# 10 Amazing Hikes in Australia > Mountains, lakes and wild trails on the other side of the world. We've rounded up 10 amazing hikes across Australia and explain what makes this country so appealing to trekking fans. - URL: https://langandtrip.com.ua/en/article/10-chudovykh-pokhodiv-v-avstraliyi/ - Language: en - Published: 2022-03-02 - Categories: Hiking, Mountains, Australia, Mountain, Lakes, Rivers --- ## 1. Overland Track, Tasmania The Overland Track covers 65 kilometres over six days through Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, part of a World Heritage Area. Walkers can set out on their own, but they need to book tickets with the Parks and Wildlife Service or go through one of the many operators. We chose Cradle Mountain Huts, a company known for its eco-friendly cabins tucked away off the main trail. Among the worthwhile side trips are the Marions Lookout, which (in good weather) offers a fantastic view of Cradle Mountain; Barn Bluff, rising above the open alpine plateau; and the lovely D'Alton and Ferguson falls. Weather permitting, the five-hour climb up Mount Ossa is well worth the effort. Our guide points out two rocky towers nicknamed the "Gates of Mordor" after that fearsome place from "The Lord of the Rings." And up we go. ## 2. Larapinta Trail, Northern Territory The Larapinta Trail winds through the rugged, ancient landscape of the Northern Territory. After waving goodbye to Alice Springs from the Euro Ridge, walkers head west to take in the beauty of Simpsons Gap, Standley Chasm and Ormiston Gorge, before finally climbing Mount Sonder. Related content You might also like: 10 of the most incredible long-distance trails in the world Because of how remote it is, this route is best tackled as part of a group tour. Michelle Eckersley of World Expeditions (WE) says: "This is our number one hike anywhere in the world." Alongside the six-day classic version, where support vehicles cut down the overall time, there's also a 14-day "end to end" option covering all 223 kilometres. Both hikes are run by WE's subsidiary, Australian Walking Holidays. ![](/storage/image/prev/statti-17-1-1024x768.jpg) ## 3. Great Ocean Walk, Victoria Since 2006, the Great Ocean Walk has let us travel where its namesake road couldn't go. Stretching 104 kilometres from Apollo Bay, this trail runs through eucalyptus forests, reaches the Cape Otway Lightstation, and crosses sand dunes, beaches and clifftop paths. Here you can look out over shipwrecks and admire spectacular views of the Twelve Apostles, those much-photographed limestone sea stacks. If you're walking solo, a shuttle carries your gear from one stop to the next. Details are on www.visitvictoria.com. Guided tours or self-guided packages can be found at auswalk.com.au. ## 4. Six Foot Track, New South Wales Marked out in 1884 as a path six feet wide (1.83 metres, if you really want to know), so that laden horses could pass one another on the journey from Katoomba to the Jenolan Caves, the Six Foot Track in the Blue Mountains is iconic. The 44-kilometre route, which takes three days and two nights, starts at the Explorers Tree, drops into the Megalong Valley and crosses the Coxs River via the Bowtells Swing Suspension Bridge. Challenging climbs bring hikers onto the Black Range before they set off for the caves. Information on self-guided walks can be found on the Wild Walks website. Fancy a more relaxed pace? Try a guided walk with Life's an Adventure: they'll set up your tent, leaving you with nothing to carry but a daypack. ## 5. Cape to Cape Walk, Western Australia The Cape to Cape Track in the southwest of Western Australia follows a ridgeline for 135 kilometres through Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park, between the lighthouses of Cape Naturaliste and Cape Leeuwin. This seven-day hike can be done independently or as part of a guided group with Inspiration Outdoors; walkers carry a daypack, with accommodation and transport included. The route mostly hugs the coast, sometimes along clifftop paths, at other times crossing beautiful beaches. A few inland loops pass through stands of karri forest, and the staff at the striking lighthouses on either end run guided tours. ## 6. Kosciuszko Walk, New South Wales From the Kosciuszko Express chairlift in Thredbo, you can take a 14-kilometre walk (five hours) in summer up to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, Australia's highest peak (2,228 metres). Waiting for you here are rocky granite outcrops, wildflowers and the glacier-carved Lake Cootapatamba. Many walkers seem to overlook the little stream beside the trail, but we stop to see the source of a waterway made legendary by Banjo Paterson's poem "The Man from Snowy River." Once you pass the signpost at Rawson Pass, you'll find a carnival atmosphere among the tourists who have reached the roof of Australia. The route is easy to do on your own, though a guide is an option too. ![](/storage/image/prev/statti-17-2.jpg) ## 7. Kings Canyon Rim Walk, Northern Territory People in good shape shouldn't be put off by the climb to the top, which is made up of 500 steps, since the ground levels out after that. This six-kilometre walk (four hours) follows the horseshoe-shaped rim of Kings Canyon. You feel a sense of awe before this ancient land, with its 100-metre sheer cliffs, weathered dome-shaped formations known as the Lost City, and the Garden of Eden with its permanent waterholes. It's enough to leave you humbled. Stop for the night beforehand, but make it an early start to avoid hiking in the midday heat. Kings Canyon Resort offers a range of accommodation levels and tours. ## 8. Dove Lake Trail, Cradle Mountain National Park This six-kilometre walk around the shores of Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park takes about two hours. It's an easy walk, most of it along a boardwalk, and one of the most popular in Tasmania. Among the main highlights are the much-photographed boatshed, built in 1940 by Cradle Mountain's first ranger; Glacier Rock, which still bears the marks left by Ice Age glaciers; and the quiet, cool temperate rainforest known as the Ballroom Forest. Towering over it all is Cradle Mountain. Take a few looks to see how its mood shifts from bright to brooding depending on the weather. ![](/storage/image/prev/statti-17-3-1024x683.jpg) ## 9. Binna Burra to Green Mountains (O'Reilly's), Queensland Part of the multi-day Gold Coast Hinterland Great Walk, the stretch from Binna Burra to the O'Reilly's rainforest in the Green Mountains of Lamington National Park makes for a lovely full-day walk. The Border Track runs through Antarctic beech woodland, subtropical and cool-temperate rainforest, and along the edge of the volcanic erosion caldera of the Tweed Valley. From the Wanungara Lookout you get views over the Limpwood Valley, Mount Warning, and sometimes as far south as Byron Bay. The 23-kilometre hike takes six to seven hours and can be walked in either direction, entirely on your own or with transport from O'Reilly's. ## 10. Manly to Spit Bridge A hike in the middle of the city? Absolutely. Walks through Sydney Harbour National Park offer a peaceful change of perspective. A firm favourite is the walk from Manly to the Spit Bridge, 10 km one way, taking three hours. No guide needed: the Manly Guide has an excellent map. Hop on the ferry at Circular Quay, get off at the Manly wharf and head west along the shore. After crossing the scenic and oddly named Forty Baskets Beach, you'll find yourself in a reserve with picturesque lookouts. Quiet beaches such as Castle Rock make a good excuse for a rest, and closer to the Spit Bridge, which we see opening to let a ferry through, things get livelier. Bruce Holmes is a freelance Australian writer and photographer living in the Hunter Valley, New South Wales. ![](/storage/image/prev/statti-17-4.jpg)