Royal National Park Walk Coast Track
3-Day Royal National Park Walk – Guided Pack Free Walking Tour on the Coast Track by Life’s An Adventure
Discover the hidden gem of Sydney’s Royal National Park on a 3-day guided Pack Free walking tour along the iconic Coast Track. Just a short distance from the city, this award-winning hike offers an unforgettable experience along one of Australia’s most picturesque coastal trails. Spanning 26 km over two days, the walk reveals the breathtaking beauty of the park’s rugged landscapes, dramatic cliffs, and diverse ecosystems. The Coast Track follows the spectacular sandstone cliffs, providing panoramic views of the endless ocean and surrounding bushland. The sheer cliffs, carved by the sea over millennia, offer stunning photo opportunities and a sense of awe as you walk along the edge of this magnificent coastline. The unusual milky-white cliff faces and coastal rock formations add to the trail’s unique character, creating a landscape that is both striking and serene.
Along the way, explore a variety of natural features and habitats, from picturesque freshwater lagoons to the tranquil Palm Jungle rainforest. The lush Palm Jungle, with its towering cabbage tree palms and ferns, offers a cool and shaded contrast to the open coastal sections. The walk also takes you past ancient Aboriginal rock carvings, providing a glimpse into the cultural heritage of the Traditional Owners who have lived in the area for thousands of years. The guided tour is designed for a Pack Free experience, allowing you to enjoy the walk without the burden of carrying heavy packs. With expert guides leading the way, you’ll learn about the park’s unique flora and fauna, including the diverse birdlife and vibrant wildflowers that add colour to the landscape. Whether it’s spotting sea eagles soaring above or capturing the beauty of the coastline, there are countless opportunities for photography and wildlife observation. Accommodation for the tour is carefully selected to provide comfort and relaxation after each day’s walk. Enjoy staying at nearby lodgings that offer a peaceful retreat, allowing you to unwind and recharge for the next day’s adventure. Gourmet meals are included, featuring fresh local produce and providing a taste of Sydney’s culinary delights.
The 3-day Royal National Park Walk by Life’s An Adventure offers a perfect blend of natural beauty, cultural heritage, and comfort. With its stunning scenery, fascinating history, and Pack Free approach, this guided tour provides an exceptional hiking experience just outside Sydney. Join us on the Coast Track and discover why this jewel of the Royal National Park is considered one of Australia’s most beautiful coastal walks.
A Pack Free Experience
Carry as little as your water and lunch
This walk has been designed for those looking for a guided multi-day walking experience with everything done for you so you can focus on enjoying the walk. Our guests won’t be asked to carry their clothes or overnight bags for the entire walk. 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 each day.
Headlands
at Austinmer Beach
We stay 2 nights at the superb Headlands at Austinmer Beach. This accommodation is ideally located on the waterfront offering stunning panoramic views over the ocean. This hotel features a restaurant and bar and is the perfect place to relax after a day’s walk. Guests will stay in Deluxe Studio rooms with king bed or two king single beds with a balcony.
Local produce and wines
included in your tour
During the evening we dine at Headland’s Brasserie, a laidback, casual dining experience offering delicious fresh food, prepared with quality seasonal ingredients. Australian wines are served with dinner. Special dietary requirements can be catered for.
Flexible walking options
Choose your length of walking
We understand that many people come on our walks with partners or friends who have different levels of fitness and abilities. We offer the option of a shorter walk of 10kms on day 1 of this walk. Our second guide will meet you along the track and walk you to our vehicle where we can deliver you early to your accommodation.
Our CEO Guides
Passionate Chief Experience Officers
We call our guides CEOs… Chief Experience Officers and it’s their job to ensure your walking tour lives up to to your expectations. Our guides are known for their passion and their ability to not only make the landscape come to life with their stories but bring the group together to create a warm friendly atmosphere. Our guests have said… “Our guides were extremely professional and helpful. I have not met any outdoor adventure guides that can match up to their standards, please help me thank them on my behalf. I enjoyed my walk thoroughly and would be glad to sign up for another tour by Life’s an Adventure!”
Personalised Tours
A maximum of 12 guests
We keep our group sizes small and personalised with a maximum of 12 guests per trip, we find this delivers a more personal service, a great social environment and has less impact on the environment
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
There’s nothing worse than getting on a tour to find out out you have to keep paying more for extras that aren’t included. With Life’s An Adventure this will never happen our tours have everything included.
