Grampians Peaks Trail Highlights - 5 Days

Grampians Peaks Trail Highlights - 5 Days

5 Days
Moderate

Grampians Peaks Trail Highlights - 5 Days

from $1,695 / person

Overview

This walk takes in three of the finest sections of the Grampians Peaks Trail. Starting in Halls Gap, the route climbs up and over the mountains via the Pinnacle and Mount Rosea, crossing rugged escarpments with superb views along the way. The walk finishes on the Mount Sturgeon section of the Peaks Trail, descending into Dunkeld and the renowned Royal Mail Hotel.

The Grampians has a scale and serenity that is felt most powerfully on foot. The trails are quiet, and the final two walks offer a genuine sense of solitude in a remarkable landscape.

Highlights

  • The Wonderland Range with its many unusual rock formations including Venus Baths and Elephant's Hide
  • Breathtaking views upon reaching the Pinnacle Lookout
  • Hike to the top of the stunning Mount Rosea and Mount Sturgeon
  • Beautiful views over the Victorian Ranges and the Western Plains
  • 2 nights at the Royal Mail in Dunkeld, with optional gourmet dining experience at Wickens

Itinerary

Loading overview…

What's Included

Accommodation

3-star Hotel (2 nights), 4-star Hotel (2 nights)

Meals

4 breakfasts, 3 lunches, and 2 dinners

Transfers

  • Luggage Transfers
  • Public Bus

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • Walking App for Navigation
  • 24/7 on-trip support

How We Rate This Walk

3

Auswalk Walking Grade

Moderate

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Expect some hills and longer walking days. A reasonable level of fitness will help you enjoy the experience.

View Fitness Guide

3

Days on the trail

11-17 km

Daily distance range

447-754 m

Daily ascent range

5/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

This walk follows a linear path through the best of the Grampians with no backtracking, and the accommodation is chosen with the same care. Four nights across three and four-star properties begin with a comfortable motel right in the centre of Halls Gap before the route moves on to two nights at a celebrated four-star hotel in Dunkeld. Home to two restaurants, an internationally recognised wine cellar, landscaped native gardens, a billabong-inspired swimming pool and en-suite rooms, it is one of the finest places to stay in regional Victoria.

What You'll Eat

Four cooked breakfasts are included throughout the walk, served each morning before heading out on the trail. Three walker's lunches are provided on the walking days at some of the most spectacular locations in the Grampians, each one varying but always including a high-protein salad, a roll or wrap, a muesli bar, something sweet and fresh fruit. Two à la carte dinners are included, with the Royal Mail nights providing the setting. The dinner arrangements depend on your start day. Wednesday starters will stay at the Royal Mail on Friday and Saturday, with dinner at Parker Street Project one night and Wickens the other, though a weekend surcharge applies. Monday starters will stay mid-week, with one dinner at Parker Street Project included at no additional cost. A third dinner at Wickens is included for those staying on the weekend.

Please advise us of any food allergies or intolerances at the time of booking. If you have severe allergies, bringing some of your own snacks is recommended, as specialist ingredients can be harder to source along the way.

Note: Drinks and alcohol are not included with meals, with the exception of tea, coffee and juice served with breakfast.

More About This Trip

The walk starts in Stawell and finishes in Dunkeld, in the Grampians region of Victoria, Australia. The most practical public transport option is the V/Line train and coach service from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne's CBD, with several departures daily. A SkyBus shuttle runs from Melbourne Airport directly to Southern Cross Station every 20 minutes. Please advise your arrival time in advance so we can arrange a pick-up from Stawell station and transfer to your first night's accommodation. All V/Line services must be pre-booked.

The walk ends in Dunkeld. A V/Line bus service departs from the Grampians Visitor Information Centre, with connections back to Melbourne via Ballarat or Ararat depending on the day; check the V/Line website for current timetables. Those self-driving will have their vehicle with them at Dunkeld on the final morning.

This walk is available throughout the year and can start on any day except Friday and Saturday. Spring is one of the finest times to walk, with warming temperatures and the Grampians wildflowers at their most spectacular between August and November. Summer brings warm and sometimes hot days, with temperatures regularly reaching the 30s; early starts and sun protection are essential. April and May offer cooler, comfortable walking conditions and quieter trails. Winter is generally mild, with the occasional cold, wet spell. Pack layers and sun protection whatever the season.

Trails are well-marked, with gradual ascents to mountain summits and some steeper climbs and descents into forested valleys. Those who arrive early on the first day have the option to add an additional walk from Halls Gap. Sturdy walking boots with excellent grip and ankle support are essential.

A regular training routine of three to four times per week, with some hill work incorporated, is recommended in preparation. Daily walk notes, maps, and GPX tracks are provided.

You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around six weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.

For your safety and well-being, we are unable to accept bookings for solo walkers on our self-guided Grampians walking trips. The remote nature of some tracks and limited mobile reception mean that walking alone presents a higher risk in case of emergencies.

If you arrive by public transport, Auswalk will arrange all your transfers. If you are willing to use your own car, we will transfer you from the end of the walk back to the beginning of the walk in the morning each day. All the details will be outlined in your walk notes. This saves a significant cost for us which is passed back to you.

Brambuk, The National Park and Cultural Centre in Halls Gap, is owned and operated by five Djab Wurrung and Jardwadjali community groups and is Australia's longest-running Aboriginal cultural centre, with exhibitions on the traditions, art and living history of the peoples whose Country the Grampians Peaks Trail crosses. In Dunkeld at the trail's southern end, the Dunkeld and District Historical Museum documents the social history of the region from the 1830s, including an early Aboriginal display and extensive photographic collections.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Start Date

Pick any available date — this is your trip, your schedule

August 2026

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Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Notes

This walk must start on a Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday.

