Alice Springs YHA
Cnr Parsons Street and Leichhardt Terrace
Alice Springs
AUSTRALIA

Accommodation for this trip is a mix of basic permanent tented camps and swag camping under the stars, including bedrolls containing mattress, pillow and sleeping bag.

LUGGAGE LIMIT
Please keep your luggage size and weight to a minimum. One small soft-sided bag plus a day pack (no more than 15 kg in total per person) is essential due to limited space for luggage in our vehicles. We recommend against bringing hard/externally framed suitcases as they are difficult to store in the vehicle and can damage equipment and other travellers' belongings.

LUGGAGE TRANSFER
Your main luggage will be transported by a support vehicle between overnight stops, so you will just need to carry your day pack during the day, containing water, camera, sunscreen, hat, sunglasses, etc.

CLOTHING
Central Australia has a semi-arid climate and temperatures can be extreme on either side of the scale. Day time temperatures can reach well above 40C/104F in summer (albeit we do not schedule this trip to run at that time of year) and can drop to below 0C/32F at night. Please pack warm clothes as well as light fitting and comfortable clothes for hiking during the day. It is not necessary to ‘dress’ for evening meals; casual, comfortable clothing is sufficient. Below are some clothing items we recommend:
● Several pairs of walking socks
● T-shirts (lightweight, quick-drying fabric)
● Long-sleeved trekking shirts
● Shorts
● Rain jacket
● Long-sleeve shirt with collar (for sun protection)
● Long-legged pants (or shorts with long gaiters)
● Warm jacket and hat
● Warm fleece/gloves/beanie

WALKING BOOTS
Waterproof walking boots with full ankle support are recommended for walking trips. Make sure your footwear is well worn in and comfortable. We also recommend hiking socks with at least one spare pair, as you will find these minimise the chance of getting blisters. The key to preventing blisters and avoiding unnecessary pain is to eliminate friction.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS
● Comfortable daypack (25–35 litres) with rain cover
● Water bottle(s) or hydration bladder (3+ litres minimum)
● Comfortable and well worn in hiking shoes or boots
● High-factor sunscreen and high UV sunglasses
● LED head torch with spare batteries

RECOMMENDED
● Toilet paper and small ziplock bags for rubbish
● Blister pads and/or tape for hotspots or blisters on your feet
● Lightweight quick drying towel and swimwear (summer months)
● Rehydration salts, mosquito repellent and first-aid kit including any personal medication

OPTIONAL
● Waterproof cover for day pack
● Long gaiters
● Walking poles
● Flip flop or /comfortable ‘evening’ shoes

WATER BOTTLE
Please bring your own water bottle to refill along the way. Although it can be difficult to avoid bottled water when travelling, please use the water dispensers which are provided on some of our vehicles and at some of our accommodation. Your leader will advise whether tap water is safe to drink in your destination, if it is you can simply refill with tap water. When unable to avoid bottled water it is better to buy the largest available and distribute into your smaller bottle for the day.

Central Australia, which includes Alice Springs and the surrounding desert, has a semi-arid climate. The area experiences large variations in temperature from season to season. Temperatures can be extreme on either side of the scale. They can rise above 40C/104F in summer and can drop below 0C/32F overnight in winter.

In remote areas of Australia travelling even a small distance from populated areas will see phone coverage drop off dramatically. The extent of coverage will depend on your phone provider. If you are spending longer in Australia it might be a good idea to purchase a local SIM card. Telstra and Optus deliver better coverage in rural and regional areas, while Vodafone can be very patchy. Wifi is common at accommodations in urban areas of Australia, but many of the more remote properties may not offer this service, and some properties may charge a fee for usage.

Visit: https://www.intrepidtravel.com/au/australia/trek-larapinta-trail-141314/tripnotes