Day one: Cape Naturaliste Lighthouse to Yallingup Taxi to Cape Naturaliste.13.7 km
Taxi to Cape Naturaliste The first 3 km along a boardwalk has have incredible views and it is a
boardwalk. There is a delightful viewing platform at Sugarloaf Rock and then the track follows
the edge of the cliff tops with expansive views. We descend at Three Bears Surf beach and follow
a mix of narrow path and sandy 4-wheel drive track until we reach the small settlement of Yallingup.
Day two: Yallingup to Moses Rock Camp 18km
From Yallingup walk along top of the cliffs then descend to Smiths Beach for some beach walking.
At the south end the track heads uphill and becomes rocky and interesting with lovely viewpoints.
A short detour can be had down to Canal Rocks to explore the interesting formations although
keep in mind that it’s all uphill from there to an excellent lookout. Pass through Injidup with an
excellent viewing platform where we can take in the view and watch the surfers. You can do a
small detour to Quinninup Falls, which will have little water and then a short trail to arrive at Moses
Rock Carpark.
Day three: Prevelly to Contos 16km
Ascend above the settlement of Prevelly and Gnarabup
with views and the track maybe full of wildflowers. We descend to the Redgate Beach for a couple
of short beach walks. The next 7km stretch is one of the prettiest sections of the Cape-to-Cape
Track. It mainly stays above the ocean, meandering through short coastal scrub and offering up
superb views along the way. Bob’s Hollow is a hidden little gem and then skirt the cliff tops looking
over Conto Beach to reach Conto’s campground that is very well set out with a camp kitchen and
little private campsites amongst the trees.
Day four: Contos to Hamelin Bay 21km
Te first 15km section is easy walking along forest trails
amongst some fine stands of karri trees, a nice contrast to all the coastal walking that you
have completed so far. The trail heads back west to come out through large sand dunes on to the
sweeping Boranup Bay. The sand is usually hard packed and easy walking for the 6km in Hamelin
Bay.
Day five: Hamelin to Cape Leeuwin 26km
From Hamelin we skirt the rocky headland and
take a short loop detour to White Cliff Point with some beautiful views, then down to the beach
into Foul Bay (strange name as its lovely) then walk inland to reach the Foul Bay lighthouse and
have more fantastic views. From Cozy Corner Road you’re at the start of an interesting limestone
platform which is made of limestone and is full of gaps and holes. During large swells, blow holes
can be heard and seen. Pick your way carefully across the flat rock, watching for the holes!
Deepdene Beach is a wide sweeping 7km bay from which you start to see a faint outline of the
lighthouse, at Cape Leeuwin. From the beach you climb up above the Augusta Cliffs and the track
meanders along inland to come out on the rock at Cape Leeuwin.
BYO trek gear
Day pack carry:
- Day pack (we recommend Osprey)
- Day pack waterproof cover
- 2 x one litre water containers, plastic tonic or soda bottles are suitable
- 2 sachets Hydrolyte Electrolytes
- 2 hiking snacks and your lunch
- Fixomul – small roll at chemist to prevent blisters
- Personal medication
- Sunscreen
- Insect repellent
Hike clothing:
- 1 sunhat covering ears and neck
- 1 pair hike boots or joggers – worn 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
Camp gear: (store in duffle bag provided to be transported by Simply Trekking)
- Sleeping bag – warm, we recommend down (available to hire)
- 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 electrolytes – sufficient for 2 per day
BYO Food for the trek
Trek Snacks Very important to eat only low GI whilst trekking to avoid energy highs & lows. Repack an assortment of snacks into daily snap lock 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
Lunch (Pack in large zip lock bags then prepare for each day hike at breakfast time. Make sure they are easy to prepare and eat on the trail.
Pita or mountain break (keeps well in sealed plastic)
- Pita or mountain bread (keeps well in seal 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)
Breakfast (you need about 150g per morning)
- Powdered milk
- Porridge
- Muslei
- Cereal
- Oat bars
- Breakfast bars
- Protein smoothies
Dinner Supermarket lightweight quick-to-cook meals. Preferably no cans as we need to transport each hiker’s bag, including rubbish. Pack each day’s dinner into a ziplock bag, with a separate ziplock for condiments. Soup and snacks are good to start whilst you’re waiting for dinner to cook.
Soups: Hart & Soul, Nutrish, Miso Snacks: Wasabi peas, soya chips
Asian dinners
- 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
Indian dinners
- 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
- Sachets of tuna/salmon (add to Asian noodles)
- Salami
- Tandaco one pan dinner
- Dinner Winner
- Couscous with herbs, nuts, seeds
- Dried mushrooms & dehydrated peas
- Fresh potatoes, carrots, corn, cabbage, tomatoes
- Dehydrated peas
- Deb dried potato with onion (use for energy and to thicken dinner)
- Kewpie salad dressings
- Spices to add to your food
- Oil and condiments in small tight-lidded containers
Sweets
- Pancakes
- Popcorn
- marshmallows – campfire smores
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.
