#larapinta

[cuprikorn]

[adsab]

West McDonnell Ranges, Northern Territory.

[auswalk]

LARAPINTA TRAIL – WHAT IS THE BEST TIME OF YEAR TO WALK?

The Larapinta Trail is located close to the town of Alice Springs on the sacred land of the Arrernte people, stretching across the West MacDonnell Ranges. The Larapinta trek, covering a distance of 223 km, is dotted with sacred indigenous sites and is home to native flora, fauna, high red rock ridgelines, gorges and spectacular views. Most travellers choose to complete the walk over seven days. However, shorter treks are available depending on the difficulty level and experience you seek.

The trail, often referred to as one of Australia’s top hiking treks, is full of wonders and magnificent experiences that give those that walk along it the chance to appreciate its beauty and uniqueness.

The Larapinta Trek takes you through the Ormiston and Serpentine Gorges and offers an opportunity to see Mount Sonder at sunrise. Hikers will be amazed by the dramatic colour changes in the rock formations at Glen Helen Gorge and Standley Chasm. This trek, which is of moderate difficulty, is one of the most spectacular outback experiences in Australia. The trek is an experience of splendid isolation and remoteness of the most spectacular parts of the Larapinta Trail.

Best weather conditions for walking the Larapinta Trail The months of April to September are widely considered the best time of year to walk the Larapinta Trail. We have detailed below the estimated temperatures that can be expected in each season to help you prepare for your journey.

Autumn (March-May): Temperatures can vary from 8°C to 32°C. These months often have warm days and cooler evenings.

Winter (June-August): Temperatures range from a low of 4°C to a high of 22°C, with the possibility of sub-zero temperatures at night.

Spring (September-November): Temperatures can range from 10°C to 33°C, cooling during the evening.

Summer (December-February): Walking along the Larapinta Trail during this time is not recommended. Temperatures range from 20°C to 36°C, and can reach above 40°C, exposing hikers to many heat-related health risks.

The quiet period of the year

Throughout your trek on the Larapinta Trail, no matter what time of year you visit, you will rarely cross paths with other hikers. The trail covers a large distance, creating space between yourself and other groups. In addition, this track requires training before you start and may only be ideal for some hikers, making this location quieter than other less strenuous trails. In addition, this track requires training before you start, which automatically excludes some trekkers, making this location quieter than other less strenuous trails.

The best time for swimming

Those who have had the pleasure of walking the Larapinta Trail will surely tell you the joy of finding those beautiful waterholes and rivers that line the way. After a long day of walking, soaking in fresh running water can refresh and rejuvenate you.

For those walking on the trail during the warmer autumn months, you may find that the water has a pleasant temperature and is refreshing than if you were walking through the winter months. Central Australia is well known for its warm weather throughout the year but hikers will likely have many opportunities throughout the year for experiencing cooler temperatures along the trek.

As the Larapinta Trail is a sacred site, you are not allowed to swim in certain areas. We recommend checking with your guides for where you can and cannot swim, discovering the safest swimming locations, practising safe behaviour in and around water, and always swimming with a friend.

Walk the Larapinta Trail with Auswalk A walk of this calibre requires expert guidance to ensure you receive the most outstanding experience possible while exploring the Larapinta Trek. Auswalk has been a pioneer in walking holidays across Australia, including guided, self-guided and custom treks. When you choose us as your travel companion, we organise everything from accommodation to food and leave you to enjoy the journey.

By selecting our guided tour, hikers will be accompanied by two qualified guides who will lead the way with their in-depth knowledge of the trail and its history, safety training and years of experience. Our trips are more than getting you to your destination; it is about cherishing the path that takes you there.

Explore our Larapinta Trail and the many other spectacular Australian walking holiday destinations and see these hidden gems for yourself!

