World ExpeditionsBig Adventures. Small Footprint.https://assets.worldexpeditions.com/BlogOur Flinders Island Walk Named the 13th Great Walk of Australiahttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5611/our-flinders-island-walk-named-the-13th-great-walk-of-australiaActivities,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,Australia,NewsSun, 28 Jan 2024 01:04:00 GMT<p><a href="https://greatwalksofaustralia.com.au/" target="_blank">Great Walks of Australia</a>, the premier collection of Australia's greatest multi-day guided walking experiences - done with a dash of eco-luxury comfort - has officially named our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Flinders-Island-Walking-Adventure-In-Comfort">Flinders Island Walking Adventure - In Comfort</a> as the 13th walk in their exclusive line-up.</p> <p>To say we're thrilled is an understatement. After years of hard work developing a unique walking experience on this mesmerising island featuring spectacular mountain and coastal landscapes, epic views, abundant wildlife and, of course, our pioneering beachside Eco-Comfort Camp, we believe it is truly deserving of the prestigious inclusion. </p> <p>The trip joins the ranks of 12 other incredible walks, like our award-winning <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Classic-Larapinta-Trek-in-Comfort">Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort</a>, which, so far, has earned five Brolgas in the Northern Territory's official tourism awards.</p> <p>Our six-day guided experience covers 42 kilometres of easy-to-moderate walking exploring what is considered the hidden hiking jewel of Tasmania. With the full support of expert guides, walkers travel with only a daypack, and sleep in exclusive safari-style tents, complete with a see-through roof so you can drift off under a blanket of stars, with the beach almost at your doorstep. </p> <p><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Hiking the stunning Flinders Island coastline | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="3030478" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1259962-3030478-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1259962-3030478-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Wildlife on Flinders Island | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="3030479" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1260215-3030479-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1260215-3030479-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Hiking on Mt Strzelecki | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="3030485" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1249672-3030485-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1249672-3030485-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></p> <blockquote> <p>“We’re so thrilled to be adding the 13th Great Walk of Australia to our collection.”</p> <p>“Rugged, pristine and remote, this gem of a destination is perfect for anyone wanting to get off the beaten track to a unique, undiscovered wild landscape with blockbuster views and feel like you have it nearly all to yourself.”</p> <p>“I have no doubt hikers from around the world are going to be excited about having this special new experience launch and love it as much as our other 12 incredible Great Walks,” </p> <p><strong>- Liz O’Rourke, Great Walks of Australia Executive Officer </strong></p> </blockquote> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Sleep comfortably in our spacious tents on Flinders Island | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="3030621" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-_1433168-3030621-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-_1433168-3030621-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Our Flinders Island Eco-Comfort Camp is in a secluded setting with beach access | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="3046030" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-DJI_0189-3046030-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-DJI_0189-3046030-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Our clean amenities are sustainably sourced and operated | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="3046031" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1150483-3046031-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-P1150483-3046031-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div> </div>   <h2>What makes this a ‘Great Walk’?  </h2> <p><strong>Spectacular Walking Opportunities and Eco-Comfort Camping </strong></p> <p>Hike past lagoons, woodlands and coastal heaths, skirt around striking granite mountain ranges and summit the dramatic peaks of Mt Killiecrankie and Mt Strzelecki, affording you spectacular views over the entire island.</p> <p>One of the biggest highlights of this walk is our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/flinders-island-eco-comfort-camp">exclusive Eco-comfort Camp</a>, which are big on comforts but small on environmental impact.</p> <p>The extra creature comforts make all the difference on a multi-day walk. Our innovative retreats are full of life's little luxuries that many don't expect in a wild and remote setting like a bed, hot shower and toilets. The camp also has a private beach access, and generously sized safari pod tents with clear roofs so you can enjoy sleeping under a starry Tasmanian night sky.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="embed-responsive-item" src="//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/7Klsc2ibQ6A?rel=0&controls=1"></iframe><br />  </div> <hr /><strong></strong></div> </div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1">Ready to discover the newest Great Walk of Australia? <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=Flinders+Island">See all of our Flinders Island walking adventures here</a>. <hr /></div> 5611The Great Tasmanian Traverse by the numbershttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5372/the-great-tasmanian-traverse-by-the-numbersActivities,Multi-Activity,Trekking/Walking,Water Adventures,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaMon, 30 Jan 2023 00:25:00 GMT<p>It’s the biggest adventure you can do in the smallest state of Australia. </p> <p>The Great Tasmanian Traverse is one epic adventure, but don't take out word for it, check out these numbers to give you an idea of the challenge that awaits.</p> <h2>The Great Tasmanian Traverse in numbers</h2> <div> </div> <h3>1617</h3> <p>The height of Tasmania's tallest mountain, Mt Ossa, which features on the Overland Track section</p> <h3>1446</h3> <p>The height of Frenchmans Cap, a side-trip that features on the Franklin River rafting section</p> <h3>407</h3> <p>If you were to drive from the starting point of the trip to the end point, this is how many kilometres it would be</p> <h3>129</h3> <p>The length of the Franklin River in kilometres</p> <h3>65</h3> <p>The length of the Overland Track in kilometres (without side-trips)</p> <h3>39</h3> <p>The number of days that it will take to complete the Great Tasmanian Traverse</p> <h3>23</h3> <p>The amount of trekking days, and nights spent in a tent</p> <h3>18-22</h3> <p>Approximate average weight of the pack, in kilograms, you would need to carry on the trekking section</p> <h3>8</h3> <p>Days it will take to raft the Franklin River</p> <h3>7</h3> <p>Trip grading level out of 10 (challenging, the toughest level before entering mountaineering grading levels)</p> <h3>6-8</h3> <p>Hours a day of activity</p> <h3>5</h3> <p>The number of classic Tasmanian adventures that link together that make up the Great Tasmanian Traverse</p> <h3>2-3</h3> <p>Number of our experienced guides that will join you on each section</p> <h3>1</h3> <p>Tour operator that operates this amazing Tasmanian wilderness experience</p> <hr /> <div> <p><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/The-Great-Tasmanian-Traverse">View the Great Tasmanian Traverse</a></p> <hr /> <p> </p> </div> 5372The brilliant fagus awaits you in Tasmania's autumnhttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5367/autumn-trip-to-tasmania-check-out-the-turning-of-the-fagusDestinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaTue, 24 Jan 2023 03:27:00 GMT<p>If there’s one Tasmanian plant that could be called the life of the party, it’s the fagus.</p> <p>The beautiful fagus has become such a popular part of Tasmanian folklore that there are now fagus crafts and jewellery, fagus helicopter tours, fagus-infused products like gin, and even a fagus festival (at Cradle Mountain, 24 April—8 May).</p> <p>You might call it the little tree that could.</p> <p>Also known by its scientific name <em>Nothofagus gunnii</em>, fagus is a compact deciduous alpine beech tree with small oval-shaped leaves. It has grown in Tasmania for 40 million years.</p> <p>According to Parks and Wildlife Tasmania, fagus is a paleoendemic species of a Gondwanan group, and there are similar species of beech tree in New Zealand and South America. It goes by the name fagus, but it’s also called deciduous beech and “tanglefoot”—because it grows close to the ground and gets tangled up the feet of bushwalkers.</p> <p><img alt="Watch the landscape change colours when you trek the Overland Track in autumn | <i>Jason Charles Hill</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1639863" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/132774-56-1639863-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/132774-56-1639863-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Fagus has been called a "winter-deciduous" plant—in fact, it's one of only a handful of deciduous plants in Australia—so it comes alive with colour in late April and early May. It’s a period that Tasmanians have come to call the “Turning of the Fagus”. Its small crinkly leaves, which look a lot like potato chips, turn bright yellow then orange then red (some even become a rich claret colour), and the plant covers huge swaths of the wilderness making for quite a show. Bushwalkers have been known to come around a corner in Tasmania and be overwhelmed by the beauty the fagus cover.</p> <p><span style="font-size:14px;"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span style="background:white"><span open_sansregular=""><span style="color:#373b40">The best places to see fagus are on the flanks of </span></span></span><a href="https://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/Trekking-Hiking/The-Overland-Track" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Cradle Mountain</a>, around <a href="https://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/Walking/Lake-St-Clair-Walk-in-Luxury" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Lake St Clair</a>, in the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Raft-Canoe-Kayak/Franklin-River-Rafting" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park</a>, in Mount Field National Park, and in <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Full-Pack-Treks/South-Coast-Track" style="color:#0563c1; text-decoration:underline">Southwest National Park</a>. It’s worth a visit to any of these places for one of the great colour displays in Australia.</span></span></p> <p>To be sure Tasmania is home to some stupendous vegetation. The state is also home to some of the most ancient plant species on earth, including King's Holly (estimated to be at least 43,000 years old), the world's tallest flowering tree, the giant ash, and many beautiful small plants such as terrestrial orchids.</p> <p>And while fagus isn’t as famous as its Tasmanian cousins like the Huon pine or the King Billy pine, it’s far more colorful and will brighten up any journey in the Tasmanian bush, especially one that’s required an all-day, thigh-busting tramp.</p> 53678 Australia Wildlife Myths Debunkedhttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5234/top-eight-australia-wildlife-mythsActivities,Wildlife,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaFri, 07 Oct 2022 00:36:00 GMT<p>Australia has an unfair reputation when it comes to our wildlife. Are the animals really that bad? The answer is an emphatic no. We dug into the stories and found some science refuting many of the myths.</p> <p><b>1. Myth - </b><b>Australia’s Snakes Will Kill Me</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>Venomous snakes live across much of Australia but—as with most wild animals—they live mostly in bushland areas. Occasionally red-bellied-black and eastern brown snakes are found in urban areas, but these encounters are rare, and snakes tend to shy away from humans.</p> <p>The numbers are telling. Every year, worldwide snakebites kill between 81,000 and 138,000 people and cause long-lasting disabilities in another 400,000 people, according to research published in the <em>Lancet</em>. But those people are primarily in Africa and Asia. One reason for these numbers is that many residents of Africa and Asia live in prime snake habitat and they lack access to anti-venom treatments.</p> <p>Only two people per year die in Australia from snakebite, according to The Australian Snakebite Project. </p> <p>Five to ten times more people die while riding horses than from snake bites, according to Safe Work Australia. And the cause for deaths that do occur is often people showing off and handling venomous snakes or people reaching into holes.</p> <p>Also, snakes are shy retreating animals, and they’ll slither away from you as quickly as possible when you approach. The most important thing you need to do when there is a snake around is stand still until it has passed, then slowly move away from it—it’s that simple.</p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p><b>2. Myth - </b><b>Australia has Deadly Sharks Everywhere</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>Certainly, sharks are found throughout the world’s oceans. But when it comes to getting bitten by a shark, Australia is not one of the top places. In fact, Florida in the United States leads the world—by a long shot—in terms of shark bites.</p> <p>According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF), in 2019 there were only 73 unprovoked attacks worldwide and 39 provoked attacks. (See below for definitions.)<sup>*,**</sup></p> <p>“For decades, Florida has topped global charts in the number of shark bites, and this trend continued in 2021”, an ISAF report said. “Florida’s 28 cases represent 60 per cent of the U.S. total and 38 per cent of unprovoked bites worldwide. This is consistent with Florida’s most recent five-year annual average of 25 incidents.” During the same time period (2019), Australia saw a total of 12 unprovoked attacks—resulting in three fatalities. (Surprisingly Florida had no fatalities.)</p> <p>Additionally, Australia has a robust programme of shark-spotting from the air as well as offshore netting that thwarts sharks’ attempts to get close to popular swimming areas. According to <i>Time</i> magazine, there has not been a fatal attack on a netted beach in Queensland since nets were introduced in the 1960s.</p> <p><span style="font-size:11px;"><b>*“Unprovoked bites”</b>—incidents in which a bite on a live human occurs in the shark’s natural habitat with no human provocation of the shark.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:11px;"><b>**“Provoked bites”</b>—when a human initiates interaction with a shark in some way, including harassing or trying to touch sharks, bites on spearfishers, bites on people attempting to feed sharks, bites occurring while unhooking or removing a shark from a fishing net and so forth.</span></p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p><b>3. Myth - </b><b>Most Australian Spiders (Which Are Everywhere) Could Kill Me</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>This myth is truly off the mark. There are an estimated 10,000 species of spider in Australia, but two species get all the credit for being scary: the redback and the funnel web. However, encounters with those species are few and far between.</p> <p>According to University of Newcastle researcher Dr. Geoffry Isbister, “In Australia and the USA, bee and wasp stings account for many more deaths than spider bites. A recent review from Australia identified 45 deaths from bee and wasp stings during a 20-year period (1979–98). During the same period there were no deaths from spider bites. In fact, only 26 deaths from spiders have been recorded in Australia in the past century.”</p> <p>Another study, undertaken by Dr. Ronelle Welton of the University of Melbourne and her colleagues, looked at records from hospital admissions and coroners from 2000 to 2013. The study found horses were responsible for 74 reported deaths between 2000 and 2013, while bees and other stinging insects were blamed for 27 deaths. Snakes were responsible for 27 fatalities. Not a single death was linked to spiders.</p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p><b>4. Myth - </b><b>Crocodiles Can Catch Me Even if I’m Running</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>Wrong! Crocodiles running at their top speeds have been recorded in various research efforts and according to researchers, “They top out at about 12 mph [19 kph] on land, and they can only do it for a really short period of time—for maybe 20 or 25 metres”, noted crocodile scholar Evon Hekkala of Fordham University.</p> <p>A very fast human walker can reach speeds of about 18 or 19 kilometres per hour on land. So, even a fast crocodile cannot keep up with the much faster human. </p> <p>However, in the water it’s a different story. Crocodiles have been recorded moving as fast as 32 kilometres per hour in the water. Humans are much slower in water, obviously.</p> <p>There are a few basic rules to keep yourself safe if you travel to croc country:</p> <p>• Never swim in water where crocodiles may live even if there is no warning sign. Only swim in designated safe swimming areas.</p> <p>• Obey all crocodile warning signs—they are there for your safety and protection.</p> <p>• Always keep a watch for crocodiles. They will see you before you see them.</p> <p>• Never provoke, harass, or interfere with crocodiles, even small ones.