The latest from Cradle Mountain Huts and Bay of Fires Walk

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 13 Jan 2012

2012-02-16T00:00:00Z

“The Walk” was our first foray into serious trekking.

We were very fortunate to have as guides the irrepressible Patrick and Will and to share with them and our wonderful fellow travelers great weather, unforgettable scenery and the challenge of being part of one of Australia’s great wilderness adventures.

Every aspect of the 6 days holds something special. There were times when the scenery stopped all of us in our tracks and the numerous photos that attempted to capture the moment unsurprisingly just couldn’t do it justice …….. and perhaps that is one more reason for us to return !!

Patrick and his brother Will provided insights into almost every aspect that we came across. Their thoughtfulness, great humour and attention to the varying capacities and needs of each traveller was genuine, gracious and much appreciated.

By providing such comfortable accommodation in wonderful settings, by taking care of meals and the many organisational elements, the guided walk freed us from any worry about such things and allowed us to just enjoy the experience to its fullest.

As if the walk built to a memorable climax, we are left with a still undiminished mental picture of a laughter filled final night, great food, great company watching members of our party entertaining us with a program of exotic interpretive dance, two even seeking to recreate the evolution of the hybrid tree.

That memory will hopefully be the only one that fades over time.

Thanks Patrick and Will, thanks to Cradle Mountain Huts and thanks to our fellow travelers.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 30 Jan 2012

2012-02-14T00:00:00Z

I was one of an intrepid group of 10 walkers and 3 guides who set off into the Tasmanian wilderness on January 30. I'd brought the awful weather with me for the first day, but that is all part of the experience, and each succeeding day dawned better than the last. This was my very first long distance hike, and although I'd been training for many months and had read about the track, it really was a journey into the unknown for me. What I got was an incredible 6 days - wonderful sights, great views, great company, and good food and wine every day. Of course, some parts of the track are quite challenging, but that’s also part of the experience, and I look back on the walk with a great sense of achievement. I would have liked to have done the optional Mt Ossa climb (it was my birthday, after all), but I decided that will have to wait for another day – it was a bridge too far on this occasion. Six of our walkers did make the effort, and all were successful. The huts were excellent, and not at all what you would expect to find in such a remote location – a very welcome sight after a day of hiking. Our guides Gretel, Kinara and Shelly were an inspiration. They were always enthusiastic and obviously love their work – who wouldn’t with a workplace like that? Their knowledge of the landscape and environment, and their attention to detail, was excellent. And of course there was the wonderful food they prepared - even freshly baked bread. Thank you so much for allowing me to experience this World Heritage area. And I will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later - I have unfinished business with Mt Ossa.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 20 Jan 2012

2012-02-09T00:00:00Z

I had heard from others that the walk was an enjoyable one and I went expecting a nice six day walk but did not place higher expectations on it than that. The whole thing far exceeded my expectations... The company of the 3 other couples was most enjoyable and the guides were especially wonderful. Grant and Anna were enthusiastic and had a true passion for the environment, they had excellent knowledge and were genuine in their enjoyment of the group of people they had under their 'care'. These two people were pivotal to making the whole thing loads of fun. Of course I found the walk to be incredibly well organised and 6 consecutive days of brilliant sunshine was also very easy to take!
I brought my travel tales and treasured memories back to rainy, gloomy Queensland!!!
Many thanks to you all especially to Grant and Anna.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 23 Jan 2012

2012-02-06T00:00:00Z

What an amazing experience it was to walk through such pristine wilderness in 6 days of sunshine. The guides Emily, rob and trainee Jo were highly professional and a wealth of information regarding the local flora and fauna, and historical matters. The cabins were terrific and the food amazing,I loved not cooking for the week!.Most of all it was such incredible scenery and a joy to walk through with such a nice group of people. It was a challenging walk but I cant wait to do it again!!.It was that good!!

