Into the Red Centre

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Around the World with Jan Into the Red Centre
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- May 3, 2021
- ⛅ 29 °C
- Altitude: 584 m
- Australia Northern Territory Alice Springs D D Smith Park -23.698042, 133.88074723°41’53” S 133°52’51” E
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Day 1
Alice Springs or bust
May 3, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
As I looked out the window of the plane at our red centre, it looked very red, dry, no signs of life – I’m sure there was but it wasn't obvious up there. Beautiful sunny clear sky, no pollution, just whisps of cloud and the infinite horizon. You tend to forget just how vast Australia is.

Alice Springs is a small frontier town with not much going for it but it's stunning location in the centre of Australia. I didn't think I'd see this day after 2 failed attempts last year but I couldn't wipe the smile of my face as we disembarked on a glorious warm day.

The town was quiet, many of the shops were closed, not just because it was Sunday but they are struggling to find staff, some of them just haven't been able to continue.

The Doubletree Hilton turned out to be a bit out of town and a little tattered around the edges but it's clean, comfortable and set in a lovely spot across from a dry Todd River. I was just so happy to finally make it! Can't wait to start walking.Read more
Traveler sense of humour!
7/28/22Reply
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Around the World with Jan Into the Red Centre
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- May 5, 2021
- ⛅ 20 °C
- Altitude: 663 m
- Australia Northern Territory Alice Springs -23.674068, 133.71933123°40’27” S 133°43’10” E
Day 3
Wallaby Gap
May 5, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C
Day 1 of the Larapinta trail at last.

16 of us, all fresh and clean set out for the Telegraph Station to start walking on a beautiful crisp clear day. There were lots of gorgeous flowers and plants because of rain earlier in the year, a photographer’s paradise for me. I loved it.

It didn’t take long for it to get hot. The first test of our fitness was Euro Ridge – three rock promontories climbing higher and higher with a couple of scary sections (narrow path, steep drop). It was worth it – the views were stunning in every direction and we could see where we had come from.

Wallaby Gap was our first experience of the wonderful fixed campsites that World Expeditions is known for – wow! We had a pre-dinner talk about bush tucker from a very inspirational aboriginal woman who provided delicious food to try followed the first of many delicious dinners.

If this is what the rest of the trip will be like, bring it on!Read more
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Around the World with Jan Into the Red Centre
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- May 7, 2021
- ⛅ 19 °C
- Altitude: 790 m
- Australia Northern Territory MacDonnell Serpentine Gorge -23.750112, 132.9786623°45’0” S 132°58’43” E
Day 5
Serpentine Gorge
May 7, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C
There aren’t enough words to describe just how beautiful the landscape is here.

The birds are amazing – bright green budgies in flocks buzzing above us everywhere we walked followed by a sighting of a wedge-tailed eagle as its huge shadow passed above us.

Simpson’s Gap and Standley Chasm were just stunning. The colour of the rocks, the reflections in the water, the flowers and plants along the path and our local guide showing us how many of the plants here are edible. The chasm itself was spectacular – it reminded me of Petra. Brilliant red stone shining in the afternoon sun.

I have to admit that the terrain on the trail is the hardest I’ve walked on – big rocks became easy trip hazards – you had to constantly be alert to the possibility of a fall. It was hard on the feet. I had been warned.

Serpentine Gorge and Counts Point provided more spectacular scenery. From Counts Point, Gosse’s Bluff looks like a mini Uluru – the result of a meteorite hitting the earth 142 million years ago. The view was amazing – the gorge to our left and the hills and ranges as far as the eye could see. Greens, whites, reds – all combined in a spectacular landscape that seems endless.

The flowers too, from the purple Sturt's Desert Rose to the red of the Australian holly - leaves of every shade of green, some spiky some soft like velvet. More photos....Read more
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- May 8, 2021
- ⛅ 24 °C
- Altitude: 641 m
- Australia Northern Territory MacDonnell Glen Helen Glen Helen Gorge -23.688501, 132.67646923°41’19” S 132°40’35” E
Day 6
Fearless Camp, Glen Helen Gorge
May 8, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 24 °C
Today we walked out from camp to the Serpentine Dam, a folly built to service a Chalet built for visitors but which wasn’t much use because of the salt content of the surrounding rocks which contaminated the water.

