Girls’ Getaway Time? This Trip May Hit The Spot
Spectacular views are never too far away on the Great Ocean Walk. Photos_ Belinda VanZanen/Great Ocean Road Tourism; Mark Watson/Visit Victoria
You’ve done the tropical resort thing, complete with cocktails by the pool. You’ve hired a villa for a weekend, maybe even stayed at a spa and indulged yourself with early-morning yoga and afternoon massages. If you’re looking for something new for your next girls’ getaway, I have a surprising contender for you: a walking holiday.
If you’ve always thought walking trips were just for hardcore outdoors types, think again. Turns out that a few days’ hiking through some of our most inspiring landscapes is a great way to unwind. You get to drink in the scenery, take it at your own pace, finish the day with fantastic food, and if camping isn’t your thing there are plenty of options that offer comfortable – in some cases, downright luxurious – accommodation.
The best thing about a walking holiday, however, is the conversations. There’s something magical about walking pace that gets you talking and often leads the conversation in unexpected directions. Some of the most interesting conversations I’ve had have been on walking holidays – and some of them have been with complete strangers. Turns out you don’t have to know each other well to have surprisingly deep conversations.
So where to walk? The four-day Great Ocean Walk to Victoria’s Twelve Apostles is a great option for first-timers, not least because the backdrop is simply spectacular. Following the path across limestone headlands and along wide beaches battered by the Southern Ocean is an almost meditative experience: the gentle wash of waves in the background, the ever-changing views across grass forests to meadows strewn with bright flowers or shady gullies where ferns flourish. Occasionally the stillness is broken by black cockatoos screeching raucously as they swoop past.
You don’t need a lot of equipment: apart from hiking shoes and plenty of water and sunscreen in your daypack, the only thing you might need is walking poles for the steep up and down slopes in the middle section. This walk is also easy to organise. There is plenty of accommodation in the area, and you can tackle it as a series of day hikes, with a number of companies offering shuttle services to get you to and from your accommodation each day. Alternatively you can sign up for a guided experience with The 12 Apostles Lodge Walk.
The beauty of a guided walk is not just that you learn more about the areas you’re passing through; it also means someone else looks after all the details. There are guided walk options in every state, most of which require little or no experience. Try one of the ones listed below or, if you want to spoil yourself, visit Great Walks of Australia.
Discover tall-tree forests on WA’s Bibbulmun Track | 8 days, $2550 a person
From tall-tree forests to white-sand beaches, you can soak it all up on WA’s Bibbulmun Track. Photos_ Inspiration Outdoors; Tourism Western Australia
The Bibbulmun Track is Australia’s longest walking track, stretching 1000 kilometres from the Perth hills down to Albany. Inspiration Outdoors offers week-long hikes through some of the most scenic sections; non-campers will be delighted to learn that you sleep in hotels. The most scenic stretch, between Walpole and Denmark, winds through magnificent forests where tingle trees tower 75 metres above you, and past beautiful beaches and bays.
Explore the Red Centre on the Larapinta Trail | 6 days, $2985 a person
If you think of deserts as empty wastelands, the Larapinta Trail will change your mind. The trail through the West McDonnell Ranges, near Alice Springs, passes one remarkable sight after another, from ancient meteor craters to ochre quarries and palm-filled passes. Walkers who travel with World Expeditions stay in comfortable eco-camps, and there are women-only hikes available.
Discover desert delights, including hidden swimming holes, on the Larapinta Trail. Photos_ Tourism NT/Allan Dixon; World Expeditions/Cathy Finch
Drink in the views on Tasmania’s Three Capes Track | 4 days, $495 a person
Tasmania has no shortage of stunning multi-day hikes and the Three Capes Track is both the newest and one of the most accessible. Hikers on this four-day walk sleep in cabins kitted out with mattresses and cooking facilities, and enjoy magnificent scenery ranging from clifftop views to coastal heath and even pockets of rainforest. The walk culminates at Fortescue Bay, where the white sands are washed by turquoise waters.
Spectacular scenery, beaches and wildlife are just some of the attractions along Tasmania’s Three Capes Track. Photos_ Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service + Sean Scott
Words_ Ute Junker
Post photo_ Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service