October through March
7 days
Journey to one of the world’s most isolated islands and traverse one of the greatest multi-day hikes on Earth—the Overland Track in Tasmania. Meandering through the heart of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, this 40-mile trail links a variety of natural gems, which you’ll be surrounded by on this 7-day guided hiking tour. Ancient rainforest, glossy lakes, glacially-carved valleys, fragrant eucalyptus woodlands, or lofty peaks—each new day brings a new immersion into Tassie’s wilderness. Climb the island’s highest peak, enjoy its deepest lake, and spot the cutest animals: wombats and echidnas thrive in the landscapes you’ll be strolling through. As soon as you set foot on the Overland Track, you’ll get why it’s one of Australia’s premier alpine walks.
Knowledgeable guides will figure it all out and ensure you only have to carry a lightweight pack
One day you’re walking through golden buttongrass, the other through ancient rainforest
Sleep under starry skies, spot wombats, and swim in alpine lakes
Starting from the foothills of Cradle Mountain, the 40-mile (65-kilometer) Overland Track stretches through a national park all the way down to Australia’s deepest lake—Lake St. Clair. Join the 7-day guided hiking trip and traverse this moderately challenging trail boasting a myriad of natural marvels along the way, from sparkling lakes and mighty waterfalls to dense mossy rainforest and spectacular peaks. By going on this guided trip, you get the whole package: all permits, transportation, meals, camping, it’s all taken care of. Just kick back and immerse yourself into one of the world’s premier multi-day trails.
Your guides will pick you up from Hobart at 11 am or Launceston at 2 pm and drive to your accommodation at Cradle Mountain. Travel takes around 2.5 hours, and you’ll also have a briefing and equipment outfitting. Guides will prepare a hearty meal along with a sample of local wines. You’ll have the whole evening to fine tune your packing since any extra luggage can be left on the bus—stored securely and returned to you at the end of the hike.
Meals: Dinner
After breakfast, set off for a steady climb up onto the Cradle Plateau via Marion’s Lookout. Steep in parts, the track passes waterfalls, glacial lakes, open buttongrass and alpine heath with occasional forested groves. Once on the plateau, enjoy grand views of lakes and mountain peaks—with the Cradle Mountain dominating the background. Maybe stop at the Kitchen Hut for lunch and a break. If conditions permit, those who’d like will have the option to summit the Cradle Mountain with daypacks (3-4 hours return). From here, continue to Benson’s Peak and around the rim of a glacially-carved valley head below Mt. Emmet. Barn Bluff looms closer as you near the descent to Waterfall Valley. Go down through Fagus and Pandani groves until you reach the first overnight stop on the forested edge of a valley.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 11 km / 7 miles
Hiking: 5-6 hours + optional side tracks
Start the day by detouring to the waterfalls in the valley before heading off across ridges and undulating buttongrass plains. This is a shorter day meant for recovering from the previous day, so take your time over lunch in a sheltered setting near the main track. In the afternoon, cross further open country with spectacular views of mountains to come. Descend to your campsite among the eucalyptus near Lake Windermere—this is another swimming opportunity on warmer afternoons. Often you’ll find resident wombats, wallabies, and other wildlife. Given good weather, you can take an optional detour to the shores of Lake Will at the southern base of Barn Bluff, and it’s a great place for a swim due to its warm shallows.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 9 km / 5.5 miles
Hiking: 2-5-3 hours + optional side tracks
Get back onto the open plains again, cross creeks and tracts of temperate rainforest. You’ll catch glimpses of the day’s journey ahead, with the Forth River Valley and the mountains surrounding it before you. Walk through buttongrass moors and around Mt. Pelion West as the track heads down through the forest on the mountainside. Stop for lunch at Frog Flats near the headwaters of the Forth River—also the lowest point on the track. It will take you an hour or two to go back up again and cross the plains to your Pelion campsite near Douglas Creek.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 17 km / 10.5 miles
Hiking: 6-7 hours
Start the day with a gradual climb up through the eucalyptus forests and patches of rainforest above the camp until you reach the exposed and scenic Pelion Gap. Those willing can take a 4-5 hour side trip with daypacks to Mt. Ossa, Tasmania’s highest point. The climb up is very steep and will involve plenty of scrambling, but is recommended to those searching for a challenge. From Pelion Gap the track gently goes down through the Pinestone Valley, before a steep pinch into the dry sclerophyll forests where the Kia Ora camp is located.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 9 km / 5.5 miles
