GRAMPIANS PEAKS LUXE WEEKEND
4 Days 2450 ex Halls Gap
Accommodation
3 Nights Luxe Eco-Lodge
Transportation
All on foot
Included Meals
3 Breakfasts
3 Lunches
3 Dinners
Trip Grade
Category 3
High Heart Rate Holiday
Charity
We Are Still On The Look Out
Red wine swirls in my glass. I can smell the scent of garlic and rosemary and paprika from the oven. Oozing cheese, green grapes, salami and prosciutto adorn a plater before me. I ease back into the sofa, hearing friends laugh and boast and reminisce.
It is then I can feel different parts of my body, the genesis of a small ache in the buttocks, or the calf, maybe a blister is forming on my small toe. I smile, content, satisfied. It is at that moment I realise I am reconciling two of life’s great pleasures; great food and pure nature.
I am back at our luxe home, in the heart of the Grampians, immersed in nature and yet comforted by life’s little pleasures, a comfortable bed, hot showers, a large sofa, a fireplace, and copious amounts of delicious well-prepared food (oh and a drop of wine perhaps).
The day was spent hiking along a rugged ridgeline, past small waterfalls, and through an ancient landscape that swells up like a petrified wave, frozen in time. At times my heart pounded and my brow beaded with sweat, but mostly it was a wander with friends, laughing and at times philosophising. And before I knew it, the sun began to drop, and we were whisked back to our home base for the night.
Mt Zero was named such by early explorers who recorded a zero degree recording on the mountain as they passed through the area. Not very imaginative but the name stuck.
The food was fabulous and was even spoilt with wine. Overall a fabulous experience with great company a great guide and little for us to do except walking and enjoy the scenery. The Grampians are beautiful!
Cherie – Australia
Our Grampians Luxe Weekend will explore the northern section of the ancient Grampians National Park, hiking through pristine and breathtaking landscapes, understanding how this incredible geology was formed, and gaining an appreciation of what it still means to First Nations people.
Our guide will explain the terrain you hike through, how it was formed and what it means to the traditional owners of the land. At the end of each day, we return to a luxe off-the-grid home for the night, where we will tuck into some incredible food before resting our heads in beautifully comfortable beds for the night.
Does getting out into nature always mean you have to rough it? The answer is an unequivocal “No”.
The Journey
We will all arrive at our Luxe Eco-Lodge anytime after 3pm.
An afternoon Aperitif and some nibbles will accompany our briefing which will explain what we will be doing over the next few days.
Afterwards we will all sit down for our first group dinner together. (D)
After a delicious and nutritious breakfast, we will take a short transfer to the northernmost section of the Grampians Peaks Trail end of the Grampians Peaks Trail at Mt Zero. From there we head of, straight up to the Stapylton Amphitheatre. Giant walls of rock (the tallest and steepest climbing rocks in Victoria) surround us. From the amphitheatre we will scamble up to Mount Stapylton. It’s quite a scramble with some exposure to heights, so this side trip may not be for everyone. On return, we’ll continue southward on the GPT until we turn off to Staypleton campground where we will be met by our bus for a late lunch at Grampians Olive Co. We will then visit Ngamadjidj rock art shelter, enjoy a tasting at Staypleton Wines and then head back to the eco-lodge to relax before dinner. 12.5 km with 450 m up and 490 m down. (B,L,D)
A 5-minute shuttle brings us back onto the Grampians Peaks Trail to start our day’s walk. The dramatic scenery continues as we’re dwarfed again by giant sheer cliffs and explore newly rediscovered seasonal waterfalls. The high point of today’s walk is an optional side trip up to Briggs Bluff – offering an epic 360-degree view of the Northern Grampians and the Wimmera Plains. We’ll then backtrack slightly before turning off to Beehive Falls and then walk back into the front of the eco-lodge. 16km with 600 m up and 600 m down. (B,L,D)
Our last day together. We’ll take a short drive to visit an indigenous art site and continue our discussions on the cultural landscape we have been walking through, then take one last hike up Hollow Mountain for a view back over our first day’s walk. We will then transfer back to our eco-lodge for a final debrief over lunch and departure around 1 pm (B,L)
A Few Important Notes
Single Rooms: We can cater for people who want a room to themselves, depending on availability. The cost for a single room is $670.
Private Expeditions: If our dates don’t suit and you have a group of 6 or more we can run this expedition on any date you wish.
Best time to travel? From mid-October to mid-May, however we suggest avoiding the Christmas School Holidays so Christmas until mid-February can be hot and busy.
Includes
- Three days guided treks with an experienced guide
- Transfers to and from the trailhead
- Safety equipment including a First Aid Kit and Satellite Phone
- Maximum 10 hikers but usually less
- Three nights Luxe Eco-Lodge
- Meals outlined in the Itinerary (B=Breakfast, L=Lunch, D=Dinner)
Excludes
- Transport to and from the Grampians
I love the Grampians so much I moved to Halls Gap so I could explore this incredible landscape every day. If you love walking in nature, hiking to a summit to get an amazing view of an amazing ancient land, then you are going to love this trek. No need to worry about packing tents and food, we take care of everything so you can enjoy a great getaway in the Australian bush. By the way, I’m the one with the beard in the photo.
Adrian Manikas
Guide
Accommodation on our Luxe Eco-Lodge Journey
Each day we will return to our beautiful eco-lodge for dinner and to overnight. But what are the facilities like.
We have 5 bedrooms. Each room can have a large King bed or two large singles depending on who you are sharing with. The beds are very comfortable and each has fresh, crispy sheets, doonas and extra blankets just in case it gets cold.
There are two large bathrooms with showers and toilet facilities. These are very well-appointed.
There is a very large kitchen overlooking the dining area and then a large lounge area with an open fireplace leading to an open deck out the back.
The home is very comfortable. It is off the grid, so it is largely powered by the sun. If we run low on battery power, a generator will kick in (don’t worry it is well-housed and is very quiet from the outside).
Getting to Halls Gap
Halls Gap is about 3 hours drive west of Melbourne. There is a small grocery and bottle shop as well as an excellent Indian restaurant, a couple of ice cream shops and several places for a good coffee.
One of our passions is food so we think you will love our camp menu.
No matter where you are in the world and what you are doing, if you have an empty stomach, you simply cannot enjoy yourself. And we believe that great food helps make a great trip.
So we have developed a great menu for your journey including wraps made fresh in Halls Gap, cured meats, olives, and cheeses all sourced in and around the area, and maybe a drop or two of local wine just to help us wash it all down.
Breakfast is exceptional and dinners have been inspired by our global journeys.
You will be walking all day, so your mind and body need delicious homemade food to reenergise you for the next day. We are sure you will love our food.
PS If you have any dietary requirements just let us know we can provide what you need.
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