In the restaurant you won’t be given a set group menu you can choose from the restaurant’s a la carte menu each night which are accompanied by superb Australian wines.
Your trail mix, fruit, breakfasts, walkers lunches are all included. Relax in the knowledge that everything is taken care of for you.
NEW Flexiwalk Add-On
Cancel for any reason option
FlexiWalk is a new optional Add-On that allows passengers to cancel their tour last minute and not be penalised. Exclusively designed by Life’s An Adventure, this product gives our guests certainty in a time of uncertainty. Click here to find out more details
To find out more click on any of the below links:
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE US?
Tour Itinerary
Your 3-day walking holiday includes:
- Pack-Free Walk – allowing you to only carry your water, lunch and camera each day
- Overnight bag will be transported to the accommodation
- 2 nights accommodation at the superb Headlands Hotel
- Australian wine to enjoy with your evening meal
- 1 x a la carte dinner in the hotel’s restaurant
- 2 x breakfasts
- 2 x packed lunches
- Fresh fruit and trail mix to enjoy during your walk
- National Park Fees
- Professionally Guided – Our guides are passionate, knowledgeable, well trained and enthusiastic with the ability to bring to life a depth of information
Please note we advise drinking in moderation as this is a strenuous walk. If you would like to enjoy any alcohol after dinner you will need to provide this yourself.
Arrival Day
Today is an arrival day. Make your way to Austinmer Beach for tonight’s accommodation at The Headlands Hotel. Tonight is free at leisure. (Dinner at own expense).
Getting there: Driving – you can drive and meet us at the hotel or for those wishing to catch public transport, trains are available from the Sydney CBD to Austinmer. The Station is 3 mins taxi ride from the hotel or a 19 min walk.
Walk Wattamolla to Otford
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning transfer from to start of the trail. Afternoon: 15 minute transfer from the end of the walk to accommodation.
WALK DETAILS: Approximately 16.5kms. 6.5 hours walking with breaks. Medium grade. Easier Option: Watamolla to Garie Beach. 7.6kms. 3.5 hours
TERRAIN: Clear track with a firm base, occasional steps and some short steep ascents and descents.
FLEXIBLE WALKING: For those wanting a shorter walk your support guide can meet you on the track near South Era beach and walk you out to our support vehicle. From here we will transfer you to our accommodation to relax for the remainder of the afternoon.
ITINERARY: Today we transfer to the trail by vehicle. Our walk today takes us from the pretty beach of Wattamolla to Otford close to our accommodation where we will spend the night. From Wattamolla we walk to Curracurrang, there is a rock shelter where evidence has been found of Aboriginal occupation dating back 7500 years. We cross the Curra moors which are beautiful in springtime with wildflowers and honeyeaters. The Royal’s heathlands contain over 500 species of flowering plants. From July to November, many of these wildflowers are in full bloom, and you can walk amidst a riot of colour of hakea and kunzea. We continue to Curracurrong where two creeks drop as waterfalls directly into the ocean and spectacular Eagle Rock juts from the cliffs a massive block of sandstone with a tip shaped like the beak of an eagle. We continue through the Curra Moors until reaching the Garie North Head where the views are one of the finest in the park with vistas south to Port Kembla. Large aboriginal midden can be seen from this site near the beach where harvested shells, bones, and tools have been discarded. We pass the historic shacks of South Era, classified by the National Trust as a historic community. The cabins were built and used during the early 1920s through to the depression years of the 1930s. Out of work men supported their families catching fish, rabbits and growing vegetables. Along the way enjoy a delicious lunch. We head down to Burning Palms, the lovely beach is backed by Cabbage Tree Palms, Lilly Pillys and other rainforest plants. We cross open grassland before entering the rainforest. Enroute to Palm Jungle we travel through an exposed hillside of lomandra. Both the fleshy white base and the flowers of lomandra were food sources for the local Dharawal people. The Palm Jungle is a rare patch of coastal rainforest dominated by Cabbage Tree Palms. The canopy is closed and the track is cool and shaded. Moss and ferns cover the ground and rocks. Bangalay eucalypts emerge from the canopy and large figs are scattered along the steep slopes. We continue to Otford where our vehicle meets us for the short transfer to our accommodation tonight at the superb Headlands hotel at Austinmer Beach. Relax and enjoy a swim at the beach or just simply soak up the stunning views. Tonight we dine in the hotel’s restaurant where you will enjoy an a la carte dinner accompanied with Australian wines.
