It’s unlikely that you will be able to get phone reception at the campsite. There is a sporadic and limited Telstra signal on some high points of the trail and an Optus signal at Ormiston Gorge, which we will visit most days after trekking. However, it is best to prepare for no reception and advise your loved ones accordingly – enjoy switching off and returning to nature! Our guides are equipped with satellite phones and extensive remote first aid kits to stay in touch with our operations team in Alice Springs.

Good hiking fitness is required and will ensure you will have the best possible experience on your adventure. Please ensure your fitness level is appropriate to cover between 11km to 16km of graded trail per day, carrying a small daypack (approx. 7-10 kg) with all your trekking requirements such as water, sunscreen, snacks, camera/ phone, and any other personal items. On average, we will be trekking 6-9 hours daily, including breaks. Some days you may find that you are tired and mentally challenged. Still, a positive attitude and the support from your hiking peers and guide will keep your feet moving, and you will be rewarded with stunning scenery and a sense of accomplishment that you will cherish for a lifetime.

Due to the remote nature of our permanent campsites, we do not have reliable electricity and charging facilities in our campsites/ tents. We do offer some 12v charging that is powered by solar, but this can be intermittent  therefore, we recommend bringing power banks to charge your electronic items. There is no 240v charging available.

Auptopia supplies all bedding, including linen, sleeping bags, pillows, and blankets. However, if you prefer to use your own, you can, of course, bring it. Alternatively, consider a sleeping bag liner for more thermal warmth, a smaller option to carry with you on the plane.

It is optional to have trekking poles. If you usually hike with trekking poles or prefer them for extra support/ mild injuries such as bad knees, bringing a pair along is an excellent idea. Ensure the trekking poles have rubber on the points so that no damage is done to the bricks on the wall. You will need to pack these in your checked luggage for the flight.

It is compulsory to bring one as you will be trekking early in the morning (Mt Sonder sunrise trek starts at approx. 3 am) and for navigation around the campsite at night as there is only limited solar lighting

It is important to make sure you are comfortable. Check the weather forecast before departure, as temperatures can be variable. The best tip for trekking clothing is to wear layers. You will need to bring warm clothes, including long pants, a good jumper, a windbreaker, a beanie, a scarf, gloves, and good woollen socks for summit day (Mt Sonder). You will be entirely exposed during the day, so a good hat and sunscreen are vital. Depending on the season, there can be many flies in the outback, so please consider taking a fly head net with you.

No, you will only be required to carry your day pack with items necessary for each section of the trail. Your main luggage will be kept in your tent at our permanent campsite.

You may opt out of a day’s walk if you are unwell or have a mild injury. Autopia will require you to sign an “early release” form, and you can spend the day in our permanent campsite or at Ormiston Gorge, which has a café area and a beautiful waterhole/ beach area to spend the day. The group will spend time at Ormiston Gorge after most daily walks, making it a convenient rendezvous point.

Most of the meals are prepared by our tour guides with basic camping-style food options and on occasions, they will be catered. Dinner can be a mix of stew on the campfire, an Aussie BBQ, spaghetti bolognese or even a bush curry. Lunch is often meat and salads with wraps or burgers and Breakfast is a small continental spread to fuel you through your day. On the day we climb Mount Sonder, our camp host does cook a full breakfast as a treat when we return from the trek. There are also snacks along the way and we pack daily snack packs before we start trekking but If you have special dietaries or food requirements, it can be important to bring some snacks of your own as options can be limited in the outback. It is important to remember how remote we are and that all food has to be brought with us from Alice Springs. Guests are asked to participate in the preparation of meals, clean-up, and vehicle unpacking/loading as it’s a great way to get to know and connect with your fellow travellers.

Yes, subject to the requirement. Please notify us if you have any dietary requirements or medical conditions at the time of booking so that we have plenty of time to cater to your needs and arrange the best possible options for you. We cater for standard dietary requirements, including Vegetarian, Vegan, Pescetarian, Gluten-free and Lactose-free.

The child policy for this tour is 12 years old and over, due to the nature of this tour, it’s not suitable for infants or children 11 years and under.  Children must be accompanied by an adult at all times. A moderate to high level of fitness at minimum is required to complete the hikes involved. If you have children 11 years and under and wish to travel with us, we suggest that you might like to look into a private charter so we can cater the tour specifically for your needs.

It is highly recommended that all passengers have personal travel insurance, given we’re exploring remote parts of Australia and doing activities that carry increased risk, some regions have limited access to health professionals in the event of sickness or injury.  Autopia Tours is not authorised to provide information on the type of plan or policy options available. This can be provided by an accredited local travel agent or from your preferred insurance company.

We stay at a private camp on aboriginal land near Ormiston Gorge. This will be our camp for all 4 nights of the trekking tour and we will return to the same camp after we have finished trekking for the day.

No more than 1x 15-20kg soft bag and 1 5-7kg day pack. As we return to Alice Springs after the trek, all other luggage should be stored with your accommodation provider.

While we understand the importance of CPAP machines for restful sleep, our camping tours, by their nature, lack access to reliable electricity sources. Our permanent campsites generally have limited or no available power outlets, making standard CPAP machines unusable. Plus, our safari tents are unpowered and located away from our outdoor dining facilities. We recommend portable lightweight battery operated devices should you not be able to travel without one.

We travel with Ice coolers to keep the food cold and most times it is possible to keep medications chilled. We recommend purchasing a small insulated bag to put it in so that they are not contaminated by food or liquid in the “Esky”. Please let us know by email if you need to keep medications cold so that we can prepare ahead of time.

Autopia Tours includes Parks Australia fees within the tour price, this covers our guests for a 5 day access to West MacDonnell National Parks. Park Passes are not available for purchase by guests not travelling onboard our tours.

A minimum of six people is required to operate our 5 day Trekking Tour. Our maximum number of passengers carried on this tour will be 15 passengers. In the event that a tour is cancelled due to insufficient passenger numbers being met, we will transfer all monies paid for your departure.

We have a fleet of all-terrain 4×4 tour buses, uniquely designed to handle the harshest of terrains and off-road tracks in the most comfort possible. Fleet specs: Isuzu N Series NPS300 Trucks (15, 17, 21-seater). In the unlikely event of a breakdown, alternative vehicles may be used.

Because of the increased dangers of hiking during summer and seasonal closures of the trail, we only off tours from May to August. We depart every second Sunday. Please contact reservations for a full list of departure dates.

Given our tour departs early from Alice Springs from 6:00am, guests must arrive the day prior to the tour and stay 1-night for a welcome meet & greet for 2:30pm. Once you have booked your Alice Springs accommodation, we will arrange a pickup on the day of the tour. We do not provide airport-to-accommodation transfer services pre/post tours.

To avoid potential travel disruptions, we strongly recommend against customers booking departure flights on the final day of the tour. We do not arrive back to Alice Springs till around 6.30pm and there is a final dinner included in the tour that you will miss if you choose to fly out on day 5. While we strive to adhere to our itinerary, unexpected delays can occur. Please note that the tour operator is not responsible for any costs incurred due to such delays. For added peace of mind, we recommend purchasing travel insurance.