Plans will change no matter how perfectly detailed a travel itinerary is. I hoped to spend several days in Kakadu National Park, but due to the weather I had to scratch that plan. Instead I cut my time short in Darwin, and after getting a last minute flight to Alice Springs, found myself in the red center. The guide from my Kimberley Tour continuously praised West MacDonnell National Park. After discussing our shared love for hiking she told me I had to spend more than just one day there. She gave me a list of things to do and I promised to spend at least 3 days in the area. I’m very glad I took her advice because it’s been one of the most memorable parts of my Australia trip.
Simpson’s Gap
This is the first stop in the park and a good prequel for what’s to come. It’s a short walk to the beautiful red walls of Simpson’s Gap. There are better places to swim, but it is a nice place to have a snack and watch kids climb the rocks on the sand bank.
Standley Chasm
There is a small fee to walk this trail, but it is well worth it. Pay at the cafe and walk 1.2 km to Standley Chasm. The trail is well taken care of and there are many benches along the way to sit and enjoy your surroundings. If you time it right (like I did by complete accident), go during midday when the sun lights up both sides of the wall. During this short time you can see the beautiful red colors really pop.
Larapinta Trail
This is a 223km long trail that winds through the entire West MacDonnells, which takes 2 weeks to complete. I’m not saying to do the whole thing (unless of course you want to), but I would recommend doing a section of it so you can get a taste. I entered the trail from Standley Chasm and did the first mile of section 3. It’s straight uphill but the views at the top are stunning. I would absolutely recommend doing this!
Ellery Creek Big Hole
It’s just a short stroll to this great swimming hole. This was easily the warmest place I swam in the park. I recommend swimming through the gap between the two cliffs. There is a big patch of sand where you can enjoy the peace and quiet and catch some rays.
Mt Sonder Lookout
Please don’t drive past this lookout because it’s really worth a stop. I came here twice: once for sunset and once during the day. The views are phenomenal and it’s easy to spend half an hour looking at the details of the range. Both times I had the place to myself but you don’t want to miss out. Go to the lookout!
Mt. Sonder
Mt Sonder Sunrise Hike
Should you hike to the top of Mt. Sonder? YES. Should you start your hike at 3:30am and make it to the top in time for sunrise? ABSOLUTELY. While you’re at it, pack your stove and make yourself a fresh cup of tea when you’re up there. You can thank me later.
It was a moonless night and I hiked up in complete darkness. I had no idea how high I was, what was around me, or how steep the sides of the mountain were. Seeing the landscape unfold as the sun came up was a fantastic experience. I could go on and on about how great the views were, but it’s something you should really do if you’re in the area. Doing this as a sunrise hike was awesome, but if you’re not the type to get up at 3:30 am there’s no reason you shouldn’t still do it (unless you broke your leg or something).
Redbank Gorge
This is a fun but COLD swim! The other swimming holes were cold, but this one took first place. The only way I was able to swim through the gorge was by getting out of the water every chance I could. If you go during midday the sun creeps into the gorge and you can catch some sun before swimming back.
Be careful in Redbank because it’s very cold, the rocks are slippery, and you can’t see where you’re swimming. Swimming is spooky because the water is very murky and you can’t see where rocks are. The website recommends bringing a floatie of some sort, which would certainly help. All that aside it’s a lot of fun to swim through the gorge.
Redbank Gorge is at the end of the park and this is where I turned around. I did half the sights on the way there and half on the way back. The distance from the start of the park to finish is quite long, so I would recommend splitting up the sights unless you’re fine with one long drive back.
Ormiston Gorge
This was my favorite swimming hole in West MacDonnell National Park. I found a sunny spot on the far side of the river and spent an entire afternoon here. Be sure to swim up the river a little because the gorge views are incredible.
Ghost Gum Walk makes a loop around the swimming hole with views looking into the gorge and up the river. You have to get your feet wet and wade the river, but it’s a fun hike if you have an hour to spare. It made me appreciate where I was swimming because I got the whole perspective of the gorge.
Glen Helen Gorge
I had the whole place to myself early in the morning. I must have spent an hour sitting on the rocks watching the little birds. Their acrobatics are fun to watch as they fly against the wind and dive-bomb for bugs. There was a very strong wind coming through the gorge, so understandably swimming is not recommended because of the current.
Ochre Pits
I picked up a hitchhiker, TD, and promised to drive him back to Alice Springs after I made my last two stops. The Ochre Pits, beautifully colored walls that seemed very out of place in this part of the world, were the first stop. You can get as close to the walls as you’d like, but don’t take any of the ochre. It is precious to the aboriginal people and you will be fined if caught. They use it for ceremony paint and also for their artwork. If you want to learn more about how they use it, I found this article to be very interesting.
Serpentine Gorge
This was my last stop on the way out of West MacDonnell National Park. First TD and I went to the bottom of the gorge, which left much to be desired. Since it was the end of the dry season there were lots of bees and little water. We were the only ones there for a reason.
However there is a lookout which breaks off Serpentine Gorge trail that you absolutely must walk up. There are views looking towards the road and into Serpentine gorge; views that you would never expect after seeing the pitiful bottom of the gorge. TD and I spent a good hour at this lookout taking pictures and admiring mother nature.
Interested in Visiting West MacDonnell National Park?
Originally I had reserved a one day tour for the West MacDonnells, but per the recommendation of my Aussie friend decided to rent a car and go at my own pace. This worked well for me because I stopped everywhere and saw everything. It took me four days, but every spot on the map is worth a stop at the West Macdonnell’s.
The problem with renting a car is that most rental companies limit you to 100km a day. It’s 156 km straight from Alice Springs to Redbank Gorge (the end), and that doesn’t include the roads to see the sights. If you want to rent a car I would suggest going for at least 4 days to make it worth the kilometers. I was just under my kilometer limit with a 4 day car rental, and made the trip in 360km.
There is plenty of accommodation in the West MacDonnells. While there are motels I stuck to basic campsites, which are $5-$10. If you plan to stay at a campsite remember to bring cash because you pay by putting cash in envelopes. Have fun!!
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