Larapinta Trail

The Larapinta Trail is a 223-kilometre desert walking route that follows the rocky spine of the West MacDonnell Ranges, stretching west from Alice Springs across the arid heart of the Northern Territory. It is one of Australia's great long-distance walks, celebrated for red-rock gorges, ridge-top panoramas and star-filled outback nights.

The full traverse is usually walked over about two weeks, divided into twelve sections that can also be tackled individually as day or overnight trips. The trail climbs to high points such as Mount Sonder, roughly 1,380 metres, where walkers time a pre-dawn start to reach the summit for sunrise over the ranges. Between the peaks it winds through waterholes like Ormiston and Standley Chasm, sheltered pockets of green in an otherwise stony, sunburnt landscape.

Difficulty is challenging. The terrain is rough and rocky underfoot, shade is scarce, and the defining hazard is heat and water: hikers must carry large volumes and use the tank-stocked trailheads to resupply. Sections are graded steep, and navigation matters where the path crosses open ridgelines. No permit is required, but registering intentions is strongly advised.

The only sensible season is the southern winter, roughly May to August, when days are mild and nights can drop below freezing. Summer temperatures make the exposed route dangerous. Guided walks and food-drop services operate from Alice Springs for those tackling the whole trail. With its ancient quartzite ridges, Aboriginal cultural sites and vast desert silence, the Larapinta offers a starkly different experience from Australia's coastal and alpine tracks.