Top Oz Tours offers a great range of Australia walking holidays. You can browse the options here.
Many of Australia’s iconic natural landscapes are located off the beaten track, which makes walking one of the best ways to enjoy them.
The popularity of guided walking holidays has never been greater. They’re a fabulous way to see more of the country and immerse yourself in our most wondrous environments. And having the services of a knowledgeable guide ensures an informative and hassle-free experience. Walking tours are also good for you, and a lot of fun to boot (if you’ll pardon the pun).
Of course, a safe trek starts with having the right gear. Choose high-performance hiking boots and durable apparel from TacSource to ensure you’re prepared for Australia’s diverse and often challenging terrain.
Here are ten of the best Australian walking holidays, which range from four to eight days in length.
1. Great Ocean Walk, VIC (4 days)
The Great Ocean Road in regional Victoria is Australia’s most famous coastal drive, but if your boots were made for walking, you can explore this stretch of coastline on foot on the Great Ocean Walk. Officially, the Great Ocean Road stretches for 250 kilometres from surfers’ paradise Torquay, all the way to the famous 12 Apostles — a series of majestic rock sea-stacks timeworn by the Southern Ocean. The Great Ocean Walk runs from the town of Apollo Bay to the 12 Apostles. On this fully accommodated, pack-free trip, you’ll do sections of the walk each day and stay in historic properties like the Cape Otway Lightstation. Departs from Melbourne
Watch our video of this experience:
Tips for doing the Great Ocean Coast in Victoria – Tour the World TV
Thinking about doing the Great Ocean Walk? In this segment from the Tour the World travel TV series, we join Park Trek Walking Holidays on a four-day short-break hiking the Great Ocean Walk in regional Victoria. We experience the amazing beaches, coves and spectacular cliff-top vistas this walk is famous for, before ending up at the wonderful 12 Apostles.
2. Grampians Peaks Trail, VIC (4 days)
Of all the extended Australian walking tours we’ve done, this one in regional Victoria is an absolute highlight. The epic Grampians Peaks Trail — 144 kilometres of walking tracks traversing the entire length of the ancient Grampians mountains — has recently opened. This four-day experience includes comfortable chalet-style accommodation in the town of Halls Gap and a daily guided walk along a contrasting section of the trail. Departs from Melbourne
Watch our video of this experience:
Explore the Grampians in regional Victoria – The Big Bus tour and travel guide
Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide. In this segment we join Park Trek Walking Holidays and Visit Grampians on a four-day short break hiking through the spectacular Grampians in regional Victoria. By 2019 the 144km Grampians Peaks Trail will be completed, allowing hikers to walk the entire length of the range.
3. Cradle Mountain Trek, TAS (4 days)
Featuring on just about every Tassie visitor’s ‘to-do’ list, majestic Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park — located two hours’ drive west of Launceston — doesn’t often disappoint. Dove Lake is a focal point for many day visitors, and on a good day the view of Cradle Mountain rising behind the lake is truly sublime. You’ll enjoy this iconic vista and many others like it on this four-day, pack-free walking holiday in the region. Enjoy exceptional walking each day, before returning each evening to your cosy cabin-style accommodation in Cradle Mountain Village and a two-course meal prepared by your guides. Departs from Launceston
4. Tarkine Wilderness Walk, TAS (5 days)
The Tarkine (derived from the name of the Indigenous family groups that inhabited the area at settlement) is located in Tasmania’s northwest and is officially recognised as Australia’s largest stretch of cool climate rainforest (and the second largest in the southern hemisphere). However, the Tarkine is not a national park or protected area as you might expect. Just 4% of the 433,000 hectares recommended in 2013 by the Australian Heritage Council for National Heritage List status was approved by the then federal Labor government.
You can do a five-day walking tour of this beautiful — and highly controversial — wilderness area, which includes a boat trip along the magical Pieman River, and the chance to take in the stunning vistas from the top of Mount Donaldson. You’ll stay at the remote Corinna Wilderness Experience lodge. Departs from Launceston
Watch our video of this experience:
Explore Tasmania’s amazing Tarkine wilderness – The Big Bus tour and travel guide
Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide. In this video we join Park Trek Walking Holidays on a fabulous five-day short break hiking through the spectacular Tarkine wilderness in Tasmania’s northwest.
5. Kangaroo Island Walk, SA (5 days)
Located off the coast of South Australia, Kangaroo Island is the third largest island in Australia (behind Tasmania and Melville Island), and is one of the country’s most pristine natural environments. The island is rabbit and fox-free, and native wildlife thrives. This five-day, pack-free Kangaroo Island walking holiday includes comfortable accommodation, most meals, and guided daily walks in the price. The walks are moderately paced and suitable for anyone of a reasonable level of fitness.
