Overview
The Adventure Gene provides camping-based guided hiking and winter trips, designed to take you away from crowded tourist trails and into remote wilderness areas. With 10+ trips on offer, it can be hard to decide which trip is the best choice. Whilst each trip is different, some things are always the same:
- No prior hiking experience needed.
- All gear, outer-layer clothing, food, and transport provided.
- A team-first culture where no one is left behind.
- Small intimate groups of 10 with 2 full-time walking guides.
Keeping this in mind, the best trip for you comes down to three key factors:
- How much time you have.
- Which region you’d like to explore.
- What you hope to get out of the experience.
You can take our 2 minute quiz to get a tailored recommendation, or read on for more details.
TIME
Our trips range from short weekend getaways to multi-week adventures, culminating in our flagship traverses of the Australian Alps Walking Track. If you’re new to hiking, don’t be intimidated by our longer options. Your fitness level is a much better indicator than your hiking experience. We often have first-timers thrive on our extended journeys!
If you have a specific time window (e.g. a certain week or month), we recommend looking at our trip calendar.
All trips have a mandatory gear check at 12PM the day before departure. This allows us to distribute gear, demonstrate how to use the kit, ensure your clothing is suitable, and you get to pick your hiking snacks!
Want to jump on a trip quickly? Check out our last minute trips.
Regions
Our trips explore seven distinct locations. Five of them (Namadgi, Blue Waterholes, Jagungal Wilderness, Main Range, and Victorian Alps) are subregions of the Australian Alps. Expect to encounter Australia’s tallest mountains, wide-sweeping alpine scenery, historic huts, open high-plains and alpine wildflowers.
Alternatively, the Budawangs offers a completely different experience, dominated by striking sandstone cliffs, hidden caves, and ancient forests. Finally, the Sapphire & Wilderness Coast offers some of the finest coastal hiking in Australia, with it’s remote location meaning that much of the area remains untouched by civilisation.
Namadgi
Covering nearly half of the ACT, Namadgi National Park offers a diverse sub-alpine environment, featuring open plains, snow gum woodlands, and rugged bushland. It is home to the ACT’s highest peak, Mount Bimberi.
Blue Waterholes
A striking karst landscape shaped by limestone erosion, the Blue Waterholes region contains caves, gorges, waterfalls, and the vast iconic Snowy High Plains. It is also home to the oldest historic hut in Kosciuszko National Park, Old Currango Homestead.
Jagungal Wilderness
Known for its extensive rolling hills and uninterrupted views, this area features Mount Jagungal, the northernmost 2000m peak in Australia offering 360-degree vistas of the high country. In the heart of Australian Snowy Mountains, Jagungal Wilderness is home to a plethora of historic alpine huts and is a popular place for backcountry skiing and snowshoeing during winter.
Main Range
The Main Range is Australia’s tallest mountain range. Home to Australia’s highest peaks, including Mt Twynam, Mt Townsend, and Mt Kosciuszko, this area provides a fantastic opportunity for side trips to bag peaks. Additionally, the area is home to alpine lakes and offers panoramic views for over 100km in all directions.
Victorian Alps
Forming the southern portion of the Australian Alps, the Victorian Alps are more dramatic and rugged than their northern counterpart. The region contains iconic peaks and plateaus such as Mount Bogong, Mount Hotham, the Crosscut Saw, the Viking and the Baw Baw Plateau.
Budawangs
The Budawangs are a unique wilderness landscape, famous for their dramatic sandstone cliffs, deep caves, and pockets of temperate rainforest. Home to iconic formations like Monolith Valley and The Castle, this area provides a rugged and remote hiking experience. You can expect some rock scrambling and the unique opportunity to sleep in sandstone caves.
Sapphire & Wilderness Coast
Stretching along the far south coast, the Sapphire and Wilderness Coasts are renowned for their pristine and secluded beaches. With some of the most remote coastal walking in Australia, this area provides a fantastic opportunity to explore the continent’s coastline away from the crowds. It also provides an incredible chance to spot migrating whales right from the cliffs.
Personal Hiking Goals
Education
For those who are interested, all of our trips have a strong educational component. This includes backcountry navigation, gear and nutrition. However, if you are interested in developing your outdoor skills and knowledge, the longer 6+ day trips provide a better classroom for refining your skills.
Adventure
Every trip contains some level of adventure, whether it be off track walking, summiting peaks, or exploring gorges. However, the majority of these more involved sections are offered as side trips. Therefore, most trips can be tailored to suit your level of adventure.
Relaxation
On all of our trips you will have time to relax and unwind in nature. However, there are some trips which cater more towards this, such as our Paint & Hike trips. Hikes with lower daily distances and elevation gain likely allow more time for hanging around camp. For exact details, see Trip Comparison.
Seasonality
We have both 3-season (spring, summer, autumn) and winter trips available. Whilst no hiking or camping experience is required for either trip type, our winter trips are generally more physically demanding. This is due to heavier packs (15kg as opposed to 10kg) and walking with snowshoes.
Trip Comparison
The table below compares details such as distance, length and elevation gain. We also list which trips involve camping near huts. This can be an ideal way to try overnight hiking as huts can provide a level of comfort and security. Whilst we don’t sleep in the huts, it is nice to be able to hang out in them.