Hiking: 3-4 hours + optional side tracks
Take a step away from the plains and buttongrass from previous days and enter a world of rainforests and waterfalls. After an hour of departing, you’ll emerge from the forest at the historic Ducane Hut under the impressive spires of Falling Mountain. After a break at the hut, go back to the rainforest and travel parallel to the Mersey River. From here to your Windy Ridge campsite, there’s a climb through Ducane Gap. Not far and on nice afternoons you can take your time among the rainforest giants. There’s an optional hike to picture-perfect waterfalls along the Mersey River.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner
Distance: 10 km / 6 miles
Hiking: 4-5 hours + optional side tracks
Another change of landscapes for your final day! From Windy Ridge down onto Lake St. Clair the country is drier with more eucalyptus, wattles, banksia, and hakea, as well as many understory flowering plants, often with the corresponding increase in birdlife. Catch views of the spires of Mt. Geryon, The Acropolis, and back to The Ducane Range, usually reaching the lake around 11 am and ending the hike on the jetty. Take a ferry to Cynthia Bay, where you’ll meet the bus with your luggage. After a well-deserved burger at a nearby cafe, jump on the bus and drive 2.5-3 hours back to Hobart.
Meals: Breakfast and lunch
Distance: 9 km / 5.5 miles
Hiking: 3 hours
Ben and Shaun were exceptional guides. Very knowledgeable of the track, history, flora, fauna and wildlife. The equipment provided was easy to set up. The meals Ben whipped up for us was delicious. I highly recommend Wilderness Expeditions and these two fit young men as guides
Walking the Overland with such knowledgeable, patient and attentive guides was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. They were able to answer all of our flora and fauna questions, cooked amazing meals and allowed us to take our time and enjoy the pristine scenery all with lighter packs than anyone else on the track. I would definitely recommend Ben and Charlotte to anyone who wants to do the Overland. Brilliant!!
Walking the Overland with such knowledgeable, patient and attentive guides was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had. They were able to answer all of our flora and fauna questions, cooked amazing meals and allowed us to take our time and enjoy the pristine scenery all with lighter packs than anyone else on the track. I would definitely recommend Ben and Charlotte to anyone who wants to do the Overland. Brilliant!!
My son and I recently walked the Overland Track with Ben and Michael. It was a fabulous six days. What made it really special was the knowledge Ben and Michael shared about the track and the flora and fauna as we passed through some of the most spectacular forests and moors. They supplied fabulous gear which – true to their word – weighed not too much! It was great food and company and I’d recommend them to anyone wanting a guided experience.
This is my second tour with Wilderness Expeditions and it was just as good. The guides are lovely and very knowledgeable so you get the best experience. We saw wombats and echidnas, swam in waterfalls and lakes and relaxed each night with great food and laughs. I highly recommend Ben and his team for expert guiding and a great experience of Tassie’s wilderness!
We just finished an AMAZING six days on the Overland track and we all reckon this company was as close to perfect as you could get! Em and Michael were brilliant- they set a relaxed easy vibe, but they also inspired and encouraged our whole group to get to the top of both Cradle and Ossa. I never thought (at my age!) I would be able to do the peaks but they gave me the confidence to get there and the views were totally worth the pain! It’s a bit decadent having guides who not only carry all the food, but also cook it and serve you (yeah, really!). It allowed me to relax and enjoy the wilderness, as I knew everything was taken care of by Michael and Em. They knew the trails and the swimming holes and the wildlife and the plants so well, all we had to do was drink it all in! a HUGE thanks Michael and Em and Ben– keep catching those pancakes!
Ben was an exceptional host for ourJan 23 hike. Amazing meals, snacks and drinks on offer. Brilliant gear. Could not have completed this hike without Ben and Michael’s knowledge and skill. Two very lovely individuals. Lots of swimming, side trails, local plant knowledge and history of the area on offer. This will be a journey I remember for the rest of my life.
The overland walk was a challenging but such a wonderful experience for a group of over 50 year olds! Ben and Zoe were fantastic tour guides and provided us with an experience we’ll never forget. All equipment provided was excellent and of a high standard. For camp cooking, Ben’s meals were way above our expectations.
