Wolgan Valley walk
A guided 4-day Pack-Free walk
To the west of the Blue Mountains lies the magnificent Wolgan Valley. One of this region’s best-kept secrets, this amazing area has scenery to rival its neighbouring region of the Blue Mountains but is relatively unknown.
This, of course, is changing, international company Emirates recently invested millions of dollars in an exclusive resort in the valley aware of the drawcard of its stunning beauty. As word spreads this region will see an influx of visitors. Wolgan Valley is a stunning region of dramatic escarpments, beehive pagoda rock formations, rich bushland and ancient Aboriginal rock paintings. It is also home to an extensive flora and a wide array of native wildlife.
On this 4-day guided Wolgan Valley walk you will travel through a tunnel filled with thousands of glow worms, see spectacular views as you descend from the cliff tops into the beautiful Wolgan Valley, explore amazing Donkey Mountain and see the historic town of Newnes.
NOTE: This tour includes an arrival day (including accommodation) and 3 days walking.
Pack Free Walk
No heavy bags to carry
This walk has been designed to be Pack Free so that you can concentrate on the walking and avoid struggling with carrying your clothes and a heavy pack. Each day you will just need to carry your water and lunch leaving you free to enjoy your walk not endure it!
Personalised Tours
Maximum of 12 guests
Our tours are designed for a maximum of 12 walkers, however, if you have a bigger group, please contact us to see if we can accommodate you.
Our CEO Guides
Chief Experience Officers
We call our guides CEOs – Chief Experience Officers and it’s their job to ensure your walking holiday is everything you hoped it would be. Our guides are wonderful at bringing the group together as well as sharing their love of the environment in which you will travel.
The Carrington Hotel, Katoomba
1 night
The historic Carrington Hotel in the heart of Katoomba is a local landmark. The elegant hotel has a character of a bygone era. You will be staying in a Colonial Room (king or twin).
Historic Newnes Cabins
2 nights in rustic and remote accommdation
During the tour, we spend 2 nights at the charming handcrafted Newnes Cabins. Set amongst the wilderness of Wollemi National Park with its canyons and sandstone cliffs, and close to the old ruins of the former shale oil mining town, this is a place you can escape from the rest of the world and technology.
Our guests will share two cabins. The cabins have a living area, bathrooms and a large kitchen. Room configurations are:
Cabin 1
Bedroom 1: Queen Bed
Bedroom 2: Queen Bed
Bedroom 3: Queen Bed
(Please note twin beds are situated in the living area however we won’t allocate guests to these beds unless requested as a group).
Cabin 2
Bedroom 1: Queen Bed
(Please note twin beds are situated in the living area however we wont allocate guests to these beds unless requested as a group).
1 BEDROOM UPGRADE
Singles can guarantee their own cabin by paying a surcharge. Only 2 cabins are available for upgrades please check for availability.
Please note: accommodation style and standards do vary across our range of Australian tours based on the remoteness of each area. However, we always choose the best accommodation available, which is close to the trail. This is an extremely remote area and no 3-5-star hotels exist, however, the accommodation we have chosen is clean and comfortable.
Wonderful meals featuring local produce
and local wines included
In the evenings our guides will cook up a delicious meal for you to enjoy featuring local produce. All dinners include fine regional wine to enjoy with your meal.
Genuinely all-inclusive
Our walks are a genuinely all-inclusive experience, when you pay for your walk there is nothing more to pay for on tour. From transfers, to guides, accommodation, meals and even wine with dinner everything has been thought of.
NO Credit Cards Fees!
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.
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
Sydney Weekender
Watch a video on 2 days highlighting sections of this walk
To find out more click on any of the below links:
WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE US?
Tour Itinerary
- Pack Free walk with your overnight luggage transported to the campsite
- 1 night in Katoomba at The Carrington Hotel
- 2 nights in the Newnes cabins in Wollemi National Park
- 2 x delicious dinner featuring local produce
- 3 x breakfast
- 3 lunches
- Fresh fruit and trail mix to enjoy during your walk
- Fine wine and non-alcoholic drinks served with dinner.
Please note: we advise drinking in moderation as walking can be strenuous. If you would like to enjoy alcohol after dinner you will need to provide your own. - Professionally guided – Our guides are locals who are passionate, well trained and enthusiastic with the ability to bring to life a depth of information
- Return transfers from the start and end of the walk to Katoomba
- National Parks Fees
Due to the limited access to Wolgan Valley, our September 2023 – April 2024 departures will have a revised itinerary. Please click the link below to view the revised itinerary:
Today is an arrival day. Make your own way to the historic Carrington Hotel in the heart of Katoomba for one night in a Colonial Room (king or twin). This landmark, art deco manor is in the heart of Katoomba with shops, cafes and restaurants at your doorstep. Tonight enjoy a free evening to explore one of the many restaurants in Katoomba, alternatively dine in the hotel’s restaurant. (own expense)
TRAIL DETAILS: Walk trail details: Walk: Approximately 11.5kms. 5 hours walking with breaks. Medium grade.
TERRAIN: Can be a bit wet and slippery, rocky and uneven on one short section of the walk but otherwise a well-formed natural trail and old railway cutting. Relatively flat, but a steady to steep descent towards the end.