Note that the numbers below do not include side trips!
Hiking
| Trip | Duration (days) | Average hiking distance (km/day) | Average elevation gain (m/day) | % of nights camping next to a hut | Longest resupply (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snowies Alpine Huts & Blue Waterholes | 2 | 7.0 | 164 | 100 | 2 |
| Kosciuszko Summit Hike | 2 | 11.5 | 391 | 0 | 2 |
| Paint & Hike: Blue Waterholes | 4 | 7.0 | 127 | 100 | 4 |
| Paint & Hike: Sapphire Coast | 4 | 8.0 | 238 | 0 | 4 |
| Snowies Alpine Walk | 4 | 13.2 | 441 | 0 | 4 |
| Snowies Main Range Traverse | 4 | 11.0 | 430 | 33 | 4 |
| Mt Bimberi & Blue Waterholes | 4 | 13.0 | 465 | 66 | 4 |
| Budawangs Traverse | 5 | 6.0 | 220 | 0 | 5 |
| Kiandra to Kosciuszko Hike | 8 | 14.2 | 435 | 86 | 5.5 |
| Australian Alps Walking Track: Canberra to Kosciuszko | 16 | 14.9 | 513 | 73 | 5.5 |
| Australian Alps Walking Track: Kosciuszko to Hotham | 16 | 16.2 | 680 | 60 | 4 |
| Australian Alps Walking Track: Walhalla to Hotham | 16 | 14.7 | 840 | 13 | 4.5 |
Snow Camping
| Trip | Duration (days) | Average hiking distance (km/day) | Average elevation gain (m/day) | % of nights camping next to a hut | Longest resupply (days) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Snowies Intro to Snow Camping | 4 | 7.5 | 263 | 100 | 4 |
| Mt Jagungal Snow Camping Expedition | 6 | 10.8 | 407 | 80 | 5 |
| Kiandra to Kosciuszko Snow Camping Expedition | 10 | 10.5 | 363 | 89 | 6.5 |
Comparing the 4 day trips
We offer several 4 day trips, each with its own unique appeal:
A great choice for immersing yourself in the alpine environment. This trip includes a mix of off-track walking and established routes, plus the chance to summit Australia’s four tallest mountains. In terms of difficulty, this trip is on par with the Mt Bimberi & Blue Waterholes trip.
A well-known hiking route on the Main Range. This is a less remote and more structured trip, perfect for those who prefer established trails.
Ideal for those seeking a remote wilderness experience. This trip includes summiting Mt Bimberi and a visit to Old Currango Homestead. Expect mostly well-formed tracks with some off-track walking.
A creative retreat that combines short hikes with outdoor painting sessions. Alongside our Paint & Hike: Light to Light Walk, this is our easiest 4 day trip. It is ideal for those looking to focus on painting in the mountains.
An artistic getaway blending an introduction to hiking with painting in nature. Like our Paint & Hike: Blue Waterholes trip, this hike is the easiest of our 4 day trips. It is aimed at people who would like an immersive coastal hike, with a focus on capturing your surroundings through painting.
A great choice for those looking to dip their toes into winter travel. This trip is the most physically demanding of all our 4 day trips, but offers the most remote backcountry experience. It is the easiest of our snow camping trips.
Common Concerns
Injury
It is normal to be concerned about getting injured whilst hiking. We believe that thorough preparation is the key, and we provide advice on training and shoe selection. Additionally, by keeping your pack weight low throughout the trip, taking frequent breaks, and ensuring proper nutrition, we minimise the risk of injury.
If you do start to feel an injury coming on in the middle of a trip, there are lots of options for us to help manage this. Most hikes have optional side trips or alternates which can be skipped, and all trips have emergency exit points.
Fitness
We generally find that people who engage in physical activity a few times a week have a good level of fitness for our trips. Example include hiking up hills, jogging, cycling, swimming, and team sports.
We have an inclusive and supportive culture, meaning that slower hikers will not be left behind. If you are unsure if you are fit enough, please reach out as that is the best way for us to help you prepare.
Age
We see a variety of ages on our trips and everyone is welcome. We do not believe that age is a good indicator of fitness. We fully support all ages coming on our trips as we have guided plenty of strong and determined hikers in their 70s and even 80s!
Please note that people under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
Hygiene
It’s very common to be concerned about how you are going to manage your hygiene needs when hiking. We provide everyone with a small portable bidet which is a great way to wash at the end of the day. Additionally, most trips have the option for a swim in a river at some point each day. For females on their period, we recommend using a menstrual cup and washing with the bidet daily.
We also provide wet wipes.. This can provide a huge level of comfort and feeling of cleanliness.
Being cold
Our Ultralight Comfort System™ is designed to keep you warm, dry, safe and happy in the mountains! If you are concerned about being cold, then we have extra layers that you can carry.
Conclusion
Choosing the right trip for you mostly depends on your availability, regional preference, and hiking goals. All our trips are beginner friendly, although some are more physically demanding than others. If you’re unsure, reach out to us as we’re always more than happy to have a chat and help figure out which trip is best for you.
Maddie and Tom