What a memorable experience with Wilderness Expeditions on the Overland Track! I can’t stop raving about this trip to everyone as Ben and Sean made my first multiday hike such an incredible experience. All the provided gears, as per their website, were of high quality, ultralight weight and withstood all the challenging weather conditions. Food was plenty with biscuits during walking breaks and desserts every evening. This trip is suitable for newbies and experienced hikers, solo travelers (like myself), family or a group of friends. You’ll be with like-minded people.
Bury any doubts you may have about the Overland Track. Stop your research – go with Wilderness Expeditions. You won’t regret it!
What you get on this adventure:
What’s not included:
Hiking the Overland Track is well within reach for individuals with moderate activity levels, requiring no particular skills or prior experience. Still, although participants can walk at their own pace, it’s important to note that some may find the track more demanding than anticipated due to its rough terrain, uneven surfaces, and the added weight of carrying a pack. While the Overland Track is considered relatively easy in comparison to other trails in Tasmania, it remains significantly rougher than many well-maintained paths. Obstacles such as roots, rocks, mud, and inclines often result in slower progress, making the distances covered seem more challenging than expected. Additionally, adverse weather conditions can further amplify the physical and mental demands of the journey, particularly during the initial days when the terrain is exposed and hikers are adjusting to the routine of walking.
Keep in mind that you’ll be carrying an 8-10 kg backpack (18-22 lbs). The Overland Track is classified as an easy to moderate walk, with certain days being easier than others. It’s worth noting that this grading system is specific to tours offered in Tasmania by your guides. There’s no universally recognized grading system for walks—what your guides consider easy might be considerably more challenging than a hike labeled as “hard” elsewhere. Additionally, side trips on the Overland Track can be steeper and significantly more demanding than the main track.
Check out the itinerary for day-by-day hiking distance breakdown.
Your guides provide a great majority of the equipment. A 9-10kg pack weight (without water) is achievable by sticking closely to the recommended gear list. Here’s a list of the equipment and personal items that you need to bring:
Wilderness Expeditions delivers the best product in terms of tent-based guiding on the Overland. As you don’t have to carry food and your guides provide high-end lightweight gear, your pack weight will be several kilograms lighter than usual. Having lightweight packs is the single biggest factor in making these kinds of trips accessible and inclusive.
Please bring personal pain relief. Also consider personal antihistamines, diarrhea medications and electrolytes (in addition to more specific personal medications). Guides carry bandages, tapes, and dressings as well as some emergency medications.
Most Tasmanian walkers don’t use water purification products, as water sources are generally safe. However, you’re welcome to bring them for peace of mind—tablets will suffice.
Group sizes and prices:
Hiking the Overland Track can be arranged for larger groups. Contact us to make arrangements.
Min. age requirements:
If your group has hikers under the age of 18, contact us prior to booking to make arrangements.
To get to Hobart or Launceston, most people fly into Hobart Airport (HBA) or Launceston Airport (LST). From there, you can take a shuttle or a taxi to reach the city.
Your guides will pick you up at 11 am in Hobart or 2 pm in Launceston. More details are to come later on. Drop-off is Hobart only.
We highly recommend that you cover all your bases with both emergency medical and travel insurance. With medical insurance, if you have an accident or medical emergency on or off the mountain, you’ll avoid paying out of pocket for costly expenses. This covers everything from hospital treatments to emergency air transportation and more. Travel insurance covers canceled flights, natural disasters and other scenarios that may interrupt your travel plans.
We also expect you to respect local regulations and take measures to protect yourselves, your guides, and the communities you’re traveling to. For more information on travel recommendations and restrictions in Tasmania, Australia, please refer to Australia’s COVID-19 travel advice.
Please contact us if you have any questions or require further information. We are happy to provide you with the most up-to-date information!
Your guides are committed to protecting the wilderness values of the areas they work in, and therefore do not use helicopters for provisioning and will never push for further infrastructure development.
Deposits
You can secure one of the set dates with a 30% deposit upon booking. The remaining 70% of the trip price is to be paid 90 days prior to departure, at the latest.
Secure your early bird spot with a 10% deposit! This tour gets sold out very quickly, but with early-bird booking, you will be the first one to know about any new upcoming dates. Pick your preferred dates without the risk of your bucket list adventure selling out!
Cancellations
Booking fees are non-refundable in all cases. During checkout, however, you can choose one of 57hours’ flexibility options:
Basic
Flexible
Super Flexible