Hottest Trends 2011: Soft Adventure

You may know it as glamping or “princess camping” but more and more we are seeking out creature comforts while enjoying the wonders of our great Australian bush.

Parallel to the rise of the luxury lodge in Australia, the comfortable active adventure is the new way to experience the best of the outdoors. Whilst we seek creature comforts, most important is information and insight into the environment, flaora and fauna.

Guided walking tours such as Tasmania’s Bay of Fires and Cradle Mountain Huts on the Overland Track are truly magical ways to experience the world-renowned Tasmanian Wilderness.

Australia’s most iconic and oldest guided walk is the 7 or 14-day Larapinta Trail along the West MacDonell Ranges in the Red Centre. In terms of international recognition, the Larapinta will one day be as iconic as the Inca Trail to Maccu Picchu.

Slightly less stylish – as in you’ll have to carry your own bag – but brilliant for experiencing the ‘real Australia’ are the Katherine Gorge’s Jatbula Trail, WA’s Bibbulmun Track and SA’s Heysen Trail.

The launch of the Arkaba Walking Safaris, a four-day guided trek on the Flinders Ranges’ Wilpena Pound section of the Heysen, points to a hike-filled future.

The charge of the luxury wilderness experience is being led by Charlie Carlow’s Wild Bush Luxury (owner of Arkaba Walking Safari’s) with rumours of even more exciting and exhilarating guided walks that may just involve a helicopter or two in the Kimberley to come. But that’s just an exciting rumour we hope has some truth in it.

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