Information

Included:

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• All camping equipment (swag, winter sleeping bag).

• Camp site and trail fees.

• Transport around the national park in a 4wd bus.

• 3 healthy and yummy meals a day plus snacks for the hike. 

• 3 female experienced wilderness guides

• Yoga mat and daily yoga classes

• Mindful activities facilitated by your guides.

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How an "assisted" hike works: i.e. what you have to carry!

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Hiking can be as easy or hard as you want it to be.. you can carry an 18kg pack with a pop up tent for 12 days straight, or (in the case of this trip!) you can have support vehicles/porters which help carry all the overnight equipment so you only need to carry a little day pack. Sounds much nicer, right! So, we have decided to go with the later, to create an experience which is suitable for a wide range of fitness levels and great as an introduction to hiking. 

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On this adventure we will be supported by a vehicle and trailer which will carry our swags, camp gear, food, and main luggage to and from each campsite. This means you will just need to carry a day pack (15 - 25L backpack) which will hold your personal items throughout the day such as sunscreen, hat, light jacket, camera, snacks & lunch (provided by your guides at the start of each day), and of course, water. Water is very important for hiking, and there will be no fill-up points throughout the day. This means you will need to carry 4L of water each day. Sounds like a lot i know, but when your hiking for up to 6 hours in the outback sun, you will need it! We recommend a "camelbak" style bladder, which makes drinking whilst walking much easier than using a screw top waterbottle. Your day pack will end up weighing about 6 - 8kgs depending on how many personal items you bring.

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Fittness: 

 

Of course, given this is a hiking trip it is completly reasonable that a certain level of fittness is required. You will be walking between 8 - 16kms per day, on rocky, undulating terrains. However, we are a VERY supportive group of women, and will walk at a reasonable pace with plenty of breaks so that this trip is suitable for hiking beginners. We encourage you to push your limits of comfort and give hiking a go, you wont find a more safe and supportive space than on a WWJ trip, and the reward is so worth it! You will finish feeling empowered, confident, and capable! 

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Yoga:

The yoga classes on this trip will be catered to a beginner audience, so there is no experience required. What an epic location for your first yoga class! If you are an experienced yogi however, dont worry, our teachers are pro's and can definitely give you harder variations of each flow! 

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Camping Facilities:

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To really embrace our adventurous side and immerse in nature, we will sleep in traditional swags which are a bedroll that consist of a thick comfy foam mattress and a canvas covering. Inside your swag you will also use a winter sleeping bag (provided by us) which is flanelette lined, rated to -10°c, and super duper cosy, plus your pillow. We will also have tents just in case of rain, but hopefully we wont have to use them! Sleeping in a swag is always everyones highlight on our trips, it becomes your little nest of comfort and safety, and the stars are incredible. You will fall asleep counting the shooting stars and marvelling at the milky way. How amazing. 

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Reception/Wifi:

 

There will be no reception throughout this whole trip, except for the occasional "ping" on top of a ridge line, but even that isn't guaranteed. There is also no wifi. Plan to be offline for the whole 5 days, how great! Total disconnection. 

 

Food/dietary requirements:

 

We will provide 3 meals a day plus lots of yummy snacks. The food will be healthy, and we will always have a few different options for meals. As examples we may have muesli/cereal/yoghurt/toast for breakfast and the occasional hot breakfast; sandwiches/wraps/salads for lunches; and stir fry/pasta/curries/bbq’s for dinners. Please let us know on the booking form if you have any dietary requirements and we will gladly cater for anything, vegan, vego, GF, DF, even fodmaps.. we got you! 

 

What to Pack:

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• Hiking/active day clothes. Day time temperatures will be pleasent 18-27°c so shorts/t shirts are okay.

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• Warm jacket and warm pants. Night time temperatures can drop to below 0°, so whilst you wont need this during the day, you should pack plenty of winter clothes including a padded jacket, long sleeve thermals, warm leggings, track pants, beanie and gloves.

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• Hiking boots - VERY IMPORTANT! Make sure these shoes are broken in! That means having worn them and walked along trails for 40 hours plus. We stongly recommend boots with ankle support. The terrain on this trail is very uneven and rocky, so the more supportive the better. "Sneakers/runners" just wont cut it, invest in yourself and buy some good hiking boots. Your going to be hiking all the time after this trip anyway so they will be worth it! ;)

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• Sandals/thongs. For at the end of the day. Its good to air out your feet after being in shoes all day.