</p> <p>• Never feed crocodiles—it is illegal and dangerous.</p> <p>• Be extra vigilant around water at night and during the breeding season from September to April.</p> <p><b>4a. Myth - </b><b>Crocodiles Are Dumb</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>Researchers have found that crocodiles have complex social systems and can be trained like a dog. Using a clicking device, researchers trained crocodiles to come when they need veterinary treatment and food.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Salt water crocodile swimming in the Yellow Water Lagoon | <i>Holly Van De Beek</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1505209" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Experience-Kakadu-National-Park-_16_-1505209-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Experience-Kakadu-National-Park-_16_-1505209-###width###px.jpg" /></div>   <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p><b>5. Myth - </b><b>If We Swim in the Ocean We Will Be Killed by Box Jellyfish</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>There are about 50 species of box jellyfish. And yes, one species of box jellyfish (<i>Chironex fleckeri</i>) has the most toxic venom of all the creatures on Earth. They do live in waters off Australia’s northern coasts—typically north of Geraldton, Western Australia and Bundaberg in Queensland (majority of visitors to Australia visit destinations south of these places). And they are present in the water more during October to May. People have died in northern waters due to box jellyfish stings, but deaths are uncommon.</p> <p>When a box jellyfish’s tentacles drag across skin, fish scales, or other types of living surfaces, the venom-filled stinging cells are automatically activated. When the same tentacles are dragged across synthetic materials, the activation doesn’t occur. So, the best way to avoid being stung by a box jellyfish is to dress for it. Lycra and neoprene (wetsuit material) can protect swimmers from being stung should you encounter a box jellyfish. These suits are called ‘stinger’ suits.</p> <p>Prevention is always better than the sure. Avoid areas where box jellyfish are known to be. Talk to locals, watch for warning signs. Swim only at beaches where there are lifeguards who might be able to help you if you are stung. Wear shoes. And consider bringing medical emergency materials just in case—notably a bottle of vinegar.</p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••<b> </b></p> <p><b>6. Myth - </b><b>Magpies Will Peck out My Eyes</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>Magpies do swoop and can injure humans. A five-month-old girl died when her mother fell while being swooped in 2021 and a cyclist crashed his bike and died while being swooped in 2019, but only in rare instances have magpies actually hurt someone.</p> <p>The reason for swooping? In a study, researchers from Griffith University studied the behaviour of 10 aggressive (male-female) pairs of magpies with the behaviour of 10 non-aggressive pairs of magpies under three hypotheses: territoriality, brood-defence, and testosterone. The birds studied were in southeast Queensland.</p> <p>“Behavioural observations strongly supported the contention that attacks on humans resemble brood-defence and did not support an association with territoriality”, the researchers wrote. In other words, it’s because the birds have chicks in a nearby nest. Since nesting sites for magpies are apparently a rare commodity, they are often used over and over again for years. So, defending that nest is part of the job for parent birds.</p> <p>The best thing to do if you encounter a swooping magpie is to walk slowly away from the area. Magpies have been found to more readily attack you if you move quickly because they perceive a fast-moving creature as a greater threat. That’s why cyclists and runners are more often targeted.</p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p><b>7. Myth - </b><b>If the Box Jellyfish Doesn’t Kill Me a Blue-ringed Octopus Will </b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>Despite their lethality and their often proximity to humans, blue-ringed octopus bites are extremely rare. According to a report in <i>Clinical Toxicology</i>, only three deaths have ever been reported worldwide, two in Australia and one in Singapore.</p> <p>Blue-ringed octopuses are highly venomous, and a bite has enough venom to kill 20 people or more within minutes, but the blue-ringed octopus is one of the smallest threats humans face in the ocean.</p> <p>One problem with blue-ringed octopuses is that they tend to live in tidal pools where children often search for tidal creatures like small fish and crabs. But, although they live in the neighbourhood, so to speak<b>, </b>blue-ringed octopuses are shy, retiring creatures and they are reportedly not particularly aggressive. Bites can occur when the octopus feel threatened.</p> <p>The best way to avoid them is to avoid putting fingers and toes into small niches and holes in rocks where they like to hide. Blue-ringed octopuses are extremely small—just a few inches in size—and they like to keep hidden.</p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p><b>8. Myth - </b><b>Drop Bears Will Attack From Above</b></p> <p><b>Reality</b></p> <p>One myth that seems to get a lot of play is that of the mysterious “drop bear”. In one telling, drop bears are a carnivorous sub-species of koala bears that hang out in native Australian trees and attack humans by dropping onto their heads. They then haul their catch back up the tree and eat it there.</p> <p>There is no such thing as a drop bear.</p> <p>These supposed dangerous animals are described by the Australian Museum thus: “Around the size of a leopard or very large dog with coarse orange fur with some darker mottled patterning (as seen in most koalas). The creature is told as a heavily built animal with powerful forearms for climbing and holding on to prey. It lacks canines, using broad powerful premolars as biting tools instead”.</p> <p>The museum states that drop bears can grow as big as 120 kilos and as long as 130 centimetres. And research has shown they only attack foreign tourists. One researcher described the drop bear habitat as “primarily … in the nightmares of tourists in Australia”.</p> <p>••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••</p> <p>Kangaroos, wombats, koalas - these are the animals you are most likely to encounter on our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia">Australian adventure trips</a>. Don't let the myths hold you back from exploring some of our greatest wilderness regions.</p> 5234Our Top 10 Most Colourful Destinationshttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5530/top-10-colourful-destinations-to-visit-in-2024Activities,Adventure Travel,Destinations,Africa,Antarctica and the Arctic,Asia,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,Europe,Himalaya,Bhutan,Indian Subcontinent,India,South America,PeruTue, 13 Sep 2022 03:57:00 GMT<p>The world is full of vibrant colours, so that's what we're bringing to you - from the vivid Italian villages along the Cinque Terre (pictured above) to the burnt orange sand dunes of Sossusvlei in Namibia, there is a kaleidoscope of hues - and destinations - waiting to be experienced.</p> <p>Colour affects the way we feel, and the way we interact with the world around us. Blues and greens invoke a sense of peace, orange and yellow can stimulate appetite, and red and pink can inspire passion and energy. Treat your senses to some high-contrast destinations from every corner of the world.</p> <p>Which of our most colourful destinations will you discover?</p> <p> </p> <h1><span style="font-family:Lucida Sans Unicode,Lucida Grande,sans-serif;">1. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Antarctica"><span style="color:#949e18;">Antarctica</span></a></span></h1> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Antarctica"><img alt="The beauty and scale of Antarctica | <i>Richard I'Anson</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490136" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Polar-Regions/Antarctica/Antarctic-Peninsula-2490136-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Polar-Regions/Antarctica/Antarctic-Peninsula-2490136-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> <h1> </h1> <div> </div> <h1>2. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Namibia/Cultural-Journeys/Southern-African-Desert-Rivers-and-Wildlife"><span style="color:#949e18;">Sossusvlei Dunes, Namibia</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Namibia/Cultural-Journeys/Southern-African-Desert-Rivers-and-Wildlife"><img alt="The changing colours of the world’s highest sand dunes, Sossusvlei, Namibia | <i>Peter Walton</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490137" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Africa/Namibia/Sand-dunes-Sossusvlei-Namibia-2490137-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Africa/Namibia/Sand-dunes-Sossusvlei-Namibia-2490137-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <h1> </h1> <h1>3. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=BTN%2CadventureTouring"><span style="color:#949e18;">Bhutanese Festivals</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=BTN%2CadventureTouring"><img alt="One of many vibrant cultural festivals in Bhutan" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490138" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Indian-Sub-Continent/Bhutan/Vibrant-festivals-in-Bhutan-2490138-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Indian-Sub-Continent/Bhutan/Vibrant-festivals-in-Bhutan-2490138-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> <h1> </h1> </div> <h1>4. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=south+india"><span style="color:#949e18;">Western Ghats, South India</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=south+india"><img alt="Tea plantations of Meesapulimala | <i>Scott Pinnegar</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490139" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Indian-Sub-Continent/India/Meesapulimala-South-India-2490139-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Indian-Sub-Continent/India/Meesapulimala-South-India-2490139-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <h1> </h1> <div> <h1>5. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Uzbekistan"><span style="color:#949e18;">Registan Square, Uzbekistan</span></a></h1> </div> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Uzbekistan"><img alt="Amazing views outside Teleshayakh Mosque | <i>Natalie Tambolash</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490141" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Central-Asia-_-Middle-East/Uzbekistan/Tashkent_-Uzbekistan-2490141-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Central-Asia-_-Middle-East/Uzbekistan/Tashkent_-Uzbekistan-2490141-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <h1> </h1> <h1>6. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Svalbard-and-Jan-Mayen-Islands/Polar-Cruises/Spitsbergen-Northeast-Greenland-Search-for-Aurora-Borealis"><span style="color:#949e18;">Aurora Borealis, Arctic</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Svalbard-and-Jan-Mayen-Islands/Polar-Cruises/Spitsbergen-Northeast-Greenland-Search-for-Aurora-Borealis"><img alt="Northern lights dance across the sky for a spectacular ethereal display" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490142" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Polar-Regions/European-Arctic/Aurora-Borealis-Arctic-2490142-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Polar-Regions/European-Arctic/Aurora-Borealis-Arctic-2490142-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <h1> </h1> <h1>7. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Guatemala/Cultural-Journeys/Guatemala-Encompassed"><span style="color:#949e18;">Antigua, Guatemala</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Guatemala/Cultural-Journeys/Guatemala-Encompassed"><img alt="Antigua, Guatemala. UNESCO Heritage Listed" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490143" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Central-America/Guatemala/Antigua_-Guatemala.-UNESCO-Heritage-Listed-2490143-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Central-America/Guatemala/Antigua_-Guatemala.-UNESCO-Heritage-Listed-2490143-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <h1> </h1> <h1>8. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=flinders+island"><span style="color:#949e18;">Flinders Island, Tasmania</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=flinders+island"><img alt="Explore Flinders Island's pristine and empty beaches on foot | <i>Lachlan Gardiner</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490146" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-DJI_0326-2490146-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/LachlanGardiner_WorldExpeditions_FlindersIsland_April2023_HIGHRES-DJI_0326-2490146-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> <h1> </h1> </div> <h1>9. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Peru/Trekking-Walking/Ausangate-and-Rainbow-Mountain-Trek"><span style="color:#949e18;">Rainbow Mountains Trek, Peru</span></a></h1> <div> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Peru/Trekking-Walking/Ausangate-and-Rainbow-Mountain-Trek"><img alt="Rainbow Mountain Trek scenery" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490148" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/South-America/Peru/Rainbow-Mountain-Trek-scenery-2490148-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/South-America/Peru/Rainbow-Mountain-Trek-scenery-2490148-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> </div> <h1> </h1> <div> <div> <h1>10. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/India/Cycling/North-India-Adventure"><span style="color:#949e18;">Pink City of Jaipur, India</span></a></h1> </div>   <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/India/Cycling/North-India-Adventure"><img alt="Beautiful architecture at Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) in Jaipur | <i>Rachel Imber</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="2490149" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Indian-Sub-Continent/India/Hawa-Mahal-Palace-of-the-Winds-Jaipur-2490149-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Indian-Sub-Continent/India/Hawa-Mahal-Palace-of-the-Winds-Jaipur-2490149-###width###px.jpg" /></a></div> <h1> </h1> </div> 5530Larapinta Guide Anna Dakin Wins NT's Top Guide Awardhttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5204/larapinta-guide-anna-dakin-wins-nts-top-guide-awardActivities,Adventure Travel,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaMon, 29 Aug 2022 05:16:26 GMT<p>We often mention how our guides are the best in the business and apparently the judges for Northern Territory’s Top Tour Guide award agree.</p> <p>Our very own Anna Dakin has been crowned the Northern Territory’s Top Tour Guide for 2022 and will represent the Northern Territory at the upcoming 2022 Australian Top Tourism Awards.</p> <p>Based in Alice Springs but originally from the UK, Anna believes it was her passion for the landscape of Central Australia that cemented her win.</p> <p>‘I really like to go the extra mile and learn all of the nitty gritty facts about specific areas of interest to me, which are mainly culture and geology and astronomy,' she said. 'It was that passion in learning the information and sharing. I love doing what I’m doing. I couldn’t be happier.’</p> <p>Certainly, her happiness comes bursting out when you meet her. And why not? She has been guiding the <a href="https://www.australianwalkingholidays.com.au/Advanced-Search/searchKeywords/larapinta" target="_blank">Larapinta Trail</a> for five years, and still finds joy in every step. She began guiding the classic Central Australia walk for us in 2019. She’s walked the Larapinta Trail dozens of times and never tires of the walking or the scenery</p> <p>‘What I find special about the Larapinta Trail is there is an ancient energy in the landscape here that I think is really profoundly linked to the local culture, the Arrernte culture,' she said. 'And the more you’re here the more you kind of tune into it. I reckon there’s a strong presence of the ancestors in this landscape.’</p> <p><img alt="Our guides will bring the small details of the Larapinta Trail to life" cropdataid="1424395" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="350" src="/croppedImages/WE-Company-_-Staff/Staff/LukeTscharke-Larapinta-20220615-111211-_7R41055-_1620-x-1080_-1424395-200px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/WE-Company-_-Staff/Staff/LukeTscharke-Larapinta-20220615-111211-_7R41055-_1620-x-1080_-1424395-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Anna, who grew up in northeast England, is quite at home in the Red Centre of Australia. She studied art in London, and in 2012 decided to visit the Northern Territory on a camping trip. In 2014, she walked the Larapinta Trail. She was immediately hooked. </p> <p>She then started bringing artist friends out to to the <a href="https://www.australianwalkingholidays.com.au/Australian-Regions/Red-Centre" target="_blank">Red Centre</a> and showing them the landscape. Oftentimes armed with art supplies, Anna and her friends would head off into the bush and indulge their passion for the environment and their art. The event-based group became known as The Artist Expedition Society. Eventually, Anna moved back to Australia and started working as a guide.</p> <p>She is now a senior guide with World Expeditions. She’s in the process of writing a book about the environment for artists and designers, explaining aspects of the flora and geology that might not seem obvious to a casual observer.</p> <p>She still paints (watercolours), but in the past year or so she’s gotten into sound recordings.