by clicking the Privacy policy link at the bottom of the page. Not to scare you anymore than the Wolves, but people do die in the outback and probably best if you can find some hiking companions to do that sort of terrain for what if you do an ankle or worse? The Larapinta Trail is designed to start in Alice Springs and finish at Mt Sonder and as such the difficulty ratings attached to each of the 12 sections in the printed brochures and the guidebooks are based on this. The Larapinta is a popular trail with Australians, who account for nearly all of the trail’s users. 2020 I’ve never seen anything move quite like that in North America. I haven't done any real bushwalking before but I'm pretty fit 4x5km run and 2 weights sessions a…. Though this trail is a challenge, it's not just for the young, so read on for my full experience hiking this trail. Over the course of two weeks I met with an average of a half dozen other hikers each day. The Larapinta Trail, Alice Springs: See 514 reviews, articles, and 306 photos of The Larapinta Trail, ranked No.3 on Tripadvisor among 68 attractions in Alice Springs. Get our Handbook - the resource you need to make intelligent decisions about gear, safety, comfort, and pack weight. So I'd appreciate some alternate suggestions. I've only ever backpacked. I had been preparing a response for you moogen but then had a power outage and see habby has covered a couple of points I was to make:. Daytime temps were mostly in the mid-sixties. © Copyright 2001-2020 BEARTOOTH MEDIA GROUP, INC. | U.S. Library of Congress Serial Registration ISSN 1537-0364 The Larapinta Trail Website is one of the most comprehensive trail websites in the world. Designed to be walked in either direction, the Larapinta Trail runs for 223 km between the town of … I'm thinking of taking myself on a self-guided trek along the Larapinta. The trail is in the centre of Australia and there is not much to help you complete your 20 day trek, though campsites are available. The Larapinta Trail, to me, is the quintessential Australian hike, and it delivers. Base on the experience of people in my bushwalking (trekking) club who have undertaken the Larapinta Trail a number of times you need to plan for food and water drops along they way. You can . Lonely Planet. There are long days walking in exposed conditions and a desert environment with hard surfaces underfoot and climbs & descents. Moogen, I imagine that if u made reasonable plans you would be fine walking the larapinta alone.Altho,it is considered remote it is not inaccessible....When are you planning to go? A Membership is required to post in the forums. It’s not just the risk of getting lost but also what you would do with personal injury or illness (including snake bite) along the trail. Not that it doesn’t have a charm of its own. These types of tours will cost over $1, 000 (for a 3-day trek). While I loved the hike, the mountains and canyons and gaps, I don’t think it’s quite as dramatic or impressive as much of the U.S. southwest. In the company of expert guides trek across Australia’s MacDonnell Ranges, hiking the best of the Larapinta Trail from Alice Springs to Mount Sonder (1350m). Beginning at Alice Spring’s Telegraph Station (the official start of the Larapinta Trail), walk through ancient bushland and up onto the rocky spine of the MacDonnell Ranges. The Larapinta trail is 223 km long and covers some very challenging country in the NT. In my two weeks it didn’t rain, but supposedly it could have. Alternatively talk to businesses that organise the supported treks. There would be no mobile phone reception. The season would be a main consideration http://www.thehikinglife.com/2016/01/a-quick-dirty-guide-to-the-larapinta-trail/http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=22452http://www.danthewanderer.com/larapinta-trail/. I'm not insane. Trek Larapinta is a small local Australian company. Thorn Tree is currently set to READ-ONLY mode. You would not walk this trek over summer, November to March. I brought only a pair of shorts, but often at night and in the mornings I put a pair of long underwear on underneath. habby also mentions walking clubs and wherever you are in Australia, you may not be too far away from a club so it is worth checking out what sort of walks they organise and as a group it will be easier to manage the drop off and pick up aspects, there being plenty of walks in all different parts of Australia and so you could look at doing some less testing ones first and develop the SOD and camping out skills before graduating to one of the tougher if not toughest like Larapinta.Joining a walking club would be good for you to help sort out a walking/camping kit. The Larapinta Trail is one of Australia’s most underrated experiences. Detailed information about the Larapinta Trail, a walking trail that runs along the West MacDonnell Ranges in Central Australia. The Larapinta trail is a hiking track that spans 223km to the west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory… All rights reserved. If you’re interested in learning more about the trail, try the official website: Run Larapinta is a 4 day, 4 stage trail running race along the most spectacular sections of the iconic Larapinta Trail in Australia’s Northern Territory. Ranked as one of the planet's top 20 treks, the Larapinta Trail is a 223 kilometre path that follows the rocky spine of the West MacDonnell Ranges from Alice Springs Telegraph Station to Mount Sonder. guided walks will as habby indicates mean you will be with like minded people.A women on here recently asked about the Great Ocean Walk in Victoria, it closely following some of the Great Ocean Road and I have pulled up that thread for you - https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/australasia-pacific-australia-new-zealand-antarctica/australia/the-great-ocean-walk-solo-women - habby has also commented there and as it turns out the lady has planned on a supported walk, there being a few more other than the one she is using and there also a guided walk. The track is particularly rough on shoes (and feet) and even walking in winter it can be quite hot in the day and very cold at night (like ice on the inside of the tent cold). Other than the GOW, there are walks on Mornington Peninsula where you cannot get too lost, parts of the Bicentennial trail that takes off from east of Melbourne and you can also access sections of it further east and north east in Victoria or interstate, then you have all the national parks with good walks, Wilsons Promontory for instance and then up around the Blue Mountains with heaps of day and longer walks, Gold Coast Hinterland and then heading west, there is the Heysen Trail in SA and a similar one over in WA, Katherine Gorge and Kakadu up north or way south in Tasmania, as I say heaps to build yourself up to something like the Larapinta. I was pretty lucky in developing SOD skills, coutry living, boy scouts, military, light aircraft flying and one thing in common was always having a good compass, still better to have one rather rely on GPS and more fun in laying a compass on a map and then looking at your surroundings from a vantage point - but you can practice the basics on a map at home, plot yourself a route and break it into sectors and make up a distance/direction list etc. I haven't done any real bushwalking before but I'm pretty fit 4x5km run and 2 weights sessions a week. If you don't have outdoors experience and knowledge I agree with the others you should do the journey as part of an organised group. It is also one Australia's newest trails and is quickly emerging as one of the most popular trails in Australia and the world. The Larapinta Trail is an extended walking track in the Northern Territory of Australia. The first section of the trail was opened in 1990, and after many years of development and community consultation, the Larapinta Trail was finally completed in 2002. These maps will be published in John’s forthcoming book on the trail. Challenge yourself to hike the whole trail or tackle one of its 12 sections, all of … I started in Alice, and I would highly recommend that direction—it’s much more dramatic to finish atop Mt. The Larapinta is a popular trail with Australians, who account for nearly all of the trail’s users. Download the Backpacking Light Handbook to help you make intelligent decisions about gear, skills, ultralight philosophy, and reducing your pack weight. And of course there’s the kangaroos: a highlight of the walk was seeing a pair, up on the slopes of Mt. The question is how difficult is the trail if you go into it with that kind of support. update your settings It seems I haven't been very clear. Subscribe here. But there were discrepancies between the various sources. The notion of an organised tour appals me. As already outlined this is a remote area walk and not to be taken lightly. The NATMAP 1:250 000 topographical maps, Hermannsburg and Alice Springs also show the Trail. But how well marked are they? But I'm also a 54 year old woman with a limited sense of direction and I'll be on my lonesome. Australia does have a few more trails less arduous and closer to civilisation for that. The Larapinta Trail offers one of the greatest desert treks on earth and is a bucket list experience for anyone who enjoys walking holidays. They will have one or two people who don’t walk, their role is to do the food & water drops and pick up the group at the end of the trail. Home › Forums › Campfire › Post-Trip Reports › Larapinta Trail, Northern Territory, Australia. Go with a group and it will be a relaxing rather stressful experience. Another option you might consider is a supported self guide walk. The land is older, more worn down…. You would need to consider hiring a EPIRB. Base on the experience of people in my bushwalking (trekking) club who have undertaken the Larapinta Trail a number of times you need to plan for food and water drops along they way. Receive new Members-only content, gain access to 2,000+ articles in the archives, and become a part of the most passionate community of backpacking experts in the world. Here’s the url: http://indesertsmostly.blogspot.com/2008/07/last-day-in-alice.html src="/backpackinglight/user_uploads/1239834639_12041.jpg" alt="Hugh Gorge" width="550" height="413">. Hi there, Having worked in Central Australia for two years, I’d felt that I’d come to appreciate the cultural significance, design of the landscape and the brutality of the elements – but the Larapinta Trail was something else. I'm thinking of taking myself on a self-guided trek along the Larapinta. I know some sectors are much easier than others. Our walk of the Larapinta Trail was assisted by the use of draft 1:50 000 coloured maps provided by John Chapman. It would seem from http://www.larapintatrail.com.au/larapinta-trail-grading.html that you would want to be on the fitter side and when you say self guided, do you mean getting support for food/water drop offs etc. The trail is dotted with established campsites, most with water tanks, some with picnic tables, a couple even with gas grills (Australians are mad about grilling). http://www.larapintatrail.com.au/larapinta-trail-grading.html, https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/australasia-pacific-australia-new-zealand-antarctica/australia/the-great-ocean-walk-solo-women, http://www.thehikinglife.com/2016/01/a-quick-dirty-guide-to-the-larapinta-trail/, http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=40&t=22452, http://www.danthewanderer.com/larapinta-trail/. 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