Considered by many to be one of the harshest landscapes on Earth.

Australia holds the distinction of being the driest and most sparsely inhabited continent on the planet.

But don't let that fool you.

Australia is a beautiful and diverse country filled with energy and life.

The least populous of Australia's eight major states and territories.

The Northern Territory is a huge region found in the central and northern central part of the country.

But what the territory lacks in numbers of people it makes up for.

With its stunning geography featuring a tropical climate in the north, a desert climate in the south, and 18 different national parks.

The Northern Territory is a dream trekking destination, extreme wildlife, world class hiking and barbecued kangaroo.

This week on Epic Trails, we're exploring Australia's Northern Territory.

I'm Eric Hanson.

When I see a trail, I see more than a path from point A to point B. A good trail is the ultimate opportunity to explore, to discover new landscapes and to challenge myself when I don't have a pack on my back.

I'm thinking about my next big adventure because my mission is simple.

My mission is to discover the world's most epic trails.

Funding for Epic Trails is provided by.

N4 adventure.

Inspiring, educating and encouraging.

Outdoor adventure.

And by these additional sponsors.

Since 1954, Fraternal Composite Service has crafted annual collages of photographic portraits for Greek chapters and professional organizations.

Mats and frames create dimensional layering.

Pictures are covered in shatterproof glass.

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At the far northern end of Australia.

You'll find the city of Darwin, capital of the Northern Territory.

And the starting point of my trip.

Situated on the Timor Sea and with a population of only 145,000, Darwin is a small and beautiful city that acts as a gateway to an array of national parks, wetlands and of course, the outback for you.

Although I'm excited to begin my backcountry adventure in Kakadu National Park, a place that's famous for bringing Crocodile Dundee into our world.

This is my first time in Australia, and so to get oriented, I set out to explore Darwin and enjoy the city before heading into the outback.

To see some while exploring.

I'm told by a number of locals that if I really want a good first taste of the Australian way of life, that I need to check out the mental beach Sunset Market.

The market is buzzing with activity and energy.

It's an exciting place, but I think I'm most excited about trying the local food and I can't think of a better way to get a taste of Australia than with a kangaroo burger at the Roadkill Cafe.

Number nine.

Thank you so much.

Oh, and the napkin.

What do you recommend?

Anything in particular?

No, I make the move.

I make all the sauces and all order from there.

They're just the way right?

The way they need to be.

Whoa!

That's a hell of a burger.

Thank.

As evening approaches, the crowd gathers on the beach to watch the sunset and celebrate the end of another spectacular day in the Northern Territory.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed my day in Darwin, it's time to leave the city behind.

And I'm really looking forward to getting my first taste of the Outback.

To show me around.

I've been joined by local guide, an interesting name for a unique character.

So I literally grew up in the bush and has been guiding in the outback for decades.

So when you think of Crocodile Dundee, well, here he is in real life.

We are heading to Kakadu National Park, a massive protected area that is home to a precious ecosystem and a stunning array of wildlife.

While driving, Saab is only too happy to share stories of what it was like growing up here.

But before we get too far, Sab has a little surprise for me.

Or maybe it would be better described as an initiation.

You to do this.

Hey.

What's happening?

Okay, let's play this here.

All right, all right.

That's great.

You're new here, and you're rolling around in your man.

He's rolling around in your mouth.

Do they bite me?

All right.

Tastes like citrus.

Wow.

Although it's hard to shake the feeling that Sab is messing with me, I find myself following him into the water to try another outback delicacy.

Keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of crocs, Saab introduces me to Bush celery, a surprisingly tasty and nutritious nappy that's found throughout the wetlands.

Okay, give me that.

That's quite good.

Having endured my first survival lesson.

It's time to move on.

Because Cockatoo National Park is only a short drive away.

On our way to Kakadu National Park, we stopped to inspect the smoldering forest, the product of an age old Aboriginal hunting technique used to flush animals from hiding.

Although the use of fire and hunting might seem destructive and wasteful, Sab explains that the Aboriginal people have been successfully living off the land for over 40,000 years, and that the brush fires help reset the native flora.

Continuing on our journey, I'm excited to reach the Aboriginal Community Center to learn more about their way of life and how they've survived in such a harsh landscape.

But even more interesting to me is the vibrant culture and their unique Aboriginal artwork.

You know, point us, their Qantas planes, some of his designs are on the Qantas planes.

Oh really?

