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Many of these hikes are on Aboriginal Country. I acknowledge the respective Traditional Custodians of these areas and their connection to land, sea and community. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present.
The husband and I are well-versed in our favourite hiking game: Ranking everything. From national parks to road trips, experiences, campsites, day hikes to our ultimate list: Our multi-day hikes. We even rank the specific days for our overnight hikes.
We’ve hiked a lot in New Zealand because it’s so easy and stunning but Australia also offers some spectacular though widely different scenery. A lot of top-notch Australian hiking trails are missing here because you know, there’s only so much time when you’re also working and dealing with health issues, and sometimes have to say no (sigh).
But regardless, here are seven of our most exciting multi-day hikes we’ve done across Australia. (Note: We’ve done others but they haven’t been quite so exciting so don’t deserve a spot here).
WHAT KIND OF TRAIL DESERVES A SPOT IN THIS LIST?
For a hike to take out a top spot, it absolutely has to be scenic. It doesn’t have to be hard and a physical challenge—I’m in my mid-40s and I don’t really care about that anymore. I want to see things and enjoy some solitude.
It’s always good if the facilities are nice too but it doesn’t matter as much if the trail or the campsite at the end of the day is spectacular. If only one day out of, let’s say, four days is scenic, the entire trail is probably also not going to rank highly.
This is our personal list, entirely subjective and you might completely disagree. The below hikes are not in random order—they are actually ranked and admittedly skewed towards the northern parts of Australia.
Want to see the gear I pack? Head over to my Multi-Day Hiking Gear List to see the exact sleeping mat, pack and camp kitchen gear I use for these overnight treks.
1. LARAPINTA TRAIL | NORTHERN TERRITORY
LARAPINTA TRAIL AT A GLANCE
No other multi-day hike has yet eclipsed the Larapinta Trail, not in Australia, not in New Zealand. It is, without a doubt, Australia’s most impressive long-distance hike.
Located in the centre of Australia, just outside Alice Springs, the Larapinta is one of the most convenient trails to get to—you literally walk out of your accommodation in Alice and start hiking.
Whether you hike it east-to-west or west-to-east, it doesn’t matter much; it is spectacular in either direction. From sharp ridgelines to deep gaps strewn with massive boulders, desert valleys, icy waterholes and red rock gorges, the Larapinta delivers raw beauty with every step.
The husband and I spent 16 days on the trail, and there wasn’t a single section we didn’t enjoy—even when some unseasonal rain made a few days completely miserable. It is a physically demanding hike that requires a fair bit of logistical planning (food drops, transfers, etc.) but this is one desert adventure you won’t regret.
2. PICCANINNY GORGE | WESTERN AUSTRALIA
PICCANINNY GORGE AT A GLANCE
Hiking deep into Piccaninny Gorge is its own special remote adventure.
Although the Bungle Bungles draw plenty of day visitors to this corner of the Kimberley, relatively few people venture far past the iconic beehives to camp overnight. We only saw one other person during our three days in the gorge.
There is no formal walking track, the route is completely unmarked with the terrain varying from deep sand to small pebbles, boulders and rock holes. It’s only about 10km to where most people camp but because of the ground, it’s slow and takes far longer than an otherwise flat track would.
The reward is camping in complete solitude (that is, until the scenic helicopters start circling overhead in the morning) surrounded by towering red stone walls. Your camp in the gorge becomes the base to explore the deep side chasms—known as ‘fingers’—and lets you enjoy a part of Purnululu National Park that most people only ever see briefly from above.
3. SOUTHERN WALKS LOOP | NORTHERN TERRITORY
SOUTHERN WALKS LOOP AT A GLANCE
Nitmiluk National Park is most famous for boat cruises through Katherine Gorge, and among hikers, for the notoriously hard-to-book Jatbula Trail. A lesser-known but very impressive alternative is the Southern Walks Loop on the southern escarpment.
While the trails themselves aren’t the most scenic, the campsites at Eighth Gorge and Fifth Gorge (Smitt Rock) are amazing on a ridiculous level. At Eighth Gorge, you camp on a sandy beach of a freshwater rockhole—the trick is to go earlier in the dry season while the water is still flowing and fresh for swimming—while at Smitt Rock you’re perched high up on the escarpment overlooking the gorge.
At both spots, you can head down into the gorge for a swim—provided rangers have cleared it of crocs for the season—and to admire a part of the gorge that only few people get to see.
The beauty of this loop is its flexibility as you can link the tracks in a few different ways, depending on your time. Camping at Eighth Gorge tends to be very popular over weekends, and just keep in mind that the escarpment gets exceptionally hot and the hiking season is thus very short (3–4 months).
