The Denmark to Albany section of the 1000km Bibbulmun Track offers sheltered swimming spots and some of the best uninterrupted scenery along the south coast. The track takes you beside sheltered white-sand coves with crystal clear water, you camp at secluded campsites, surrounded by a wild coastline, idyllic countryside, pristine national parks and natural bushland, blanketed with wildflowers. You climb from the beaches to the cliff tops with views over the crystal clear blue Southern Ocean and finish with lovely views over Albany and the Princess Royal Harbour.
3 Day Southern Coastal Vistas
From: $520.00
Availability: 19 Oct, 23 Nov 2022
Tour length: 3 days, starts and finishes in Denmark, 4-6 hours walking per day
This section of the 1000km Bibbulmun Track contains spectacular coastal vistas and pristine beaches. Migrating whales pass off the coast at Torndirrup National Park, where steep cliffs give way to dramatic rock formations.
Day prior to depart, 5 pm onwards
Meeting place: Ocean Beach Caravan Park, Denmark
Here your tent and comfortable bed will be awaiting your arrival. Secure vehicle storage for the 3 days of walking has been arranged with the caravan park and is inclusive of your tour cost.
Day one: Denmark to Shelley Beach 17.6km
After our transfer from Denmark to the Bibbulmun Track, we climb gently onto the coastal escarpment and enter West Cape Howe National Park. Expansive ocean views and views inland to the Porongurups, Stirling Ranges and even Mt Manypeaks east of Albany. So many photo opportunities, we take our time to immerse and meander. Shelley Beach is tucked in a sheltered little bay on the east side of West Cape Howe, its waters ranging from emerald to deep blue.
Day two: Shelley Beach to West Torbay 13km
This section of track also offers superb coastal walking, many panoramic vistas and passes through attractive coastal vegetation, granite outcrops and mature sheoaks to arrive at the idyllic Cosy Corner, Torbay. As we descend, we will be tempted to stop to rest on the white sand beach and perhaps to swim in the clear calm waters. We continue along the beach to Torbay Inlet and walk inland beside the waters to our small camp. The inlet makes for a rejuvenating freshwater swim. Also try your luck to catch a black bream.
Day three: West Torbay to Albany 23km
The south coast beaches vary dramatically depending on the season and the prevailing weather. We cross Torbay Inlet along the sandbar, or we wade through shallow waters and continue along the expanse of beach to Mutton Bird Island. We climb stairs up to the lookout to enjoy the great views back along the expanse of Torbay and West Cape Howe. We stay up high along the weaving in and around the steeper ridges, with spectacular Southern Ocean vistas. There are many wooden seats providing welcome stopping points on the high ridges – the waters below are so clear, watch out for the dolphins surfing below. We enter Torndirrup National Park which produces a remarkable array of wildflowers and then turn north toward Albany. We enjoy views over Albany and the Princess Royal Harbour as we descend from the coastal dunes onto Frenchman Bay Road. The track continues along the foreshore into Albany.
Optional: The trail today is relatively easy, hence you will find the 23km will pass before you know. For those wishing to officially walk every step of the way to the southern trailhead in Albany, it is a further 7.3km along the Princess Royal Harbour.
Ex Denmark your day pack trek includes:
Trek poles and gaiters
Twin-share tent with above ground comfortable bed
Duffle bag
Thermal food bag
Fresh fruit & salad
Camp stove, gas, cooking and & eating utensils
Pre-trek group briefing via zoom (3 weeks prior)
3 days of guided hiking
Please note that the dates shown do not include travel to and from Perth.
You will need:
- 3 Breakfasts
- 3 lunches
- 2 Dinners
Optional: barbecue meals that you prepare yourselves can be arranged.
BYO Gear
We confirm that there will be a first aid kit and emergency satellite communicator for the trek group carried by the guide.
Each day you will need in your day pack (we recommend Osprey):
- Day pack waterproof liner (zip lock plastic bags)
- 2 x one litre water containers, plastic tonic or soda bottles are suitable
- Fixomul – small roll at chemist to prevent blisters
- Personal medication
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
- 2 sachets Hydrolyte Electrolytes
- 2 hiking snacks and a lunch
You will need each day whilst hiking:
- 1 sunhat covering ears and neck
- 1 pair hike boots or joggers – work in and comfortable
- 3 pairs wool socks (swap around)
- 1 underwear for each day
- 1 pair of long trousers or shorts – loose and lightweight
- 1 long-sleeved top, shirt, or short-sleeved t-shirt. You wear the same one for at least 2 days
- 1 long-sleeved jumper to wear while hiking – lightweight, we recommend wool
- 1 lightweight rain jacket or poncho
Your camp gear packed into the duffle bag provided (to be transported):
- Sleeping bag – we recommend down (available to hire)
- Pillow – small and light
- 1 warm jacket, thermal or polar fleece
- 1 beanie & gloves if you feel the cold
- 1 pair camp shoes – hiking sandals, runners
- 2 loose-fitting pants for camp and sleeping
- Hiking shirts – sufficient for a clean shirt for every 2nd day
- 1 pair warm socks to keep feet warm and insects off your feet at night
- Head torch
- Travel towel
- Personal toiletries – travel size
- Hydrolyte eletrolytes – sufficient for 2 per day
BYO Food for the trek
We provide 2 pieces of fruit per person. We recommend LOW GI foods for long-term energy.
