We just finished up our series highlighting the 9 Great Walks of Australia. We showed you what it’s like to trek through each of these walks. Hopefully, you will consider one of them when you are in that region of Australia next. Nine different walks was a lot of ground to cover, so we wanted to give you a recap of all 9 walks to make it easier to compare and choose which walk might be right for your next bushwalking holiday. The nine Great Walks of Australia are:
The Arkaba Walk in South Australia
The Scenic Rim Trail in New South Wales
The Larapinta Trail in the Northern Territory (Part One) and The Larapinta Trail (Part Two)
The Margaret River Cape to Cape Walk in Western Australia
The Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk in Victoria
The Bay of Fires Lodge Walk in Tasmania
The Freycinet Experience Walk in Tasmania
The Maria Island Walk in Tasmania
The Cradle Mountain Huts Walk in Tasmania
Today we will be giving a brief recap of the first five walks, all on mainland Australia so that you can decide which one you want to do first! They all look like amazing adventures so maybe you should plan to get to them all! No matter the length of your walk, be sure to plan ahead, understand the fitness level requirements, have the right shoes and attire, plenty of drinking water, emergency supplies, and make sure that someone knows when you are expected back. Taking all the necessary safety precautions ensures that you will have the most enjoyable bushwalking holiday. It is also important to remember that you are a guest in nature. Bring a bag with you to take your own rubbish away. Leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but pictures
The Arkaba Walk: A South Australian Walking Safari
Arkaba Walk Flinders Ranges Photo Credit: SouthAustralia.com
Arkaba Walk Photo Credit: ArkabaStation.com
Arkaba Walk Camping “Star Bed” Photo Credit: GreatWalksofAustralia.com.au
The Arkaba Walk is one of South Australia’s great adventures. This overland walking safari is in an awesome setting of the Flinders Ranges near the Elder Range and Wilpena Pound. Arkaba is made up of 60,000 acres of private conservancy. This is how you explore the outback by bushwalking on this four day guided tour. You will see why the Arkaba Walk is listed as one of the Great Walks of Australia and learn about this region’s 600 million year old geological history that created the spectacular panoramic views. The walks are exclusive and limited to a group of 10. Arkaba’s tour guides are passionate about this region and love sharing the bush and its stories with guests.
Hiring a Car in Adelaide
Adelaide Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
The Arkaba Walk is easily accessible from Adelaide. It is about a 4½ hour drive from Adelaide. Hiring a car in Adelaide is easy with Budget. There are 5 different car rental locations in and around Adelaide, so it is quite convenient to hire a car in Adelaide. There are car hire locations in Adelaide City, at the Adelaide Airport, in Adelaide North – Salisbury, Adelaide South – Reynella, and an Adelaide Trucks location close to the airport for hiring trucks, 4 wheel drive, and all-terrain vehicles. While in South Australia, you might want to travel around and take in any of the following places we previously covered on our blog:
The Beautiful City of Adelaide, South Australia
Things to Do in Adelaide, South Australia
Take a Cool Drive through the Adelaide Hills
Strangest Places to Visit in South Australia
Coober Pedy, South Australia
Best Places in Australia to Dive with Sharks
Hop on Over to Kangaroo Island
Kangaroo Island Food Safari
A Getaway within a Getaway: Flinders Chase National Park
Visiting Barossa Valley
Bunda Cliffs
Murray River Region
The Coorong
Top 10 Nature Experience in Australia
The Southern Australian Loop Road Trip
The Scenic Rim Trail
Scenic Rim Trail Photo Credit: ScenicRimTrail.com
Christmas Creek in the Lost World Valley Photo Credit: VisitBrisbane.com.au
Lake Moogerah in the Boonah area Photo Credit: VisitScenicRim.com.au
The Scenic Rim Trail is a four day walk through this region covering 33 km. This region known as the Scenic Rim Region is inland from Gold Coast in Queensland. The trail is only open during the walking season. It just opened up on 13 April 2016. You can book guided tours that come with lodge accommodations. The walk is a moderate level walk with a large ascent on Spicers Peak and part of the walk through main Range National Park.
Hiring a Car in Gold Coast
Gold Coast Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
The Gold Coast is located on the east coast of Australia in Queensland. It is 69 kilometres south of Brisbane, or about an hour long trip by car. If you are up for a road trip, Gold Coast is about a 9 hour road trip north of Sydney. There is also an airport located in nearby Coolangatta. You can hire a car at a number of different locations because you will want to be able to have the freedom to travel around on your own schedule. While in Gold Coast, check out all of the family friendly things to do in Gold Coast. We’ve also highlighted some of the Scenic Rim Region before:
Main Range National Park
Glamping in Australia
Best Scenic Drives in Australia: The Rainforest Way
The Larapinta Trail
Larapinta Trail in the West MacDonnell National Park near Mount Sonder Photo Credit: Wikipedia
On the Larapinta Trail Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Tree on the Finke River Along the Larapinta Trail Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Felix Dance Own CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=427487
The Larapinta Trail itinerary is 16 days, so in order to get all of the highlights in we separated it into two blog posts: The Larapinta Trail (Part One) and The Larapinta Trail (Part Two). The Larapinta Trail is in Australia’s Northern Territory near the MacDonnell Ranges and close to Alice Springs. It is a draw for hikers and bushwalkers to come to this remote region of the country. The trail begins in Alice Springs and heads west into the West MacDonnell Ranges through West MacDonnell National Park for 223 km and ends at Mount Sonder, which is one of the highest mountains in the Northern Territory. The mountain trek takes 16 days from end to end, as you will see; it is possible to take shorter walks for multi day, extended trips, overnight, or even just a day trip.
