Mount Sonder
Mount Sonder
5
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JElliot32
New South Wales, Australia3,973 contributions
June 2021 • Friends
Our group climbed Mt Sonder as the culmination of 14 days on the Larapinta trail, end to end. The sunrise from here was meant to be the icing on the cake for us, but as things turned out our Mt Sonder sunrise was a real fizzer. We had far more spectacular sunrises earlier on our trek, including over the Finke River on the morning before. The trail to the summit is 16 km return from the Redbank Gorge carpark. The track is very rough in parts and it is a tough climb, though the gradient is not too bad. I definitely don't recommend it in the dark - we started at 3.30 and it was bitterly cold and windy, and also treacherous as it turned out as we were often walking close to a precipitous edge, with jagged rocks constant companions. And all for a dud sunrise! But aside from that, I would recommend the climb during daylight hours. In the full light of day the views from the summit and along the track are indeed grand - and worth the effort.
Written 1 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
1TraveltheWorld
Alice Springs, Australia12,202 contributions
Oct 2013 • Friends
Mt Sonder, is the last stop at the end of the Larapinta Trail, although you do not have to do the whole walking trail to get here.
It starts and finishes from the Redbank Gorge car park.
The Redbank gorge (turnoff to the right), is located further down Namatjira Drive after the Glen Helen gorge on an unsealed road.
After the turn off, a 5km drive with a few deep sand crossings and corrugations, so beware!
I have seen, (and helped) a few people stuck here with 2WD vehicles by winching them out.
Contrary to several articles, stating that you do not require a 4WD drive here, don’t take the risk.
The walk from the car park to Mt Sonder is a hard climb, is slow, and will take its toll on you if you are unfit.
Take several litres of water with you and do not attempt this climb during the summer months
(Oct to March), and/or the hottest part of the day 11am-4pm.
If you love photography like I do, (which is why I visit during different times of the year), then don't forget your camera and tri-pod.
There is - an almost permanent water hole, around a 1km walk from the car park with some good rock hopping, but I would certainly not drink from here during the later months, even with boiling your water.
Once you reach the top though, you will however, be rewarded with some of the most spectacular views all along the West MacDonnell ranges and beyond.
For more information, visit:
http://www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/9950/RedbankGorge_000.pdf
It starts and finishes from the Redbank Gorge car park.
The Redbank gorge (turnoff to the right), is located further down Namatjira Drive after the Glen Helen gorge on an unsealed road.
After the turn off, a 5km drive with a few deep sand crossings and corrugations, so beware!
I have seen, (and helped) a few people stuck here with 2WD vehicles by winching them out.
Contrary to several articles, stating that you do not require a 4WD drive here, don’t take the risk.
The walk from the car park to Mt Sonder is a hard climb, is slow, and will take its toll on you if you are unfit.
Take several litres of water with you and do not attempt this climb during the summer months
(Oct to March), and/or the hottest part of the day 11am-4pm.
If you love photography like I do, (which is why I visit during different times of the year), then don't forget your camera and tri-pod.
There is - an almost permanent water hole, around a 1km walk from the car park with some good rock hopping, but I would certainly not drink from here during the later months, even with boiling your water.
Once you reach the top though, you will however, be rewarded with some of the most spectacular views all along the West MacDonnell ranges and beyond.
For more information, visit:
http://www.parksandwildlife.nt.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/9950/RedbankGorge_000.pdf
Written 31 March 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Nillahcootie
Alice Springs, Australia8 contributions
Apr 2016 • Family
This was a strenuous but spectacular hike. The views all the way are magnificent. Not for the faint-hearted but well worth the effort. We took our time and it took 4 1/2 hours up and 3 1/2 back down. Do it when it's cool.
Written 13 April 2016
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
apim
Canberra, Australia349 contributions
Aug 2021
The place is quite good land marked if you are driving from Uluru / Kings Canyon to Alice Springs. Please do stop by for the breathtaking view encompassing a wide wide horizon..
Written 3 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
bobjanh
Brisbane, Australia2,418 contributions
Aug 2019 • Couples
Mount Sonder is a prominent landmark in the West Macdonnell ranges that also is the start/end point of the lLarapinta track>
The summit can be accessed from a walking track that commences from the Redbank Gorge day use area.
A roadside stop and viewpoint area just to the west of Glen Helen offers excellent views of Mt Sonder and the ranges: sealed access to this point just off Namatjira Drive.
The summit can be accessed from a walking track that commences from the Redbank Gorge day use area.
A roadside stop and viewpoint area just to the west of Glen Helen offers excellent views of Mt Sonder and the ranges: sealed access to this point just off Namatjira Drive.
Written 3 November 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jayne J
Mackay, Australia2,629 contributions
May 2019 • Friends
Mt Sonder Lookout! Bluey, our guide described it as a useless lookout and doesn't know why it is on the itinerary. You don't believe anything Bluey says, as the lookout was really good, the first time I used my panoramic. It the source of the Finke River which flows, though no water at the moment to Lake Ayre. The views are fabulous and worthwhile visiting to get a better perspective of the area. Lookout for the rock formation which is the world's largest crocodile.
Written 9 May 2019
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stu W
Cairns, Australia827 contributions
Apr 2018 • Friends
The walk to the summit of Mt.Sonder, in the heart of Australia, is highly recommended to all bushwalkers. However, the walk to Mt. Sonder involves 8 km of up-hill walking across some difficult and rugged terrain. This is for experienced, fit and well-prepared walkers.
