Lord Howe Island
A Pack Free guided 6-day walk
Located in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand lies the island paradise of Lord Howe Island. The Lord Howe Island Group is made up of 28 islands and islets, with remarkable volcanic geography that has been eroded by the sea over millions of years. As such it is a World Heritage Site of global natural significance. A majority of the island is a virtually untouched forest, rich in flora and fauna and some of the world’s best hiking trails.
Discover this exceptional natural beauty of this island paradise in depth, as our walks showcase the stunning cliff top views, volcanic mountains, lush forests, pristine beaches, and a beautiful 6km coral reef that forms a lagoon teeming with marine life. This island is a bird lovers paradise with over 200 different species recorded on the island and many rare species of flora and fauna found nowhere else on earth.
Pack-Free walk
Lord Howe Island
One of the biggest drawcards of this tour is that our guests won’t be asked to carry their clothes or overnight bags for the entire tour, this is a Pack Free Walk. This is a big advantage for our guests, in that you will avoid carrying an additional 8kg or more on your back. With Life’s An Adventure, you will carry as little as your water bottle, camera, lunch and hat each day!
Arajilla Retreat
Fabulous accommodation in the heart of Lord Howe Island
Spend 5 wonderful nights at this haven of peace and tranquillity on Lord Howe Island. Ideally located on the northern end of the lagoon, the Arajilla Retreat featuring extraordinary views and a warm laid back ambience.
Our guests stay in modern luxurious 2 storey Banyan suites with private outdoor decks, bathrobes and slippers and daily room service as well as evening turndown service. Bed configurations are a king or 2 x single beds.
Note: to reduce single supplement costs for our solo travellers wanting their own room, these guests will have a choice to stay in either a Kentia Suite or Bayan Suite instead.
Fabulous meals featuring local produce
A new menus every day
You’ll be delighted with the meals on this tour. Enjoy sumptuous dinners of modern Australian cuisine prepared by their talented team of chefs with a new innovative menu each evening. Enjoy complimentary pre-dinner drinks and canapes in the lounge each night before a wonderful three-course dinner in the renowned Retreat Restaurant. The team of talented chef ensure a menu that changes daily featuring wonderful local produce such as fresh local fish and organic vegetables are grown on site. Enjoy modern Australian cuisine with a twist. With Life’s An Adventure’s policy of all-inclusive, you will also enjoy Australian wine served with dinner.
Personalised tours
A maximum of 12 guests
Our group sizes are small and intimate with a maximum of 12 people, we find this delivers more personalised service, a great social environment and has less impact on the environment.
Local Island Guide and Life's An Adventure Host
Passionate about Lord Howe Island
Our guide Dean is a local Lord Howe Islander and one of the most experienced guides on the island. He will bring the group together as well as sharing his love of the environment.
A Life’s An Adventure host will also join the group for the duration of the tour.
Explore the coral reef
The Wow Factor
On one of our special days we start our day with a glass-bottom boat cruise. The coral surrounding the island has formed a natural lagoon making it a haven for colourful fish and turtles. On the way, we stop for a snorkel and swim with wetsuits, snorkel and flippers provided. From here our boat arrives at North Beach where we enjoy a hike to Mount Eliza 147m above sea level. Mt Eliza is one of the main nesting sites for the Red-tailed Tropicbird and the Sooty Tern.
Flexible Itinerary
to suit you
We offer our guests a flexible itinerary. Any day you would like to opt-out of walking you can relax around the retreat possibly enjoy the day spa (own expense), explore the island on your own using the complimentary bikes or by foot. Our accommodation is centrally located in the heart of Lord Howe Island and a short stroll to the shops or the beach.
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 clients come back and travel with us time and time again.
Genuinely all-inclusive
This walk is genuinely all-inclusive from pre-dinner cocktails and drinks to a la carte dining accompanied with fine wines. Enjoy a walkers lunches each day, superb accommodation, complimentary bikes to ride around the island, a glass-bottom boat cruise, transfers from Lord Howe Island airport to your accommodation and your local guide.
NO Credit Cards Fees!
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Why Choose Us
Tour Itinerary
Your 6-day walking holiday includes:
- Fully supported walk with no packs to carry
- 5 nights accommodation at the luxurious Arajilla Retreat
- 5 delicious lunches
- Restaurant dinners at the Retreat featuring local produce
- Complimentary wine, beer or cocktails and canapes pre-dinner during happy hour.
