Larapinta Trail Highlights - 6 Days

The walk starts and finishes in Alice Springs. Fly into Alice Springs Airport and make your own way to the hotel. In the evening join your leader and group for the welcome meeting to kick things off. The group returns to Alice Springs by late-afternoon on Day 6. From there, onward travel is by your own arrangement.

Departures run from May through to July, putting this trip in the cooler, drier months of the Red Centre's autumn and winter. Days are generally mild for walking, though mornings and evenings turn properly cold, especially on exposed sections like the Mt Sonder summit, so pack layers and be ready for an early start in the dark on the colder mornings.

This trip follows several of the Larapinta Trail's best known sections through Tjoritja/West MacDonnell National Park. Expect a mix of rocky creek beds, dry riverbeds and desert plains, with climbs onto exposed ridgelines and a summit push to the top of Mt Sonder (Rutjupma). The reward for the effort is some of the trail's best scenery, from the swimming hole at Ormiston Gorge to the sweeping views across the red desert from Serpentine Ridge and Counts Point. Good fitness and comfort on uneven, sometimes steep terrain will help you get the most out of the walking.

For our camping nights, we provide a set-up tent, a stretcher bed, and a comfortable sleeping mat. Single travellers will automatically receive their own tent at no extra charge. Campsites feature shared toilet and shower facilities, though you will need to bring your own towel. Please note that outback temperatures regularly drop below freezing between June and August. A cold-weather sleeping bag is essential; you are welcome to bring your own or hire one from us in advance.

The camps are solar powered, supplemented by a generator if required, and there are a number of outlets that can be used to charge personal devices. We recommend bringing a fully charged power bank to recharge your phone or camera, rather than relying solely on power at the camp.

Please note that on this trip you will be staying on Aboriginal land. These are dry zones, so please do not bring any alcohol with you on this trip.

You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

For over 30 years, we have taken pride in providing seamlessly organised walking holidays, but we know that you'll have many more questions even with that in mind. You will receive a detailed information pack and itinerary approximately six weeks out from departure outlining all the fine detail and much more.