The start and finish of the walk is the Redbank Gorge carpark which is approx 5 km north of Namatjira Drive. This is a well-graded road that conventional cars and motorbikes can access without difficulty and leads to the Redbank Gorge car park.
Given there is no water on the 8 km track, a large enclosed plastic tank 150m from the Information Board contains good quality potable water. The tank is beside the river bank and a good place to re-hydrate and fill up!
As with all tracks in the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, walkers on the Mt. Sonder track are treated to a living canvas of blues, pinks, reds and oranges as the sun illuminates the rugged white quartzite, heavily eroded sandstones and the remains of uplifted ancient sea-floor mudstones. A keen eye will find pieces of pre-cambrian sea-floor mudstone with the characteristic oscillations and erosion caused by littoral wave action.
The natural beauty, extremely arid climate and desolate isolation of Mt.Sonder can be a moving experience.
Standing atop Mt.Sonder, the walker cannot see the hand of man in any direction, just the vast expanse of a very old country that was once ice-covered peaks not unlike the Himalayas. The view from the summit of Mt.Sonder is breathtaking and strikes most walkers silent.
Of interest, the cairn, marking the 'summit' of Mt.Sonder (at 1380m) is in plain view of the true summit, some 600 metres to the North East.
After much research and careful planning, my brother, an experienced walker and climber attempted to reach the proper summit. Walking to the proper summit was not possible with the additional 2 hours we allocated; the country is very rough, slow to move through and a difficult climb.
There is a deep, tight gorge and numerous rock faces below the spur north of the walking track that is a clear game-changer. This requires specialist planning.
Google maps does not show any gorges or rock faces in that area.
Hundreds of millions of years of weathering, upheaval, glaciation, climate change and erosion has left the Heavitree Range a mere shadow of its former size. There is ample opportunity for a walker to see and find keep-sake examples and evidence of the ancient history of this timeless land.
No doubt, this raises a number of puzzles too..
Where did the huge mountains go? Why are there no fossils or good palaeontology?
The preferred time to walk to Mt.Sonder is Apr to Oct. Walkers are suggested to take plenty of water, a good hat, fly net, some energy snacks and stick to the track.
There is no mobile reception or roads to access the areas.
Please understand that fit walkers have perished who strayed from the route.
Mt.Sonder is a fantastic and unique trek; the walk is so memorable for the amazing scenery and the true sense of exploring and learning about a piece of this country that most people have only even seen in paintings or postcards.
The start and finish of the walk is the Redbank Gorge carpark which is approx 5 km north of Namatjira Drive. This is a well-graded road that conventional cars and motorbikes can access without difficulty and leads to the Redbank Gorge car park.
Given there is no water on the 8 km track, a large enclosed plastic tank 150m from the Information Board contains good quality potable water. The tank is beside the river bank and a good place to re-hydrate and fill up!
As with all tracks in the majestic MacDonnell Ranges, walkers on the Mt. Sonder track are treated to a living canvas of blues, pinks, reds and oranges as the sun illuminates the rugged white quartzite, heavily eroded sandstones and the remains of uplifted ancient sea-floor mudstones. A keen eye will find pieces of pre-cambrian sea-floor mudstone with the characteristic oscillations and erosion caused by littoral wave action.
The natural beauty, extremely arid climate and desolate isolation of Mt.Sonder can be a moving experience.
Standing atop Mt.Sonder, the walker cannot see the hand of man in any direction, just the vast expanse of a very old country that was once ice-covered peaks not unlike the Himalayas. The view from the summit of Mt.Sonder is breathtaking and strikes most walkers silent.
Of interest, the cairn, marking the 'summit' of Mt.Sonder (at 1380m) is in plain view of the true summit, some 600 metres to the North East.
After much research and careful planning, my brother, an experienced walker and climber attempted to reach the proper summit. Walking to the proper summit was not possible with the additional 2 hours we allocated; the country is very rough, slow to move through and a difficult climb.
There is a deep, tight gorge and numerous rock faces below the spur north of the walking track that is a clear game-changer. This requires specialist planning.
Google maps does not show any gorges or rock faces in that area.
Hundreds of millions of years of weathering, upheaval, glaciation, climate change and erosion has left the Heavitree Range a mere shadow of its former size. There is ample opportunity for a walker to see and find keep-sake examples and evidence of the ancient history of this timeless land.
No doubt, this raises a number of puzzles too..
Where did the huge mountains go? Why are there no fossils or good palaeontology?
The preferred time to walk to Mt.Sonder is Apr to Oct. Walkers are suggested to take plenty of water, a good hat, fly net, some energy snacks and stick to the track.
There is no mobile reception or roads to access the areas.
Please understand that fit walkers have perished who strayed from the route.
Mt.Sonder is a fantastic and unique trek; the walk is so memorable for the amazing scenery and the true sense of exploring and learning about a piece of this country that most people have only even seen in paintings or postcards.
Written 14 May 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
AddieHNO
Oslo, Norway6,884 contributions
Mar 2017 • Solo
Close to Glen Helen Gorge there is an outlook that gives stunning views to the gorgeous Mount Sonder where I stopped to catch my breath and some experience tranquillity after a long drive.
Written 10 May 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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