WALK ITINERARY: After a hearty breakfast meet your guides in the foyer of The Carrington Hotel, Katoomba at 9.00am, for our transfer to the start of the walk. We arrive at Wollemi National Park, driving through a series of rock tunnels which seemingly transport us into another world. Our guide explains the route ahead before we set out through a landscape of tall eucalypt forest with Blue Mountains Ash, spectacular pagoda rock formations, vibrant ferns, canyons and streams.
We arrive at the entrance to a cave-like tunnel, from here we walk under the mountain range, taking a fascinating short cut to the Wolgan Valley and the beautiful Gardens of Stone National Park. We descend into the darkness with our trusty torch in hand, stopping halfway to turn off our torches and be amazed by the thousands of Glow Worms which transform the tunnel into a starry night. Though natural looking from its exterior appearance, this tunnel is actually a disused railway line, which once descended into the Newnes valley, transporting oil shale.
We emerge on the far side of the tunnel greeted by a grove of tree ferns and sheer vertical cliffs towering over 600 feet high. We explore beautiful Bells Grotto surrounded by a stunning tree fern forest. Continuing on we admire the sandstone cliffs cut high on either side of the gully and we begin to see glimpses of the dramatic scenery of the Wolgan Valley and river below.
We follow the track along pretty Wolgan Valley creek admiring the rock pools along the way down into the historic Newnes region where we spend the night. Enjoy accommodation in the cabin set amongst bushland in the valley. Cabins have a lounge, dining rooms and large verandahs for taking in the beautiful mountain and bus views. Tonight sit back and relax and talk about the day’s adventures as your guides prepare a delicious dinner featuring local produce.
TRAIL NOTES: Walk: Approximately 8kms. 4 hours walking with breaks. Walk: Medium grade.
TERRAIN: The first section of the track climbs steadily, gaining 120m in elevation. A second climb is much steeper, rising 200m in elevation. There is a short scramble at one point up a rock slab. You then return the same way, descending steeply. The track is mostly well-formed natural trail with a compact surface but some rocks to watch out for.
WALK ITINERARY: Today, after a hearty breakfast, we take the historic Pipeline Track to the top of Pipeline Pass, where a lookout on the towering cliffs provides a majestic view over the wild Wolgan Valley and a great place for a well-deserved morning tea break. The steep and rugged track follows the route of an old oil pipeline that once ran between the shale mining communities of Glen Davis in the Capertee Valley and Newnes in the Wolgan Valley. Remnants of the pipeline can still be seen along the way. The first few kilometres of the walk meander beside the beautiful Wolgan River past some of the other industrial ruins of Newnes, but the final kilometre to the lookout climbs more than 300 metres from the valley floor to the top of the sandstone escarpment. On the way up and down this very steep section of track, it is at times necessary to scramble with hands and feet. We return in time for lunch back in Newnes. In the afternoon choose from the Philosophers walk which takes us along the base of Old Baldy cliffs, exploring landscapes of orchids and mossy rock sculptures. Alternatively travel to Maiyingu Marragu (Blackfellows Hands) known as an important indigenous meeting place for the Wiradjuri people. The location has significant rock art and shelters. Afterwards we return to the cabins for a relaxing dinner with wine.
ARRIVAL TIME: We arrive back into Katoomba at 4.30pm.
TRAIL DETAILS: Walk: Approximately 13kms. 5 hours walking with breaks. 250m ascent
TERRAIN: Narrow canyon to pass through at times. Rope ladders will need to be climbed some rock walls. Some steep inclines.
FLEXIBLE ITINERARY: Optional 3km shorter walk also available
MAIN WALK ITINERARY: Enjoy breakfast before we transfer to the start of our walk. Today we walk through pretty Deep Pass Canyon, this relatively unknown canyon abounds with lovely rockpools and waterfall and lush vegetation. Afterwards we return to Katoomba finishing at approximately 4:00pm
To find out more click on any of the below links:
Tour Availability
We run a few departures every year. We will also consider opening up a new departure date if we have enough demand. Email us at walks@lifesanadventure.com.au
PRIVATE GROUPS:
Date of your choice is available for groups of 8 people or more. Subject to availability.
Please contact us for more details on (02) 9975 4553 or email: groups@lifesanadventure.com.au
Tour Prices
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Spot Special Prices
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SEPTEMBER 2024 – APRIL 2024 Normal Price…. $2299 FIRST TIME PASSENGERS: TRAVELLED WITH Spot Special prices available on specific departures when you book and pay in full at time of booking. Offer ends until sold out – limited spots available! See departure dates tab for specific dates. Normal Price requires $300 deposit only, with final payments due 8 weeks prior. Past passengers $100 extra saving also available on normal priced fares. Based on twin share – see details about Single Supplement and upgrade extras. See full ticket conditions below under Discount information. |
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Solo Travellers &
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The following extras can be purchased with your tour FLEXI-WALK ADD-ON SOLO TRAVELLERS SOLO TRAVELLERS Enquire for price. _____________________ TRAVEL INSURANCE |
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Private Group Prices
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Departure of your choice |
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PRIVATE GROUPS Departure date of your choice PRICES Departure date of your choice is subjective to availability. A minimum group size of 10 required. Prices are equal to Past Travellers’ discounted rates. Additional Past Traveller’s’ discount not available for groups. Based on twin share – see details about Single Supplement and upgrade extras. |
FlexiWalk Option – Cancel for any Reason
Click here for full conditions on our FlexiWalk Option
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.
Booking Terms and Conditions
Before you book please read our Booking Terms and Conditions. Click here.
To find out more click on any of the below links:
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