Hiring a Vehicle to Get to the Larapinta Trail
Alice Springs Car Rental Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
If tour buses aren’t your thing, hire your own 4WD vehicle to drive yourself around the Northern Territory. Click through the link for the best rate on car rentals in the Northern Territory. You can hire a car in Alice Springs, or rent a vehicle right at the Alice Springs Airport. Looking for other destinations to visit with exploring the Northern Territory? Check out these other blog posts:
Alice Springs, the City in the Outback
Uluru / Ayer’s Rock
Highlights from Uluru and Surrounds
Glamping in Australia
Top 10 Wedding Destinations in Australia
National Parks and Places to Visit in Northern Territory Near Darwin
Outdoor Destinations Near Katherine in the Northern Territory
Kakadu: The Largest National Park in Australia
The Rivers of Kakadu National Park
The Margaret River Cape to Cape Walk
Cape Freycinet Photo Credit: (Wikipedia) By Hughesdarren – Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11729349
Cape to Cape Track Photo Credit: CapeToCapeTrack.com.au
Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
The Margaret River Cape to Cape Walk is a long-distance coastal walking trail that runs 135 km from the lighthouse at Cape Naturaliste to the Cape Leeuwin Lighthouse. The track takes 5 to 7 days to complete; however you can spend longer on the walk by adding in extra days to relax or spend in the National Park and surrounding region. Conversely, you can also spend less time, or even take day walks instead. If you opt for the entire walk, there are designated campsites along the track where you can choose to stay or a variety of other accommodations in each section of the track. The Margaret River Cape to Cape Walk is great anytime of the year. One of the great things about this walk is that it isn’t only about the coast, you can also see some inland sections of the Margaret River Region like the Bonarup Forest where you will find the majestic karri trees, waterfalls, and more.
Hiring a Car in the Margaret River Region
Margaret River Car Rental Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
The Margaret River is about a three hour drive south from the capital city of Perth. That is the largest city in Western Australia so there are many different car rental locations in the Perth and surrounds where you can hire a car or 4WD vehicle and travel down to the Margaret River Region. However you can also hire a car from nearby Bunbury just north of the Margaret River. Or you can choose to hire a car in Albany and travel from Albany, on the southern coast, and travel west along the South Coast Highway where you will pass potential destinations at 5 different national parks along with way to the Margaret River Region. While exploring this region, check out some of our previous blog posts for ideas on what to do here:
Wine, Waves, and Caves of the Margaret River Region
Make it an Amazing Holiday in Awesome Albany, Western Australia
Esperance and the Southern Coast of Western Australia
The Pinnacles and Nambung National Park
Perth Road Trips:Rottnest Island and Lancelin
Visiting Perth on Holiday
Free Things to do on Holiday in Perth
Holiday Getaways near Perth and Surrounds
Korung National Park in the Perth Hills
Your Taste Buds will Enjoy the Margaret River Gourmet Escape
The Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk
The Twelve Apostles Walk Photo Credit: TwelveApostlesLodgeWalk.com.au
The Twelve Apostles Beach Walk Photo Credit: TwelveApostlesLodgeWalk.com.au
The Great Ocean Walk Sign Photo Credit: TwelveApostlesLodgeWalk.com.au
The Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk is a four day walk along the coast where you will find the famous namesake landmarks but also includes Great Otway National Park and Port Campbell National Park. The unique thing about this multi-day walk is that you head back to the luxury lodge each night for a comfy bed, warm showers, and freshly prepared meals so you only need to carry your daily supplies, water, and lunch with you each day. This also allows you to opt out of some of the more challenging walks if you feel they are beyond your level. There are easy and more challenging sections. The walking tours operate from September to May, which is a great time for spotting flora and fauna.
Hiring a Car to get to The Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk
Melbourne Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
Hire a car in Melbourne to head out to The Twelve Apostles along the famed Great Ocean Road. Once you leave Melbourne, make your way southwest along the coastline of the Bass Strait to see the amazing sights. There are more than 20 different car rental locations in Melbourne, so finding one that is convenient for you is a breeze. Here are some previous posts about this area from our blog:
The Great Ocean Road: One of the Top 10 Road Trips in Australia
5 Stops Along the Great Ocean Road
The 12 Apostles
Things to Do in Melbourne
Melbourne with Kids
Free Things to Do in Melbourne
Free Things to Do in Melbourne and Surrounds
Melbourne Wine & Food Festival