Walking the Spine of the Red Centre
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Words by Josh McGunn
There are moments in travel that stop you in your tracks. For me, one came standing on Brinkley Bluff at sunrise, looking out over a horizon of folded mountain ridges stretching endlessly across Central Australia. The sky flamed pink, the desert air was cool on my skin, and for a long moment, our group stood in silence. The Larapinta Trail has that effect.
A walking holiday with everything sorted
I joined Inspiration Outdoors on their six-day guided Larapinta Trail adventure, which covers the highlights of the 223-kilometre track running along the backbone of the West MacDonnell Ranges. The trail is remote, rugged, and rated one of the world’s great walks, but with this trip, the logistics are smoothed out – something I quickly came to appreciate. Each morning we walked light while our guides managed food, transport, and support. Evenings were spent back in Alice Springs at the lodge, hot showers included, a luxury you don’t get when tackling the whole track self-supported.
First steps into the desert
We began just outside Alice Springs, where the trail threads through mulga scrub before rising into rocky slopes. It didn’t take long for the red earth and ancient geology to dominate the view. Our guides pointed out ghost gums clinging to gullies, spinifex rolling across the ridges, and the faint shimmer of what was Simpsons Gap ahead. By the second day, we were climbing higher and were rewarded with sweeping views from Euro Ridge – a perfect first taste of what was to come.
Walking here is not a stroll in the park. Sections are rocky, uneven, and exposed, and in parts you’re scrambling over quartzite ridges. But the sense of space is invigorating. With only 12 walkers in our group and very few others on the track, it felt as though we had the entire West Macs to ourselves.
Highlights on the trail
Each day is like the outback has a new face. We walked into the narrow Standley Chasm, watched the light-show on the ochre walls of Ormiston Gorge, and cooled our feet in the waterhole at Glen Helen. At Serpentine Gorge, our guide shared stories of the land’s significance to the Western Arrernte people, connecting us to a cultural history that stretches back tens of thousands of years.
But it was the climbs that stayed with me. Counts Point gave us one of the most expansive lookouts in Australia: ridgelines rippling like waves, their colour shifting with the sun. On our longest day we tackled the ascent to Brinkley Bluff, a 1200-metre peak where the views stretch for 360 degrees. The climb was challenging, but standing on the summit with the desert spread below, the effort melted away.
Traditional guides on the land
One of the most memorable moments came during the 100% Finke River Experience, a moving cultural ceremony that connected us to Country in a way words barely capture. As the fire crackled and water was poured in ritual, our guides explained the deep significance of these elements to the Arrernte people. It was a rare privilege to pause, reflect, and take part in traditions that have been practised here for tens of thousands of years – a reminder that the Larapinta Trail is not only about landscapes, but also about culture, story, and belonging.
Life on tour
Back in Alice Springs each evening, we gathered for hearty dinners and a chance to swap stories from the track. The rhythm of walking by day and relaxing by night was the perfect balance of challenge and comfort. There was plenty of laughter too — the kind that bonds a group quickly when you’ve been through steep climbs and sore feet together.
The guides were the backbone of the experience. Beyond keeping us safe and well-fed, they were fonts of knowledge — pointing out bush foods, explaining geology, and quietly adjusting the pace so everyone found their rhythm. Their love for the Larapinta was contagious.
A trail that stays with you
By the final day, as we descended from Mount Sonder in the early dawn, the group was tired but elated. Sonder is the trail’s iconic finale, a 16-kilometre return walk that begins in darkness. We walked by headlamp, the crunch of boots on stone the only sound, until the first light revealed the mountain’s hulking silhouette. At the summit, we watched the sun rise over the desert one last time. It was a fitting end — quiet, immense, unforgettable.
The Larapinta Trail is no easy walk. You need a moderate level of fitness and a willingness to tackle rocky terrain, heat, and long days on foot. But that’s exactly why it’s so rewarding. With Inspiration Outdoors, the challenge is supported, the logistics handled, and the focus kept where it should be: on the vast, timeless landscape of the Red Centre.
As I boarded my flight home, dust still clinging to my boots, I found myself scrolling through photos of ridgelines, waterholes, and ghost gums. But more than that, I carried an intangible souvenir — a sense of perspective, a reminder of how small we are in a land this ancient. The Larapinta doesn’t just give you kilometres walked; it gives you something far more lasting.
If the Larapinta Trail is on your bucket list, Inspiration Outdoors’ Larapinta Trail guided tour is the perfect way to experience it.
I’ve spent over a decade leading tours across the Northern Territory, connecting travellers with Australia’s rich Indigenous culture. From Kakadu to the Red Centre, I’m passionate about creating safe, meaningful experiences for international guests in some of the country’s most iconic landscapes.