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 15 Jan 2012

2012-01-30T00:00:00Z

The magnificent varied scenery was illuminated by the knowledgeable commentary from our wonderful guides, Emily and Lachie, whose fun filled enthusiasm abounded, from encouraging us to sample alpine lake swimming each day, to creating delicious and varied food, to sharing their considerable skills with the guitar in the evening!
We cannot rave enough about the attention to detail evident from all staff involved in creating a superb holiday in this amazing landscape. Many thanks, Bruna & Simon Evans

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 06 Jan 2012

2012-01-28T00:00:00Z

Great group of people to walk with.
Scenery stunning.
Guides Anna and Ben "first rate!"
Highly recommend.
Have walked/tramped extensively in NZ and OZ.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 09 Jan 2012

2012-01-23T00:00:00Z

It was an awesome experience. I’d like to take a moment to share my feedback on the high standard of service offered by Andy, our guide. In short, he was fantastic.
Throughout the entire trip he demonstrated care, concern, humour, enthusiasm, deep knowledge of the mountain/the track, safety, timeliness/efficiency & thoughtfulness. Often, he went above and beyond any job description and helped make the trip a memorable and enjoyable.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 10 Dec 2011

2012-01-19T00:00:00Z

Kim and Emily collected their multicultural charges and put out feet upon the Cradle Mountain track. Their patience, professionalism, knowledge and sense of fun ensured our experience was thoroughly satisfying and informative.

The whole operation from the guides, the accommodation, the food and wine, the wonderful hot showers, toasty drying room and cosy beds was amazing and I encourage any fit, adventurous person of any age to have a go.

I was amazed at the floral diversity but diappointed not to see the wombats that had left all those enticing little square pillows to tease me.

Thanks Cradle Huts, especially Emily and Kim

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 12 Jan 2012

2012-01-19T00:00:00Z

to all at cradle huts we had a fantastic time. The guides Anna and Sam were incredible, there knowledge and enthusiasm for the job was there for all to see. My wife had a couple of issues with blisters and soreness of joints and Anna's patience and experience came to the fore to make the trip fantastic. We walked with a great bunch of people we know call friends and would recommend the experience to anyone. Thank you Cradle Huts. Brett and Bronwyn Thomas

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 28 Nov 2011

2011-12-30T00:00:00Z

Saying I enjoyed the Overland Track would be an understatement. I had an absolutely amazing experience. I will never forget it. It was perfect from the food, accommodation, education from the guides.....who could ask for more. Your company has done a great job.
I would really like to commend our guides Grant and Harley who made the experience so memorable. They went the extra mile when it came to providing us with a magical walk in the Tasmanian wilderness. They were respectful, fun, knowledgeable and coNsiderate. I was very unwell one day. Harley was very supportive and caring. I will never forget his kindness.

Great job. I will certainly recommend Cradle Mountain Huts Walk to friends and family.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 23 Nov 2011

2011-12-09T00:00:00Z

We were blessed with 5 good days so we had incredible views of the mountain vista and the visit to the waterfalls was breathtaking! Could not fault Cradle Mountain Huts... the operation runs extremely smoothly, huts are very comfortable, food and wine is good and our two guides Linton and Anna were exemplary, with their cheerful natures, their person handling skills, their thorough botanical knowledge and their culinary skills.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 01 Nov 2011

2011-12-05T00:00:00Z

What a wonderful experience it was to do the Overland Track with Cradle Huts. We did the walk 1st-6th November with Rob, Lachy and Lisa as our guides.

The walk itself was fantastic with the magnificent scenery and also the experience of being out in the wilderness with such a small number of people-it was all ours to enjoy. The meals were fabulous and we really appreciated the afternoon tea when we arrived at the hut after the days walk. The leadership and knowledge of our guides enhanced the whole experience. They were attune to our needs, compassionate in times of difficulty, had a fantastic sense of humour and were excellent chefs and hosts. Their knowledge of flora, fauna and geology were excellent.

Lisa, as a first time leader, was great as well, doing her share of the very hard work as a leader and joining in with all the fun we had.

We will be recommending Cradle Huts to anyone who is contemplating walking the Overland Track as a fantastic way to do it.
Thank you again for such a special experience.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 23 Nov 2011

2011-12-05T00:00:00Z

A wonderful wonderful experience. Our two guides Linton and Anna W. were exceptional, their knowledge of fauna and flora, first aid requirements, cooking skills and their humour was outstanding. The huts were first class and very comfortable. The food was good and the wine even better!! The weather was very kind to us, only one day of rain which made it impossible to climb Mt Ossa. Our last night in the huts proved to be hilarious, what a great way to finish off a first class walk. Thank you one and all.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 03 Oct 2011

2011-10-19T00:00:00Z

We have recently returned from our Cradle Mountain Huts walk. We set off on Monday 3 October with Rob, Sam, and Bec as guides and had a fantastic time. We wanted to commend our guides for their efforts on our behalf. Nothing was too much trouble and their combined efforts and talents made the walk a special time for all. We are looking forward to doing the Bay of Fires walk sometime in the future as our Cradle Huts walk was such a great experience.
Thank you to all and especially our guides.

