5 day Great North Walk
5-Day Great North Walk – Pack-Free Guided Adventure for Private Groups by Life’s An Adventure
Embark on an unforgettable journey along the iconic Great North Walk, a remarkable 250 km trail that begins in Sydney and winds its way north towards Newcastle. While the entire walk typically takes around 18 days to complete, our exclusive 5-Day Pack-Free Guided Walk offers you the chance to experience the highlights of this incredible trail in a shorter timeframe, making it perfect for private groups seeking an immersive adventure.
Throughout this five-day journey, you’ll traverse stunning sections of the Great North Walk, beginning with the picturesque Berowra Waters. Here, the trail showcases the natural beauty of the region, featuring high mountain ridges and lush forests of Blue Gum and Eucalypts. As you hike, you’ll be captivated by the tranquil atmosphere of the Hawkesbury towns, where you can immerse yourself in the serenity of the landscape.
Next, you’ll explore the stunning Wondabyne area on the Central Coast, where meandering creeks and cascading waterfalls await. The diverse ecosystems along the trail are home to an array of wildlife, providing opportunities for wildlife spotting and photography. Each step unveils new vistas, from steep river gorges to the beautiful surrounds of the Watagan trail.
As you continue your journey into the Hunter Valley, you’ll be treated to breathtaking views and diverse landscapes that highlight the beauty of this region. The culmination of your adventure will be a celebratory wine tasting in the world-renowned wine region of the Hunter Valley. Here, you can unwind and indulge in the region’s exquisite wines, celebrating your accomplishments on this unforgettable journey.
Our Pack-Free approach ensures you enjoy the experience without the burden of heavy backpacks. You’ll carry only a light day pack with essentials, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty and adventure of the Great North Walk. Our expert guides will accompany you, sharing their extensive knowledge of the area’s natural history and cultural significance, enriching your understanding of this stunning landscape.
Join us for this exceptional 5-Day Great North Walk, where adventure, tranquility, and celebration come together. This guided walk is a perfect blend of exploration and relaxation, creating lasting memories as you experience the iconic beauty of one of New South Wales’ most cherished trails!
A Pack-Free Walk
Walk in comfort with a day pack carrying your water, lunch & camera
Our Pack-free walks are designed to have your luggage transferred while you walk, leaving you free to walk with only a light daypack. This is a big advantage for our guests, in that you will avoid carrying a heavy rucksack on your back every day. With Life’s An Adventure, you will carry as little as your water bottle, camera and lunch!
Waterfront Penthouse
at beautiful Berowra Waters
Situated on the waterfront and surrounded by bushland our accommodation for two nights is at beautiful Berowra Waters Penthouse. Relax on the deck on in the lounge room soaking up stunning views of the boats bobbing on the water outside, in this tranquil location.
Room Configurations:
Room 1: King Bed
Room 2: Queen bed
Room 3: Queen Bed
Room 4: Queen Bed
Room 5: Twin beds
Those wanting a single supplement and their own room will be housed at nearby accommodation. Enquire for details.
Stay beachside
Mantra Hotel Ettalong Beach
During our stay in the Hawkesbury, we spend 1 night at either the fabulous Mantra Hotel situated on the waterfront at Ettalong Beach guests will stay in Pool or Ocean view 1 bedroom Deluxe suites.
Noonaweena Retreat
Set amongst the bush with views of the valley
This superb retreat set amongst the bush with beautiful views over the valley features an outdoor swimming pool and hot spa as well as tennis court. Our guests stay in elegant lodges with modern furnishings. The property features 8 bedrooms and 9 bathrooms.
Gourmet food and wines
Superb seafood & local produce
A seafood feast will be enjoyed two nights at Berowra Waters in a lovely local restaurant overlooking the water. Both dinners will be served with local wines for your enjoyment. Our talented guides will prepare fresh fruit, muesli and a hot breakfast for you. Whilst lunches will be made by a local café for enjoying along the trail Whilst at Noonaweena we enjoy fresh organic and local produce and wines at the lodge. On our last day we enjoy a celebration lunch and wine tasting in the famous Hunter Valley wine region a fantastic way to celebrate the end of our journey.
Special dietary requirements will be catered for.
Personalised Tours
A maxmium group of 10 people
We keep our group sizes small and personalised with a maximum of 10 guests per trip, we find this delivers a more personal service, a great social environment and has less impact on the environment.