</p> <p>‘There’s a relationship between walking and time-based experiences and sound-based art,’ she notes. ‘There’s something about listening to sound in the moment versus listening to it in an isolated environment later. There’s part of the experience that’s captured in sound that’s not captured in other media.’</p> <p>In one project several years ago, Anna travelled to Iceland during the winter. There, she and a friend wandered around at night capturing sounds.</p> <p>‘It was so surreal because the Icelandic landscape is very different to other landscapes,’ she said. ‘It’s kind of bubbling, it’s alive with geysers and steam and other things that make noise. It was a really interesting way to experience a place. And then to try and translate that into an experience for other people was pretty cool as well.’</p> <p>Anna plans to capture things about the Central Australian environment in art for people who don’t have the opportunity to experience this place firsthand. Ultimately, she hopes to do some big installation and exhibition art projects using space and sound.</p> <iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="embed-responsive-item" src="//www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/xizuAIEfcCQ?rel=0&controls=1"></iframe> <p> </p> <p>Astronomy is another of Anna’s passions. She loves teaching people about the stars when she guides trips and she often holds mini workshops, too, in which attendees paint at night without the use of artificial light—'Paint the Light by Moonlight,' she calls them.</p> <p>‘It’s great because there’s no light pollution in central Australia and it’s almost always cloudless,’ she said.</p> <p>The Larapinta still excites Anna, but she’s also excited about a trip she has created herself, <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Cultural-Journeys/Culture-and-Art-of-Central-Australia-with-Anna-Dakin" target="_blank">Culture and Art of Central Australia with Anna Dakin</a>, which begins with a visit to the famous Desert Mob art fair in Alice Springs.</p> <p>‘After the Desert Mob market we’ll head out and visit a couple of remote art centers, including Hermannsburg, the community which is the birthplace of Indigenous artist Albert Namitjira, and we’ll go to Papunya, where contemporary dot painting originated,’ she said.</p> <p>'It’s going to be really cool,' she added.</p> <p>Indeed—it sounds really cool.</p> <hr />5204Australian Walking Holidays Awarded Highest Level of Certification from Ecotourism Australiahttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5174/australian-walking-holidays-winds-highest-level-of-certification-from-ecotourism-australiaActivities,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaFri, 05 Aug 2022 00:26:00 GMT<p>With the number of companies out there now offering adventure travel, it’s a big deal when you achieve recognition from your peers.</p> <p>Our Australian domestic division, Australian Walking Holidays has done just that. </p> <p>Recently, its entire range of active holidays was awarded certification in all three programs by Ecotourism Australia and included in the prestigious <a href="https://greentravelguide.org/listing/australian-walking-holidays">Green Travel Guide</a>. </p> <p>The three programs are; </p> <ul> <li>Advanced Ecotourism Certification, </li> <li>Respecting our Culture Certification, and </li> <li>Climate Action Business Certification.</li> </ul> <p>“I am absolutely thrilled that our combined efforts to deliver tours of the highest standards of sustainability have been recognised with this triple program certification,” said Michael Buggy, Australian Walking Holidays General Manager. “Many of the areas in which we operate are places of astonishing natural beauty and are often of great significance to Indigenous people.”</p> <p>The triple certification by Ecotourism Australia assures travellers that the experience they are booking with Australian Walking Holidays has been independently verified for its commitment to sustainable practices.</p> <p>With the award, Australian Walking Holidays becomes one of only 20 businesses in Australia to achieve certification across all three programs.</p> <p>According to Buggy, the months-long certification process involved a rigorous examination of the company’s environmental management plan, including its initiatives in wildlife conservation, its Indigenous cultural respect and representation, and its operational practices to effectively measure and minimize its carbon footprint.</p> <p>“We hope this independent accreditation gives travellers even greater confidence that they are travelling sustainably and respectfully when they travel with us,” Mr Buggy said. “We welcome the regular audits by independent experts from Ecotourism Australia that are part of ongoing accreditation to ensure we maintain best practice,” he said.</p> <p>Ecotourism Australia CEO, Elissa Keenan, commended the achievement.</p> <p>“We are proud to see Australian Walking Holidays achieve certification in all three programs, showcasing to travellers that their tours across Australia uphold global best practice sustainability standards in environmental protection, Indigenous cultural respect and representation, and climate action,” she said.</p> <p><a href="https://www.australianwalkingholidays.com.au/">Australian Walking Holidays</a> offers a range of active holidays in every State and Territory except the ACT. It is Australia’s most experienced operator of high-quality, small group Australian walking holidays and its exclusive itineraries are all 100 percent carbon offset.</p> 5174Flinders Island's Wybalenna: Why Reflection Is Best When Visitinghttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5160/when-you-get-to-wybalenna-reflection-is-bestActivities,Adventure Travel,Trekking/Walking,Wildlife,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaMon, 01 Aug 2022 04:38:00 GMT<p>All of our active holidays in Tasmania will take you through exquisite landscapes that stir the senses and awaken the spirit. These environments have healing qualities – some reduce stress and refresh the soul, others stimulate ideas and make us ponder our places, and some simply get the body back a to a healthy normal rhythm that modern life disrupts.</p> <p>Meanwhile, others offer time and space for serious reflection, like Wybalenna on Flinders Island.</p> <p>There’s no doubt that Wybalenna, a treeless stretch of gently sloping grasslands on the west side of Flinders Island, has a sad history. In 1847 dozens of Tasmanian Aboriginal people died there while waiting to be transported back to ‘mainland’ Tasmania.</p> <p>It’s important to reflect and remember what happened. Tragedies are a part of our collective psyche for good reason – hopefully they aren’t repeated. </p> <p>But it’s also important to move on – we have to. And sometimes it’s possible to view things through a more positive light.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>No one can ever rewrite history when it comes to Wybalenna,  but when you visit this starkly beautiful area, it's important to let it become part of your humanity while not appropriating the entire Wybalenna experience.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>Truganini, an elder with the Nuenonne people, was one of those who went to Wybalenna in 1835.</p> <p>In her 2000 book, <i>Truganini: Journey Through The Apocalypse</i>, Cassandra Pybus points out that while the dark periods of Truganini’s life have been thoroughly hashed out, she and some of her contemporaries thrived despite their troubles with European settlement.</p> <p>Indeed, Pybus’ book describes Truganini as being wholly in sync with the natural world around her, a natural swimmer who loved diving for crayfish, an expert possum catcher, and a sharp negotiator with the white settlers that came. Truganini’s life did have some bright spots.</p> <p>And that’s the importance of Wybalenna – creating better memories for yourself and to share them with those you love. </p> <p>While the natural beauty of Flinders Island can’t entirely erase what happened at Wybalenna, it can certainly make you put those things aside, even if for just a short while.</p> <p>Just a short distance north of Wybalenna is the Emita Nature Recreation Area where you can access the Castle Rock Walk, one of Tasmania’s Great Short Walks. The 6.4-kilometre  (return) track meanders along Marshall Bay, crossing coastal hinterlands en route to the track’s namesake, a massive granite boulder.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Exploring Castle Rock on foot" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1370212" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/IMG_3239-1370212-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/IMG_3239-1370212-###width###px.jpg" /></div>   <p>As you walk this unspoilt coastline, you’ll see dozens of shearwaters (muttonbirds). They build their nests in the ground, and are a delight to follow through the air. The backdrop to their aerial antics is a knockout view across Bass Strait.</p> <p>Other wildlife who inhabit the lower realms of the viewplain include Bennetts wallabies, pademelons potoroos, possums, echidnas, and wombats.</p> <p>And depending on the time of year, you might get to the magical springtime bloom, when dozens of flower species are poking their heads out – the rock orchids and shy bush are especially appealing.</p> <p>After your walk, you can visit the nearby museum and learn how Flinders islanders dealt with the isolation of their chosen home and about their perseverance to thrive.</p> <p>Wybalenna is on an island off an island off an island, with sapphire waters lapping at tangerine-colored granite. Flinders was originally called Great Island, but the name was changed in the 1800s to honour Matthew Flinders. You can lose yourself in beauty here. </p> <p>The relics of Wybalenna give us insight into a chapter of Tasmanian history that is quite bleak, but important to know. No one can ever rewrite history when it comes to Wybalenna, but when you visit this starkly beautiful area, it’s important to let it become part of your humanity while not appropriating the entire Wybalenna experience.</p> <hr /><strong>Visit Wybalenna on our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=flinders+island" target="_blank">walking tours of Flinders Island</a>.</strong> <hr />5160Overland Track Permits: what you need to knowhttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5089/overland-track-permits-what-you-need-to-knowDestinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaTue, 07 Jun 2022 04:50:23 GMT<p><strong>Did you know less than 60 permits* are available a day to trekkers on Australia's Overland Track during the summer season? Here's what you need to know about securing your permits to walk Tasmania's world-renowned trail.</strong></p> <p>If you have your sights set on completing the <a href="https://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/advanced-search?searchKeywords=Overland+Track+Cradle" target="_blank">Overland Track</a> in Tasmania but are unsure how the permit system works, we have you covered. This guide will give you the ins and outs of obtaining a permit for <a href="https://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/Trekking-Hiking/The-Overland-Track" target="_blank">guided</a> and <a href="https://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/advanced-search?searchKeywords=overland+self+guided" target="_blank">self-guided walks</a> on the track, what it covers, why they are necessary, when the permits are released and what options you have if you miss out.</p> <h2>Organising your Overland Track permits</h2> <p>You are required to have a permit pass when walking the Overland Track, however, choosing a trusted company to guide you on the trail takes the hassle out of organising this with the permit and the Cradle-Mountain-St Clair National Park pass covered.<br /> <br /> As an Australian operator on the trail since 1989, World Expeditions secures the National Park passes and associated track passes each year for all their trekkers. It is a process that takes place well in advance before the season commences to ensure that when you want to go, you can get them locked in. </p> <p>However, permits and passes are issued in limited supply, so booking in early is your best shot at securing them. This is especially the case if opting for a self-guided walk. These permits are released from July 1 and tend to sell out within days during the peak season.</p> <p><em>*Note: limited permits are available a day to trekkers on the track during the summer season (October to May) – 34 of which are for independent walkers. You can visit the <a href="https://parks.tas.gov.au/" target="_blank">Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Services website</a> for the latest information.</em></p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/walking-the-overland-track-faqs" target="_blank"><strong>RELATED: Walking the Overland Track FAQs</strong></a></p> <div> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9" style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="embed-responsive-item" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/6hrKINIAebU?rel=0&controls=1"></iframe></div>   <h2>Why do I need a permit to walk the Overland Track?</h2> <p>An Overland Track permit helps avoid overcrowding on the track and the fee contributes to the sustainable management of the track.</p> <p>As most of the track is not serviceable by road, the permits manage the record of walkers entering the fragile environment to account for the impact of the track and surrounding wilderness. The preservation of the wilderness is essential to safeguard the area for its flora and fauna and for people to experience the beauty of Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area.</p> <p>Everyone who walks the Overland Track will need to purchase an Overland Track Permit if planning to do it from October to May. However, for the months of June to September, while no permit is needed, you do need to register.</p> <h2>What about the National Parks pass?</h2> <p>All walkers are also required to possess a current Tasmanian National Parks Pass regardless of the time of year.</p> <h2>What happens if I miss out on a self-guided permit?</h2> <p>Trying to secure permits for a self-guided walk on the Overland Track is like booking tickets for the footy grand final, it's either get in quick or miss out. Luckily, you won't have the same problem with our guided walks. So if you missed out on a permit on your preferred date, don't stress! You can jump onto our guided Overland Track where we have permits secured in advance.</p> <p>If you prefer a self-guided walk, you can explore the Overland Track's underrated neighbour, <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=walls+of+jerusalem" target="_blank">Walls of Jerusalem</a>. This more remote World Heritage alpine wilderness of Tasmania does not require the purchase of permits, with equally spectacular natural landscapes that are only accessible on foot.</p> <p>Plus, it attracts far fewer visitors than the Overland Track making it very alluring for those who want to get away from it all. Read more about the Walls of Jerusalem walk versus the Overland Track in this <a href="https://www.tasmanianexpeditions.com.au/Blog/the-overland-track-vs-walls-of-jerusalem" target="_blank">blog post</a>.</p> <h2>Does my Overland Track permit confirm a spot in the huts on the track?</h2> <p>While your booking confirms your place and date of departure, when walking self-guided, this does not guarantee a place in the huts along the track.<br /> <br /> The public huts cannot be booked and are available on a first-come-first-serve basis, therefore walkers are required to carry a tent if a hut is full. But rest assured that when travelling with Tasmanian Expeditions, quality gear use is part of the package so you aren't caught out in bad weather.</p> <p>If camping-based trekking isn't your thing, you can experience a private luxury hut stay on the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Cradle-Huts-Overland-Track" target="_blank">Cradle Huts Overland Track trip</a> to add a little more comfort to your walking holiday. The exclusive huts are well hidden away from the public huts and campsites with the luxury of returning to a hot shower, a potbelly heater, comfy beds and a Tassie wine after each day's walk on the Overland Track.</p> <h2>Does my permit include transport transfer to and from the track?</h2> <p>If you purchase your permit independently, the Overland Track permit fee does not include transport to/from the track, or the privately-owned Lake St Clair Ferry. It would be your responsibility to organise these transport links. However, if travelling with an experienced operator, like World Expeditions, transfers can easily be organised.</p> <h2>Ways to experience the Overland Track & Cradle Mountain area</h2> <p>The Overland Track is internationally renowned, home to the famous Cradle Mountain and Tasmania’s highest mountain Mt Ossa at 1617 metres. The 65-kilometre trail begins at Ronny Creek with the majestic Cradle Mountain towering in the distance. Winding through ancient rainforests, alpine meadows, waterfalls and mountain ranges leading to the summit. Viewing the native endemic flora and wildlife the track ends at scenic Lake St Clair.</p> <p>The track can be experienced in the main season with our guides or self-guided where all the logistics, food (you get to choose from a menu!), equipment, support and passes are included. You can choose from camping or use <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Cradle-Huts-Overland-Track" target="_blank">private huts</a> along the track. It can also be <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Overland-Track-Winter-Trek" target="_blank">explored in the winter</a> for a guided walk into a white snowy wonderland where you can try out snowshoeing. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=overland+track+cradle" target="_blank"><strong>View our range of trips.</strong></a></p> <p>Whichever walking experience on the Overland Track you choose – guided, self-guided, in summer or winter, staying in tents or private huts, rest assured your National Park passes will be provided to you when booking with us in advance. But don't leave your decision too long as they do sell out!