The reflection of the grey and black rocks where the water cascaded into the dam looked amazing flanked by the stunning red of the gorge itself. Sadly, the fire in 2019 left a scar on the landscape with black skeletons of the trees as far as the eye could see. It is growing back but it will take time.

The colours here are so intense – maybe it’s the deep blue of the sky but the light makes everything so vivid. The rainbow colours of the clay pits and the red earth of the gorges that we walked through were perfect for taking photos – I took lots. Only the local aboriginal men can touch the clay for ceremonial use, preserving it for future generations.

We ended the day with a swim at Glen Helen Gorge. Well, some of us dipped and some swam – the water was much colder than I expected. Stunning location as always.

Our camp, called Fearless, was named after Sue Fear who was a well respected mountain guide who lead some of World Expeditions' trips. We were greeted by a flock of red-tailed black cockatoos - quite a welcome. Didn't think much of the native spiders who decided to visit my tent later in the evening.Read more
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- May 9, 2021
- ⛅ 15 °C
- Altitude: 1,328 m
- Australia Northern Territory MacDonnell Mount Sonder -23.580278, 132.57805623°34’49” S 132°34’41” E
Day 7
Climbing Mt Sonder
May 9, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Up at 1.30 a.m. and off at 2. We started the climb up to Mt Sonder at Redbank Gorge at 3 a.m. At 1380 metres, it’s the second-highest peak in N.T.

A slow procession of head torches made their way up to the summit, 8km above us. The actual summit is sacred so you can’t go to the very top but where we watched the sky turn a fiery red was pretty good. It was cold until the sun rose completely.

As the fire from the sky lit up the landscape, I was overwhelmed by the vista before us – it would match anything I’ve seen overseas. Breathtaking views in every direction – wow.

The path on the way down revealed itself to be a rock garden with beautiful flowers and trees sculpted by the wind. The colour of the rocks provided a sharp contrast making it very photogenic.

Back at camp, some people had a snooze then we headed to the oldest river on the planet which is still following its original course – the Finke River. Again, bloody freezing water so a quick dip and then I was off bird watching.

What an amazing day. Dinner was a Sunday roast done in the campfire – it doesn’t get much better than that.Read more
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- May 10, 2021
- ☀️ 23 °C
- Altitude: 787 m
- Australia Northern Territory Alice Springs -23.635722, 132.8137623°38’9” S 132°48’50” E
Day 8
Ormiston Pound
May 10, 2021 in Australia ⋅ ☀️ 23 °C
After a very good night’s sleep, we headed out early to Ormison Pound for the last walk of the trip. This is definitely where all the tourists come. We started at the visitors centre to do a loop walk that would finish in the gorge. Once we were on the trail, there weren’t many other walkers.

There was a mixture of climbing and flat walking. So much of the landscape looks like a planted garden with beautiful flowers and bushes – the colours always contrasting with the red dust and the amazing red cliffs surrounding us.

It was a hot walk with very little shade, the low shrubs and bushes unable to provide any shade. By contrast when we got deeper into the gorge and the shade, it was quite cool.

Wading through water that was above my head was interesting. I had to get one of the guides to carry my pack across because I wasn’t going to able to swim with it on my head. The rest of the walk was back in the sun, hoping that we’d dry out before we got back to the bus. Some of our clothes did but not the boots.

Saying farewell at the end of the day was sad because the group were such a great bunch to walk with. A trip I won’t forget in a hurry, well executed and managed and so varied and interesting. I’m so glad I finally got to do the walk.Read more
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Alice Springs or bust

Wallaby Gap

Serpentine Gorge

Fearless Camp, Glen Helen Gorge

Climbing Mt Sonder

Ormiston Pound