- Australian wine with dinner
- 5 x Hot breakfasts in the Retreat Restaurant
- Professionally guided by local 5th generation Lord Howe Island guide
- A Life’s An Adventure host
- Transfers to and from Lord Howe Island Airport
Arrival Day
Flights are available direct from Sydney daily. Be met on arrival by an Arajilla Retreat representative and transferred to your accommodation for the next 5 nights. The remainder of the day is for you to relax, wind down into the pace of ‘island time’ and soak up the atmosphere of this idyllic place. Complimentary bikes are available to explore the island. The Retreat is ideally located close to the shops and museum. Tonight meet at 5.30pm for pre-dinner drinks and canapes and meet others in the group and your host. Afterwards, guests will enjoy a relaxing three-course dinner in the restaurant featuring local produce and wine.
Glass Bottom Boat cruise. Hike to Mt Eliza and Old Gulch walk
After a leisurely breakfast, we head to the stunning Lagoon Beach taking in the beauty that is Lord Howe Island. Here we join our boat to discover the marine life on a glass bottom boat. Out on the water, there is the opportunity to enjoy snorkelling. The coral surrounding the island has formed a natural lagoon making it a haven for colourful fish and turtles. Landing on North Beach we depart our boat and enjoy a hike to Mount Eliza 147m above sea level. Mt Eliza is one of the main nesting sites for the Red-tailed Tropicbird and the Sooty Tern. The view from the top is fantastic. From here we head to Old Gulch a cavity in the cliffs. Relax and take in the waves crashing over the rock platform and the sea birds circling around the cliffs above. Afterwards, we join the boat for the return transfer back to Lagoon Beach, where we take a short stroll back to our Retreat. After relaxing in your room, join the group for refreshments and canapes in the lounge at 5.30pm. Later we enjoy a wonderful three-course dinner served with Australian wine in the restaurant.
Please note: due to changing weather we may adjust the days we do our Glass Bottom boat cruise and Mt Gower hike to ensure we do these on the optimal days.
Boat Harbour, Rocky Run and Muttonbird Point.
After breakfast, we set out on our day’s walk on the eastern side of the island walking along the Coastal Track to Boat Harbour via Mutton Bird Point Lookout and Rocky Run. We follow the coast through pretty lowland forest of Curly Palms, Blackbutts, Grey barks and Hopwoods. We stop by at Muttonbird Point where we will see a large breeding colony of Masked Boobies (birds) from a special viewing platform. We follow the track to Rocky Run Creek to the sea for stunning views before we continue on to Boat Harbour. Boat Harbour is a pretty beach location with rounded volcanic boulders and worn coral. In the corner of the beach, a stream leads up into shallow pools where fresh drinking water can be found. Continue through the beautiful wet rainforest to the end of our walk. Note an option to climb to Goat House Cave can be included today for fit groups instead, however, the whole group would need to do this walk. The track up to Goat House Cave is very steep and a demanding climb. Grade 4. Afterwards, we return to the retreat for dinner and drinks.
Malabar Hill, Kim's Lookout, Old Settlement Beach
After breakfast at the hotel, we head out for the day’s walking adventure on the northern part of the island. Today’s walk will offer spectacular views southwards across the coral reef and lagoon to the cliff faces of the two major peaks. We start our walk at beautiful Ned’s beach heading up to Malabar Hill named after a Malabar Indian who fell to his death over the cliffs. Our walk takes us through a shady sub-tropical forest until we emerge on the top of a 200-metre vertical cliff. From here we can view the entire Lord Howe Island lagoon with its spectacular shades of aqua, and views of two of the most dramatic mountains in Australia. To the north, you will see thousands of seabirds nesting in the cliff caves. We continue on to breathtaking Kim’s Lookout you’ll enjoy wonderful views, to the south over Old Settlement Beach, to the West views of Mt Eliza and the northeast to Admiralty Island. You only need to extend moderate effort to get to these northern viewpoints. Finally, we head to Old Settlement Beach to cool down with a refreshing swim, a great way to finish our walk. Tonight at 5.30pm we enjoy complimentary beer, wine and cocktails from 5.30pm to 6.30pm before enjoying another wonderful 3-course dinner.
Mt Gower
Those not willing to participate in today’s walk can enjoy a day to relax on the island. Use the complimentary bikes to ride around the island. Go snorkelling or indulge in a spa treatment at the Retreat.
