Why does everyone say you should trek the Overland Track? 

With pristine and remote landscapes, iconic trails, protected national parks, there are spectacular walking tracks to discover. There is no denying one of the most popular and iconic walking tracks is the Overland Track in Cradle Mountain National Park. With each step you will be surrounded by breathtaking views, from the stunning crags of Cradle Mountain to the rainforest-clad shores of Lake St. Clair. 

Here’s 10 reasons why you should trek the Overland Track !

The Challenge

There’s no denying that 6 days on the Overland Track can be a hard slog. With opportunities to summit some of Tasmania’s highest mountains, including Mount Ossa, the track is a test of your physical stamina as much as it is of your mental. However, while your muscles may be tired after day two, you’ll surely forget all about those aches as you journey through the glacially carved landscape filled with waterfalls, dolerite mountains, lakes, tarns and a diverse ecosystem. 

It’s not an easy trek, as trekkers carry a full pack weighing between 15-18kgs, and the weather system can change dramatically from sunny, clear days to strong winds, rain and even snow! But part of the fun on the Overland Track is the physical and mental challenge - and the sense of accomplishment that comes after it! 

The Scenery

The Overland Track is one of the top treks in Australia, let alone Tasmania, and it’s no wonder with 65km of stunning ever-changing scenery. The Overland Track is packed full of such beautiful and varied colours and textures. Journey past golden buttongrass plains and alpine moorlands, through towering rainforests, and along serene lakes, with side trips to raging waterfalls, craggy summits and majestic lookouts. 

What’s more, the track completely transforms from summer to winter, where the once gold and green colours of the warmer months turn into a dazzling white winter wonderland. With mountains around you at every turn, their beauty and rugged character give the landscape a unique and breathtaking look.

Feeling of Accomplishment

One of the main takeaways from a trek along the Overland Track is the sense of accomplishment that comes with it. As the old saying goes, nothing good comes easy. The Overland Track is a challenging trip, so the feeling you get when you have completed the six day trip is second to none. 

From challenging yourself physically carrying your own full pack, climbing peaks, walking for hours on end, to the mental challenge of keeping on walking even if you feel like giving up; you’re proving to yourself that it really is mind over matter, and that with perseverance, persistence and drive, you can do anything! Not a bad by-product from a 6 day trek, right?

Helps you feel Alive

Spending so much time exploring a landscape on your own two feet can give you a deeper understanding of yourself and appreciation for mother nature. You learn to live in the moment, gain a deeper appreciation for the land, nature and the planet, and realise things about yourself that you never realised; how capable you are and all the places you will see. 

The invigorating effects of trekking are one of the reasons people get addicted to trekking – it makes you fee alive!

Turn off and Tune In

In today’s world, we’re often bombarded by technology, schedules, traffic, work and so much more. For the ultimate detox from your everyday world, escape to the Overland Track. There’s limited mobile coverage, which means a forced disconnect from the frantic digital world – and an ability to connect with the real world. On our guided Overland Track trips, you don’t have to think about anything: just trekking, eating and sleeping. 

You’ll find your mind opens up while on the trail, giving you time to ponder on what you think is most important to you, and about making changes in your life that you normally might not have time to truly focus on. 

Overall improved fitness

One of the major benefits of trekking along the Overland Track is that the physical preparation and the track itself improves your physical health immensely. Spending multiple hours on the trail and ascending hills gives your whole body a workout, improving your strength, agility and cardio fitness. It’s also a fantastic way to lose weight, in that if you carry a full pack, you can burn around 600 calories per hour while trekking. 

It sure beats spending the same amount of time indoors at the gym! Other health benefits include relieving stress, reducing blood pressure and increasing stamina and longevity.

Guided or Self Guided

Whether you want the convenience, security and knowledge that a guided trek provides, or the independence, flexibility and freedom of a self guided trip, there are a number of benefits to both guided and self guided tours. And the best thing about the Overland Track is that you can choose to do it guided or self guided! Join onto our Guided Overland Track trips and have our highly experienced guides there to provide expertise, balance and security. These guided tours combine minimum stress with maximum enjoyment. 

Or, for those feeling a little more adventurous, or keen to explore the track in your own time, at your own pace, and without a group, our Self-Guided Overland Track are an exceptional way to explore the area. With all of the logistics organized for you, including transfers, meals, equipment, directions, permits, fees and the like, independent trekkers can enjoy the scenery and surrounds on their own terms!

You meet great people

One of our favourite things about trekking along the Overland Track is seeing how many new friendships are forged within our groups. The trekking community can be incredibly like-minded, full of people who have an appreciation for fitness, health, nature, exploration and challenging themselves. Though people in your group may be different ages and come from different backgrounds, it’s uncanny how easy our travellers bond during the trek. 

Sitting together during the breakfasts, rest breaks and dinners gives you a chance to get to know the history and background of your group members, and create lifelong friends in the process. Embarking on a challenge with other people can bring you closer together- sharing the trials and the triumphs gives you something to bond over, memories to reflect back on and an understanding of each other that can otherwise take weeks or months to build. 

It’s always different

An experience on the Overland Track can be different from one day to the next, which means that no matter how many times you walk the track, no two experiences are the same. If you’ve walked the track in summer, why not consider doing it again in Autumn, when the turning of the fagus and colourful fungi brighten the landscape with bursts of colour. 

Or how about experiencing it in winter, where snow covers the landscape turning it into a dreamy white wonderland. Or even late spring, when the wildflowers begin to bloom and showcase the delicate beauty of the flora. There is always something new to see on the trail.

You reconnect with nature

There’s a reason why there’s a smile on everyone’s face after they’ve come back from a trek: – because they’re happier for it! Spending so much time in nature, breathing in some of the cleanest air in the world, and challenging yourself mentally and physically all help the stresses of life just melt away as you trek through the stunning scenery on the Overland Track. Research suggests that nature walks can reduce stress, as well as boost levels of attention! 

The study findings show that “nature experiences, even of a short duration, can decrease this pattern of thinking that is associated with the onset, in some cases depression,” says Gregory Bratman, the lead author of the study. As you learn about the flora and fauna on the trail, you gain a real appreciation for the delicate ecosystems that Tasmania has, and an awareness of the importance of working together to conserve the land for generations to come.