Trek the Cradle Mountain Overland Track

Trip Type: Walking & Trekking
Australia | 6 Days | 1 - 10 People
Starts From:

NZD 2,561.00 /Person

* Sale Price Available

Take on the challenge of Australia’s most famous trek – the Cradle Mountain Overland track – and take in some of Tasmania’s most stunning scenery. ...

Trek the Cradle Mountain Overland Track

Take on the challenge of Australia’s most famous trek – the Cradle Mountain Overland track – and take in some of Tasmania’s most stunning scenery. With two expert mountain guides at your side, you’ll make your way through temperate rainforest and groves of eucalypts, across alpine moors and through valleys. Skirt the edges of bright blue lakes and take in views of waterfalls and towering peaks in the distance. Camp on the edges of historic huts under star-filled skies, wake up to dramatic landscapes and take the chance to tackle side trips like summitting the island’s highest peak Mt Ossa. This active adventure is one of the best ways to take in this iconic landscape.

Welcome to Tasmania! Or Lutruwita in the language of the Palawa people who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which Tasmania is now located. Your adventure begins straight away with a pickup at 7:30 am in Launceston. Make your way west, through picturesque scenery, to start the Overland Track at Ronny Creek in Cradle Valley. Cross a small grass plain, passing Crater Creek and Crater Lake, making your way up to Marion’s Lookout for sweeping views. See the iconic Cradle Mountain and the curved Dove Lake. The track continues past the historic Kitchen Hut, with its unusual double story design, and the shoulder of Cradle Mountain, surrounded by Tasmanian snow gums. Over 700 million years ago, the ground here was shaped by glaciers grinding through the landscape. Continue to the Cradle Cirque, passing the turnoff to Barn Bluff, and descend into Waterfall Valley, where you’ll set up camp for the night.

Waterfall Valley is, unsurprisingly, full of beautiful cascades, and you’ll pass them as the track undulates across moorlands scattered with pencil pines, myrtles and snow gums. Look out for Tasmanian Devils, echidnas and wombats – though you may see the latter’s distinctive cube shaped poop more often than the mammals themselves! For lunch, stop by Lake Will where you'll have the opportunity for a swim, before continuing to Lake Windermere in the afternoon. As you crest the moorland, you’ll get a view across Lake Windermere, whose dark colour is caused by nutrients and oils leaking from the surrounding grass into the water. Make your way around the shore of the lake to tonight’s campsite in a scattered forest.

You’ve worked your way up to the longest hike of the trip. Begin with a walk through lightly timbered forest, across buttongrass moorlands to the lookout at Forth Gorge. In the distance the peaks of mounts Oakleigh, Ossa, Pelion East and West, as well as the Du Cane Range, pepper the horizon. Follow some small ascents and descents into the forest glade of Frog Flats – a wet section of forest crossed by the River Forth, home to some beautifully coloured mosses and fungi. Climb through forest to Pelion Plains, where the Forth Valley Track diverts off to Old Pelion Hut, built by copper miners at the end of the 19th century. For the next 20 years, cattle drovers and trappers plied their trade here, before the area was declared a scenic reserve in 1922. Continue along the shore of Douglas Creek to New Pelion Hut – the largest of the track’s huts, which sits at the junction of the Overland and Arm River tracks. You'll set up camp nearby.

Begin today with a gradual climb up to Pelion Gap (1126 m). Here, the track hits a crossroads with Mt Pelion to the east and towering Mt Ossa – Tasmania’s highest peak at 1617 m. If the weather’s right, there will be the option to climb either of the peaks today. Both summits boast amazing views of the national park and beyond. From the Pelion Gap crossroads, the track passes through the glaciated Pinestone Valley and on to Kia Ora Hut, which sits on a creek of the same name below the Ducane Range. Set up camp in the mighty presence of Cathedral Mountain – this is a truly unique camp spot.

