30 Years on the Larapinta Trail: A Journey of Impact

For 30 years, World Expeditions—together with Huma Charity Challenge—has led the way on the iconic Larapinta Trail, offering trekkers more than just an outback walk. This isn’t simply about reaching a destination—it’s about creating lasting change. Every step taken on the Larapinta can help raise vital funds for the cause closest to your heart. With no fees charged to charities, fully supported logistics, and a legacy of responsible travel, Huma Charity Challenge empowers adventurers to make a tangible impact while exploring one of Australia's most soul-stirring landscapes. Here’s what makes Larapinta one of our most powerful—and popular—charity challenge experiences.

In 1995, we became the first operator on the Larapinta Trail, a rugged desert landscape with deep cultural significance. From swags in river beds to multi-award winning Eco-Comfort Camps, we've pioneered this classic Australian walking experience, putting it on the world stage and making it accessible to everyone.

Today, we celebrate 30 years of guided - and self guided - walks along one of the original Great Walks of Australia. Explore the entire 230km desert trail, or just select the highlights and stay in our exclusive camps. Whichever Larapinta walk you do, just make sure you do it. Here's why you should, how you can, and how we've led the way on the trail since 1995.

40,000 Years Ago – Ancient Arrernte Culture

The Arrernte people have walked Tyurrentye—the West MacDonnell Ranges—for millennia, their Dreamtime stories woven into its ochre ridges and deep gorges. More than a landscape, Arrernte Country is a sacred map, where songlines and ceremonies echo through time.

1989 – A Bold Vision is Born

The Larapinta Trail was first conceptualised as a long-distance walking route through the red heart of the Northern Territory. The first section of the Larapinta Trail opened in 1990, a preview of the world-class trail it would become.

1995 – Enter World Expeditions

Charlie Holmes, a passionate and longtime World Expeditions guide, was among the first to see the trail's potential. He led our first treks, helping us to pioneer guided walks along its rugged ridgelines. Since then, World Expeditions and its domestic brand Australian Walking Holidays, remain the trail's leading operator. Charlie’s legacy endures in our Eco-Comfort Camp, one of which is dedicated in his memory.

2002 – A World-Class Trail is Complete

After years of development, the full Larapinta Trail is finally complete, stretching from Alice Springs to Mt Sonder - the 4th highest peak in the Northern Territory. Linking sacred Indigenous sites with remote waterholes and dramatic ridgelines - you can now experience it all. The Larapinta Trail would go on to become one of the first official Great Walks of Australia.

2005 – Pioneering Sustainable Trekking

As the Larapinta becomes one of Australia's most sought-after treks, so does the challenge of sustainability. World Expeditions begins talks with Traditional Owners to design three semi-permanent and low-impact Eco-Comfort Camps for trekkers.

2016 – Eco-Comfort Camp Evolution

Architecturally designed Eco-Comfort Camps rise from the dust—designed to leave no trace. An innovation in outback trekking, made possible thanks to exclusive leases negotiated in partnership with the Aboriginal Traditional Owners and the West MacDonnell National Park. It becomes a model for responsible tourism and wins the first of 7 Brolga Awards for Ecotourism and Adventure Travel.

2025 – 30 Years of Transformation

Since our first guided walk with Charlie, the Larapinta Trail has transformed countless lives. From pioneering sustainable trekking to deepening Indigenous collaboration, we continue to honour this land and its custodians. As we celebrate three decades on the trail, the greatest reward remains the connection, challenge, and awe this unique Australian walking experience offers everyone.

1. Connecting to Culture, and Country

The path into Standley Chasm, known as Angkerle Atwatye by local Indigenous peoples, is a journey through time, guided by traditional custodians. As you weave through the towering rust coloured chasm, you listen closely to stories of the land, told by local Arrernte people, who own and operate it.

The 80m walls have been carved by wind and water, and cared for by the traditional owners—a silent testament to the power of nature and an enduring connection to Country. As the sun reaches its peak, the walls ignite in brilliant reds and oranges. You may spot a Black-footed Rock-wallaby in the shadows, a quiet reminder that this place is alive.

On the return, you'll learn how bush medicine was used and sample native flavours, such as wattleseed, lemon myrtle, quandongs and Kakadu plums.

Other Cultural Connections:
Simpson's Gap is considered the home of a group of giant goanna ancestors, a site where numerous song lines intersect.
The Ochre Pits give a fascinating insight into the use of ceremonial body adornment and weapon construction of the Arrernte people.

2. Highlights: From Sunrise Summits to Waterholes

Seeing a desert sunrise from the top of Mount Sonder is a highlight for most hikers that stays with you for a lifetime. You stand at the summit, 1,380 metres high, watching the heart of Central Australia awaken below you. You take it all in, sharing a warm cup of tea and stories with fellow travellers—new friends brought together by the beauty of the outback.

Other Trail Highlights:
Ormiston Gorge is a spectacular waterhole framed by ancient landforms.
Serpentine Gorge offers rare tranquillity, where river red gums shade a peaceful hidden waterhole.

3. A Sustainable Haven in the Heart of the Outback

After a long day trekking, our exclusive architecturally designed Eco-Comfort Camps offer a welcome surprise. With solar power, organic soaps, and hearty local produce meals, they are a model of comfort with a minimal environmental footprint.

Legacy Eco-Comfort Camps:
Nick’s Camp, Charlie’s Camp, Fearless Camp, and Sonder Camp each honour leaders and legends of the Larapinta, while respecting the Traditional Custodians of this land.

4. Wildlife and Ecology

Despite its ruggedness, the Larapinta Trail teems with life—frogs echoing through gorges, finches darting through desert grasses, and a symphony of colour from desert wildflowers. You’ll spot Curry Wattle, Desert Pea, Wedge-tailed Eagles, and maybe even a Zebra Finch bathing in a hidden spring.

Every step on the Larapinta reveals a new layer of this extraordinary environment—one of Australia’s most biodiverse desert regions.

At Huma Charity Challenge, the Larapinta Trail isn’t just a destination—it’s a platform for positive impact. Whether you're walking to raise funds for mental health support, medical research, education, or environmental conservation, our challenges are designed to amplify your voice and your cause. Backed by 50 years of adventure experience through World Expeditions, and a firm commitment to sustainability and Indigenous collaboration, every Larapinta challenge is more than a trek. It’s a journey into Country, into culture, and into a better future—one meaningful step at a time.

Make an enquiry