The Great Walks of Australia vary in terrain and walk difficulty, so it is important to consider which walk is right for your ability and hiking experience. The Great Walks take in Australia's best landscapes on foot a combination of new and existing multi-day walking tracks. The terrain encountered on a Great Walk ranges from coastal clifftop trails, rocky headlands and white sand beaches, to Australian bushland and rainforest trails of the scenic rim. Vibrant red rock ranges and gorges with natural swimming holes are also featured on our inland trails like the Larapinta trail and the Flinders Ranges Great Walk at Arkaba.
On any Great Walk, you will hike for anywhere between three and seven hours in a day, which typically includes a break for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea on the longer day hikes. You need to be of reasonable fitness to enjoy a Great Walk experience, and we'd recommend some regular walk training in the lead-up to your trip to get the most out of the experience, particularly for the more challenging walks (explained below). The Great Walks range in difficulty from class 3 to class 5 trails, with most featuring elements of more than one walking trail class over different sections of the track. In order of difficulty, we would rate the following Great Walks from easiest to hardest: Freycinet Experience Walk, Murray River Trail, Cape to Cape Walk and Maria Island Walk on par, Arkaba Walk, Larapinta Trek, Scenic Rim Trail. It's important to keep in mind that this is a subjective rating based on our experience of each Great Walk. You may find particular walks easier or harder based on your specific physical condition and any limitations (such as unstable knees or ankles, or fitness on uphill climbs). If you'd like personal advice on which Great Walk trail is right for you, please reach out and our team will share their first-hand experience with you. We can even put you in touch with our Lead Guide for a quick chat if it helps.