Terre Sauvage - Tasmanie L'Overland Track

2011-10-07T00:00:00Z

Tasmanie L'Overland Track, un bijo ecologique

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 15 Mar 2011

2011-07-06T00:00:00Z

I had the great experience of completing the six day walk with a group of fellow West Australians in March this year. We brought perfect weather with us and our guides Tonia and Sam were absolutely outstanding. To see you win Gourmet Traveller's "Best Adventure Tourism Award" does not surprise me at all as our treck was truly one of life's great experiences. Organisation, facilities, care, outstanding. Congratulations! I meant to make one small suggestion when we completed our walk, but forgot to do so. Your "what to carry list" was excellent however perhaps you could consider adding four handkerchiefs to the list. It would save people bringing tissues which must be disposed of as rubbish , they could be easily washed and dried after use, and could also be used in a medical emergency situation. Just a thought! We have had no trouble recommending you to our friends several of whom have you on their list.

It was interesting when we all went out to dinner in Launceston on the evening that we finished the walk. Someone said "can anyone find a fault or criticise anything about the whole six days". Silence ensued. We could not find a single fault.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 13 Apr 2011

2011-05-23T00:00:00Z

Dear Ros and all Cradle Hut staff: I chose our hike in the Cradle Mountains to celebrate my 75th birthday. After a lifetime of climbing and hiking, it seemed appropriate to be on the trail on my birthday. What a great choice! My husband and I were greatly impressed with the organization and attention to every detail of our trip. You are all wizards at making us feel welcome and appreciated. The greatest thanks go to our two guides, Tonia and Emily. They are amazing young women and I treasure the time we had with them over those six days. I knew my 75th birthday would be special, but little did I know that they would organize a costume party, a huge chocolate cake, and a very impressive birthday card on our last night as their way of saying Happy Birthday. Our Cradle Hut trek experience will be impossible to beat. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 17 Apr 2011

2011-05-20T00:00:00Z

A wonderful trek. Initial apprehension about the famous Tassie weather evaporated into glorious sunshine, magnificent views, great company and delicious meals. Highlights would have been the summits of Cradle & Ossa, plus all the fantastic side trips conjured up by Hannah and John. Best guides!! The weather on the last two days turned typically Tasmanian, however this only provided the contrast, so that we could experience all the wonders of the Park. Thank you to Christophe (the other trekker) and our guides, Hannah and John. You all helped make a remarkable journey.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 24 Apr 2011

2011-05-10T00:00:00Z

We had a great walk, perfect weather for my photography and topped off by two really excellent guides; James and Polly.

Each of our party felt a sense of real achievement in completing the journey. This was Jill's and my third time and it was just as interesting as the first, sixteen years ago.

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 07 Apr 2011

2011-05-07T00:00:00Z

Hiking the 'Overland' proved to be as close to heaven as you can expect to experience. As beautiful as the NZ Fiordland hikes are, it is clear that the miracles displayed in Tasmanias high country outshine all contenders. Thanks to our guides Mim, Kate and Alex's passion for witnessing and appreciating the ever changing mountainous environment we were taken on a journey that excited all our senses. The freezing cold swim in Crater Lake, the vision splendour of Cradle Mountain with Barn Bluff bursting into clouds of fire in the evening sky. Waterfalls fed by heavy overnight rain and the struggle through waste deep mud before climbing Mt Oakleigh were a precursor to the joy of seeing the vivid spectrum of colour painted to form a double rainbow across the darkened valley below Mt Ossa. Laughter accompanied us all the way as we hugged Tassy Oaks, savoured the aromas of sweet smelling native plants and got high on the the blue, yellow, red and orange mushrooms lining the sides of the track. The comfort of a hot shower and knowing your clothes would be dry in the morning were only surpassed by experiencing the guides hospitality as they served up the tasty evening meals accompanied with beverages fit for royalty. Thankyou Cradle Huts for restricting the damaging footprint we hikers make on the track and it therfore begs the question, when can this 64 year old return to the 'Overland'?