</p> <p><em>Last updated 7 June 2022.</em></p> </div> 5089Traveller stories: What to expect when rafting Tasmania's Franklin Riverhttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5046/traveller-stories-rafting-the-franklin-river-in-tasmania-australiaActivities,Adventure Travel,Water Adventures,Community,Traveller Stories,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaThu, 21 Apr 2022 03:55:26 GMT<p><strong>Too much water and you can be marooned for days and with too little water, well, the journey becomes an exhausting experience. The tradeoff, however, is unique wilderness, incredible outdoor camping and an adrenaline-rushing rafting journey that's to be expected from one of the top five rafting experiences in the world. Read a past rafter's account paddling down one of Australia's most famous and wildest rivers, the Franklin.</strong></p> <p>Reflections on the last 10 days on the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=franklin+river+rafting" target="_blank">Franklin River</a> are many and varied but it was everything we had hoped it would be. </p> <p>The rafting was more than a chance to revisit a cause long forgotten in the annals of time, it was an experience for the ages, a true wilderness adventure superbly, and energetically guided, managed, organized and supported.  </p> <p>Adrenaline rushing rapids, solitude and untold beauty among the majesty of <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=AUS&searchKeywords=frenchmans+cap" target="_blank">Frenchmans Cap</a> and its surrounding ranges left an indelible imprint. </p> <p>We dined like kings; paddled like dervishes; climbed like monkeys, as we hauled the boats and our gear over boulders the size of houses; and we soothed our bruised bodies each evening in the sparkling chilled waters of the river. </p> <p>Challenging? Yes. Safe? Always. Tiring? Certainly. </p> <p>Although, we didn't push the trip as some brave souls do for reasons which allude me. Why rush to get out of Paradise and an adventure for the ages? Savour the moment. </p> <p>In hindsight, it was an exhilarating adventure with just the right balance between a unique wilderness and outdoor camping experience and an adrenaline-rushing rafting journey that's to be expected from one of the top five rafting experiences in the world. It didn't disappoint.</p> <h2>Riding the rapids: be prepared to put in the hard work</h2> <p>You have to work or should I say paddle to enjoy it, with the ever-present commands ringing in your ears as the guides pushed pulled and paddled us down the river.</p> <p>What we didn't appreciate was that the experience very much depends on water level and flow which ultimately are derivatives of the weather. </p> <p>Good weather and the water level tends to be lower than ideal with more portaging and mind-boggling hauling of boats and gear across boulders the size of houses; bad weather and the water height tend to be higher and closer to that necessary for that ideal adrenaline rushing experience. </p> <p>As they say, it's a matter of balance but with too much water and you can be marooned for days and too little water, well, the journey becomes an exhausting experience.</p> <p>Our weather was perfect with little or no rain, a unique first for southwest Tasmania which meant that we perhaps did a little bit more hauling heaving and portaging than otherwise would be necessary.</p> <p>But the tradeoff was clear skies, good swimming in water you can drink straight from the river all day every day and the benefits that come from seeing no one, hearing no one and leaving no footprints.</p> <blockquote> <p><span style="color:#555555;"><strong>Only about 800 people do the Franklin each year now and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say there's not a scrap of paper, bottle or can to show that civilisation has entered the Franklin valley. </strong></span></p> </blockquote> <h2>No lifeline to civilisation</h2> <p>It's undisturbed like the silent hand of some ghostly apparition reaching out across the valley – a mysterious but beautiful spectre than only amplifies what becomes the perfect isolation experience. </p> <p>We were totally alone with only the sounds of the rhythmic beat of our paddles as they cut through the rushing waters and the bark of the guides with their incessant “left side", "right side", "hard", "forward", "fall back” to break the silence. </p> <p>There was no mobile coverage, no other paddlers, and no sign of wildlife except for the odd trout, one brave platypus and a lonely quoll over 120 kilometres, but felt entirely safe on the water and under the stars.</p> <h2>Dining like kings</h2> <p>The amount of food the guides sport was limited only by the space on the boat, which was a pleasant change from the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Full-Pack-Treks/South-Coast-Track" target="_blank">South Coast Track</a> where weight was the big obstacle. </p> <p>So there were pan-fried scallops, fillet steaks, chicken Kyiv and other luxuries ever-present on the Franklin.</p> <h2>The bottom line: should you raft the Franklin?</h2> <p>If you want total isolation, an outdoor adventure, that little extra dash of adrenaline to make you feel younger, to enjoy the company of like-minded friends in some stunning country, and aren't afraid of some hard work, then the Franklin is for you and World Expeditions is the perfect host for the experience.</p> <p>There was nothing but extreme natural beauty, stillness and solitude to embrace each morning as the long fingers of mountain mist crept up the valley and the paddlers emerged from yet another blissful night under the stars.</p> <p>Truly magical. A trip for the ages. </p> <p><em>Words by fellow rafter, Roger Davis, who paddled the rapids of the famous <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=franklin+river+rafting" target="_blank">Franklin River</a> in March 2022 and has set his sights on his next adventure in Tasmania: the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=walls+of+jerusalem" target="_blank">Walls of Jerusalem</a> in winter.</em></p> 50465 reasons to visit Flinders Island in Australiahttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5021/5-reasons-to-visit-flinders-island-in-australiaActivities,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaWed, 30 Mar 2022 03:57:49 GMT<p>Flinders Island's history is almost as raw and rugged as its weathered coast and its remoteness enhances its uniqueness and charm, making it a wonderful walking destination for those who choose to explore it this way.</p> <p>Combined with its natural beauty, its peaceful and isolated location, exotic wildlife and fresh seafood delights, Flinders offers the ultimate escape for such a tiny island.</p> <p>Here are five reasons to add <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=AUS&searchKeywords=flinders+island" target="_blank">Flinders Island</a> to your must-visit places in Australia.</p> <h2>It’s one of the best islands to explore on foot</h2> <p>From conquering Mt Strzelecki, Flinders Island’s highest peak that offers some of the most awe-inspiring views on the island, to trekking along the rolling green pastures with sparkling coastal vistas, walking Flinders Island gives you a chance to experience the highlights of the island at a relaxed pace.</p> <p>You have more time to stop and take photos, marvel at the views and enjoy the island in all its facets than a bus tour ever could.</p> <p>Although a small island of only 1,333 square kilometres, Flinders Island hosts an amazing array of ecosystems from dunes and lagoons to woodland and mountainous granite ridges, which produce spectacular and unique species of flora and fauna. </p> <div> <div><img alt="Spectacular coastal walking on Flinders Island | <i>Andrew Bain</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1191704" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/Flinders-Island-Walking-Tasmania-Australia-1191704-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/Flinders-Island-Walking-Tasmania-Australia-1191704-###width###px.jpg" /></div> <div> <h2>It has a rich history</h2> <p>Flinders Island has a rich history that dates back more than 35,000 years. The original inhabitants of the island survived on its ample natural resources until about 4,500 years ago when an acute El Nino climate shift affected their ability to source food and fresh water and the population died out.</p> </div> <p>It stretches from the first European discovery of the island in 1773 by Tobias Furneaux to the first settlement sites of Tasman Aborigines, exiled to the island in 1833, to the present day.</p> <p><img alt="The graveyard near Wybalenna Chapel contains unmarked Aboriginal graves. Around 300 Aboriginals were ‘delivered’ there during its time as a mission. | <i>Dietmar Kahles</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1191598" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/Wybalenna-Chapel-Flinders-Island-1191598-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/Wybalenna-Chapel-Flinders-Island-1191598-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <div> <p>A visit to the fascinating Flinders Island Museum is recommended as well as the Wybalenna ‘Aboriginal Settlement’ site, a historically significant place to learn about.</p> <p>Wybalenna echoes a sad history of the indigenous resettlement scheme back in 1834 where Tasmanian Aborigines were transported after the mission to round up and remove Aboriginal people from mainland Tasmania.</p> <p>With a knowledgeable guide at hand, you are given the chance to learn more about what happened there.</p> <h2>You'll encounter unique and abundant wildlife</h2> <p>Bird watchers, rejoice! Flinders Island is home to an abundant and diverse range of birds. From albatross to mutton-birds, pacific gulls, wedge-tailed eagles, sea eagles and Cape Barren Geese, there’s no shortage of winged wildlife circling overhead.</p> </div> <p>Keep an eagle eye out for the endangered forty-spotted pardolate (one of the smallest birds in Australia). Plus, more than 200,000 Tasmanian pademelons and red-necked wallabies roam the island.</p> <div><a href="http://www.australianwalkingholidays.com/index.php?section=trips&id=4700118"><img alt="" class="responsiveImage" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/Portals/Australian Walking Holidays/LiveBlog/WP-Images/15283910_592392800944342_1616402835101014232_n-200px.jpg" variablesrc="/Portals/Australian Walking Holidays/LiveBlog/WP-Images/15283910_592392800944342_1616402835101014232_n-###width###px.jpg" width="960" /></a> <p>You may even be lucky enough to spot a long-nosed potoroo (part of the rat-kangaroo family). If you have time, visit the volunteer conservation venture, Patriarch Wildlife Sanctuary, and enjoy the chance to get up close to some of the island’s native animals.</p> <h2>Savour delicious local food and wine</h2> <p>Flinders Island is well known for its fresh seafood and famous meat – and there are few better places to experience the culinary delights than Lady Barron, a small seaside township that is the base for many fishing charters.</p> </div> <p>Dine on fish, crayfish, some of the world’s finest organic beef and lamb, as well as locally produced honey, fruit and vegetables... the list goes on!</p> <div> <p>Head to Furneaux Tavern for a cold Tasmanian beer, meet some of the colourful characters of the island and hear their yarns about island life.</p> <h2>Sleep under the stars</h2> <p>Take your Flinders Island visit to the next level and immerse yourself in nature by sleeping under the stars. Falling asleep to the sounds of nature does wonders for the soul, not to mention the forced digital detox that allows you to reclaim your spare time!</p> <p>Instead of finishing your evenings in a hotel and watching television, spending your nights camping comfortably under the stars gives you a chance to ponder, chat with other travellers, read that book you've been telling yourself to make time for or simply recount the day's experiences in your mind.</p> </div> <div> <h3>Experience it</h3> <p>If you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city, jump on our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=AUS&searchKeywords=flinders+island" target="_blank">island walking adventures to Flinders</a> and experience a week of rugged ranges, sparkling beaches, clear sapphire waters, abundant wildlife and fresh, locally produced meals. <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=AUS&searchKeywords=flinders+island" target="_blank"><strong>View trips ></strong></a></p> <p><a href="http://www.australianwalkingholidays.com/index.php?section=trips&id=4700118"><img alt="" class="responsiveImage" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/Portals/Australian Walking Holidays/LiveBlog/WP-Images/15420825_592392404277715_6458028733391565584_n-200px.jpg" variablesrc="/Portals/Australian Walking Holidays/LiveBlog/WP-Images/15420825_592392404277715_6458028733391565584_n-###width###px.jpg" width="960" /></a></p> </div> </div> 5021Travel quiz: New Zealand's famous cycle trailshttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5009/travel-quiz-new-zealands-famous-cycle-trailsActivities,Cycling,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,New ZealandTue, 22 Mar 2022 22:58:04 GMT<p>New Zealand features an incredible network of dedicated cycle trails, taking you to some of the most stunning and remote locations across the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/New-Zealand" target="_blank">North and South Islands</a>. But how well do you know NZ's Ngā Haerenga Cycle Trail network?</p> <p>Test your knowledge with these 12 quick questions and see which ones to put next on your adventure list.</p> <iframe allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="800" id="interactApp6126d11c3d1f4300175cc692" src="https://quiz.tryinteract.com/#/6126d11c3d1f4300175cc692?method=iframe" style="border:none;max-width:100%;margin:0;" width="800"></iframe> <p><big><br /> Want to know more about New Zealand's top cycle trails? <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/new-zealand/best-cycling-trails" target="_blank">View our top picks across the North and South Islands →</a></big></p> <p><em>How'd you score? Let us know in the comments below.</em></p> 5009Larapinta Trail hikes: which walk is for you?https://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/4986/larapinta-trail-hikes-which-walk-is-for-youActivities,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaMon, 14 Feb 2022 04:11:54 GMT<p>No matter your fitness level or walking distance preference, we offer more ways to hike the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/activities/trekking-hiking/larapinta-trail-treks-australian-walks" target="_blank">Larapinta Trail</a> than any other operator. But which Larapinta walk is for you?</p> <h2><span style="color:#949e17;"><strong>Guided walks</strong> – small groups led by our expert guides</span></h2> <p>Guided walks are perfect for those who like to travel in groups and meet new people along the way. Your guide will be a great source of information and be able to fill you in about points of interest on the trail.</p> <p>All of our guided walks are fully supported and catered for, allowing you to walk with just a day pack, so you can enjoy the unique and diverse landscape for which the trail is so famous.</p> <p><strong>For a long weekend away:</strong><strong><strong> </strong><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Day-Walks/Larapinta-Experience-in-Comfort" target="_blank">Larapinta Experience in Comfort</a></strong> – on this short ‘sampler’ of the Larapinta Trail, you will stay at our comfortable semi-permanent campsites and enjoy a selection of the best walks from Alice Springs to Ormiston Gorge over three days.</p> <p><strong>Ticking off an outback classic in 6 days with just a daypack:</strong><strong><strong> </strong><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Classic-Larapinta-Trek-in-Comfort">Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort</a> </strong>– stay in our exclusive Eco-Comfort Camps each night and take in the highlights between Alice Springs and Mt Sonder. Finish the walk with a climb to Mount Sonder enjoying the sunrise with a cup of tea in hand. This is our most popular Larapinta walk and one of the Great Walks of Australia.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Around the campfire at one of our exclusive eco-comfort camps | <i>Graham Michael Freeman</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145553" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1145553-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1145553-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="The comforts at our Larapinta exclusive eco-comfort camps will make your experience more enjoyable | <i>#cathyfinchphotography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145552" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_213918844_iOS-1145552-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_213918844_iOS-1145552-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Looking down to Charlie's Camp, nestled in the hills below Counts Point | <i>Graham Michael Freeman</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145554" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1145554-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1145554-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Dine and relax in comfort in the large communal area at our eco-camps | <i>#cathyfinchphotography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145557" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200813_090347239_iOS-1145557-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200813_090347239_iOS-1145557-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="World Expeditions exclusive camps offer stylish dining for Larapinta trekkers | <i>Graham Michael Freeman</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145555" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1145555-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1145555-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Get a good nights sleep in our comfortable and spacious safari-style tents | <i>Karina Davila-Otoya</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145556" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/IMG_2235-1145556-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/IMG_2235-1145556-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div> <div> </div> <p class="lightbox mb-lg" data-plugin-options="{ 'delegate': 'a', 'type': 'image', 'gallery': { 'enabled': true} }"><strong>A more slow travel experience:</strong><strong> <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Best-of-the-Larapinta-Trail" target="_blank">Best of the </a></strong><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Best-of-the-Larapinta-Trail" target="_blank"><strong>Larapinta Trail</strong></a> – For all the highlights and more, this is an ideal walk for those who want to see more but don’t want to complete the full 14-day walk. Over 9 days you'll stay in wilderness campsites and have more time to explore and soak up the beauty of Central Australia.