FAQ

The minimum age for our tours is 10. For walks given the Hard or Severe rating, 16 is generally the minimum with certain exceptions. All children under 16 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.

The peak walking season in Tasmania is  between October and April. All our regularly scheduled tours run during these months. While “winter” weather can come at any time of year (snow is January is not uncommon) the Spring-Autumn season generally has the best chance of good weather. December-February can have hot days, but it rarely gets over 30 degrees, especially in alpine areas.

While we don’t schedule tours outside of these dates, you are welcome to make a custom booking any time of year. Multi-day tours during the off season can be significantly more challenging, and often require a degree of flexibility to pick the best weather. However, this time of year can also be the most rewarding, and seeing the Tasmanian wilderness in snow is a truly special experience.

Individual Duties

There are very few of the usual bushwalking chores required of you on this trip. All cooking, washing up and general camp set up will be done by the guides. All you need to do is:

• Pack your own pack. You will be given a demonstration and ongoing help to master this art.
• Put up your own tent. There will be a demonstration on the first night of camping and the guides will be available for any further assistance.
• Deliver your meal kit to the kitchen.
• Collect personal water. Either from natural water sources or water tanks.

Daily Routine

Most days will start with a wake up at 7AM. On certain days a longer sleep in may be possible depending on the itinerary. Breakfast and hot drinks will be provided, and you will be able to enjoy the morning and begin packing down camp at a leisurely pace. Usually this takes around two hours.

On the track you’ll be able to walk at your own pace and the group is free to spread out (when appropriate). One guide will always be walking at the back and the other guide will be somewhere near the front. Generally, the group will stop every 45 minutes to 1 ½ hours (more frequently on harder terrain) and allow everyone to rest and have a snack. However, feel free to stop whenever you need for a breather, water, photos or just to admire the view. Most days (weather permitting) will have the option of a side trip for those who are willing. Lunch time will vary, but you will generally have an hour or so to enjoy a meal and relax before finishing the day’s walking.

You will arrive at camp some time in the afternoon (this varies considerably, but is rarely later than 4PM) with plenty of time to set up your tent. The afternoon and evening will be yours to spend relaxing, reading, watching wildlife, playing cards or (in some locations) swimming. Dinner will usually be eaten between 6 and 7 and afterwards you are free to retire to your tent whenever you wish.

If we do not have a scheduled walk that suits your requirements, or you would like to know about the options for Wilder Walks, please contact us. While there may be some limitations to the departure dates we can offer, we will do our best to accommodate you.

Please note that many tracks in Tasmania have booking systems that fill up quickly. Making inquires well in advance (at least 6 months) is recommended.

Generally we require a minimum of 5 participants to guarantee that a customised trip will go ahead (for certain Wilder Walks we may be able to run a trip with 4). If your group is smaller than this, the cost per person will be higher.

You are welcome to bring baggage you don’t plan on taking with you on the walk. After fitting you out with gear, any extra baggage will be stored securely at our base and returned to you at the end of the tour.

Wilderness Expeditions will be complying with all government directives regarding the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Subject to any official changes these requirements include:

• The wearing of masks on buses, inside buildings and any circumstances where social distancing is impossible.
• The isolation or removal from a tour of any participant who is develops COVID-19 like symptoms.
• That participants cannot join the tour if they have tested positive, are required to isolate or have any COVID-19 like symptoms (as per our updated refund policy, we will refund the balance payments for participants who cannot join the tour for these reasons)

We provide hand sanitiser for each participant. We have a small supply of facemasks, but strongly recommend that all participants bring their own.

Despite what many guidebooks, salespeople and online “experts” claim, there is no one style of footwear that is best for bushwalking. Whether you choose a light, low cut shoe, a full leather boot or something in between depends on personal preference, experience with that type of footwear as well as the nature and condition of the track. The most important thing is that you have covered plenty of kilometres in them before you commit to an extended walk!

Walking Shoes/Trail Runners

Trail specific shoes with a low cut and a grippy sole are becoming increasingly popular on bushwalks. They are affordable, light, comfortable, breathable and drain water quickly. However they have far less support and protection than boots, and require precise foot placements and good ankle stability. For walks with a Moderate or Hard rating, shoes are only recommended for those who’ve previously used them in rough, muddy terrain while carrying weight. For these walks, trail runners with aggressive lugs on the soles are preferable.

–Pros: light, relatively cheap, comfortable straight out of the box, nimble and precise, breathable, drains water, dries quickly

-Cons: will not last as long as leather boots, no ankle protection, less foot and ankle support, won’t be as effective with traditional gaiters, requires more care with foot placements, possibly more taxing on calves and ankles if unused to them.

-Not suitable: Road running shoes or general purpose sneakers. These will have soles that will be slippery on rocks, roots and mud. They will also be less stable and have less protection compared to trail specific shoes.

Light Boots

These are essentially trail runners with a higher cut and sturdier construction, and represent a reasonable compromise between shoes and boots. They are a good choice for those new to bushwalking who are unsure about which type of footwear is best for them. The uppers are usually synthetic or mixed rather than pure leather, and as a result they are much lighter than full leather boots. They are also usually more flexible and more comfortable out of the box. Often they will have a waterproof-breathable membrane which will keep your feet dry for longer (although in very damp track conditions wet feet are an inevitability).

-Pros: more supportive/protective than trail runners, waterproof membrane, lighter than leather boots, usually cheaper than leather boots, shorter break in period than leather boots

-Cons: compromise between shoes and boots, will wear out as quickly as trail runners

Leather Boots

Boots with a fully leather upper (or synthetic boots with a stiff sole and solid construction) are the traditional option for harder bushwalking. These boots will be much heavier, but incredibly protective, supportive and durable. While they may feel more “clumsy” than lighter shoes and boots, they will better handle the occasional misstep and their high, supportive cut can reduce ankle and calf fatigue on longer days with heavy packs. They often have waterproof membranes in addition to leather uppers which will resist water for a long time (although once they get wet, they won’t dry). Their stiff soles will generally deal with snow and deep mud better than softer shoes/boots. However their long break-in period, weight and lack of flexibility mean that they take some getting used to, and they will likely be overkill on dry, well built tracks with light packs.

-Pros: will last a long time, lots of support and protection, more waterproof, good in mud and snow, warmer in cold conditions

-Cons: heavy, expensive, require a long break in period to be comfortable, more likely to cause blisters/other foot issues, slow to dry, hot, leather requires maintenance

-Not suitable: Steel cap boots or work boots (likely to become extremely uncomfortable on long walks), Elastic sided boots or desert boots (unstable, not grippy), Mountaineering Boots (the rigid soles will make them slow and impractical on most walks, although they may be useful in very snowy conditions).