[auswalk]

Unleash Your Inner Explorer: Hike the Iconic Larapinta Trail

Auswalk Walking Holidays offers an unforgettable adventure on the iconic Larapinta Trail. Explore the rugged terrain and diverse landscape while immersing yourself in the cultural history of the traditional landowners, the Arrernte people. With experienced guides and comfortable accommodations, Auswalk Walking Holidays is the perfect way to experience the challenge and beauty of this must-see destination. Visit our website https://auswalk.com.au/

Discover the Larapinta Trail on our small-group, guided hikes & walks. Immerse yourself in the ancient culture & stunning landscapes of Aust

[cuprikorn]

[cuprikorn]

[muntedpumpkins]

LARAPINTA HIKE Day 5

The final day, the big night hike to walk to the top of Mt Sonder for sunrise. Night hiking is a new for me, and its benefits are clear to see. Being able to see the stars without interference from any light pollution is enough on its own. The chill of night keeping you cool even as you climb is another bonus, and not being able to see the steep inclines ahead of you keeps your mind focused on the next step rather than what’s of in the distance. We roused at 2AM with the aim to leave camp by 2:30.  With preparations for lunch completed the night before, this target was achieved easily. On the bus and returned to Redbank Gorge by quarter past three, the climb once again took off from where we had left the day before. The first kilometre or so was flat, crossing over the riverbed that leads to the gorge and approaching the base of Mt Sonder. Once the base is reached, the climb is severe, with large steps from the next five hundred metres - it’s bloody cold, but we are all shedding layers at the end of this steep climb. Amy promises this is the last of the sheer steps on the trail. She’s chosen her words carefully.

There are other groups scaling the mountain as we are - but there are decent gaps between us, and this results in a procession of lights being visible far ahead and well behind. Ive just changed the battery in my headlamp, so its shining like a mini spotlight - even then if I turn my head to the side of the track to illuminate the track I can probably only see twenty metres or so. We are so lucky to live in a world where we have conquered the night and all its challenges. That we can even hike through such land without fear at night shows our dominance. Whether that’s a good thing or not is a different argument.

The moon reflects the ground that we cannot see in its burnt orange colour - perhaps a reflection of the suns light filtering through the atmosphere. Amy says she’s never seen it this colour on all the trips she’s taken through here - so it’s fairly special. As we trudge through the darkness in single file, it sinks below the horizon, a fiery egg taking its place in the orbital dance. This leaves us with almost two hours before sunrise with no moon, and a bevy of stars waiting to be illuminated by the dimming of our headlamps. After everyone has been to the toilet and taken a snack from their packs, the headlamps are all turned off, and we are left to crane our necks and gaze upon the grace of our night sky.

This ranks among the top things I have seen on this trip. To see the Milky Way so clearly, a smattering of stars smeared into the appearance of a cloud. It’s rare to see the spiral arm presented in such high fidelity. I was even able to take a picture with my phone that almost shows it - I’m impressed by that fact as usually this should not be possible. From this point there is about forty five minutes left of hike until the top of Sonder.

The pace might not be too fast, but the steepness of it accounts for the heaving of my lungs required to propel me up the hill. My right leg has been the one to offer the most complaints over this journey (feeling like I’ve pushed it hard at the gym after some time off), and I have been wary not to push myself too hard, especially on that leg - what a shame it would be to properly injure myself on this trail. But even it seems to be excited by reaching the top and does not pain quite so much as before, even as this is likely the hardest trek we’ve done over the five days.

Reaching the blustery top we are greeted with the true summit to the east of us (slightly to the south as we’d find out). We’ve arrived just as the first light it breaching the horizon, giving deep purples and red hues against the night sky. The stars are still visible, and the line of the planets is clear to see. The sun rises by seven am, and the surrounding landscape is illuminated piece by piece - the ripples of the landscape rise out of the darkness looking like the tops of clouds at first, the light reveals them to be a pockmarked vista of land bunched up and breaching the flat plains - reminders of the extreme activity that took place here millions of years ago, still in place even after all of the erosion of those millennia.

Around the other side of the peak runs the longest shadow in the souther hemisphere, so long that the end of it bends above the horizon, cast on what appears to be empty space. The walk down gives more time to look at this marvel as well as to appreciate the landscape we have walked through in darkness.