</p> <p><strong>For seasoned walkers:</strong><strong> <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Hiking/Larapinta-End-to-End" target="_blank">Larapinta End to End</a> </strong>– If two weeks of hiking in Australia's incredible desert wilderness appeals to you, then the full traverse of the Larapinta trek is for you. The 223-kilometre hike covers all the highlights and everything in between, from sections 1 to 12, staying in wilderness campsites. An excellent walk for wildlife lovers or those who love the idea of taking on a long-distance hike. We make it more achievable with our experienced guides on hand who take care of the food and camp gear, so you simply carry a daypack.</p> <div> <h4><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></strong></h4> <h4><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Benefits of joining a guided walk on the Larapinta Trail</span></strong></h4> <ul> <li>Interpretation from guides about points of interest along the way</li> <li>Meeting other like-minded travellers</li> <li>Carry only a daypack</li> <li>Have all your meals prepared by your guides</li> <li>Off-road transport to and from Alice Springs</li> <li>National Park and camping fees included</li> </ul> </div> <div> <h2><span style="color:#949e17;"><strong>Family Adventures</strong> – swap screen time for green time</span></h2> <div> <p>Most of our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Private-Groups/Family-Adventures" target="_blank">family adventures</a> are designed with a young traveller in mind, with a minimum age of 8 years old, there are exclusive departures available so you can join other like-minded families.</p> <p>The 6-day <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Larapinta-Trek-Family-Adventure" target="_blank">Larapinta Trek Family Adventure</a> visits the highlights along the trail, including Ormiston Gorge and Standley Chasm, while the whole family gains a deeper understanding of the ancient Indigenous culture and Traditional Owners of the land.</p> </div> <div> </div> <div><img alt="Our knowledgeable guides are one of the many highlights on the Larapinta Trail | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145559" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8743-1145559-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8743-1145559-###width###px.jpg" /></div> <div> <h4><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></strong></h4> <h4><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Benefits of adventuring with the family</span></strong></h4> <ul> <li>The family itinerary is specially designed to excite, educate and entertain both the parents and younger travellers in your family, immersing deep into the culture of a country.</li> <li>The pace of the holiday is more relaxed, giving you time to explore the surroundings before embarking on adventures that will see you exploring the natural landscapes.</li> <li>Create memories to last a lifetime with loved ones</li> </ul> </div> </div> <h2><span style="color:#949e17;"><strong>Private Groups</strong> – customising your Larapinta adventure</span></h2> <p>Creating a <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Private-Groups" target="_blank">private tour</a> allows your own group of friends, family, club or association members to embark on a specialised adventure holiday, where you’ve chosen the destination, date of departure and special features so that it is tailor-made to achieve the objectives you desire from your holiday.</p> <p>Our expertise helps makes your adventure come to life – literally! </p> <img alt="The Larapinta Trail is Australia's most popular desert walk | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145558" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP1088-1145558-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP1088-1145558-###width###px.jpg" /> <div> <h4><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"></span></strong></h4> <h4><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Benefits of Private Groups</span></strong></h4> <ul> <li>Design your own adventure by using our knowledge to create a private group trip that suits your schedule, budget, style and personal interests.</li> <li>Organise your own group trip with the help of our adventure experts</li> <li>Soak up the beautiful Red Centre surrounded by loved ones and friends</li> </ul> <p><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Private-Groups/Create-Your-Own-Adventure" target="_blank">Find out more about creating your own private group</a>.</p> </div> 4986What are my food options when hiking the Larapinta Trail?https://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/4983/what-are-my-food-options-when-hiking-the-larapinta-trailDestinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaSun, 13 Feb 2022 23:17:33 GMT<p>From bush tucker tastings to three-course dinners, see what impressive meals our guides prepare and cook up in the middle of the Australian outback on our guided Larapinta walks. A <a href="#menu">sample menu</a> and <a href="#FAQs">FAQs about food and drinks on the Larpainta Trail</a> can be found below.</p> <h3>Food on the Larapinta</h3> <p>Our guides have remarkable outdoor culinary skills and pride themselves on the variety, quality, nutritional levels and presentation of their meals and their ability to cater to a wide range of dietary requirements when taking travellers on one of Australia's greatest desert trails, the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/activities/trekking-hiking/larapinta-trail-treks-australian-walks" target="_blank">Larapinta</a>.</p> <p><img alt="Enjoy delicious meals at our eco-comfort camps on the Larapinta Trail | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1145587" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9386-1145587-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9386-1145587-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p><img alt="Campfire cooking on the Larapinta | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143958" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9133-1143958-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9133-1143958-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>On our full-serviced guided walks, there is often plenty of fresh fish and meat-based main dishes as well as fresh salads on the menu.</p> <p><img alt="Enjoy freshly cooked meals each night at our eco-comfort camps | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143960" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9229-1143960-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9229-1143960-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>A particular highlight on our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Classic-Larapinta-Trek-in-Comfort" target="_blank">Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort</a> trip is the authentic bush tucker tasting and talk led by local Indigenous specialist, Rayleen Brown. She leads a cultural conversation and presentation along with a bush food platter that showcases a range of dukkhas, native herbs and spices, bush tomato and more.</p> <p><img alt="Food glorious food; our menu includes many native bush foods | <i>#cathyfinchphotography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143882" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_080703258_iOS-1143882-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_080703258_iOS-1143882-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>So where possible, we aim to incorporate a variety of native bush foods into our menu, such as spices (e.g. wattleseed), native jams, pastes and sauces from quandongs (native peaches), Kakadu plums, bush muesli or a delicious lemon myrtle chicken.</p> <p><img alt="Try native bush foods on our Larapinta walks | <i>#cathyfinchphotography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143883" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_080537922_iOS-1143883-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_080537922_iOS-1143883-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p><a id="menu"></a>Below is an example menu of some of the food provided on our guided trips on the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=AUS&searchKeywords=Larapinta+trail" target="_blank">Larapinta Trail.</a> This serves only as a guide only as the menu will vary from trip to trip.</p> <h3>Sample menu</h3> <h4>Breakfast</h4> <p>Brekkie ranges from cooked to continental. Usually a selection of cereals, fruit, bread/toast and quality coffee and tea.</p> <p><img alt="Nothing like a hot breakfast cooked over an open fire | <i>Caroline Crick</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143964" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Cooking-over-an-open-fire-1143964-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Cooking-over-an-open-fire-1143964-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <h4>Lunch</h4> <p>We usually have a picnic-style lunch with a wide selection of bread rolls, wraps, deli‑meats, sandwiches and salad ingredients to prepare a tasty lunch how you like it.</p> <p><img alt="Our guides will prepare superb picnic lunches on the trail | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143954" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8534-1143954-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8534-1143954-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Depending on the trip, you may prepare your lunch such as wraps or sandwiches in camp prior to the day's trek.</p> <div><img alt="Picnic lunches are always a welcome highlight with our walkers | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143951" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP1138-1143951-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP1138-1143951-###width###px.jpg" /></div> <h4><br /> Dinner</h4> <p><img alt="Our guides will prepare spectacular meals at our camps | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143957" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9192-1143957-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP9192-1143957-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>The main meal is usually a classic outback style meal such as grilled barramundi, camp‑oven roast, or perhaps a tasty stir‑fry or pasta dish.</p> <p><img alt="Our guides will prepare delicious, fresh meals on our 'In Comfort' Larapinta walks | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143955" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8953-1143955-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8953-1143955-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>This is often two or three courses, so plenty to keep you satisfied after a day on the trail.</p> <p><img alt="Stir fry and rice is an example of what you may enjoy on our Larapinta guided trips | <i>Ayla Rowe</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1146251" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Larapinta-Trail-Camp-Sites---Food---Satay-kangaroo-stir-fry-and-rice-1146251-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Larapinta-Trail-Camp-Sites---Food---Satay-kangaroo-stir-fry-and-rice-1146251-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <h4>Snacks</h4> <p><img alt="Snacks are served at our eco-comfort camps on the Larapinta Trail | <i>Shaana McNaught</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143952" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8946-1143952-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/SMP8946-1143952-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>There is always plenty of trail snacks available such as muesli bars and fresh fruit.</p> <p>In the evenings, we often serve hors d'oeuvres around the campfire while dinner is being prepared.</p> <p><img alt="Smoked salmon canapes may be served on a Larapinta trip | <i>Ayla Rowe</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1146252" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Larapinta-Trail-Food-1146252-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Larapinta-Trail-Food-1146252-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <h1><a id="FAQs"></a>Quick FAQs: Larapinta Food & Drink</h1> <div class="toggle toggle-primary" data-plugin-options="{ 'isAccordion': true }" data-plugin-toggle="toggle"> <section class="toggle"><label>Do I need to pack water purification tablets?</label> <div class="toggle-content"> <p>No. A water tank will be carried in the support vehicles and the guides will provide you with drinking water each day.</p> </div> </section> <section class="toggle"><label>Do you cater to special dietary requirements? </label> <div class="toggle-content"> <p>Provided we are advised in advance of your departure we are able to cater for vegetarian diets and can assist with medically recommended diets (allergies and intolerances). Please ensure you discuss your requirements with us well in advance (at least 1 month prior to your trip) to determine whether we can cater to such dietary requirements on your chosen adventure.</p> <p>Note that options are likely to be limited in very remote locations or alternatives may be more expensive or unavailable. There may be times when those with special requirements may need to provide their own food.</p> </div> </section> <section class="toggle"><label>Where do you source your food from? </label> <div class="toggle-content"> <p>Where possible we will use fresh local produce, re‑supplying with fresh food every few days. All our food is sourced from the best providers and carefully selected, stored and transported so as to maximise freshness and quality.</p> </div> </section> <section class="toggle"><label>What coffee is provided? </label> <div class="toggle-content"> <p>In the mornings, locally sourced plunger coffee is available and instant coffee or coffee bags are provided in the afternoon and evenings. You are welcome to bring your own if you wish.</p> <p>There is always hot water available at our campsites.</p> </div> </section> <section class="toggle"><label>Can I bring alcoholic beverages on the trail? </label> <div class="toggle-content"> <p>You are welcome to bring a bottle of wine or a six-pack of beer on our guided trips so you can relax and enjoy a glass of wine under the stars. The guides will bring a small number of your drinks to the campsite each night depending on how many the group request.</p> <p>Drinks are to be purchased prior to departure as guides cannot restock during the tour.</p> </div> </section> <section class="toggle"><label>Will there be a cooler available?</label> <div class="toggle-content"> <p>Yes, a drink cooler or esky is provided with ice on our guided walks so you can enjoy your beverages cold at the campsite.</p> </div> </section> </div> <hr />4983Mount Kosciuszko climb in photos: $50K raised from Charity Challengehttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/4979/50k-raised-from-mount-kosciuszko-charity-challengeCommunity,Charity Challenges,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaThu, 10 Feb 2022 01:22:51 GMT<p>30 superstar participants joined distinguished Australian mountaineer Tim Macartney-Snape on an expedition on Saturday, February 5, 2022, to raise much-needed funds for ground staff in Nepal and Peru who are impacted by the ongoing pandemic.</p> <p>The result? Over $50,000 was fundraised for the 'Grants 4 Ground Staff' appeal under the charitable wing, <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/World-Expeditions-Foundation" target="_blank">World Expeditions Foundation</a> (and still going!). You can <a href="https://grants4groundstaff.gofundraise.com.au/" target="_blank">make a donation via this page</a>.</p> <p><img alt="Hiking to Mt Kosciuszko" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142996" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-to-Mt-Kosciuszko-Sign-1142996-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-to-Mt-Kosciuszko-Sign-1142996-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Veteran Peru expert <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/2467/on-the-couch-with-andreas-holland" target="_blank">Andreas Holland</a>, Upper Mustang trekking specialist <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/3271/margie-thomas-nepal-upper-mustang-trek" target="_blank">Margie Thomas</a> and World Expeditions CEO Sue Badyari also joined the 30 enthusiastic travellers rallying behind the cause to summit Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s tallest mountain.</p> <p><img alt="Margie Thomas and Tim Macartney-Snape hiking Mt Kosciuszko for World Expeditions Foundation Charity Challenge | <i>Margie Thomas</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142982" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Margie-Thomas-and-Tim-Macartney-Snape-hiking-Mt-Kosciuszko-1142982-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Margie-Thomas-and-Tim-Macartney-Snape-hiking-Mt-Kosciuszko-1142982-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>But it was no easy feat, with each person opting to return via the tougher route alongside Everest mountaineering legend and World Expeditions' long-time guide, Tim Macartney-Snape.