• Ellery Creek Big Hole, a permanent waterhole
• Ormiston Gorge, great spot to cool off with a swim
• Glen Helen Gorge

If you’d like to experience the Larapinta Trail with the support of a local guide, Intrepid Travel has partnered with Indigenous-owned operator 100% Finke River Culture & Adventure to offer a six-day experience on the iconic trail with First Nations leaders. Find more information about the hiking trip here.