For those up to the challenge, we will hike to the summit of Mt Gower, rated as one of Australia’s best day walks. The hike is one of the highlights of Lord Howe Island and although this is a full 8.5 – 9-hour walk, once at the top the view is simply out of this world and worth every step. You’ll feel a huge sense of achievement making it the top where you’ll experience an amazing misty cloud forest wonderland, with everything covered in pretty mosses and stunning views of the crystal clear waters of the lagoon below. At the breeding time during the year, Providence Petrels can be seen in their tens of thousands flying everywhere and dropping through the tree canopy to your guide’s calls. Note some sections of this walk are steep and require the use of anchored ropes for ascents and descents. You will need to be physically fit to do this walk. It is approximately 10 km with an elevation of 875 metres. Grade 5.
Note there is the option to stop at the saddle walking to around 500 metres and wait for the group to return from the summit. The walk up to this point has only a four to five areas where ropes are required. The saddle has amazing views over Mount Lidgbird. Grade Hard. 6kms
Tonight we will all join up to talk about our day’s adventures over pre-dinner drinks and another superb dinner.
Departure Day
On the last day, we enjoy a late breakfast. As there is no walking today, the group is independent. We suggest the group set off after breakfast, take a short walk or bike ride to the Museum to see some of the histories of this amazing place. Afterwards, head to Ned’s Beach where you can hand feed the fish. The group enjoys a celebratory lunch at Ned’s Beach (a cook yourself BBQ – which will be delivered by the hotel to the beach for you). Depending on your flight time, the hotel can pick you up from Ned’s Beach to go directly to the airport or alternatively you can cycle or walk back to the Retreat to meet your afternoon airport transfer there. Join your flight home at the end of an amazing trip.
Tour Availability
We run two departure dates every year, one in May and one in September.
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Email us at walks@lifesanadventure.com.au
PRIVATE GROUPS are not available for this tour.
To find out more click on any of the below links:
Tour Prices
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THIS SEASON’S DEPARTURES FIRST TIME PASSENGERS: TRAVELLED WITH Normal Price requires a $300 deposit only, with final payments due 8 weeks prior. Prices based on twin share in a Bayan Suite. Triple share is also available in an Arajilla Suite for the same price. See details about Single Supplement and upgrades in Xtras. See full ticket conditions below under Discount information. |
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The following extras can be purchased with your tour SOLO TRAVELLERS SOLO TRAVELLERS _____________________ TRAVEL INSURANCE |
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Discount Information:
PAST PASSENGER DISCOUNT: Those who have travelled with Life’s An Adventure previously, receive a past passenger discount of $100. This discount will automatically be deducted from future bookings when you book online using the same email address used for past bookings.
EARLYBIRD & SPOT SPECIAL CANCELLATIONS: Refunds or cancellations are not permitted for Earlybird Deals or Spot Specials, however, transfers to another date are permitted 8 weeks or more prior to departure. We advise taking out travel insurance, in case unexpected circumstances prior to the trip, prevent you from joining this tour. Early bird or Spot Special discounts cannot be used in conjunction with another offer. To receive these special discounts, full payment must be made at the time of initial booking. Flexiwalk Add-On option not available on these tickets.
Travel Insurance
We strongly advise our clients travelling within Australia to take out Travel Insurance. We have partnered with Cover-More to provide travel insurance to our guests. To get a quote or purchase travel insurance directly with them CLICK HERE .
Additional Information
- Prices are per person in Australian dollars and include GST.
- A deposit of $300 per person is required to secure your booking. (unless taking advantage of Earlybird or Spot Specials in which full payment is required at time of booking).
- Note: If you are booking within 90 days of your departure date – we will require full payment at the time of booking
- Prices are based on twin share of rooms. If you are travelling solo you may be required to share with someone of the same gender. If this is not suitable you can request to pay a single supplement, however, limited single rooms are available per trip so are on a request basis.
- No Credit Cards fees.
- Payments must be made online via our NAB (National Australia Bank) secure payment page via credit card (Visa or Mastercard) or over the phone.
- We advise taking our Travel Insurance to cover items such as cancellation of tour due to minimum numbers not met, or adverse weather conditions, injury, evacuation, delayed flights, illness, etc.
Credit for cancelled activities
If a tour activity has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances a credit for this missed activity can be applied to any future bookings. Click here.
Booking Terms and Conditions
Before you book please read our Booking Terms and Conditions. Click here.
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