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• Swimmers. There are plenty of waterholes which are super refreshing to plunge into at the end of the day.

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• Day pack. Approx 15 - 25L small backpack which you will carry on the hike each day.​

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• Hat. Ideally wide brim for plenty of shade.

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• Toiletries. (Don’t forget chapstick and moisturiser – its dry here!)

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• Wetwipes. This will be your shower for the trip!

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• Sunscreen. 

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• Camera/gopro. 

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• Battery pack. Remember, there is no power points throughout this trip. 

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• Head torch. Essential to not trip over around the campsite at night time. 

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• Head fly net. At this time of year, flys really are not that bad, but best to pack one just in case! Theres not many mozzies in the desert so they are not a worry, just the flies.

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• Water Bladder. 'Camelbak" style, suitable to carry 4L. 

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• Travel pillow. Your neck will thank you.

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• Travel towel. Small and light towel.

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Itinerary:

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PRE TRIP BREIFING: 

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• The day before your trip begins your guides will host a trip briefing which is optional but highly recommended at 3pm in Alice Springs. The guides will go over the itinerary, packing list, and last minute details for the trip. This is a great opportunity for you to meet the rest of the group and ask any questions you might have about what to bring.

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Day 1: Serpentine Gorge to Ellery Creek (12.8km)

• Your guides will pick you up from your hotel in the bus at 6:30am and welcome everyone with introductions. We will head straight out to our starting point on the trail which is a 1 hour drive away, Serpentine Gorge. 

• Todays walk is gently undulating across 12.8 km of the Macdonnell Ranges, enjoying expansive views of the Alice Valley, before passing through the Heavitree Range.

• The walk will end at Ellery Creek, which is one of the largest swimming holes along the trail. Will you brave it and plunge into the cooold water? It will surely be good for your muscles after a big day's hike!

• We will finish the day with a slow yoga session under the gum trees to stretch out.

• Your swag will be awaiting you at our first bush campsite, along with dinner, a cosy fire, and a marshmellow! This campsite will be our home for the next 2 nights.

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Day 2: Serpentine Gorge to Serpentine Challet (13km)

• The first rays of golden light will wake you up as the sun rises over the mountain ranges. We will have breaky and coffee at camp before heading off for todays hike.

• This section of the trail has exhilarating views of the high quartzite ridgelines including Haasts Bluff and Mt Zeil, which is the highest point in the Northern Territory (NT).

• Tonight we will return to our same bush camp for a restorative yoga class and finally to put our feet up after a long day!

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Day 3: Finke River to Ormiston Gorge (9.1km)

• Todays section has some steep ascents and is one of the shorter sections of the Larapinta Trail. This section winds through limestone hills at the headwaters of the Finke River, one of the world's oldest rivers.

• You will be able to indulge in a swim in the finke river at one of the waterholes which is spring fed and slightly warmer than the other waterholes. 

• Tonight we will arrive at camp and have dinner early so that we can settle in for sleep at a reasonable hour as tomorrow morning will be a very early start to climb Mount Sonder. 

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Day 4: Mt Sonder (16km)

• Mt Sonder! The highlight of the whole Larapinta Trail... There is no better way to tackle this climb than bright and early so that we are rewarded with an INCREDIBLE sunrise at the top. Yep, that means we will be walking up in the dark. You'll need your head torch to see the way, but dont worry, it is a well marked path and we will be walking closely together as a group.

• It will take us about 4 hours to reach the summit, and about 3 hours to return down. We will walk slow and take lots of breaks along the way so that everyone is able to make it. 

• After this huge morning hike, we will spend the rest of the day relaxing at Ormiston Gorge Waterhole, and you'll even be able to treat yourself with a coffee at the local kiosk!

• There will be an optional yin yoga class today to help your muscles stretch out.

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Day 5: Ormiston Pound (9km)

• Our last day in the Macdonnell Ranges will be spent on one of the most asethetically beautiful hikes, the Ormiston Pound Walk. This stunning loop walk is a side trail off the larapinta and is short and sweet with spectacular views, a perfect finish to our 5 days hiking.

• We will return to camp for the last time and pack our swags before heading back to Alice Springs. It is about a 1.5 hour drive back to town and we will drop you directly at your accomodation

• We will be returning to Alice Springs at around 4pm. 

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