Breakfast
We recommend repacking into daily ziplock bags weighing approx. 150g each:
- Powdered milk
- Porridge
- Muslei
- Cereal
- Oat bars
- Breakfast bars
- Protein smoothies
Lunch
Pack in large ziplock bags then prepare for each day hike at breakfast time. Make sure they are easy to prepare and eat on the trail. There are days when you can purchase fresh already-made lunch roll where available (see Itinerary).
- Pita or mountain break (keeps well in sealed plastic)
- Boiled eggs
- Fresh cherry tomatoes
- Tuna, beans, salad packets
- Non-refrigerated cheese https://foodsforantiaging.com/6-cheeses-that-can-be-left-unrefrigerated/
- Salami, mettwurst, kabana, fritz
- Kupe mayonnaise (Japanese)
- Jam, honey, peanut past
- Dry crackers (Vita Wheats, Ryvita)
Dinner
Supermarket lightweight quick-to-cook meals. Preferably no cans as we need to ttansport each hiker’s bag, including rubbish.
Pack each day’s dinner into a ziplock bag, with a separate ziplock for condiments.
Soup and snacks to start while you’re waiting for dinner.
Soups: Hart & Soul, Nutrish, Miso
Snacks: Wasabi peas, soya chips etc
Dinner suggestions: search online Woolworths pantry, International foods, Asian, and Indian.
Asian
- Rice & Udon noodles
- Hart & Soul lentil dinners (add peas)
- Oban sweet potato noodles
- Ramyun noodles (add boiled egg, tuna, peas)
- Rice & bean vermicelli noodles
- Thin Hokkien Noodles
- Chinese pork sausage
- Five Tastes shots
- Doree fried garlic
- Dried mushrooms with flavouring
Indian
- Hart & Soul lentil curry (add peas)
- Pataks lentil & veges heat and eat
- MTR ready-to-eat meals
- Passage to India vege curries
- Ashoka ready-to-eat
- Naan bread can be kept in sealed plastic out of the fridge for a few days. Heat up in frypan.
Other dinner ideas
- Dehydrated peas
- Deb dried potatoe (use for energy and to thicken dinner, packets with onion are best)
- Sachets of tuna/salmon
- Salami
- Tandaco one pan dinner
- Dinner Winner
- Couscous with herbs, nuts, seeds
- Dried mushrooms
- Vegetables that will survive without refrigeration – potatoes, carrots, corn, cabbage, tomatoes
- Kewpie salad dressings
- Spices to add to your food
- Oil and condiments in small tight-lidded containers
Sweets
- Pancakes
- Popcorn
- marshmallows – campfire smores
Trek Snacks
Very important to eat only low GI whilst trekking to avoid energy highs & lows.
Repack an assortment of snacks into daily snaplock bags – 150g per morning, 100g for afternoon (jerky is good for pm).
- Nuts – almond, cashews, brazils, peanuts
- Dried fruit – mango, apples, apricots, etc
- Fruit leather
- Health food bars (check sugar)
- Rice crackers, biscuits
- Jerky
- Biltong
On arrival at camp
It is recommended to eat a snack within 30 mins of arriving at camp to assist with muscle recovery
- Soup with protein
- Protein bar
- Chocolates, nuts, biscuits
How fit do you have to be?
Hiking with a day pack is open to anyone with a reasonable level of fitness. Multi day trekking is exhilarating, but it will have its challenges for you and to get the best out of the experience, we suggest that preparation prior is important. To really test your ability to handle soft sand beach walking, and some steep (but short) climbs over loose limestone, we recommend for your training, to get off footpaths and bitumen as much as possible. As we all have busy lives, it may be that you can only fit in 1 hour walk two or three times a week and you may have to do this close to home on flat paths, but that’s better than nothing.
Extended day hikes, along with the 2 to 3 times a week, we recommend fitting a few hikes of 15km or more, with a day pack so that you get accustomed to what you will be doing on the multi-day hiking tours. The Bibbulmun Track, out of Kalamunda, has plenty of ascents and descents to give you and your body a good tryout.
Hiking boots/shoes & wool socks
We strongly recommend that you have very well-worn-in boots that you have trained in. Completing extended walks, greater than 15km, will trial new socks and boots allowing for you to have a blister free hiking.
Blister prevention
Purchase a couple of small rolls of Fixomull (chemist). Cut pieces to size and stick them on your feet prior to hiking for blister prevention. Also, if whilst you’re hiking you feel “minor rubbing or a hot spot”, stop straight away and cover with Fixomull. The Fixomull breathes and will stay on your feet over several days even when you shower.
Camp shoes
We recommend that you bring suitable sandals as your camp shoes so that they could also be used on sandy stretches or if blisters occur with your main pair of shoes/boots
