The Overland Track: Tasmania's Great Alpine Walk
Six days through Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park — bookings, huts, weather, and the side trips worth your time.
The Overland Track is Australia’s best-known multi-day walk, running from Cradle Mountain in the north to Lake St Clair in the south through the heart of Tasmania’s World Heritage wilderness. Ancient pencil pines, buttongrass plains, glacial lakes and dolerite peaks make it one of the most varied walks in the Southern Hemisphere.
Bookings and fees
During the main season (roughly October to May), walkers must book a departure date and buy an Overland Track pass, and the track is walked north to south. Numbers are capped, so book early — summer dates fill fast.
Huts and camping
Public huts are spaced along the route, but they’re first-come, first-served and not guaranteed. Always carry a tent. Tent platforms are provided at most hut sites to protect fragile ground.
Weather
Tasmania’s highlands can deliver sun, rain, hail and snow in the same day — even in midsummer. Pack full waterproofs, warm layers, gloves and a hat regardless of the forecast.
Side trips worth taking
- Cradle Mountain summit — a scrambly climb with huge views on a clear day.
- Mount Ossa — Tasmania’s highest peak at 1,617 m.
- The waterfalls valley between Kia Ora and Windy Ridge — D’Alton, Fergusson and Hartnett Falls.
- Pine Valley and the Labyrinth — a detour into a stunning alpine plateau.
Finishing
At Narcissus Hut you can catch a pre-booked ferry across Lake St Clair, or walk the extra day around the lake shore to the visitor centre at Cynthia Bay.