West MacDonnell Ranges

The West MacDonnell Ranges are part of the broader MacDonnell Ranges that run east and west of Alice Springs across the centre of Australia. The western half is protected as the Tjoritja / West MacDonnell National Park and is jointly managed with the Western Arrernte traditional owners. The range was uplifted around 350 million years ago and the deep gorges and waterholes were carved by erosion through the harder quartzite layers.

The range is best explored as a slow drive west from Alice Springs along Larapinta Drive and Namatjira Drive, stopping at each of the major gorges. The standout sites in order from east to west are: Simpsons Gap (a deep red rock cleft, 23 km from town), Standley Chasm (a narrow slot canyon that lights up at noon, 50 km), Ellery Creek Big Hole (a large permanent waterhole popular for swimming, 91 km), Serpentine Gorge (90 km), Ochre Pits (used by Western Arrernte people for ceremonial pigments, 110 km), Ormiston Gorge (the standout swimming and walking site, 135 km), and Glen Helen Gorge (170 km, the western end of the popular sealed road).

The Larapinta Trail, one of Australia's signature multi-day hikes, runs the full length of the range over 223 kilometres in 12 stages. Most independent walkers do it in sections of 1 to 4 days. Several guided trekking companies offer fully supported 6 to 9 day walks on the most scenic central sections.

Wildlife in the West MacDonnells is dominated by black-footed rock-wallabies (especially around Simpsons Gap at dawn and dusk), red kangaroos, wedge-tailed eagles, dingos and reptile species. The waterholes support fish, freshwater turtles and the rare Centralian frog. Spring (September to November) brings wildflowers and the desert acacias in bloom.

The range is best visited in winter (May to August) when daytime temperatures are mild (around 22 degrees) and the early mornings are crisp. Summer is dangerously hot, with frequent days above 40 degrees, and Parks NT closes some longer walks during heat events. The closest airport is Alice Springs (ASP) with daily flights from Adelaide, Darwin, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.