Meet your guide and the expedition team at Halls Gap for a briefing and gear check before a transfer to the beginning of the GPT at Mount Zero picnic area. The heart rate will rise quickly as we ascend ‘Flat Rock’ and, again when we get to the top and get our first world-class viewpoint – just 10 minutes in! 

We’ll descend and navigate our way through the Stapylton Amphitheatre before skirting our way around and up Mount Stapylton itself. For the foot-sure and brave, there is a short scramble to the summit to gain 360-degree views and a sneak peek of the next day’s walk in the distance.

After a fresh trail lunch, we’ll head southwards along the mostly high ground before descending into a valley and reaching Barigar Hiker Camp. After settling in we can take a short side trip to visit the camp’s namesake Barigar Falls. (L,D)

We’ll begin our day with a hearty breakfast and then depart camp. Our first steps take us along the base of the Rock Wall, an impressive several km long escarpment hidden away in a valley. As the cliff line reduces, we begin to ascend its ridge to cross over into Roses Gap.

As we begin to ascend the lower slopes of Gar (Mount Difficult) we will find and begin to follow a small, unsuspecting watercourse – seasonal and rainfall dependent. Over the next few km, we will witness this watercourse cascading over a series of drops, each one more spectacular than the last.

After we gain the top of the last waterfall, we’ll head towards the ‘Pacific Ocean Wall’, a cliff ‘as big as the pacific ocean’, ascend its flank via a superbly built stone stairway and continue climbing up to Briggs Bluff. With most of the ascent completed, from here we can traverse our way along the high ground before arriving at Gar Hiker Camp and its breathtaking views. (B,L,D)

An early start this morning as we head up to the summit of Gar for a sunrise (weather permitting) like few others. We’ll then return to camp for breakfast, before resuming our trek. 

We will sharply descend the eastern slopes of Gar, cross the northern end of the Werdug (Wartook) Basin and gain the ridge of the eastern flank of the Mount Difficult massif.

Continuing south along this high ground we will eventually reach Werdug Hiker Camp with stunning views overlooking Lake Wartook and a clear line of sight all the way back to the top of Gar where we stood that morning.

We will continue along the eastern flank of Mount Difficult, before we meander down towards the town of Halls Gap.

Before our arrival, we’ll head out to the end of Chautauqua Peak for an incredible view down the valley before finishing our descent into Halls Gap.

We will walk all the way to our accommodation for the night where we can shower and freshen up before enjoying a nice dinner out in the town. (B,L,D)

We’ll farewell the relative comfort of Halls Gap after breakfast, the last time we’ll see a town until we reach Dunkeld in over a weeks time.

Winding our way up the Wonderland Range we will pass iconic sites such as the  Venus Baths, Grand Canyon, Silent Street and the Pinnacle.

After traversing some high ground, we’ll pop over and descend to the saddle between the Wonderland Range and Mount Rosea.

It’s then a gentle climb of Mount Rosea’s northern shoulder to find the stunning Stoney Creek Hiker Camp. (B,L,D)

This morning starts with an exciting climb over some really interesting terrain, passing the Gate of the East Wind we will reach the summit of Mount Rosea at 1009 m above sea level.

The views from here are stunning, providing a wonderful vantage point from which to take in Lake Bellfield, and on clear days, much of the flatlands beyond.

After a long descent into the valley, we leave the Serra Range by crossing the  Grampians Tourist Road and begin our ascent towards Mount William.

Luckily, most of that is saved for tomorrow as it’s only another 1.2 km to Barri Yalug, our first ‘backcountry hiker camp’ – more remote hiker camps with limited shelter.

The next 5 nights of our expedition are in backcountry camps and will be a little more exposed to the elements. It’s a necessary compromise to experience some of the most remote and wild parts of the Gariwerd range. (B,L,D)

A short steep descent out of camp will lead us to cross Barney Creek at 320m above sea level and the ensuing short flat stretch provides a period of brief respite, before the longest continual climb anywhere along the trail.

From Barney Creek is more or less all uphill until Redman Bluff at 1017 m.

It’s a long gradual climb, taking us from rugged bushland, to large open rock areas.

Along the way, we’ll see parts of an old aqueduct system that used to feed water to nearby towns before the construction of Lake Bellfield.

Passing some of the ‘Seven Dials’ (rocky escarpments that gaze down from above) we’ll continue on to finally reach Redman Bluff and take a well-earned rest before descending to a saddle and then a final gentle climb to Duwul Hiker Camp. (B,L,D)

Today we walk one of the most exposed sections of the Grampians Peak Trail with the most amount of time spent at higher elevations.