Grampians Peaks Trail reviews

4.9
26 reviews
5 Star
23
4 Star
3
3 Star
0
2 Star
0
1 Star
0

Lynette G
8 months ago

The eateries during this walk are excellent. Flame Bros in Halls Gap and Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld.

Mark S
10 months ago

We really enjoyed the Grampians self-guided walk. Everything went very smoothly and the choice of walks were stunning and spectacular. We travelled late September to early October and there were so many beautiful flowering native plants on show. It was a highlight. The accommodation at Meringa Springs and Dunkeld were particularly impressive as were the meals from these places. Our hosts at Meringa Springs were particularly lovely. The Flame Brothers also excelled in terms of the quality of the food on offer in the evening, breakfast and lunch. Overall, it was a wonderful holiday and we enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to AusWalk for making it a success.

Mark S
10 months ago

We really enjoyed the Grampians and Beyond 7 day self-guided walk. Everything went very smoothly and the choice of walks were stunning and spectacular. We travelled late September to early October and there were so many beautiful flowering native plants on show. It was a highlight. The accommodation at Meringa Springs and Dunkeld were particularly impressive as were the meals from these places. Our hosts at Meringa Springs were particularly lovely. The Flame Brothers also excelled in terms of the quality of the food on offer in the evening, breakfast and lunch. Overall, it was a wonderful holiday and we enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to AusWalk for making it a success.

Mark S
10 months ago

We really enjoyed the Grampians 7 day self-guided walk. Everything went very smoothly and the choice of walks were stunning and spectacular. We travelled late September to early October and there were so many beautiful flowering native plants on show. It was a highlight. The accommodation at Meringa Springs and Dunkeld were particularly impressive as were the meals from these places. Our hosts at Meringa Springs were particularly lovely. The Flame Brothers also excelled in terms of the quality of the food on offer in the evening, breakfast and lunch. Overall, it was a wonderful holiday and we enjoyed it immensely. Thanks to AusWalk for making it a success.

Robin B
2 years ago

The Grampians walk was an outstanding experience. The walks were fabulous and the accommodation and food were excellent.

Jenny B
2 years ago

Walk was as expected. Well organized, great walks, great guides. great accommodation & overly generous meals ! Good for big eaters. Felt like I was forever eating ! Temptation to not over eat was very difficult (ha ha). Excellent variety & quantity of walk munchies but thought a bit more variety on lunches would have been good ? We had 4 days of rolls & 2 days of wraps. Maybe 2 days each of rolls, wraps & maybe a salad for variety ? Accommodation at the Royal Mail was extremely enjoyed along with the dinner there and it was a great way to finish off the week. Thank you :)

Frequently Asked Questions

The Grampians are located in western Victoria, around three hours from Melbourne by road. Transport from Melbourne is included in the package — check your specific itinerary for details.

You'll stay in a mix of 3 and 4-star hotels and lodges along the trail, each chosen for comfort and location. A highlight across several itineraries is two nights at the Royal Mail Hotel in Dunkeld, one of regional Victoria's most celebrated dining destinations.

Daily breakfasts and walkers' lunches are included across all itineraries. Chef-prepared dinners are included on most nights — the number varies by package, so check your specific itinerary for the full breakdown.

Depending on your chosen package, you'll walk a selection of the trail's most iconic sections. Highlights include the Grand Canyon and the Pinnacle above Halls Gap, the summit of Mount Rosea, Mount William — the highest peak in the range — and the dramatic climbs of Mount Abrupt and Mount Sturgeon in the south. Every section rewards with panoramic views over the surrounding plains and ranges.

This is a pack-free walking holiday. Your luggage is transported between accommodations each day and you carry only a light daypack on the trails.

The Grampians are alive with wildlife. Kangaroos and wallabies are a constant presence on the trail, and you're likely to encounter echidnas, reptiles, and a remarkable variety of birdlife. The park is a sanctuary for many of Australia's endangered species, drawn to the refuge of its rugged cliffs and valleys.

The trail is available year-round, with October through to May being the most popular period. Summer is warm and dry, autumn is cool and beautiful, and winter can bring rain but rarely enough to spoil a full day on the trail.

A moderate to good level of fitness is recommended. The terrain involves genuine elevation gain and rocky ground — arriving with some hill walking in your legs will make a real difference to how much you enjoy the summits. Depending on your itinerary, grade ranges from moderate to challenging.

Broken-in hiking footwear with good ankle support and grip is essential for the rocky terrain. Pack a waterproof jacket, warm layers, sun protection, and at least 1-2 litres of water per day — refill opportunities on the trail are limited. Note that mobile coverage is patchy in some areas.

Tipping is not expected, though always appreciated if you feel those looking after you have gone above and beyond.

Want to Know More?

The Grampians Peaks Trail experience

Wonder
Walk all, or part of, the Grampians Peaks Trail through the Grand Canyon circuit, the Pinnacle, and Mount Stapylton
Summit Mount Zero at the northern end and Mount Rosea for panoramic views across the Grampians ranges
Visit the MacKenzie Falls and the Venus Baths on one of Victoria's most dramatic multi-day trails
Wellness
Lodge accommodation in Halls Gap and the Wartook Valley provides a warm and comfortable base each night
Cooked breakfasts, chef-prepared dinners, and walkers lunches on the trail fuel each day's walking beautifully
The vast plains visible from the Grampians ridgelines create a powerful sense of perspective and scale
Nature
Rocky escarpments and clifftop lookouts over vast plains, Lake Wartook, and the Wimmera farmland below
The distinctive sandstone geology of the Grampians creates a dramatically different landscape from the surrounding plains
Sundial Peak, Chatauqua Lookout, and Lake Wartook Lookout provide progressively dramatic views on the southern stages