Mount Sonder (Rutjupma)

Mount Sonder (Rutjupma) is a prominent peak in the West MacDonnell National Park (Tjoritja), about 130 kilometres west of Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Rising to 1,380 metres, it is the fourth-highest peak in the territory and the highest in the West MacDonnell Ranges. It marks the western terminus of the 223-kilometre Larapinta Trail and is renowned for its challenging summit hike and panoramic views over the surrounding ranges and plains.

Visitors can expect a remote, rugged desert mountain setting within West MacDonnell National Park. Access is via the Redbank Gorge car park and the marked Larapinta Trail Section 12. The summit is reached by a steep, rocky return hike with no water or shade along the trail. From the top, visitors see extensive views over the West MacDonnell Ranges, plains and Gosses Bluff. The area is largely undeveloped with only basic trail infrastructure and interpretive signage.