With many domestic travellers deferring international trips this winter due to cost-of-living pressures and geopolitical uncertainty, a hiking holiday in nature to disconnect from the stress of modern life and reset your nervous system has never been more appealing.
Australia ranks as a top-five global wellness tourism destination, with 52% of Australians planning a wellness getaway in the next 12 months. Mirroring global trends, consumers are looking to incorporate the outdoors into their well-being routines, making nature hikes and eco-retreats highly sought after. With the global wellness tourism industry projected to be worth US$1.4 trillion by 2027, travellers in droves are substituting the traditional ‘fly & flop’ for a ‘disconnect & reset’ experience – and the 15 iconic hikes in the Great Walks of Australia collection tick every box.
Launched in 2013 as one of Tourism Australia’s inaugural Signature Experiences, Great Walks of Australia is a collective of the nation’s premier guided, multi-day walking experiences, showcasing Australia’s most extraordinary landscapes through eco-certified, small-group adventures. Each walk pairs world-class natural settings with expert guides, exceptional hospitality and a strong commitment to sustainability and conservation. The collection spans coastlines, alpine wilderness, outback ranges, rainforests and remote bush environments – offering restorative, low-impact walking experiences for both seasoned hikers and first-time multi-day walkers.
The wellness benefits of taking a hike in nature are undeniable. Walking outdoors lowers cortisol, reduces blood pressure, boosts serotonin and endorphins, improves sleep quality, and restores attentional capacity depleted by screens and constant connectivity. A guided multi-day walk free from digital devices, decision fatigue, and domestic routine, amplifies every one of these effects.
Great Walks of Australia Executive Officer Genevieve Matthews said that now more than ever, travellers are seeking a holiday that helps them to reset and restore from the huge pressures of modern life.
“So often, guests arrive at our walks on the brink of burnt out from the relentless pace of the daily grind,” Ms Matthews said.
“The traditional fly and flop no longer offers the depth of physical, mental and emotional restoration that many travellers are seeking from their holidays.
“A multi-day walk in Australia’s wilderness offers something increasingly rare – the space to genuinely slow down. Within a day or two on trail, we watch guests physically decompress, their rhythm slows, their conversation deepens, their sleep improves dramatically. That’s not a holiday. That’s a reset.”
But what makes a Great Walk of Australia, great?
In order for a hike to be included in Great Walks of Australia collection, they must meet rigorous criteria: multi-day, all-inclusive experiences in National Parks or World Heritage Listed Areas; small-group departures led by expert guides with deep environmental and cultural knowledge; eco-certified, low-impact accommodation (from remote eco-lodges and safari-style camps to historic homesteads); gourmet food celebrating local produce; and sustainability practices. The result is a collection where quality assurance is built in, and guests often leave already planning their next walk.
In April 2026, Great Walks of Australia got even greater with the launch of the highly anticipated Uluru–Kata Tjuta Signature Walk (operated by Tasmanian Walking Company), developed in deep collaboration with Anangu Traditional Owners. It offers the first and only opportunity to sleep overnight inside the World Heritage-listed national park, guided by ancient stories, red desert trails, and a connection to Country that spans tens of thousands of years. Guests stay in architecturally designed eco-camps and a private lodge set within the park, waking to desert light and moving through one of the most sacred and visually extraordinary landscapes on Earth. The walk has quickly become one of the most sought-after new travel experiences in the country.
“There is no other experience like it in the world. To walk in that ancient landscape and experience the scale, the silence, and the stories grounds you deeply into the environment. Guests return fundamentally changed by it and it’s an experience that everyone should add to their Bucket List.” Ms Matthews said.
International confidence in Australia’s guided walking sector is also strengthening. In May, Global adventure travel leader Intrepid Travel acquired Wild Bush Luxury, becoming the new owner-operator of two celebrated hikes – Arkaba Walk in South Australia’s Flinders Ranges, and The Maria Island Walk in Tasmania, one of the collective’s seven founding walks.
“Intrepid Travel aligns perfectly with the ethos of the Great Walks of Australia, believing that the best travel experiences are rooted in something deeper, offering guests immersion into communities, culture and the stories that make a walking destination truly extraordinary,” Ms Matthews said.
“Having a global industry leader like Intrepid invest in Australia’s guided walking experiences speaks volumes about where travel is heading. These are the kinds of experiences that travellers are actively seeking, meaningful, slow and grounded in place. It’s wonderful news for Australian nature-based tourism.” Ms Matthews finished.