As you explore the island’s coastline, soaring escarpments give way to secluded sandy beaches and pristine coves. You will almost certainly see young sea lions body surfing the waves and having a lovely time. Also keep an eye out for the Kangaroo Island kangaroo, koalas, Tamar wallabies, Cape Baron geese and many other iconic species. Departs from Adelaide
Watch our video of this experience:
Top things to do on Kangaroo Island – The Big Bus tour and travel guide
Welcome to The Big Bus tour and travel guide. Looking for ideas for things to do on Kangaroo Island? In this video we join Park Trek Walking Holidays on a fabulous five-day short break hiking around Kangaroo Island.
6. Victorian Alps Walk, VIC ( 4 days)
The landscapes you get to explore on this four-day, pack-free Victorian Alps walking tour are truly stunning — with bushy Snow Gums, hardy tundra-like grasses and wildflowers galore. The high plains are crisscrossed by small streams, and punctuated by ubiquitous snow polls, which lead the way to various landmarks and points of interest, no matter what the season. What fascinates many visitors are the cattlemen’s huts, which were built around the turn of the 20th century. Many are heritage-listed. They’re the original ‘man cave’; remote shelters built high in the hills, where cattlemen would seek refuge from the treacherously harsh and extraordinarily changeable conditions.
You’ll see several of the huts as you head out to do a different walk each day, before returning to your cosy lodge in the alpine village of Falls Creek. Transport, twin-share accommodation, most meals, guided walks and national park entry fees are included. Departs from Melbourne
Watch our video of this experience:
Tips for Walking the Victorian Alps, Regional Victoria – Tour the World TV
Looking for ideas on walking in the Victorian Alps? In this segment from the Tour the World travel TV series, we join Park Trek Walking Holidays on a four-day short-break hiking through the spectacular Victorian Alps.
7. Flinders Ranges Walk, SA (5 days)
The Flinders Ranges, located five hours’ drive north of Adelaide, are a bucket-list destination for many a dedicated walker. Exploring the sweeping red ranges on foot is one of the few opportunities these days to get completely off the grid. The landscape here is incredibly ancient — and punishing in summer. However, milder temperatures make winter the perfect time of year for walking. This five-day, pack-free, all-inclusive and fully accommodated tour is one you’ll remember for years to come. Departs from Adelaide
8. Sapphire Coast Walk, NSW (4 days)
Soak in spectacular beach vistas, marvel at amazing rock formations, and perhaps spot migrating humpbacks over the course of this four-day, pack-free walking holiday in Beowa National Park on New South Wales’ southern Sapphire Coast. The iconic Light to Light Walk stretches for 30 kilometres between historic Boyds Tower and the Green Cape Lightstation, and is widely regarded as one of the State’s best hiking trails. Accommodation, meals, and transport are included, as you cover a section of the track each day with two knowledgeable guides. Departs from Merimbula
9. Bay of Fires Walk, TAS (4 days)
Enjoy four days of immersion in the vivid colour and coastal ambience of the incomparable Bay of Fires in north-eastern Tasmania. This fully accommodated, pack-free walk begins at Top Camp in glorious Mount William National Park, and covers Cape Naturaliste, Stumpy’s Bay, Eddystone Point and Anson’s Bay. The hike ends at The Gardens in the Bay of Fires Conservation Area. Departs from Launceston
10. Daylesford Goldfields Track, VIC (4 days)
If you like the sound of a hiking holiday that includes the opportunity to soak weary muscles in the mineral-rich waters of Victoria’s spa country — read on! This four-day, pack-free, fully accommodated experience in the Victorian Goldfields region features day hikes around Daylesford, Hepburn Springs, and historic Castlemaine, along with a visit to the famous Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa. Other indulgences include morning tea at the Chocolate Mill in Mount Franklin, and a visit to the historic Red Beard Bakery in Trentham. Yes, you will consume some extra calories, but you’ll walk them off in between! Departs from Melbourne
Browse our range of Australia tours and experiences here.
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Additional images: Bigstock
About the writer
Adam Ford is editor of Top Oz Tours and Travel Ideas, and a travel TV presenter, writer, blogger, and photographer. He has travelled extensively through Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, and the Middle East. Adam worked as a travel consultant for a number of years with Flight Centre before taking up the opportunity to travel the world himself as host of the TV series Tour the World on Network Ten. He loves to experience everything a new destination has to offer and is equally at home in a five-star Palazzo in Pisa or a home-stay in Hanoi.