</p> <p><img alt="Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142997" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142997-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142997-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <h2><strong>The summit walk to Mt Kosciuszko</strong></h2> <p>Participants embarked on the demanding 12-hour trek via Blue Lake to Kosciuszko's rooftop and through the South Ramshead 'goat trail' to Dead Horse Gap for the return.</p> <p><img alt="Hiking to Mount Kosciuszko" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142999" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-to-Mount-Kosciuszko-1142999-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-to-Mount-Kosciuszko-1142999-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142985" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142985-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142985-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142983" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142983-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142983-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Alpine lakes in Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142984" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Alpine-lakes-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142984-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Alpine-lakes-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142984-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div>   <p>While it was anticipated to be a relatively achievable walk, walkers were faced with some interesting weather of below zero temperatures with the windchill factor, ferocious winds, swollen rivers and some really gnarly weather.</p> <p><img alt="Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142986" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park---Margie-Thomas-1142986-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park---Margie-Thomas-1142986-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>But come the afternoon, the weather thankfully cleared up for a delightful summit hike, with everyone reaching the top of the 2228-metre peak.</p> <p><img alt="Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142991" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142991-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142991-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Vistas in Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142990" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Mt-Kosciuszko-Charity-Challenge-WEF-1142990-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Mt-Kosciuszko-Charity-Challenge-WEF-1142990-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Wildflowers in Kosciuszko National Park wilderness | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142988" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Wildflowers-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-wilderness-1142988-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Wildflowers-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-wilderness-1142988-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Hiking in Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143003" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143003-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143003-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Alpine lakes of Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143106" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Alpine-lakes-of-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143106-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Alpine-lakes-of-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143106-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Flowers in the wilderness of Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143001" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Flowers-in-the-wilderness-of-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143001-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Flowers-in-the-wilderness-of-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143001-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Incredible nature scenes in Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143004" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Majestic-tree---Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143004-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Majestic-tree---Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143004-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Wildflowers in Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143005" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Wildflowers-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143005-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Wildflowers-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143005-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div>   <p><img alt="All smiles hiking to Mt Kosciuszko | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1143009" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143009-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1143009-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Rewarded with sweeping views across the Snowy Mountains and Victorian High Country, participants celebrated a collective achievement of giving back to the people behind the scenes of their adventure travel holiday in Nepal and Peru in their time of need.</p> <p><img alt="Alpine vistas in Kosciuszko National Park" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142992" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Alpine-vistas-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142992-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Alpine-vistas-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142992-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Adding to the memorable experience were Tim's engaging stories from the field, which enthralled all, as well as his technical prowess scaling huge rock boulders.</p> <p>The group of like-minded trekkers, many of whom were long-term World Expeditions travellers, walked 25 kilometres through the pure beauty of the Australian alpine in true expedition fashion, braving the weather and sticking it out only to return to their hotel around 8pm.</p> <p><img alt="Group shot in Kosciuszko National Park | <i>Zuzanna Kania</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1142995" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142995-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/NSW/Hiking-in-Kosciuszko-National-Park-1142995-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Everyone managed to bring their glows to dinner at the Ski Rider Lodge, located in the midst of the isolated bushland (halfway between Jindabyne and Charlotte Pass), where they enjoyed a fabulous curry night and a local acoustic musician for some fun downtime in the evening.</p> <p>With more than 600 care packages of food and hygiene supplies sent to World Expeditions' local crew in 2020 as part of the <a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/lend-a-hand-appeal-update" target="_blank">Lend A Hand Appeal</a>, this year's appeal brought the total fundraising tally to $100,000, furthering efforts to provide support to the ground staff in need.</p> <p>Seeing how far these funds will go to help our friends across the globe who are doing it tough is reassuring and it was heartening to receive the many genuine thank-you messages from some of the local crew in Africa, Nepal, Peru and India from our first appeal.</p> <p>David Thomas, a Mount Kilimanjaro porter, sent a handwritten note to the World Expeditions team and its donors:</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>“From the bottoms of our heart we say thank you very much. Know that it’s really touched [and] blessed our family… This is not small, it for us [is a] blessing and is more than a donation to us.”</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>A great success and a big thanks to everyone involved, especially to all the amazing participants and the generous supporters who made this special weekend possible. An incredible effort in fundraising but also in spirit.</p> <p>The '<a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Guided-Treks-Walks/Climb-Kozi-4-Ground-Staff" target="_blank">Climb Kozi 4 Ground Staff</a>' Charity Challenge is set to be an annual event to further fundraise for the World Expeditions Foundation.</p> <p style="margin-left: 40px;"><a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Guided-Treks-Walks/Climb-Kozi-4-Ground-Staff" target="_blank"><button class="btn btn-borders world-ex mr-xs mb-sm" type="button">Find out more<em class="icon-arrow-right-thin"></em></button></a></p> 4979Solo on the Larapinta Trail at 72https://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5153/solo-on-the-larapinta-trail-at-72Activities,Adventure Travel,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaThu, 27 Jan 2022 21:59:00 GMT<p><em></em>By Peter Campbell </p> <p>Why would I want to do this?</p> <p>The Larapinta is an iconic trail through a beautiful part of Australia, a landscape of ghost gums, spinifex, and red rock gorges unique to Australia. But why do it on my own?</p> <p>Well, I like my independence. I like to stop and rest whenever I want to, and I don’t want to be restricted to a set itinerary. Although I’m walking solo, there are other people on the trail, so I’m not totally alone.</p> <blockquote> <p><strong>Without food and water, my pack was about 13–14 kilos. This included all my clothes, tent, camping equipment, first aid kit, and other things such as a personal locator device.</strong></p> </blockquote> <p>Being an enthusiastic photographer, it’s not unusual for me to stop for a half hour or more to take photos. I can’t do this if I’m with a group. These are the main reasons for going solo.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Sunset Brinkley's" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364313" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Sunset-Brinkley_s-1364313-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Sunset-Brinkley_s-1364313-###width###px.jpg" /></div>   <p>Now, the question now was, am I fit enough? The Larapinta is a 230-kilometre trail over some very rugged country in central Australia. That wasn’t my main concern. I’ve walked much longer distances (e.g., the Bibbulmun Track, the Camino de Santiago, and many treks in Nepal), but I was younger! I needed to be self-sufficient on the Larapinta, and my pack at times would be 20 kilos or more and this was of some concern to me.</p> <p>I booked my trip with the World Expeditions group and the logistics of <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Classic-Larapinta-Trek-in-Comfort#depart-dates-anchor">the trip</a> were handled by Australian Walking Holidays in Alice Springs. Their itinerary for solo walkers was 12 days but this was too quick for my liking. However, they were flexible, and it was no trouble to extend my itinerary to 16 days. This enabled me to break a couple of very long days into two. It also meant I would be carrying a maximum of 4 days food at any one time, which would reduce the weight as well.</p> <p>I started with four days food (included in the cost of the walk), and had food drops placed at Standley Chasm, Ellery Creek and Ormiston Gorge. Of course, water adds weight and at two overnight camps I needed five litres of water. (There are waterholes along the way but not all if them are fit for drinking, so don’t rely on that.)</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Yellowtales on the Larapinta Trail" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364314" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Yellowtales-1364314-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Yellowtales-1364314-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Sunrise on Mt.Sonder" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364315" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Sunrise-on-Mt.Sonder-1364315-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Sunrise-on-Mt.Sonder-1364315-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Ghost Gums" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364318" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Ghost-Gums-1364318-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Ghost-Gums-1364318-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Stuart's Desert Rose" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364316" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Stuart_s-Desert-Rose-1364316-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Stuart_s-Desert-Rose-1364316-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Moon on Heavitree" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364317" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Moon-on-Heavitree-1364317-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Moon-on-Heavitree-1364317-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div>   <p>Without food and water, my pack was about 13–14 kilos. This included all my clothes, tent, camping equipment, first aid kit, and other things such as a personal locator device. (An emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) is a must have, especially for a solo walker.)</p> <p>There are permanent campsites along the track. These all have a covered shelter with a sleeping platform, toilets, and water tanks. There are campsite between the permanent camps, but if camping there, you must carry extra water. The <i>Larapinta Trail</i> by John and Monica Chapman is full of information on the trail and what to carry. (Incidentally, I met the author on the trail!)</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><img alt="Spinifex" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1364322" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="950" src="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Spinifex-1364322-950px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Blogs/AWH/Spinifex-1364322-###width###px.jpg" /></div> <div> <p> </p> <p>I carried a Fuji X100F camera, a small fixed-lens camera that I easily carried around my neck the entire trek. The lens is a 35mm equivalent (i.e., a slightly wide angele lens). This may have some limitations, but it is small and light – an idea travel camera.</p> <p>On this page are a few of my photos which may convince you to walk the trail yourself. If you would like to see more, I published a photo/travel book with called <a href="http://au.blurb.com/b/10868505-larapinta-dreaming"><i>Larapinta Dreaming</i></a>, which can be bought here. For more about me, please visit <a href="http://rightlightphotography.zenfolio.com/">Http://rightlightphotography.zenfolio.com</a>.</p> </div> 5153Top authentic indigenous experiences in Australiahttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/4965/top-authentic-indigenous-travel-experiences-in-australiaActivities,Adventure Travel,Cultural Journeys,Trekking/Walking,Community,Guides and staff,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaMon, 24 Jan 2022 04:13:46 GMT<p>From bush tucker samplings to cultural conversations, a smoking ceremony to exploring hidden rock galleries, these active travel experiences provide a cultural platform for a beautiful exchange as you learn about Indigenous Australian history.</p> <p>As you delve into their stories and heritage on our immersive adventures, our wilderness guides and Indigenous guests offer a deeper understanding of the need to conserve their culture and respect their place and lifestyle.</p> <p>These top 11 experiences provide a genuine insight into the Aboriginal peoples' continuing connection to the lands and communities across <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/best-australian-walks-and-hiking-trails" target="_blank">Australia</a>.</p> <h2>Follow a 'Dreaming Pathway' or songline on the Jatbula Trail</h2> <p>A culturally significant area, the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Full-Pack-Treks/Jatbula-Trail" target="_blank">Jatbula Trail</a> follows a songline that has many dreaming story crossroads. The trail is named after Peter Jatbula, a traditional owner who fought hard for the area to be returned to the Aboriginal people in the 1970s and 80s.</p> <p>Tracing ancient passages, the hike through the exceptional Arnhem Land escarpment and Stone Country in the Northern Territory is elevated as you visit ancient rock art sites, which bring to life the Dreamtime stories handed down through the generations.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="Exploring the magnificent Jatbula Trail | <i>Larissa Duncombe</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113701" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Jatbula-Trail-Trek-Northern-Territory-1113701-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Jatbula-Trail-Trek-Northern-Territory-1113701-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Gain a deeper understanding of the local Indigenous culture with visits to ancient rock art sites | <i>Linda Murden</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113699" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Ancient-Rock-Art-Jatbula-Trail-Nitmiluk-National-Park-1113699-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Ancient-Rock-Art-Jatbula-Trail-Nitmiluk-National-Park-1113699-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Remote trekking along the Jatbula Trail | <i>Holly Van De Beek</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113700" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Trekking-the-Jatbula-Trail-_9_-1113700-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Trekking-the-Jatbula-Trail-_9_-1113700-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div>   <p>Interesting sites include the Jawoyn Aboriginal rock art hidden in the many stony outcrops and overhangs en route to Crystal Falls. You also explore the Amphitheatre, which is a rainforest gorge, with its rock shelters exhibiting the art of the Jawoyn Traditional Owners.