Flexible walking
Shorter and longer options available
Don’t feel like walking as far as your walking partner? Don’t worry, with this walk you have the flexibility to choose a shorter walking option if you prefer. Our guides are there to make your journey enjoyable, fun and carefree.
Our CEO Guides
Chief Experience Officers
We refer to our guides as CEOs…. Chief Experience Officers whose aim is to deliver you a world-class walk. We pride ourselves on employing a talented team of passionate CEOs with an enthusiasm for their homeland. They are committed to your safety and have a genuine desire to provide an enriching and memorable walking experience.
21 Tourism Awards of Excellence
including Australia's best Adventure Tourism Company
Life’s an Adventure have won 21 Tourism Awards of Excellence including the Qantas Australian Tourism Award for Australia’s Best Adventure Company. Awards are great, but our biggest accolade which we value even more, is that our happy clients come back and travel with us time and time again.
Genuinely all-inclusive
We provide a genuinely all-inclusive experience. When you travel with us you won’t need to keep putting your hand in your pocket to pay for additional items not included in your tour, such as meals, wine and activities, everything is taken care of.
To find out more click on any of the below links:
Why should you choose us?
Tour Itinerary
Your 5-day walking holiday includes:
- Pack Free walk with your overnight luggage transported every day
- 2 nights accommodation staying in a luxury waterfront penthouse suite
- 1 night accommodation at the Mantra Ettalong Beach
- 1 night accommodation Noonaweena Retreat
- 3 x restaurant dinners at a local hidden gem
- 1 x dinner at the retreat
- 5 x walkers lunches
- 5 x hot and cold breakfasts
- Complimentary pick up from the Sir Stamford Hotel, Sydney CBD. Alternatively, you can meet the group at Hornsby.
- Fresh fruit and trail mix to enjoy during your walk
- Professionally guided – Our guides are locals who are passionate, well trained and enthusiastic with the ability to bring to life a depth of information
HOW TO GET TO YOUR WALK: Whether you live in Sydney or you’re visiting from afar, we have suggested a number of options to make your journey as easy as possible.
PICKUP: complementary pickup at 7.00am from Sir Stamford Hotel, Sydney CBD
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: For those catching public transport, take the train or bus to Hornsby Station and walk to the Bunker Bean Café to meet with your group. Your guides will pick you up at 8.00am
DRIVING: If you choose to drive there is a car park at the Hornsby Station with 370 spaces available. From here you can walk just 5mins to the ‘Bunker Bean Café’ where the guides will pick you up at 8.00am
MEETING TIME HORNSBY: 8:00 am from the Bunker Bean Café, Hornsby
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning: 3-minute transfer to the beginning of the walk. Afternoon: 35-minute transfer from the end of the walk to the accommodation
WALK DETAILS: 16km. Medium to hard grade. 7-8hrs including breaks. Easier option: 9.6km. Medium to hard. 3-4hrs including breaks.
TERRAIN: The walk starts with a couple of short, steep descents and ascents. While the track is well-formed with a firm base, there are some rocky sections and some ladders to negotiate. Fallen trees and other obstacles may be likely but it is the ups and downs that make this track grade Medium to Hard. The cumulative ascent for the day is more than 900m, with the biggest rises at the start as the track becomes more lightly undulating towards the end of the day.
WALK ITINERARY: After meeting your guides and joining the rest of the group at Hornsby you’ll begin your journey along the Great North Track heading into the bush and down steep stone steps through the volcanic Old Mans Valley. You’ll follow the Blue Gum walk through one of Sydney’s rare Blue Gum Forest stands to then cross the Berowra Creek a few times at Fishponds waterhole. After exploring the edge of the valley the walk starts to lead steeply down enjoying more sandstone caves before arriving into Galston Gorge, a perfect spot for a rest and some lunch before following the eastern side of Berowra Creek valley from Galston Gorge to Crosslands. This enjoyable section of track travels through wide tidal creeks in deep valleys where there are many grass trees and more sandstone caves. Finishing today’s walk at Crosslands Reserve where we will be met and transferred to our waterfront accommodation at beautiful Berowra Waters. Enjoy time to relax in our waterfront property before walking to our nearby restaurant for a superb dinner by the water. Enjoy fresh local seafood and produce perfectly matched with regional wines. A wonderful way to finish the day.
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning: 35 minute transfer to the beginning of the walk. Afternoon: 35 minute transfer from the end of the walk back to our accommodation.
WALK DETAILS: 14kms. Medium to hard grade. 8-9hrs with breaks. Easier option: 12.9km. Medium to hard grade. 5-6hrs with breaks.