We’ll start by climbing up to Mt William (the highest peak in all of Gariwerd at 1167m), before heading south and down to Boundary Gap at 878m, which separates Mt William from the Major Mitchell Plateau.

This descent and ascent contain some of the most challenging terrain on the whole GPT.

Once we gain the plateau we will undulate across rocks and steel mesh walkway, passing First Wannon Creek and reaching the highest point on the plateau, Durd Durd, equal in height to Mount William at 1167 m, and  marked by a rock cairn.

We will continue south to Banksia Hill at 1103m, across the banksia ridgeline where the trail hops across large boulders before descending to open grassy woodland, reminiscent of an alpine meadow.

While Durd Durd Hiker Camp is much more sheltered than most of the day’s walk, it still sits at 855m above sea level and along with Duwul Hiker Camp are the 2 highest camps and most likely to receive snow in winter and even spring. (B,L,D)

A new landscape unfolds as we descend from the highest parts of the Mount William Range and continue to traverse southward, down into sheltered woodland valleys.

Passing through previously untracked areas of the lower Mt William range, it offers up some of the most rugged ridgeline rock walking and views of the incredible Serra Range to the west.

This section is fantastic for late winter and spring wildflowers.

Watch for the red “spider flowers” of Flame Grevillia, typically in bloom between April and November.

To the east is the area’s farmland and scattered lakes and wetlands – important habitat to wildlife, including threatened species such as Australia’s largest flying bird, the Brolga.

This ridge walking leads us over the day to Yarram Hiker Camp to rest up for the night. (B,L,D)

The Mount William Range presents its last ups and downs, before we then enjoy a long flat(ish) walk, passing through ancient old-growth forests and lower swampland plains.

Stands of native Oyster Bay Pines (Callitris rhomboidea) are commonplace along the way.

We’re afforded views of farmland to the east and south-east, and the countless swamps, lakes and wetlands as well as the dramatic Serra Range to the west.

Climbing the last little blips of the Mount William Range, we’ll settle into Wannon Hiker Camp for the night in a reclaimed farmland gully. (B,L,D)

Today begins with incredible open grassland and a combination of gentle trail and steel boardwalks, through large areas of Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea Australis), swampy river flats and open heathy forest.

Much of the landscape here feels other worldly, almost Jurrasic.

The thick understory provides important habitat for threatened small mammals such as the Long-nosed Potoroo, Southern Brown Bandicoot and Heath Mouse.

Shortly after passing the Griffin Fireline we will cross back over the Grampians Tourist Road and climb through the incredible forest back onto the Serra Range.

Saddles of old-growth forest, sheer eastern faces and expansive views to the western Victoria Range will bring us to Djardji-djawara, our second last hiker camp on a small rocky knoll. (B,L,D)

From Djardji-djawara we cross Cassidy Gap and begin climbing a short but spicy trail up Signal Peak. With varied terrain from steps to boulders, this climb is not to be underestimated.

Signal Peak is one of the great peaks of the Serra Range that, prior to the construction of the GPT never had a trail leading to the top.

From its summit, we’re provided one of the most spectacular vantage points from which to view Mount Abrupt in the early morning light.

Our journey continues south, dropping down from Signal Peak to a long saddle covered in forest, before gradually climbing, and then more abruptly up the aptly named peak.

The forested areas of exposed ridgelines on the southern Serra Range, provide a great contrast from the vegetation seen early on the trek, a true reflection of the physical (and for some metaphorical) distance we have travelled.

We’ll visit the incredible summit of Mount Abrupt, before descending to Mad-dadjug Hiker Camp, situated on its southern shoulder. (B,L,D)

Our last morning on the trail! After a quick bite and a pot of coffee before dawn, we’re off to carefully make the steep descent from Mt Abrupt, passing a reservoir and then climbing over Bainnggug (the Piccaninny) where we hope to catch the sunrise and breakfast.

When we’re ready to continue, we will cross Victoria Valley Road and begin the final climb of the GPT over Mt Sturgeon (Wurgarri).

Mt Sturgeon towers over our destination (Dunkeld) as well as offering stunning 360 degree views.

The landscape reveals stories of country. Looking northward we can see the sedimentary sandstone of Gariwerd and draw a line with our finger along our path, with at least the last 5 days of our journey visible.

To the south, basalt lava flows over volcanic plains. Volcanoes nearby at Budj Bim National Park and Mt Gambier are only 5000 years old, while the oldest dated Aboriginal rock shelter in Gariwerd is 22,000 years old.

Our journey is complete by a steep descent into the farmland below and wandering through open old-growth Red Gum woodland to reach Dunkeld.

After a celebratory lunch, we will load onto our private transport and transfer back to Halls Gap. (B,L,D)