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This trip starts and ends in Launceston. 

Joining point: Leisure Inn Penny Royal, 147 Paterson St, Launceston, Australia

The walks on this tour vary from easy to moderate, with the option for some hard walks on the last day. Walks are mostly along the beach, including soft sand and rock sections with unstable, uneven surfaces. However, the walk has been designed to make it achievable for those with a reasonable amount of fitness by the fact that you only carry a daypack.

A positive mental attitude is most important. If you focus on the scenery, the company and the moment, not on the kilometres, then you find yourself reaching your destination with little problem. If you have done some training prior to the walk you will enjoy it all the more.

The best way to prepare physically for the trip is to walk, walk and walk some more - preferably on rocky and uneven surfaces and lots of stair walking. Try to walk frequently and do some sand walking training. Even walking around your suburb will get you walk-fit, but consider practicing on some soft sand for this tour as well. By the start of our tour, you should be able to comfortably walk 12km, and try and do a few 20km walks on rough tracks, as well as be fairly comfortable with steep up and downhill sections.

We know that this type of preparation is difficult to fit into a busy schedule. If you don't have the time to do long walks, we recommend doing regular stair walking sessions. Walking small distances frequently helps a lot as well. For instance, walking 3 - 5km four times a week, and 8km once a week, is a great help. If you're doing short training sessions, make sure you get yourself puffed and sweaty. Otherwise, you won't benefit from your efforts. Another good way to get your glutes, hamstrings and quads well prepared is with regular lunges and squats. As you get closer to the walk take it up a notch and do jumping squats. And start walking in the shoes you will wear on the walk now!

ITINERARY CHANGES
Our itineraries are updated regularly throughout the year based on customer feedback and to reflect the current situation in each destination. The information included in this Essential Trip Information may therefore differ from when you first booked your trip. It's important that you review this information prior to travel so that you have the latest updates. Due to weather, local conditions, transport schedules, public holidays, political unrest or other factors, further changes may be necessary to your itinerary once in-country. Your group leader or local representative will keep you up to date with any such changes once your trip is underway and has the authority to amend or cancel any part of the trip itinerary if deemed necessary due to safety concerns.

OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
A selection of optional activities that have been popular with past travellers are listed in the day-to-day itinerary. This isn't an exhaustive list and should be used as a guide only for some of what might be available. Prices are approximate, are for entrance fees only, and don’t include transport to and from the sites or local guides unless indicated. All activities are subject to availability, and maybe on a join-in basis. It may not be possible to do all the activities listed in the time available at each destination, so some pre-planning for what you are most interested in is advised. When it's recommended that travellers pre-book these activities, look for a note in the Special Information section of the day-to-day itinerary. For most, they can either be organised independently on the day, or let your group leader or local representative know you are interested at the Welcome Meeting and they can assist.

Where activities are considered medium or high risk, we work with operators whose safety and credentials we have sighted and assessed. Although it is possible that you may find the same activity cheaper with another operator on the ground, we cannot vouch for the safety or quality of that operator. Medium and high-risk activities not listed above have not been assessed by us and as such our staff and group leader or local representative are unable to assist you with organising these activities. Activities that contravene our Responsible Travel policies are also not listed. Please remember that the decision to partake in any activity not listed is at your own discretion and risk.

Passport
You’ll need a valid passport to travel internationally and most countries require your passport to have a minimum of 6 months validity, so remember to check the expiry date.

We need your passport information to get everything ready for your trip so it’s important that the information on your booking matches your passport exactly. Please take care to provide the correct details. We recommend carrying a copy of the photo page of your passport while travelling and leaving a copy at home with family or friends.

Visa
Many countries require a visa and obtaining the correct visa for your trip and any countries you may transit through is your responsibility. We recommend you check your visa requirements as soon as you have booked your trip. This will ensure you have time to prepare your documents and for your visa application to be processed.

Insurance

Travel insurance is compulsory on all our trips for those travelling internationally. We require that, at a minimum, you are covered for medical expenses, including emergency repatriation. If you are travelling within your home country or region, please confirm before travel that you are entitled to access the public medical system easily should an accident occur. We strongly recommend all travellers have a policy that also covers personal liability, cancellation, curtailment and loss of luggage or personal effects. For international trips, you will not be permitted to join the group until evidence of travel insurance and the insurance company's 24-hour emergency contact number has been sighted by your group leader or local representative.

All meals are included unless indicated in the itinerary. Breakfast comprises cereal, fruit, yoghurt, toast, and spreads with juice, tea, and coffee. Lunch is self-made from supplied bread, salads, and meats, except on the first day when we have either bakery-bought lunch or rustle up a picnic, supplier-dependent.

We'll eat dinner the first night at the hotel, and the other dinners will be at restaurants in St Helens. Please let us know of any dietary requirements, and please be aware that while local restaurants do cater to different requirements, the options may be limited for more restricted diets; for example, gluten-free and vegan diets may only have one or two options.

