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The trip starts in Launceston and ends in Hobart. 

Start location: Leisure Inn Penny Royal, 147 Paterson St, Launceston, AUSTRALIA

End location: Travelodge Hobart, 167 Macquarie St, Hobart, AUSTRALIA

There is no such thing as an 'easy day' on this tour. There are a lot of ups and downs, often quite rocky and uneven terrain. However, the walk has been designed to make it achievable to those with a reasonable amount of fitness by the fact that you only carry a daypack; and you start with short distances, working your way up to longer days and harder days. You will be surprised just how your fitness improves throughout the tour! 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. Even walking around your suburb will get you walk-fit. 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!

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 breads, salads and meats. We'll eat dinner at various local establishments close to, or at, our accommodation. Please let us know of any dietary requirements.

Each day we provide morning tea whilst out on a walk and fruit is available for snacks. You're welcome to bring additional snacks (e.g. muesli bars, nuts) if you feel you need them. There will be some limited opportunity to purchase additional supplies and alcohol throughout the tour.

DIETARY REQUIREMENTS
From vegetarians to pescatarians to meat loving carnivores with an aversion to cucumbers we cater for 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.

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.

ESSENTIALS
• 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
• Shorts/long pants and shirts for walking - as many sets as you wish! Quick-dry material is best,
especially for trousers. Don't wear jeans walking.
• 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)
• Windcheater or lightweight jumper for walking
• Waterproof jacket - you have to expect some bad weather at any time of the year down here so bring wet weather gear even if the forecast is fine.
• Sun protection - hat (secure fitting and/or with chin strap), sun cream, sun glasses
• Casual clothes for evenings
• Fleece jacket, gloves, beanie and/or thermals (can get quite cold in the evenings and early mornings, depending on the time of year)
• Torch/headlamp (can be handy when twin sharing for getting up at night)
• Any preferred first aid supplies - such as your favourite blister treatment! (Your guide will carry a full first-aid kit)
• Water bottle/s or camelback - 2 to 3 litre capacity

OPTIONAL ITEMS
• A lunch container (with freezer brick if desired) and/or Bees Wax wrap to use instead of the supplied glad wrap
• 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!
• Fly net (especially for walks in warmer weather)
• Camera and charger/batteries
• Gaiters for snake bite protection are recommended unless you are wearing long pants and long socks. They're also good for keeping sand out of your shoes.
• Sock protectors (to keep sand out of your boots)
• Robust sandals for wading/beach sections
• Bathers and a light towel - there are a few swimming opportunities
• Small towel to carry during the day
• Snacks and alcohol - there will be time to purchase more during the week if you need to. Some people like to have some muesli bars, nuts, lollies etc
• Walking poles
• Seasickness tablets (the ferry ride is a mostly calm, 40 min ride, largely sheltered by Spring Bay and Maria Island. However it can get lumpy in southerly conditions. Whilst not recommended and usually not needed, if you have a history of seasickness, travelling with seasickness tablets may give some peace of mind)

Our itinerary covers mountainous areas, as well as coastal walks and with that comes a variety of climates. Tasmanian weather is typically hard to predict. In fact the only thing we can say for certain is that the weather will be unpredictable. Despite the fact we are going in summer, you need to be equipped for everything from icy winds to 30 degrees.