Yeah, he's a very well known artist within and within the industry for finding what he's very sought after.

Oh, wow.

Yeah.

And he does have a distinguished all to that mostly rock art style, which is single actually.

That's beautiful.

Sometimes he kicked me today.

Sometimes it takes me a week.

Yeah.

In preparation for our cockatoo trek, I prepare some ocher face paint.

Intent on making sure I'm well initiated before we head out.

At least this time it doesn't involve eating anything.

At the community center, we meet Roland, a local art expert and hiking guide, and we begin our trek into cockatoo.

We're heading for some nearby bluffs that showcase a very special art gallery.

All day telling the stories of an ancient way of life.

It's amazing that the murals are in such pristine condition with some of the cave paintings dating back as far as 10,000 years.

Like we eat these old animals.

And so they came back, these hills and started painting the wall.

And there is a couple of old ones just around the corner.

Okay.

Which are boomerangs and it's they're about 6500 years old.

Okay.

But these vines here depicting the fresh water.

Period.

What was available?

So there's flying foxes there.

A big, nice ball array.

Oh.

Over here.

Yeah, it's a 2500 year old.

This one's 1500 years old.

Oh my goodness.

Never seen anything like this.

After a fascinating walk through time, we say goodbye to Roland and continue our hike deeper into Cockatoo National Park.

Now, mid afternoon, without a cloud in sight, it's an incredibly hot and humid day to be on the trail.

No stranger to intense heat, SOB knows exactly where to go.

Yeah.

Who used to the heat and humidity out here?

Those pool sure do look inviting.

Now.

So what do I do if the, crocs start nibbling on my toes for appetizers?

What's the proper survival technique?

Is to poke them in both eyes with your thumbs jam in the eyes?

Yep.

Before they take you under.

And then you take off, and I come off.

Yeah.

Okay.

All right, you got it.

Let's do this.

Swimming holes in the desert are just about my favorite thing.

But when you're in Australia, it's important to understand that there might be bigger and to fear creatures in the hole, too.

Despite the warnings, the water is just too beautiful and inviting to pass up.

Growing up in the desert, I've always felt a special connection to these types of landscapes, and I appreciate the balance of the harshness and the beauty in a way, Kakadu reminds me of home.

But the thing about the outback is that it's much more than just a desert.

It's a diverse place filled with life, and so we hop on a boat to explore a very different part of the park.

This is the yellow Water Billabong.

Lying in the heart of Cockatoo National Park.

Yellow water is a stunning wetland consisting of river channels, floodplains, and swamps.

It is a photographer's dream.

It's everywhere you look.

There is some strange and beautiful creature.

With a third of Australia's bird species found here in the area.

There's nowhere else quite like.

To conclude our adventure in Kakadu.

Sab has one more place to show me as we resume our hike.

And Sab continues to share stories of me.

I marvel at the depth of his knowledge about the outback.

It's obvious that he's passionate about this place, a place that he's spent his whole life exploring.

As we climb, the exposed granite that erupts out of the plains looks primordial.

Like we're hiking on the skeletons of the earth.

I feel privileged to be able to explore this place.

And among those privileges is getting to see Sab favorite viewpoint in all of Australia.

My first taste of the Outback has been amazing.

There's nowhere on the planet quite like this.

I'm excited for what's next as we continue to explore Australia's Northern Territory.

So we've made it to the center of Australia, here in Alice Springs, where we're about to do the Larapinta trail.

So I'm here at the telegraph station, the traditional start of the Larapinta trail to meet our guides.

How are we doing?

Hey, guys.

Kirk.

Kirk here.

Nice to meet you.

NUM num is pretty American.

Hey, guys.

So I came back to do it.

My name is Norm, and I'm lucky enough to get paid to walk bladder cancer trail.

The Larapinta trail is a 230 odd kilometer walking trail that takes you through the West MacDonnell ranges in central Australia.

The trail starts and Alice Springs.

I am at the telegraph station and it's west along the West McDonald ranges.

Finishing the climb on Mount Sonder.

Although I'm sad to have left Cartoon National Park behind.

I'm thrilled to be hiking the Larapinta Trail with new friends.

The trail really is the perfect way to explore new places and to forge new friendships.

And this trail is supposed to be one of the very best in the country.

As it winds through the desert and along a series of ridges and canyons.

You notice this so it's pretty obvious that it doesn't belong to the tree.

So this is mistletoe.

But it often has, like, beautiful red berries on it.