TERRAIN: Some quite steep and rocky areas with a few ladders. A few easy creek crossings. The track is otherwise well-formed with a firm base.
ITINERARY: After a hearty breakfast at the accommodation you will be transferred back to Crosslands. The trail starts off winding north alongside Berowra Creek passing mangroves, estuaries, sandstone overhangs and stunning lookouts. After passing through Berowra Waters the track meanders through some amazing remote bushland where you’ll experience some creek crossings, crazy rock formations & some steeper terrain, providing you with rewarding views looking back over Berowra Creek. Finishing up in Cowan your guides will drive the group back to the accommodation for some relaxation time in the comfortable penthouse accommodation that overlooks the wonderful Berowra Marina. Tonight enjoy dinner in a local restaurant with magnificent views as we enjoy fresh local produce with wines.
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning: 35-minute transfer to Cowan. Afternoon: 25-minute transfer to Hornsby Station or 50-minutes to Sir Stamford Hotel in Sydney’s CBD
WALK GRADE: 14kms. Medium to Hard grade. 6-7hrs with breaks.
TERRAIN: Two steep and rocky climbs. The track is well-formed with a firm base, there are some uneven sections and the usual, occasional, obstacles such as fallen trees, overhanging branches and spiky and pokey scrub.
ITINERARY: After another enjoyable breakfast at the accommodation your guides will transfer the group back to Cowan to recommence our walk. This stunning section of the Great North Walk has some spectacular scenery ranging from foreshore to ridge top lookouts. Enjoy a steady descent into the picturesque Jerusalem Bay before climbing over a series of ridges into Brooklyn. Marvel at the wonderful diversity of flora throughout today’s walk while you experience numerous water views including a circumnavigation of Brooklyn Dam. Hiking can make you thirsty, so this walk finishing at the iconic pub in Brooklyn overlooking the Hawkesbury River. From here we cruise across the Hawkesbury to Patonga Beach and transfer to our accommodation in the waterfront town of Ettalong Beach. Tonight we spend the night at the superb Mantra Hotel, set right on the beachfront with sweeping views. This evening join the group for a fabulous dinner in a local restaurant featuring regional wines.
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning: 15-minute transfer to Staples Lookout. Afternoon: 45 minute to your accommodation
WALK GRADE: 12.4km. Medium to Hard grade. 5 hrs with breaks. Elevation: 484m.
TERRAIN: Some steep uphill sections. Undulating walk along ridges. Some rock steps.
FLEXIBLE WALKING: Optional 8km walk also available. Medium to Hard grade.
ITINERARY: Enjoy a relaxing breakfast, before we make our way to Staples Lookout. Our walk starts from here, today the trails takes us through the beautiful Brisbane Waters National Park. About 2.7 km into the day we arrive at the bottom of a gully at Kariong Brook Falls. Afterwards, enjoy stunning views as you climb the ridges, pass pretty rocky gullies and cascading falls, and cross the Phil Houghton suspension bridge as you make your way to Mooney Mooney Creek trailhead. At the end of our trail, we will be met by our driver and transferred to your accommodation at Noonaweena Retreat set amongst the bushland with views of the valley. Tonight put your feet up and enjoy a relaxing dinner served with regional wines.
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning: 55-minute transfer to Bimbadeen. Afternoon: 1 hour and 45 minute transfer to Hornsby ( or 2 hour transfer to Sydney CBD).
WALK GRADE: 13.1kms. Moderate grade. 4.5hrs with breaks.
TERRAIN: Compact, firm surface. Some fences to cross. Undulating terrain.
ITINERARY: After breakfast, we transfer to the final section of our walk. Today’s walk forms part of the extended section of the Great North walk as it makes its way into the Hunter Valley Wine region. We meander along the Mount View ridgeline with its sweeping views before descending into the Hunter Valley dry rainforest one of the last remaining of its kind. We make our way into Pokolbin enjoying vistas of rich vineyards along the way. Our walk ends at Tinklers Winery in Pokolbin where we enjoy wine tasting some of the estate. Afterwards, we head to a local winery restaurant for a celebratory lunch. After lunch, we transfer back to Hornsby and the Sydney CBD, the end of a remarkable journey.
Tour Availability
PRIVATE GROUP TOUR ONLY:
This tour is only available for private groups only of 10 or more.
Date of your choice is available for groups of 10 people. Subject to availability.
Please contact us for more details on (02) 9975 4553 or email: walks@lifesanadventure.com.au