Each day we provide morning tea, and fruit is available for snacks. You're welcome to bring additional personal snacks if you have particular faves! There will be plenty of opportunities to purchase additional supplies and alcohol throughout the tour in St Helens. Your out-of-pocket expenses for this trip include personal snacks and alcohol.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
From vegetarians to pescatarians to meat-loving carnivores with an aversion to cucumbers, we cater to all dietary requirements and will make sure you are well-fed and looked after on tour. Please let us know if you have any dietary requirements. Also please keep in mind that in Tasmania, restaurants outside Hobart and Launceston may not cater well to more 'restricted' diets; for example, there may only be one or two gluten-free or vegan options.

SPENDING MONEY
When it comes to spending money on the trip, every traveller is a little different. You know your spending habits better than we do, so please budget an appropriate amount for things like optional meals, drinks, shopping, optional activities, and laundry. Make sure you have read the itinerary and inclusions thoroughly so you know what is included in the trip price and what you may need to pay for while travelling.

AUSTRALIA
The official currency of Australia is the Australian dollar (AUD). Card payments, including digital card payments like Apple Pay, are the most common form of payment in Australia. Many vendors add a small surcharge for card payments. Cash is accepted in most places and ATMs are common.

TIPPING
Tipping can be an appropriate way to recognise great service when travelling. While it may not be customary in your home country, it is an entrenched feature of the tourism industry across many of our destinations and is greatly appreciated by the people who take care of you during your travels. It is always best to avoid tipping with coins, very small denomination notes, or dirty and ripped notes, as this can be regarded as an insult rather than the goodwill gesture it is intended to be.

YOUR GROUP LEADER OR LOCAL REPRESENTATIVE
Tipping your group leader or local representative is highly appreciated if you feel they’ve provided outstanding services throughout your trip. The amount is entirely a personal preference; however, as a guideline, the recommended amount is 4-7 USD or EUR per traveller per day (in a currency relevant to your destination). Of course, you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of service quality and the length and involvement of your group leader or local representative on your trip.

CONTINGENCY FUNDS
We try to plan for every eventuality, but there are still some things beyond our control. We reserve the right to change an itinerary after departure due to local circumstances or a Force Majeure Event. In such emergency circumstances, the additional cost of any necessary itinerary alterations will be covered by you. We are not responsible for any incidental expenses that may be incurred because of changes to itineraries, including but not limited to visas, vaccinations or non-refundable flights.

Make sure you have access to an extra USD 500 for emergencies (e.g. severe weather, natural disasters, civil unrest) or other events that result in unavoidable changes to the itinerary (e.g. transport strikes or cancellations, airport closures). Sometimes these things necessitate last-minute changes to enable our trips to continue to run, and as a result, there may be some extra costs involved.

The recommended amount is listed in USD for the relatability of all travellers; however, local currency may be needed once in the country to cover these costs. Please confirm with your leader on Day 1 if you need to carry this in cash, or whether access via card or electronically is sufficient.

EQUIPMENT FOR WALKS
• Hiking-specific day-pack - with a thick waist strap to help take some weight off your shoulders. In wet weather, a waterproof cover or a bin bag to wrap your belongings in can be handy.
• Torch/headlamp (good to have just in case the walk is delayed and we return after dark).
• Any preferred first-aid supplies - such as your favourite blister treatment! (Your guide will carry a full first-aid kit).
• Water bottle/s or bladder - 2 to 3 litre capacity MINIMUM.
• A lunch container or reusable sandwich bag.
• Sun protection - hat (secure fitting and/or with chin strap), sun cream, sunglasses.
• Waterproof jacket. Inclement weather occurs at any time of the year in Tasmania so be sure to bring wet weather gear, even if the forecast is fine.

CLOTHING FOR WALKS
• Shorts/long pants and shirts - as many sets as you wish! Please avoid cotton - wool or 'quick-dry' synthetic material is best. Avoid jeans or tracksuit pants.
• Socks - whichever thickness you're comfortable walking in and as many pairs as you like.
• Boots/shoes for walking (make sure you wear them in well - see note on footwear below).
• Light- to medium-weight outer layer.
• Thermal under-layers.
• Light-weight and packable warm outer layer - e.g. thick fleece or down/synthetic 'down' jacket.
• Beanie, gloves, scarf.
Particularly in mid-late Autumn and early Spring, We recommend that you bring these items with you in your main bag. The guides can then recommend what to bring on the walks.

CLOTHING FOR THE EVENINGS
• Whatever you want!! (But bring something warm to throw over the top).

OPTIONAL BUT RECOMMENDED ITEMS
• Walking poles. These are a very personal choice - we recommend them on this tour for the rocky, unstable sections.
• Gaiters for snake bite protection are recommended if wearing shorts. They're also good for keeping sand out of your shoes.
• Sock protectors (to keep sand out of your boots).
• Bathers and towel.
• Snacks and alcohol - there will be time to purchase more during the week if you need to. Extra treats like chocolate, nuts, lollies etc.

OPTIONAL ITEMS
• Waterproof pants. Some people love them and some hate them - personally, we don't wear them but there have been times when we have wished for a pair!
• Camera and charger/batteries.

Tasmanian weather is typically hard to predict. In fact the only thing we can say for certain is that the weather will be unpredictable! Daytime temperature can range from mid-teens to low 30s, and it can be calm and fine, or windy and raining, or anything in-between! At night it can get cool, but likely not icy given the coastal location.