Watamolla to Bundeena
TRANSFER TIMES: Morning: 24 minute transfer from accommodation to start of the trail. Afternoon: walk into Bundeena
WALK DETAILS: Approximately 12kms. 5 – 5.5 hours walking with breaks. Medium/Difficult grade.
TERRAIN: Clear track with a firm base, occasional steps and some short steep ascents and descents.
ITINERARY: We start our walk beautiful Wattamolla, one of the most popular beaches in the park. Sand across the picturesque inlet at Wattamolla forms a small beach trapping the waters of Wattamolla Creek to form a large lagoon. Known after its aboriginal title, Watta-Mowlee meaning “place near running water”, referring to the waterfall that runs into the lagoon, the name was first recorded by the explorer Mathew Flinders who stopped here on the evening of 29 March 1796 looking for shelter. We make our way along the coast and along the shoreline to just above the rocks to the pleasant cove of Little Marley. Little Marley is an arc of yellow sand backed by grassy flats dominated by she-oaks. We then walk to beautiful Marley Beach. There are few untouched and totally natural beaches left in Sydney, but Marley Beach is one of them. A large freshwater lagoon behind the dunes teems with bird life and is a favourite haunt of deer. From here the track runs close to the cliff edge where great blocks of sandstone have fallen from the cliff face and constant weathering has opened up long, deep cracks in the flat rock. The beautiful colours and patterns in the bare sandstone are caused by iron and other minerals seeping into the white quartz sand. The views from here are stunning. We then head on to Jibbons Head, the relict cliff-top dunes we will explore between Marley Beach and Jibbob were formed during the sea-level rise roughly 10,000 years ago and are the most extensive and best-preserved examples in New South Wales. Once we reach Jibbons Head , we discover on a large flat expanse of sandstone, the Aboriginal inhabitants of this area the Dharawal people engraved a number of subjects into the rock. Some are distinct, but you should be able to make out three large whales or sharks, a stingray, a jellyfish, a male figure with six fingers assumed to be a lawmaker, a wallaby, a shield and a tortoise. (The sandstone is very sensitive to visitor’s walking boots. Please ensure to walk with great care while accessing this site). From Jibbons Head we follow the track through coastal heathland to Bundeena what where our walking journey ends.
FINISH TIME: We finish at approximately 5.00pm depending on the pace of the group.
To find out more click on any of the below links:
Tour Availability
Accommodation is undergoing renovations at present – please enquire for reopening dates or alternative accommodation for private groups.
NOTE: For those booking online and who have travelled with us before, your correct pricing will appear in the booking system after you have entered in your email address. If you have any issues please contact our Reservations Team on (02) 9975 4553 or email: walks@lifesanadventure.com.au
Prices in AUD (Australian Dollars)
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PRIVATE GROUPS:
Departure date of your choice is subjective to availability. A minimum group size of 6 required. Prices are equal to Past Travellers’ discounted rates. Based on twin share – see details about Single Supplement and upgrade extras.
Please contact us for more details on (02) 9975 4553 or email: walks@lifesanadventure.com.au
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SOLO TRAVELLERS & EXTRAS:
SOLO TRAVELLERS WILLING TO SHARE
If you are a solo traveller willing to share a room, we will attempt to match you with another solo traveller of the same gender. If we can’t find you a match of the same gender by around 8 weeks prior to the tour, you will be charged the single supplement cost. Subject to availability at time of booking.
SOLO TRAVELLERS
WANTING THEIR OWN ROOM
For those wanting to guarantee their own room, a single supplement cost will be charged at the time of booking. Subject to availability.
SINGLE SUPPLEMENT: $505
FlexiWalk – Cancel for Any Reason:
Purchase a FlexiWalk Add-On for normal price tickets and cancel 96 hours prior to departure for any reason. Price: $259 per person. See conditions below for full details.
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BOOKING TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Before you book please read our Booking Terms and Conditions. Click here.
SALE TICKET CONDITIONS:
* Super Earlybird, Earlybird and Spot Special Sale Tickets: Must be paid in full at time of booking. Refunds or cancellations are not permitted for Sale Tickets however, transfers to another date are permitted 8 weeks or more prior to departure (a $200 change fee will be incurred). 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. 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. 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.
* 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.
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.
* Payments must be made online via our 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. Click here
* 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 tour with us. Click here.
* FlexiWalk Option – Cancel for any Reason Click here for full conditions on our FlexiWalk Option.