Leave Kia Ora Creek and make your way through myrtle beech rainforest to Du Cane Hut, built in 1910 out of King Billy Pine by a trapper as a base for his trade. Further down the track, you’ll take a side trip to see the falls of D’Alton, Fergusson and Hartnett, which tumble into the Mersey River. Back on the main track, the path climbs steadily to Du Cane Gap (1070 m), where Mt Geryon and the Acropolis (1471 m) of the Du Cane Range are the peaks that dominate the views. From here the track descends through eucalypt forest to Bert Nichols Hut at Windy Ridge, where you'll set up camp.

Today is the final day of the Overland Track. Leaving Windy Ridge camp, descend the valley of temperate rainforest and eucalypt forest to the Narcissus River. Pass the path, which splits off to take walkers to the base of the Du Cane Range and Pine Valley Hut – the base for access to the Acropolis and the Labyrinth. Follow the track down to a suspension bridge over the Narcissus River and the end is in sight. Give yourself a huge pat on the back and your legs a rest with a ferry ride across the lake to Cynthia Bay. Jump back in the van for the ride back to Launceston, where your trip comes to an end, arriving around 4:30 pm this afternoon.

Meals
5 Breakfast(s), 6 Lunch(s), 5 Dinner(s)

Transport
Walking , Private vehicle , Ferry

Accommodation
Bush camping (with limited facilities) (5 Nights)

Included Activities
  • Overland Track - Ronny Creek to Waterfall Valley Trek
  • Cradle Mountain National Park - Marion's Lookout
  • Overland Track - Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere Trek
  • Overland Track - Lake Windermere to New Pelion Hut Trek
  • Cradle Mountain National Park - Forth Gorge Lookout
  • Overland Track - Pelion Plains to Kia Ora Creek Trek
  • Overland Track - Kia Ora Creek to Windy Ridge Trek
  • Overland Track - Windy Ridge to Lake St Clair Trek
  • Cradle Mountain National Park - Lake St Clair Ferry Ride
  • Hike along the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain and soak in the gorgeous Australian landscape in leafy Tassie.
  • Don’t sweat the small stuff! With everything taken care of, you’re free to make the most of the incredible scenery as you make your way along one of Australia’s most iconic trails.
  • Leave all the organisation to the experts – from tickets and permits to camping gear – and chill out in your comfortable all-season tents, with all sleeping gear and cooking equipment provided.
  • Make the most of the local knowledge of two expert mountain guides along the way, and you’ll never take a wrong turn.
  • Enjoy the flexibility to tackle the trek as you like – take the main track for a more leisurely hike or add on a side trip like summitting Cradle Mountain or Mt Ossa for an extra challenge.
  • This trip is is a wilderness hike, best suited to experienced hikers who are comfortable with the prospect of multiple consecutive days of hiking in all conditions as it involves plenty of walking over varied terrain. Good footwear, clothing for all types of Tasmanian weather, plus perhaps walking poles are recommended. Details on physical activities and a packing list can be found in the trip notes. The total distance covered on this trip is approximately 65 km. You will need to carry your own gear on this trek. Your pack may weigh up to around 15 kg. This includes a portion of the food for the trip and a share of a tent, which will weigh around 1.4 kg. This is a camping trip, and you will be required to set up camp each night. Facilities are very basic (bush camping toilets, no showers).

Departing

Finishing

Availability

Price: NZD 3,415.00

Price: NZD 3,290.00

Price: NZD 3,165.00

Price: NZD 3,165.00

Price: NZD 3,165.00

Price: NZD 3,165.00

Price:
NZD 3,415.00 NZD 2,561.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,680.00

Price: NZD 3,680.00

Price: NZD 3,680.00

Price: NZD 3,680.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,505.00

Price: NZD 3,680.00
Provided by
Intrepid Travel
Reference Code:
PTXC
Trip Location
Trip Starts:
Launceston, Australia
Trip Finishes:
Launceston, Australia
Countries Visited:
Australia
map

Booking Enquiry

Destination Details
Australia | 6 Days | 1 - 10 People