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Full-Pack-Treks/Jatbula-Trail" target="_blank">Jatbula Trail</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Admire a secret Aboriginal cave along the mighty Franklin River</h2> <p>The Kutikina Cave is a Tasmanian hidden gem found in the Lower Gordon River. The rock shelter is considered one of the most important archaeological finds in Tasmania – and in Australia – relating to human occupation in the Pleistocene era.<br /> <br /> Only discovered in 1977, the limestone cave was one of the richest artefact deposits. It contained Aboriginal artefacts and deposits that marked the most southerly migration of humans during the last ice age, with evidence of wallaby hunting at the time. Its discovery was also one of the reasons that led to the historic demise of the plan to dam the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/why-raft-the-franklin-river" target="_blank">Franklin River</a>.</p> <p><img alt="The Pristine Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. | <i>Glenn Walker</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123976" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/GWP_Franklin_River_2015_20150118_1735-1123976-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/GWP_Franklin_River_2015_20150118_1735-1123976-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>On our <a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Raft-Canoe-Kayak/Franklin-River-Rafting" target="_blank">rafting expedition</a>, travellers pass this cave with our guide explaining the significance of the site.</p> <p>In respect to the community's wishes, we do not step foot inside the cave as there are mixed opinions as to whether non-indigenous people should be entering it.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Raft-Canoe-Kayak/Franklin-River-Rafting" target="_blank">Franklin River Rafting</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Taste authentic bush tucker in the Red Centre</h2> <p>Ever tried bush muesli? Well, there are plenty of unique bush foods on the menu on our Central Australian trips.</p> <p>On our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Classic-Larapinta-Trek-in-Comfort" target="_blank">Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort</a>, local Indigenous specialist, Rayleen Brown leads a cultural talk and presentation along with a bush food platter that showcases a range of dukkhas, native herbs and spices, bush tomato and more.</p> <p><img alt="Food glorious food; our menu includes many native bush foods | <i>#cathyfinchphotography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113702" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_080703258_iOS-1113702-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/20200810_080703258_iOS-1113702-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>The meals served on our Northern Territory tours are sometimes based around the bush foods that she supplies, such as Lemon Myrtle Chicken.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Classic-Larapinta-Trek-in-Comfort" target="_blank">Classic Larapinta Trek in Comfort</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Marvel at hidden rock art galleries in the Top End</h2> <p>In addition to the rock art found on the Jatbula Trail, <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/3416/traveller-stories-walking-in-kakadu" target="_blank">Kakadu National Park</a> offers an array of hidden rock art, which recount ancient stories, lore and songs significant to Indigenous Australian culture.</p> <p>Coupled with the vast landscapes and rich wildlife, a visit to these rock galleries adds a unique element to your hike. Over 40,000 years of Aboriginal heritage of both the present and past is on display in the Top End.</p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9" style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" class="embed-responsive-item" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/m87SCce7Nu4?rel=0&controls=1"></iframe></div>   <p>Joining a guided <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Kakadu-Explorer" target="_blank">walking</a> or <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Cycling/Top-End-Kakadu-Cycle" target="_blank">cycling tour</a> allows you to easily find these harder-to-get-to galleries and gain a deeper understanding of the local culture, with our insightful tour leaders strongly focused on highlighting its importance.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Full-Pack-Treks/Jatbula-Trail" target="_blank">Jatbula Trail</a> and <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=Kakadu+National+Park" target="_blank">Kakadu trips</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Pay respects to those lost during the Wybalenna ‘Aboriginal Settlement’ on Flinders Island</h2> <p>A visit to the fascinating Flinders Island Museum and the historic Wybalenna is a must when on this Tasmanian island, which is a short 35-minute scenic flight from Launceston.<br /> <br /> The infamous site of Wybalenna reverberates a sad history about the disastrous indigenous resettlement scheme back in 1834. Wybalenna is where Tasmanian Aborigines were transported after the 'friendly mission'; that is, the mission to round up and remove Aboriginal people from mainland Tasmania.</p> <p><img alt="The graveyard near Wybalenna Chapel contains unmarked Aboriginal graves. Around 300 Aboriginals were ‘delivered’ there during its time as a mission. | <i>Dietmar Kahles</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123977" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/Wybalenna-Chapel-Flinders-Island-1123977-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/Wybalenna-Chapel-Flinders-Island-1123977-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>While the remaining graveyard, housing and chapel are a heavy and melancholic sight to take in, it is an important and historically significant place to learn about.</p> <p>Our guides take care to make sure information presented here is accurate and sensitive and visitors are then taken to the local museum nearby where they are given the chance to learn more about what happened there.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Flinders-Island-Walking-Adventure" target="_blank">Flinders Island Walking Adventure</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Experience the magic of the Standley Chasm still run by Traditional Owners</h2> <p>A sight to be seen, the beautiful Standley Chasm is just outside the West MacDonnell Ranges National Park and is a private reserve proudly owned and operated by its Traditional Owners as part of the lwupataka Land Trust.</p> <p><img alt="Hiking in Standley Chasm, Larapinta Trail | <i>#cathyfinchphotography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113705" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/0U3A1222-1113705-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/0U3A1222-1113705-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>A cultural conversation is led by one of their local guides on our <a href="https://www.larapintatrailwalk.com.au/trail-info/history-culture" target="_blank">Larapinta walking holidays</a>, where you learn about the site’s significance, being one of the areas where Aboriginal land has been passed back to them.</p> <p><img alt="Exploring Standley Chasm on the Larapinta Trail | <i>Graham Michael Freeman</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113704" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1113704-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1113704-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Also known as Angkerle Atwatye to the local Indigenous people, the site's rocky slopes rise an astonishing 80 metres above the chasm, which has been carved out over millions of years by a tributary of the Finke River system – purported to be the oldest river in the world.</p> <p>There are even opportunities to immerse with the land by camping overnight on our trips, such as the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Best-of-the-Larapinta-Trail" target="_blank">Best of the Larapinta Trail</a> and the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Hiking/Larapinta-End-to-End" target="_blank">Larapinta End to End</a>, for a truly magical experience to connect with the ancient land.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/activities/trekking-hiking/larapinta-trail-treks-australian-walks" target="_blank">Larapinta Trail walks</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Visit original ochre sources used in ceremonial rituals</h2> <p>As you explore the fabulous beaches of <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/The-Maria-Island-Walk" target="_blank">Maria Island</a>, visit the ochre pit at Bloodstone Point – one of the original ochre sources for the Tasmanian Aborigines.</p> <p>The natural earth pigment used by Aboriginal people for thousands of years is a fundamental part of their life and culture, and a visit to the ochre deposits gives a fascinating insight into the history of how the land was used by Indigenous Australian tribes.</p> <p><img alt="An Indigenous guide shows coloured ochres during a cultural tour | <i>Tourism NT/Matt Cherubino</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123978" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Indigenous-guide---Kings-Canyon-1123978-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Indigenous-guide---Kings-Canyon-1123978-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>It was customary for men to dig the ochre, which became a significant commodity for trade with neighbouring nations and clans.</p> <p>Along with the source of thousands of years of cultural connection and expression, ochre is believed to have a spiritual power that is released through ceremonial ritual.</p> <p>You can also view one of the largest ochre deposits in Tasmania in the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?categories=Trekking&searchKeywords=cradle+mountain+national+park" target="_blank">Cradle Mountain National Park</a> or visit the vivid colours of the mineral ochre pits on the <a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/activities/trekking-hiking/larapinta-trail-treks-australian-walks" target="_blank">Larapinta Trail</a> in the West MacDonnell Ranges.</p> <p><img alt="Exploring the Ochre Pits | <i>Graham Michael Freeman</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113978" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1113978-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Great-Walks-of-Australia-Classic-Larapinta-Trek-1113978-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/The-Maria-Island-Walk" target="_blank">The Maria Island Walk</a>, <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Cradle-Mountain-Short-Escape" target="_blank">Cradle Mountain Short Escape</a> and on the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/activities/trekking-hiking/larapinta-trail-treks-australian-walks" target="_blank">Larapinta Trail</a>.</strong></li> </ul> <h2>Connect with the land with a traditional Welcome to Country</h2> <p>A long tradition among Aboriginal Australian groups, a Welcome to Country serves not only as a greeting for visitors but as a symbol that signifies the recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' presence in Australia.</p> <p><img alt="Limilngan-Wulna Aboriginal people welcome us to their country | <i>Rhys Clarke, WE Guide</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1113977" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Pudakal-Cultural-Tour-1113977-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Pudakal-Cultural-Tour-1113977-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>When exploring the ancient land of <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Blog/kakadus-6-top-spots-to-explore-on-foot" target="_blank">Kakadu National Park</a>, our active itineraries include a meeting with Wulna Aboriginal elders for a traditional Welcome to Country.</p> <p>It provides a significant introduction to the Aboriginal connection between both an ancient environment and a surviving and celebrated ancient culture that makes this region truly worthy of dual World Heritage listing.</p> <p><img alt="An Indigenous guide shares his knowledge of Aboriginal music during a cultural tour | <i>Tourism NT/Nick Pincott</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123985" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Cultural-experience-at-Pudakul-1123985-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Cultural-experience-at-Pudakul-1123985-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="http://worldexpeditions.com/advanced-search?searchKeywords=Kakadu+National+Park" target="_blank">Kakadu trips</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Better understand Indigenous Australian heritage on a cultural talk at Kings Canyon</h2> <p>Part of the climactic scenes that make up the ancient wonders of the Northern Territory is learning about the significance of each site visited.</p> <p><img alt="Gain insights on Indigenous Australian culture and learn about Aboriginal art | <i>Tourism NT/Archie Sartracom</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123979" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Gain-insights-on-Indigenous-Australian-culture-and-learn-about-Aboriginal-art-on-tour-1123979-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Gain-insights-on-Indigenous-Australian-culture-and-learn-about-Aboriginal-art-on-tour-1123979-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>Working with the local Indigenous community of Wan­mar­ra, we partnered with a small family-run business at <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Larapinta-Kings-Canyon-and-Uluru-in-Comfort" target="_blank">Kings Canyon</a> that aims to pre­serve and main­tain Lurit­ja and Per­tame (South­ern Aran­da) lan­guage, cul­tur­al knowl­edge and her­itage to empow­er the younger generations.</p> <p>The Indigenous guests offer one of the most informative, professional and interactive cultural tours in the Red Centre.</p> <div class="dynamicImageWrapper" switchsource="image1"><carouselsource aspectratio="4x3" data-plugin-options="{'items': 3, 'margin': 10, 'nav': true, 'dots': false}"><img alt="A tour guide uses a dot painting to talk about Aboriginal culture | <i>Tourism NT/Matt Glastonbury</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123982" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Aboriginal-culture-talk-on-the-Karrke-Aboriginal-Cultural-Experience-tour-1123982-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Aboriginal-culture-talk-on-the-Karrke-Aboriginal-Cultural-Experience-tour-1123982-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Gain insight into Aboriginal bush tucker during a cultural tour | <i>Tourism NT/Archie Sartracom</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123980" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Bush-tucker-during-a-Karrke-Aboriginal-Cultural-Experience-1123980-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/Bush-tucker-during-a-Karrke-Aboriginal-Cultural-Experience-1123980-###width###px.jpg" /> <img alt="Guides showcasing bush foods during an Indigenous cultural experience | <i>Tourism NT/Chris Tangey</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123981" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/A-coolamon-holding-bush-flowers-1123981-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Northern-Territory/A-coolamon-holding-bush-flowers-1123981-###width###px.jpg" /> </carouselsource></div>   <p>The experience allows visitors to gain a deeper understanding of the need to conserve the Aboriginal cultures and respect their place and lifestyle in Australia, which time and time again proved to be a massive highlight for our travellers.</p> <p>Visits to rock art at Uluru is also tied in with the tour, which is one of the few rock art sites open to the public in Central Australia.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Trekking-Walking/Larapinta-Kings-Canyon-and-Uluru-in-Comfort" target="_blank">Larapinta, Kings Canyon and Uluru in Comfort</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Visit a tribal boundary in the Alum Cliffs State Reserve</h2> <p>Located in the north of Tasmania is the Alum Cliffs, a tribal boundary between three Aboriginal groups and a sacred celebration place.<br /> <br /> The Aboriginal name for the area is Tulampanga and was a common meeting ground and trading location for clans. The place especially holds social and spiritual significance to Aborigines due to the ochre found nearby in the Gog Range area.<br /> <br /> Along the enchanting short walk are wooden art features found to commemorate the area, including sculptures and outdoor furniture pieces – some created by local Aboriginal artists.</p> <center> <blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQUeCFSB6Qp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"> <div style="padding:16px;"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQUeCFSB6Qp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank">View this post on Instagram</a></div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CQUeCFSB6Qp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Tasmania Parks & Wildlife (@tasmaniaparks)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></center> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Guided-Treks-Walks/Maria-Island-and-Cradle-Mountain-Experience" target="_blank">Maria Island and Cradle Mountain Experience</a></strong></li> </ul> <h2>Engage in a smoking ceremony before exploring the ancient Takayna region</h2> <p>Another way of welcoming guests to Country is through a smoking ceremony where visitors gather around a smoky fire so that they are cleansed and protected from any dangerous or bad spirits in the land they will explore.