A popular bush walk in Australia, the Overland Track sees over thousands of walkers visiting the track every year. The Overland Track covers over 65Km and runs from the Cradle Mountain to the Lake St. Claire in the Tasmania region of the country. A number of walkers prefer including the hike along the Lake St. Claire making the total length up to 82Km. the best time to traverse the Overland Track is between November and April, when the weather is perfect.
Along the Overland Track walkers can see beautiful lakes, forests, waterfalls, mountains and gorges. The entire trip can take about 5-6 days.
Day 1: Hikers will be climbing the Cradle Mountain. The hike starts from the Ronny Creek past the Crater Falls and Lake to the Marions Lookout. There is another track past the Horse Track to the Crater Peak. Hikers can also start at the Dove Lake and walk across the Lake Lilla and Wombat Pool to the Marions Lookout. Descend the Cradle Mountain to walk around the glacial cirque to reach the Barn Bluff in the Waterfall Valley. There is accommodation and also campsites available at Barn Bluff.
Day 2: This day involves walking from the Waterfall Valley to Lake Windermere. Highlights of this stretch include lunch at Lake Will, visit to the Innes Falls, swimming at Lake Holmes and Lake Windermere. Accommodation is available at Windermere Hut.
Day 3: This stretch traverses 17 km walking across the mountains and the moorlands. The Fort River Lookout, the Pine Forest Moor, views of the Mt. Pelion West, the Pelion Plains and the Mount Oakleigh are the highlights of this stretch. Accommodation is available at the Pelion Hut.
Day 4: Hikers will traverse from the Pelion Plains to the Kia Ora. A walk through the forests along the trail gives you a view of the Cathedral Mountain and also the Pelion East and Mount Ossa on either side. If you are an experienced climber, then the Mount Ossa is worth climbing. From the summit of Mount Ossa, you can enjoy views of the southern part of the Cradle Mountain and the Lake St. Claire. Accommodation is available at the Kia Ora Hut at the base of the Cathedral Mountain.
Day 5: This stretch is 10 km long from Kia Ora to Windy Ridge. Main areas to visit include Leatherwood Garden, Mersey River, Fergusson, D'Alton and Hartnett waterfalls. Camping facilities are available at Windy Ridge hut.
Day 6: From Windy Ridge the trail leads to Lake St. Claire. From the Bowling Green get a view of the summit of Mount Acropolis and hike into the Pine Valley. Cross the Cephissus Creek to reach the base of Mount Acropolis, which can be climbed. Alternatively hikers can walk through the sclerophyll forest to reach the Narcissus Hut on Lake St Clair. You can take a boat ride on the lake.
There are no Halal facilities available along the Overland Track, but you can get some vegetarian options at the halts.
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