Overland Track

The mere mention of Australia usually conjures up images of Outback trails covered in red sand, unbearable heat and endlessly flat horizons. Although this stereotypical visual isn’t exactly false, there is a side to the country most people don’t even know exists. Welcome to Tasmania! The tiny island at the southern tip of the Land Down Under is a world unto itself; a mountainous and wild pocket of gorgeousness that’s best explored on foot, given it’s almost entirely comprised of national parks and nature reserves. Whilst the mainland may be renowned for epic road trips, Tasmania is the home of iconic ‘bush walks’ with short trails traversing the island every which way possible. No trail is as epic as The Overland Track, a 65km bushwalking trail that starts at the Cradle Mountain National Park in the south and ends on Lake St Clair in the south. In this western half of Tasmania is its World Heritage Wilderness Area, home to glacial valleys, alpine meadows, eucalyptus forests, and some of the most ancient rainforests on earth among picturesque peaks. You’ll encounter wombats and pademelons (a small and ridiculously cute marsupial) along the trail and will undoubtedly wake up to the laughing call of kookaburras on some mornings. Verdict: This is a quintessential Australian trail where you get to experience unique southern wilderness coupled with a vast array of endemic creatures. It can be done in 5-6 days, although most thrill seekers add a day or two to either take a side trip to a nearby peak along the way or to circle Lake St Clair at the very end.