And that's how it spread.

And there's this one bird called the mistletoe bird who eats the berries.

And you'll see it inside.

That's really, sticky.

They fly bones in that branch.

Whose?

But then, you know, like a dog gets tagged.

Yeah.

So he gets that, and he does, like, a little bit at me, like, rub off on the on the branch, and then he, like, passes it on.

Is that how it spread?

As we hike away from the small town of Alice Springs.

It doesn't take long for it to feel like we are far from any type of civilization.

The Larapinta Trail traverses multiple mountain ranges, most prominently the West MacDonnell range.

It's a rugged landscape that can be downright brutal in the summer, but it's early spring and there's a cool breeze in the air.

And from here, everything is gorgeous.

Having already covered ten miles, it's been an amazing but long day on the trail, and I'm looking forward to setting up camp in this beautiful wide open country.

I found I've got some neighbors for the night.

There's this, tipped over this rock, and underneath is a family of these big old spiders and some mysterious type.

I have no idea what they are.

Here's my home.

Here's their home for hunkering down for the night.

And they'll back.

Oh.

So what can we expect on the trail, mom?

Really beautiful as we go through a, beautiful gorge and a dry waterfall along a beautiful, exposed ridge, and then descending down the riverbed.

Yes.

Sweet baby.

So excited about tomorrow.

Yes, yes.

We had a beautiful camp last night.

First night on the Larapinta trail.

The stars last night were unbelievable.

I've never seen a milky way quite like that.

Now, this morning just had a beautiful morning here along the river and stoked for another day on the trail.

So we got about 10 or 12 miles of trail, and it goes through some pretty diverse terrain.

Seems to me that everybody we're coming across is really excited about this section in particular.

So, can't wait to see what we have up ahead.

Now the fun begins.

Let's go.

My favorite thing about doing the trail is how it evolves.

Every day is different.

Whenever you do it, it's different.

You never know what to expect.

Section five would have to be one of the highlights.

It's challenging.

It's rewarding.

That's just spectacular.

So where does the name Larapinta come from?

It's an island, a name.

So under the people, the indigenous peoples whose lands the track goes through.

And it means salty water.

That's the name for the Finke River.

We get to camp on.

Oh, cool.

Yeah.

Now, that view right there looks super inviting.

Yeah, I think, you know, they want to walk in there, right?

Yeah.

The gorge beckons to us.

Yeah.

Carved into the mountains over thousands of years by the rare but powerful rainstorms that occasionally flood the creeks.

Spencer Gorge is a beautiful and peaceful place that even provides a little refuge from the pounding Australian sun.

Framed by towering orange walls.

We wind our way up the gorge towards the ridge above.

Working our way around the boulders and the white ghostlike gum treats.

Oh!

Well, that was awesome.

Spectacular.

Climb out of the gorge.

There.

This is quite a way to experience the outback and love it.

It's easy to see why this section of the Larapinta trail is a favorite for many trekkers.

It's a long day of travel through spectacular but challenging terrain.

These are the hikes.

I love the hikes that force you to dig deep, but at the same time, you never want them to end.

Yeah yeah yeah.

This is our team.

Awesome.

Loved it.

Let's go grab some dinner.

Just feeling a little bit work today.

I think that was the longest 16 K there ever was and just seemed to keep going.

I always find a sense of joy setting up my tent.

It offers a quiet moment to reflect on the day.

Like a small meditation before nightfall.

But tonight will be a short night without much sleep.

Because there's a tradition for hikers on this section of the trail.

It is 230 in the morning, and, we're getting up really early to go climb Mount Sonder.

But I'm, looking forward to this sunrise.

It seems fitting to finish the Larapinta trail and end my time here in Australia on top of Mount Thunder.

It sums up what has been nothing short of a magical trip.

A trip that started in the lively city of Darwin that has offered incredible new experiences, glimpses into ancient times, personal challenges and new friendships.

It's fair to say that Australia's Northern Territory has delivered much more than an epic trail.

It's been the experience of a lifetime.

Funding for Epic Trails is provided by.

In for adventure RT.com.

Inspiring, educating and encouraging outdoor adventure.

And by these additional sponsors.

Since 1954, Fraternal Composite Service has crafted annual collages of photographic portraits for Greek chapters and professional organizations.

Mats and frames create dimensional layering.

Pictures are covered in shatterproof glass.

Photographing nationwide.

Fraternal composite gqom.