Werte! Welcome to Alice Springs (Mparntwe in the language of the traditional owners of the land on which Alice Springs is now located), the heart of the Australian Outback. You’ll meet your Intrepid leader in the lobby of your hotel at 6pm for a welcome meeting. Here, your leader will tell you a little bit about the next seven days of hiking, camping and swimming under the warm Australian sun. Afterwards, head to a local restaurant for dinner to get to know your fellow trekkers.
This morning, you’ll be introduced to your local Aboriginal walking guides, your crew and your drivers who will all be with you on the trail. Then it’s time to head out of town to the start of the Larapinta Trail, which sits at the edge of the West MacDonnell Ranges (or Tjoritja, in the language of the Western Arrernte people). Get your first glimpse of the seemingly endless mountain ranges as you arrive at the historic Alice Springs Telegraph Station. Nearby is the waterhole that gave Alice Springs its name (which is not a spring at all). This is where you’ll start section 1 of the Larapinta Trail, the 14km walk to Wallaby Gap. When you arrive, take a moment to rest in the shade of the ghost gums, then make your way to your private campground – your home for the next four nights – located on Aboriginal land. Have dinner with your group and settle in for your first night by the campfire under the Outback sky.
The Larapinta Trail is arguably one of the best desert trails in the world, exploring Tjoritja (or the West MacDonnell Ranges) in Central Australia. Take it on with this six-day trekking trip, where you’ll hike across snaking riverbanks, open desert plains and towering mountains, spending each night in a private campsite on Aboriginal land. Cool off in bright green swimming holes, discover the Indigenous history of the area with your Aboriginal guides and hike across peaks scattered with diverse flora and fauna. Take in sights like Ormiston Gorge and ascend to the top of Mt Sonder. Take a moment to appreciate the vast red desert surrounds and weeping ghost gums and end the days camping under a blanket of stars.