</p> <p>You can experience this on our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Tarkine-Explorer" target="_blank">Tarkine Explorer</a> trip in the northwest of Tasmania, which is led by a Tasmanian Aboriginal Elder.</p> <p>The ceremony also acts as a way of connecting with Country and culture by speaking to and acknowledging the ancestors, as well as aims to promote the good health and wellbeing of travellers.</p> <p><img alt="Gardiner Point, the 'Edge of the World', near the Tarkine | <i>Sean Scott</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1123984" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/130020-56-1123984-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/Tasmania/130020-56-1123984-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p>A cultural discussion ensues before the walk down to Sundown Point and onto the rugged and gnarly Tarkine coastline. Here is where you can find ancient petroglyphs and spectacular views of the Arthur Heads. There is also the opportunity to stop at a few places for bush tucker and further interpretations about the coastal living sites and protection of the area.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Experience it: <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Walking/Tarkine-Explorer" target="_blank">Tarkine Explorer</a></strong></li> </ul> <p><br /> As part of our <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Thoughtful-Travel" target="_blank">Thoughtful Travel charter</a>, we work with First Nation communities to promote the education of cultural heritage. And, with our knowledgeable wilderness guides leading you through scenic and iconic trails across <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia" target="_blank">Australia</a>, each of these indigenous experiences will add an extra layer of meaning and cultural awareness to your active outdoor adventure.<br /> <br /> <em>World Expeditions respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners of all of the areas that it operates in and thank them for sharing this beautiful land with us.</em></p> 4965Flinders Ranges: Why we agree it should be a UNESCO World Heritage Sitehttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5224/special-flinders-ranges-set-to-become-unesco-world-heritage-siteActivities,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaThu, 20 Jan 2022 21:29:00 GMT<p>Like you, we’ve known for decades that the Flinders Ranges is a special place. Now, the rest of the world has been put on alert.</p> <p>This fossil-rich area, once dubbed a ‘great outdoor museum’ by explorer Douglas Mawson, was recently nominated for listing as a world heritage site in the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) system.</p> <p>World heritage sites are designated for containing ‘cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity’, according to the United Nations.</p> <p><b>Fabulous Fossils</b></p> <p>To be sure, the main reason for the Flinders tentative designation is the fossils. These beautiful mountains in eastern South Australia boast extensive fossils from the 96-million-year-long Ediacaran Period that cannot be found anywhere else on earth.</p> <p>Fossils from before and after the Ediacaran Period (the Cryogenian and Cambrian Periods, respectively) complement the Ediacaran fossils making the Flinders, ‘the only place on Earth where 350 million years of near-continuous geological sequence can be seen, demonstrating the rise of a habitable planet and the dawn of animal life’, according to the South Australian government.</p> <p>While the fossils are certainly unique, there’s a lot more to the Flinders than fossils that make these scorched orange and red mountains special.</p> <p><img alt="Wilpena Pound | <i>Michael Waterhouse Photography</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1466099" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Wilpena-Pound-1466099-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Wilpena-Pound-1466099-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p><b>Strange, Layered Cakes</b></p> <p>There’s the wild geography—the Flinders mountains look like strange, layered cakes, crumpling and bending as if gravity was pulling the mountains down from random spots on a kitchen table.</p> <p>They’re a classic example of a folded mountain range, formed when two continental plates butted heads and agreed to go their own ways.</p> <p>Wind erosion shaped the mountains further. Then there’s Wilpena Pound, a vast, tilted amphitheatre of stone that seems to defy gravity—one of the great geographical hiccoughs of the southern hemisphere.</p> <p><b>An Ancient Seabed</b></p> <p>There’s the geology. The Flinders are the remains of an ancient seabed, and the rocks here have been squashed and crunched, worn down and split apart.</p> <p>There are plunging gorges and soaring peaks, hidden waterholes and parched ravines. The rocks themselves are a dizzying kaleidoscope of colour and whimsy, with mauve quartzite layers separated by bright orange ribs that look like rumpled cloth in a dressmaker’s shop.</p> <p>Of course, with such an active warped geography, we’d expect the folklore to be as fanciful—and it is.</p> <p><b>Akurra and the Makara</b></p> <p>The rocks and landscapes in the Flinders have buoyed stories by the Adnyamathanha people, the traditional custodians of this land, for thousands of years—stories about the creator serpent, Akurra, and the Makara, marsupial-like women with pouches (represented on their flag by the Pleiades star constellation).</p> <p>Their stories of powerful forces and strange characters are stories that only a specially shaped land like the Flinders could produce.</p> <p><b><img alt="Settler ruins in the Flinders Ranges | <i>Tim Morris</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1466103" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Flinders-Ruins-1466103-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Flinders-Ruins-1466103-###width###px.jpg" /></b></p> <p><b>Dunarts, Wallaroos, and Mice</b></p> <p>There is wildlife in abundance here, too.</p> <p>Several species of macropods (including red kangaroos, western grey kangaroos, wallabies, and wallaroos) are common to the Flinders Ranges, as are smaller critters, like the common dunnart, the little long-tailed dunnart, the desert mouse and Bolam’s mouse.</p> <p><b>Bee-eaters, Honeyeaters, Bablers, and Whistlers</b></p> <p>The birds of the Flinders have whimsical names, too: apostlebirds, rainbow bee-eaters, red-capped robins, crimson chats, diamond doves, welcome swallows, singing honeyeaters, white-eared honeyeaters, yellow-faced honeyeaters, hooded robins, jacky winters, chestnut-crowned bablers, rufus whistlers, malee ringnecks, and weebills. You might also see cockatoos, parrots, emus, galahs, and falcons.</p> <p>Flinders birdlife is so vast it has its own kind of crimson rosella—an orange variant of the generally red and blue variety found elsewhere in Australia.</p> <p>Surprisingly, there are many species of water birds in the Flinders, including grebes, cormorants, herons, spoonbills, ducks, and coots.</p> <p>At night, you might encounter barking owls and Australian boobooks. It’s a lively place.</p> <p>The magical, tangled rocks of the Flinders Ranges are good spots for lizards to hide.</p> <p><img alt="Views overlooking the Flinders Ranges | <i>Earle Westbury</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1466100" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Ikara-Flinders-Ranges-1466100-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Ikara-Flinders-Ranges-1466100-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p><b>Lizards, dragons, and goannas</b></p> <p>Species you might encounter include tawny dragons, red-barred dragons, sand goannas, and shingleback lizards, plus many species of skink. Grumpy-looking bearded dragons are found throughout the range.</p> <p>Flinders nights are dominated by geckos, like the barking gecko, the prickly gecko, the velvet gecko, the beaked gecko, and the marbled gecko as well as Butler’s legless lizard, often mistaken for a snake.</p> <p>The wildlife here is related to the fossils.</p> <p>The oldest evidence of animal life on our planet was found in the fossils here, indicating animals might have been on earth 70 million years earlier than previous fossil evidence suggested.</p> <p>And while the plant life might seem minimal, there is a lot of variation in it.</p> <p><strong>Vegetation</strong></p> <p>Trees like cypress pine and black oak are common in the Flinders, and in wetter areas species like grevilleas, lilies, and ferns can be found. Water-hungry reeds and sedges grow near springs and waterholes.</p> <p>The land here, then, is like a carefully restored museum crossed with a modern experimental garden. And that’s why we visit.</p> <p>You can’t get this diversity or flora and fauna combined with the geologic and geographic wonders anyplace else on earth. It’s simply a must-have adventure for anyone curious about our plant.</p> <p>Especially welcomed for us is the fact that you can walk through many of these sites and experience the mountains in a raft of different ways.</p> <p><b><img alt="Gammon Ranges, South Australia | <i>Ben Christie Johnstone</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1466101" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Heysen-Trail_-South-Australia-1466101-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Heysen-Trail_-South-Australia-1466101-###width###px.jpg" /></b></p> <p><b>Many Ways to Enjoy It All</b></p> <p>You can watch wildlife, photograph sweeping vistas, hike secret gorges, star gaze, study the rocks, ponder the fossils, and paint images of a wonderful wilderness that is a truly special place. It’s worth a visit even if you don’t like travel or the outdoors.</p> <p>This place is a living catalogue of the earth’s history, a stark representation of its present, and a suggestion of what’s to come.</p> <p>We offer six separate active Flinders Ranges trips, all of which will help you understand why the Flinders is one of Australia’s most special mountain areas.</p> <p>You can walk barefoot in sandy riverbeds, sleep under a shimmering Milky Way, and see oddities of our earth that you won’t see anyplace else.</p> <p>The Flinders Ranges are a genuinely special place, and we recommend you come soon—before the UNESCO World Heritage listing makes it ever more popular.</p> <p>You’ll be really glad you did.</p> 5224Kangaroo Island by the Numbershttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5223/theres-a-lot-more-to-kangaroo-island-than-meets-the-eyeActivities,Adventure Travel,Photography,Trekking/Walking,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaThu, 20 Jan 2022 21:18:00 GMT<p>If you like numbers, Kangaroo Island is your place. It’s got lots of everything, and if you add all the everythings up, they equate to the simple fact that it’s about time for a trip to this wild and special place.</p> <p>We offer a range of active adventures on this wonderful exotic island that’s both large in stature and large in numbers.</p> <p><b>1, 1, 1</b></p> <p>There is one national park (Flinders Chase NP—one of Australia’s oldest) on Kangaroo Island. The island is home to the single oldest protected aquatic area in South Australia (Pelican Lagoon). It’s also home to a historical whaling station.</p> <p><b>2</b></p> <p>There are two lighthouses on Kangaroo Island.</p> <p><b>Third</b></p> <p>Kangaroo Island’s Seal Bay is a protected areas that boasts the third largest colony of Australian sea lions.</p> <p><img alt="Remarkable Rocks - Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail | <i>Julie Fletcher</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1466079" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Remarkable-Rocks-1466079-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Remarkable-Rocks-1466079-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p><strong>4, 4</strong></p> <p>Kangaroo Island is home to four marine parks. Also, there are four are very special animals on Kangaroo Island. They include the Australian sea lion, long-nosed fur seals, Australian fur seals, and tammar wallabies. (Kangaroo Island is home to the largest remaining population of tammar wallabies in Australia; you’ll know them when you see them—they have a dark grey coat and reddish arms, feet, and flanks.)</p> <p><strong>5</strong></p> <p>There are five wilderness protection areas on Kangaroo Island.</p> <p><strong>17</strong></p> <p>That’s how many conservation parks there are on Kangaroo Island.</p> <p><b>27</b></p> <p>There are 27 designated geologic monuments. There are some of the tallest cliffs in South Australia. There are wind-carved granite boulders and spectacular outcrops of tightly folded, thinly bedded schists.</p> <p><img alt="Exploring beaches on the Kangaroo Island Wilderness Trail | <i>Isabelle Hardinge</i>" class="responsiveImage" cropdataid="1466080" dynamiccroppedimage="1" largestloadedsize="1100" src="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Kangaroo-Island-Wilderness-Trail-1466080-1100px.jpg" variablesrc="/croppedImages/Australasia/South-Australia/Kangaroo-Island-Wilderness-Trail-1466080-###width###px.jpg" /></p> <p><b>Dozens</b></p> <p>There are dozens of habitats (beach and shore, coastal cliff, limestone reefs, islands, sheltered bays estuaries, salt marshes, sea-grass meadows, sandy sea floors and deep-water trenches—to name a few).</p> <p><strong>155 and 55</strong></p> <p>That’s how long and wide Kangaroo Island is in kilometres. That’s about the size of Bali or Singapore.</p> <p><b>Two thirds</b></p> <p>Two-thirds of the coast of Kangaroo Island is protected by four marine parks, meaning you’re going to see sea creatures as easily as you would anywhere on earth. Dolphins, whales, sharks, harlequin fish, western blue devils, crabs, groupers, ospreys, white-bellied sea eagles, white-faced storm petrels—if you can think of an Australian bird or fish, Kangaroo Island probably has it.</p> <p><b>Other numbers?</b></p> <p>You’re likely to also see goannas, eagles, waterfowl (swans and ducks), grassbirds, sea birds (pelicans and gulls), and even the endangered glossy black cockatoo. It’s no wonder Kangaroo Island once boasted its own species of emu.</p> <p>So, there are a few numbers for Kangaroo Island. And if you do the maths properly, you <em><strong>will</strong></em> realize it’s about time for a trip to this wild and special place.</p> 5223Why water levels matter when rafting the Franklinhttps://assets.worldexpeditions.com/Blog/PostId/5246/why-water-levels-matter-when-rafting-the-franklinActivities,Water Adventures,Destinations,Australia, New Zealand &amp; the Pacific,AustraliaTue, 11 Jan 2022 06:26:00 GMT<p>Rafting the Franklin River is rightly one of the top five rafting experiences in the world, but riding its rapids means you'll need to put in the hard work. Fellow adventurer, Roger Davis, shares what to expect and why it was everything he had hoped it would be. <em></em></p> <p>The common question if you've just spent 10 days on the <a href="https://worldexpeditions.com/Australia/Raft-Canoe-Kayak/Franklin-River-Rafting" target="_blank">Franklin rafting</a> is: 'what was it like?'</p> <p>In hindsight, it was an exhilarating adventure with just the right balance between a unique wilderness and outdoor camping experience and an adrenaline-rushing rafting journey that's to be expected from one of the top five rafting experiences in the world. It didn't disappoint.</p> <p>What we didn't appreciate was that the experience very much depends on water level and flow which ultimately are derivatives of the weather. </p> <p>Good weather and the water level tends to be lower than ideal with more portaging and mind-boggling hauling of boats and gear across boulders the size of houses. Bad weather and the water height tend to be higher and closer to that necessary for that ideal adrenaline rushing experience. </p> <p>As they say, it's a matter of balance but with too much water and you can be marooned for days and too little water, well, the journey becomes an exhausting experience. </p> <p>Our weather was perfect with little or no rain, a unique first for southwest Tasmania which meant that we perhaps did a little bit more hauling heaving and portaging than otherwise would be necessary. </p> <p>But the trade-off was clear skies, good swimming in the water, and you can drink straight from the river all day, every day. Plus there are the benefits that come from seeing no one, hearing no one and leaving no footprints. </p> <p>Only about 800 people do the Franklin each year now and I don't think it's an exaggeration to say there's not a scrap of paper, bottle or can to show that civilization has entered the Franklin valley. </p> <p>It's pristine, beautiful even magical with the long fingers of morning mist reaching out across the river in the early morning. </p> <p>Undisturbed like the silent hand of some ghostly apparition reaching out across the valley, it's a mysterious yet beautiful spectre than only amplifies what becomes the perfect isolation experience.</p> <p>But you have to work or should I say paddle to enjoy it with the ever-present commands of "left side", "right side", "back pedal", "forward pedal", "hard" always ringing in your ears as the guides pushed, pulled and paddled us down the river.</p> <p>We saw no one, had no mobile coverage, and observed no wildlife except one platypus and one quoll in 120 kilometres of rafting. </p> <p>But we felt entirely safe on the water and under the stars and dined like kings with the amount of food the guides sport, limited only by the space on the boat. It was a pleasant change from the South Coast Track where weight was the big obstacle and so there were no pan-fried scallops, fillet steaks, chicken Kyiv and other luxuries that were ever-present on the Franklin.</p> <p>So if you want to total isolation, an outdoor adventure, that little extra dash of adrenaline to make you feel younger, to enjoy the company of like-minded friends in some stunning country and aren't afraid of some hard work, then the Franklin is for you and this company is the perfect hosts for the experience.</p> 5246