Now fully illuminated, the scale of what we have climbed is clear to see - again the green and gold of the bush stands out. The west McDonnell ranges look like a rainbow road streaking down the country, and it’s easy to see how they resemble the caterpillar as told in indigenous stories of them.

I just want to get to the bottom oh the hill. I’m exhausted and ready for some sleep. All I can think about is the promise of my bed at home. But its gonna be a week or so before I’m afforded this luxury. Back to camp for a big breakfast of bacon eggs and hamburgers - then the camp is quickly packed up and we’re on our way back to Alice. Before I know it, I’m deposited back at the caravan park. Dad’s just left and I have to call him using Siri because I can’t see my phones screen, owing to it breaking after it went for a swim in Ormiston Gorge. He gets back while I’m on the toilet, and once I’m out I see Logan. He’s not sure who I am at first, but after a good sniff, he’s got it all figured out.

It’s been so much more than I ever could have anticipated, and after a few days rest, I’ll be wishing I was back out there.

[muntedpumpkins]

Larapinta Hike Day 4

Fourth day of the Larapinta Trail. We are continuing on from where we left the trail yesterday after the Mt. Sonder lookout. A shorter day today at only fourteen kilometres, we are headed to Redbank Gorge. As we walk along the rocks around us shift in colouration, from the same burnt orange to deep maroon and then to bone white. The red rocks of iron look like the could have fallen from the bark of a tree, for they are composed of thin layers that break apart easily. The highlight of this walk is the gorge, another example of duelling rock faces, quite similar to Ormiston Gorge, but still striking in its execution. Ghost gums line the river, not along its bank, but at its centre. Sure, there’s no water in it at the moment, but its clear that when water does come through, it comes through thick and fast. The debris of the last flooding event stands as high as my head, all bunched up against the trunks of the trees that call the dry riverbed home. As we get deeper into the gorge, I see some rock wallabies bounding up and down the golden cliffs. I’m straggling behind the group, and by the time that I make it to the gorge waterhole, Amy has already jumped in and gotten out, and is standing in her walking shorts and a towel. Apparently there’s not much going on under the towel in the way of clothing. Two boys from outside of out tour group have clearly enjoyed the show, and do the best to impress Amy by skipping some rocks across the gorge. People watching can be very entertaining at times. Dean is swimming back from the far end of the waterhole and Daymo is waiting his turn to jump back in and follow him. Colleen has waded up the the bottoms of her footy shorts and no further. I join in, but I’m not a footballer like her - I don’t have any experience with ice cold recovery sessions, or wanting to stay in cold water for any other reason. 

Amy’s gotten her walking shorts wet instead of her bathing suit, and needs to come up with a solution for getting her clothes back on and keeping herself dry without revealing herself for all to see. She wiggles her shirt on over her towel - leaving her with the problem of getting her towel out. It’s a bit of a look given that the towel is a sporty travel towel with fractal pattern covering it. I’d wear it to a party. 

She figures it out and gets the towel out through the neck of her polo. 

Another towel is provided and she uses that as a sarong. Everyone who was in the waterhole has since extricated themselves, and Colleen walks out with red legs up to where the water had been. Theres no denying the water was cold. Apparently the the water goes on between to rock faces for a further two kilometres, a journey of its own merit - but not one that we would be taking today. Two guys  on an inflatable raft have got more balls (and time) than us, and are taking the plunge. We see them disappear between to crags and can hear them splashing about for the twenty minutes we are sitting back drying off. I reckon it’s be a good adventure to come back for. 

Back to the bus for a quick return to camp. Dinner is hamburgers at around 5pm as we prepare to get an early night so that we can be up and ready by 2:30 AM the next day for our sunrise hike up mt sonder. 

We have to share the camp with another tour group - but they are so small that it makes little difference to our plans. We share the campfire with them, but the two groups don’t really get into conversation. It seems that there would be little reason in interacting with them for the few hours before bed only to never see them again.

On a side note - I spent more than a few minutes salivating over the thighs of this other groups driver. He’s wearing footy shorts and showing off that he probably has a history playing football. There’s a fantasy or two going on in my head that I don’t have the balls to bring to fruition.