4. HAKEA TRAIL | WESTERN AUSTRALIA
HAKEA TRAIL AT A GLANCE
Moving away from rugged desert ranges and sandstone escarpments, the Hakea Trail offers a completely different experience: A coastal trek along the wind-swept, dramatic yet beautiful South Coast of WA.
If you hike in late winter or early spring, you’ll be greeted by wildflowers and plenty of spiky Royal Hakea plants flowering after which this trail is very aptly named. You might also be lucky enough to spot some whales frolicking along the shore.
The route features some crazy jagged limestone formations on the beaches, turquoise water and plenty of sandy beach walking—my “favourite” type of terrain. It’s best done as an in-and-out hike, staying overnight at the very basic Whalebone Hut. If you have extra time, head out to Quoin Head for the day (12km return), it’s truly worthwhile to hike to the cove.
You can shorten the hike by starting at Hamersley Inlet but you’ll miss one of the most impressive beaches along the way.
5. CARNARVON GORGE (BIG BEND) | QUEENSLAND
CARNARVON GORGE (BIG BEND) AT A GLANCE
Big Bend is at the end of the accessible part of Carnarvon Gorge, a massive sandstone gorge in the heart of Central Queensland. While it’s part of the 87km Great Carnarvon Walk, the hike to the end of the main gorge is the real standout.
The track through the gorge winds past towering sandstone cliffs, Carnarvon fan palms and crosses Carnarvon Creek several times. The vegetation and rock formations in the sheltered side gullies is pretty special too.
It’s a relatively flat 10km to Big Bend, and while you could easily hike back out the same day, camping where the gorge and creek bend is incredibly serene. Waking up surrounded by the sheer gorge walls makes it worth the overnight pack. Plus, the side tracks and offshoots easily rack up another 4–5km of exploring to the trip.
From Big Bend, the Great Carnarvon Walk takes you up onto the plateau and the track becomes much more of a bushwalk.
6. KANGAROO ISLAND WILDERNESS TRAIL | SOUTH AUSTRALIA
KANGAROO ISLAND WILDERNESS TRAIL AT A GLANCE
Aside from hiking in Purnululu, the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail is probably one of the harder hikes to get to if you don’t live in Adelaide or South Australia. There’s limited public transport and you’ll have to catch a ferry just to reach the island.
That said, the effort is well worth it. While the coastal scenery doesn’t have the massive grandeur of some of the other hikes on this list, it’s a thoroughly enjoyable walk. The route initially winds through a recovering bush landscape before heading onto the rugged western cliffs to follow the windswept coast for three days. Along the way, you pass iconic Kangaroo Island sights like Cape du Couedic and Remarkable Rocks.
The KIWT is much more structured than other hiking trails—you need to stay at each designated campsite for one night; you can’t just hike it however you want to. Although the campsites themselves aren’t in the most scenic spots, they have some of the best backcountry facilities in Australia, including impressive kitchen shelters, food storage cupboards, tent platforms and benches.
7. THREE CAPES TRACK | TASMANIA
THREE CAPES TRACK AT A GLANCE
Like the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail, the Three Capes Track is highly structured—even more so since you stay in fancy huts. It’s not a guided walk but feels more like some of the New Zealand hut hikes we’ve done, albeit even fancier.
Starting at Port Arthur south of Hobart, the hike begins with a boat tour and a very short day before heading along the coast and out to Cape Pillar a couple of days later. The trail finishes at Fortescue Bay after you’ve taken the side trip to Cape Hauy. It’s got plenty of scenery, from steep cliffs, crashing waves, unusual dolorite rock formations to boardwalks through beautiful coastal heath.
We hiked it together with a group of friends and really enjoyed it; it’s a perfect beginner hike. My one gripe with it is that it’s called the “Three Capes” Track but you actually only head out to two capes—though obviously “Two Capes Track” doesn’t sound as good.
ALWAYS MORE HIKES TO HIKE
Like our list of most impressive day hikes, this list barely scratches the surface of overnight hikes in Australia—from the iconic Overland Track in Tassie to the Great Ocean Walk in Victoria or the Thorsborne Trail in Queensland. These hikes are simply our personal favourites so far.
As with any multi-day hike, follow Leave No Trace principles to keep Australia beautiful. Finding rubbish—especially toilet paper—in the bush is a personal bugbear of mine (surely for anyone?), so pack out what you pack in.
What overnight hikes are at the top of your list? Let me know in the comments below. 🙂
Happy hiking,
Planning your next hiking adventure? Head over to my Multi-Day Hiking resources for detailed guides on multi-day tracks across Australia and New Zealand.
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