Walk the Grampians Peaks Trail

This trip is suitable for anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Please note that it includes several guided walks, allowing you to get among nature. Most are relatively short and easy although there are some more challenging options. However, joining a walk is always up to you. Please bring sturdy, comfortable walking shoes and comfortable clothing.

This trip is operated and run by Inspiration Outdoors, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Inspiration Outdoors customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Inspiration Outdoors to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time away.

START & END TIMES
This trip begins with a pick-up in Melbourne's CBD on day 1 at 8am and finishes in the late afternoon on the last day upon arrival back into Melbourne. Please keep this in mind when booking your arrival and departure arrangements.

SINGLE SUPPLEMENT
A Single Supplement is bookable on this trip, subject to availability at the time of booking.

OPERATOR
This trip is operated and run by Inspiration Outdoors, an Intrepid Company. You will be travelling with a mixture of both Inspiration Outdoors customers and Intrepid customers. Intrepid works closely with Inspiration Outdoors to ensure that all of our customers enjoy their time away.

ESSENTIAL ITEMS:
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*
• Sun protection - hat (secure fitting and/or with chin strap), sun cream, sun glasses
• Casual clothes for evenings
• 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 - 3 litre capacity
*You have to expect some bad weather at any time of the year along the Grampians Peaks Trail so
bring wet weather gear even if the forecast is fine.

OPTIONAL ITEMS:
• Waterproof pants. Some people love them and some hate them - personally, we don't wear them
too often, but there have been times where they have been invaluable, especially when that chilly
southern wind is blowing.
• 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 dirt out of your shoes.
• Sock protectors (to keep rocks out of your boots)
• Sandals for relaxing at the accommodation at the end of the day
• Bathers (the pool at the hotel is closed from May-November)
• Small towel to carry during the day (to dry feet or for after a swim)
• Beanie and gloves (Depending on the time of year it can be pretty cold early in the morning and at
night)
• A lunch container, to avoid squashing your sandwich in your backpack or if you choose to only
bring a salad (with freezer brick and fork if desired). Or a beeswax wrap to use instead of our
provided glad wrap.
• Walking poles (will save your knees 30% less pressure!)
• Torch/headlamp (can be handy when twin sharing for getting up at night)
• Snacks and alcohol - Due to our accommodation being close to the town centre there will be many
opportunities to purchase alcohol during the week if you need to. Some people like to have some
snacks for the trail including muesli bars, nuts, lollies

There is no such thing as an 'easy day' on this walk. There are a lot of ups and downs, and lots of rocky sections with the odd boulders. We will take the steep hills at a slow and steady pace and will also take care on the downhill sections. The walk has been designed to make it achievable to those of reasonable fitness by the fact that you only carry a daypack; and you start with short and easier sections, working your way up to longer and more difficult days. You will be surprised just how your fitness improves over just a few days. Usually by day four people are striding out! A positive mental attitude is most important. If you focus on the scenery, the company and the moment, not on the kilometers, 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 over a variety of terrain and including lots of up and downhill walking. Try to walk frequently. Even walking around your suburb and up and down sets of stairs will get you walk-fit. By the start of the tour, you should be able to comfortably walk 15km, and try and do a few 20km walks on rough tracks, as well as being comfortable walking steep hills. Include stepping up onto and over big steps, a random rock or bench on your walk would make a good candidate to add to your training regime. Many of the council provided outdoor gyms have blocks you can practice stepping up on to. Make sure to train both legs equally!

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 and lots and lots of glut exercises (squats and lunges). 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. And start walking in the shoes you will wear on the walk now!

Outside of the Media House, 665 Collins Street, Loading Zone opposite Southern Cross Station, Melbourne, 3000 VIC, AUSTRALIA

Alternate Joining Point

Outside of the Media House, 665 Collins Street, Loading Zone opposite Southern Cross Station, Melbourne, 3000 VIC, AUSTRALIA

Alternate Finish Point

Breakfasts included: 5

Lunches included: 5

Dinners included: 5

You will be surprised at just how good the food is! Breakfast comprises a continental buffet or an A la Carte breakfast at the restaurant of the hotel (dependant on numbers). Lunch is cold meats and salad with sandwiches, rolls or wraps. Dinner is a 2-course meal at a local restaurant. Morning tea is supplied and fresh fruit is always available. If you have any special dietary requirements please let us know when you book, we are happy to adapt our tasty, nutritious meals to suit a variety of dietary needs.

Feel free to bring alcohol and additional snacks e.g. muesli bars, nuts, chocolate etc. There will be time for you to purchase additional alcohol and supplies during the week.

WEATHER IN VICTORIA
Victoria experiences four distinct seasons throughout the year. During the summer, daily temperatures are between 14C/57F and 27C/80F. During winter, daily temperatures are between 6C/42F and 13C/55F. Spring is the wettest time of year, with October’s average rainfall reaching 53mm.

While we always endeavour to provide the best possible holiday experience, due to the nature of travel and the areas we visit sometimes things can and do go wrong. Should any issue occur while you are on your trip, it is imperative that you discuss this with your group leader or local representative straight away so that they can do their best to rectify the problem and save any potential negative impact on the rest of your trip.

We recognise that there may be times when your group leader or local representative may not be able to resolve a situation to your satisfaction - if this is the case, please ask the group leader or local representative to speak to their direct manager.

You may also choose to provide details in your online feedback, which we ask you to complete within 30 days of the end of your trip. Please do be aware that it is very difficult for us to provide any practical help after the trip is completed, so informing us while still travelling will give us the opportunity to resolve the issue in real-time.

For general contact details please use the following page: http://www.intrepidtravel.com/ourtrips/contact/

In case of a genuine crisis or emergency, you can reach our local office on the numbers below:

1300 544 882 or +61 8 6219 5164

Transport is by an air-conditioned tour coach. Our vehicles are comfortable and regularly serviced to ensure safety and reliability. Seats are not pre-allocated, so to ensure all participants get to enjoy seats close to the front and window seats we encourage guests to change where they sit each day. In the case of a breakdown or other unforeseen circumstances affecting the vehicle or guide, the operator reserves the right to substitute vehicles and guides other than those specified, to ensure the operation of a tour.