A Tale from... Cradle Mountain Huts 6 day walk - 11 Apr 2011

2011-05-01T00:00:00Z

We set out with our two friends and six soon to be friends along with our amiable guides, Alan and Polly on a six day adventure.There was a cold wind blowing at Ronny Creek carpark but the climb to Marion's Lookout soon warmed us up. On the way to Waterfall Valley there were stunning displays of Fagus in Autumn colors. Fortunately the weather held out and we were all able to complete the climb to the summit of Mt Ossa. The clouds parted briefly so we were able to see the three peaks of Barn Bluff, Cradle Mountain and Mt Oakleigh.We had glorious sunshine for the last two days and the final walk across the buttongrass plains afforded us spectacular views of the ranges surrounding Lake St Clair.

The Morning Bulletin, December 2010

2011-01-05T00:00:00Z

It’s rough going but worth trekking the Overland Track

Senior Magazine, September 2010

2010-10-14T00:00:00Z

‘Roughing it’ will never be the same.

Senior Magazine, September 2010 PDF File – 58.8 KB

Mind Food - September 2010

2010-10-14T00:00:00Z

Into The Wild

Reawaken your sense of wonder, rekindle your adventurous spirit and enjoy the restorative power of sweet solitude on Tasmania's famed Overland Track.

All set for the Tasmanian walking season

2010-10-11T00:00:00Z

The 2010-2011 walking season for the 6-day Cradle Mountain Huts and 4-day Bay of Fires Walk started on Friday 1st October. Both walks will run daily departures through to 1st May 2011. Read the first-hand account of what it takes to get ready for a new season on the Overland Track from our operations manager Melody Wisse.

“We recently spent a couple of days helicoptering supplies up into the huts at Cradle, a great wintertime activity in the mountains... at least after we had dug the snow out from around the hut doors!

After all the supplies were safely in the hut, the helicopter flew off, leaving a crew of four of us in the park to set up the huts ready for the new season.

It takes two to three days per hut to scrub out all the storage areas, put everything away, clean and set up the rooms, clean all the walls, clean absolutely EVERYTHING in the kitchen, set up the outside areas and double check that everything is ready for the new season. That timeline was quite handy because it meant that a lot of the snow had melted by the time we were ready to head on from the first hut, so walking was a lot easier... and incredibly beautiful.

It's a very quiet time of year, in fact the four of us didn't see another person for almost a week after we started! Some of that would also have been because we spent so much time buried in our own huts with our scrubbing brushes!

Around the middle of our walk we got some absolutely incredible days: cool and clear, without a cloud in the sky. So it probably comes as little surprise that around the middle of the trip we took the opportunity, when we were walking from Pelion to Kia Ora hut one evening, to dash off the main track up the side of a mountain to watch the sunset.

It was absolutely magnificent and gave me a chance to pull out my camera... and left us refreshed, euphoric and ready to scrub out the next two huts.

We caught the ferry out on a Saturday and, after the obligatory swim in the snowmelt in Lake St Clair, jumped in the car with the satisfaction of a job well done, and looking forward to getting back out again for the start of the season.”

BOOK NOW:
E. bookings@cradlehuts.com.au
T. (03) 6392 2211

Travel with friends and Save

2009-07-24T00:00:00Z

Travel in a group of ten people - save 10%

Cradle Mountain Huts and Bay of Fires Walks depart daily between 1 October and 1 May each year, with a maximum of ten people per group walking with two guides. You can guarantee an exclusive departure by booking ten people together on a departure. Plus, if you can get together a group of ten people everyone will save 10% on the tour price.

WHEN? Group discount valid for departures
1 October 2010 – 1 May 2011

WHAT’S INCLUDED?

An exclusive departure for your group
Accommodation for the duration of the walk
Return transfers from Launceston
All meals and beverages
2 guides & maximum 10 guests per group
Use of backpack and Gore-Tex^® jacket
National Park passes

BOOK NOW: Available departures for exclusive groups are filling quickly. Simply book online or call (03) 6392 2211 or email bookings@cradlehuts.com.au

Please note: This offer cannot be combined with any other special deals released during the year.

Best Trek Experience

2008-06-10T00:00:00Z

June 2008: Travelling in Australia magazine awards Cradle Mountain Huts “Best Trek Experience” in “Australia’s 20 Best Experiences Awards”. Announced in the latest issue of the magazine, the awards were judged by qualified Aussie Specialist travel agents from around the world.