Best short-haul walking holidays from Australia (under 11 hours away).

When you don’t have the time (or appetite) for long-haul travel, a walking holiday closer to home can be just as rewarding.

Within a 3-10 hour flight, you’ll find an incredible variety of landscapes: wild coastal tracks, remote island trails and centuries-old pilgrimage routes. Better still, doing these walks with RAW Travel means you get all the benefits of independent travel, backed by deep destination knowledge, comfortable accommodation and seamless logistics along the way.

If you’re looking for a walking adventure that feels like a true escape without crossing half of the globe, these are some of our favourite short-haul options to consider.

Cape to Cape Track, Western Australia

If you’d rather stay within Australia, the Cape to Cape Track delivers one of Australia’s most rewarding multi-day walks.

Stretching along the Margaret River coastline from Cape Naturaliste to Cape Leeuwin, this is a journey defined by contrasts. One day you’re walking along clifftops with sweeping ocean views, the next you’re winding through towering karri forests or descending onto pristine, empty beaches.

What sets this walk apart is what happens off the trail. The track cuts through one of Australia’s most celebrated food and wine regions, meaning your days of coastal walking are paired with long lunches, cellar door tastings and relaxed evenings in places like Yallingup and Margaret River.

The highlights: coastal scenery, food and wine, no long flights required, a remote and immersive experience without having to leave Australia

Best time to walk: Autumn, from late March to late May and spring, from late August to late November

Abel Tasman Coast Track, New Zealand

New Zealand’s South Island is a natural next step for Australian walkers who love nature, and the Abel Tasman Coast Track is one of its most accessible and rewarding hikes.

Located within a compact national park, this walk is known for its golden sand beaches, turquoise water and lush coastal forest. The trail itself is well-formed and relatively gentle, making it ideal for first-time multi-day walkers or those looking for a more relaxed pace.

Days are spent walking between secluded bays and headlands, with opportunities to kayak, swim or spot seals and dolphins along the way. We offer both guided and self-guided walk options on the Abel Tasman, with beautiful boutique lodges booked for your stays along the track. 

The highlights: easy coastal walking, golden beaches, accessible and well-maintained track that still feels remote

Best time to walk: Perfect year-round destination, although shoulder season in spring and autumn are the best, quietest times to walk. Summer months are the busiest but temperatures are warmer if you’d like to do some swimming on the trail. 

Queen Charlotte Track, New Zealand

Also on the South Island, the Queen Charlotte Track offers a slightly different coastal experience, renowned for its stunning panoramas, forests, historical landmarks and an array of native bush and wildlife.

The 73km trail winds through the Marlborough Sounds, with long ridgeline sections delivering sweeping views over bays, inlets and forested hills. Despite its popularity, it remains surprisingly uncrowded, even in peak season.

One of the standout features here is the accommodation: boutique lodges tucked into remote bays, often only accessible by foot or boat, making each day feel like an escape.

If you’re feeling extra adventurous, you can also combine Queen Charlotte with the Abel Tasman Coast Track on our self-guided walk. 

The highlights: panoramic views and wilderness, solitude, great lodge-based accommodation

Best time to walk: Same as in Abel Tasman, the Tasman region is a great year-round destination.

Nakasendo Way, Japan

The Nakasendo Way offers a journey to the heart of the old, off-the-beaten-track Japan.

This historic route once connected Kyoto and Tokyo, with post towns spaced along the way to support the lords, samurai, merchants and other travellers who walked the route. Today, many of these villages remain beautifully preserved, giving walkers a rare glimpse into Japan’s past.

The walk itself passes through the Kiso Valley, weaving between forests, farmland and traditional towns like Magome and Tsumago. It’s a deeply cultural experience, where the rhythm of the walk is shaped as much by local encounters as the landscapes.

Highlights: history, immersion into traditional Japanese culture, post towns along the way

Best time to walk: March to May (spring) and September to November (autumn)

Kumano Kodo, Japan

The Kumano Kodo is one of the world’s great pilgrimage routes, and one of the most unique walking experiences within short-haul reach of Australia.

Set in the mountains of the Kii Peninsula, just south of Osaka, this network of ancient trails has been walked for over 1,000 years. The most popular route, the Nakahechi trail, leads through dense forests, quiet villages and past sacred shrines towards the revered Kumano Sanzan.

There’s a strong sense of an ancient atmosphere here, and seasonal contrasts of cherry blossom in the spring and rich autumn foliage inject wonderful colour along the hiking route. 

At the end of each day, traditional guesthouses, multi-course meals and onsen hot baths offer a distinctly Japanese way to recover.

Highlights: spiritual depth, forest trails, a sense of pilgrimage

Best time to walk: March and April, October and November. Read more about when to hike the Kumano Kodo here.

Great walks are closer than you think

Walking with RAW Travel means you don’t have to figure out the logistics on your own. With decades of experience and on-the-ground experts in each destination, we take the complexity out of planning a multi-day walk, so you can focus on the experience itself.

Our self-guided itineraries give you the freedom to choose your own travel dates and walk at your own pace, without sacrificing support. We take care of the accommodation, luggage transfers and navigation, so your days on the trail are seamless and stress-free.

Behind the scenes, our team brings deep local knowledge and reliable on-the-ground support, meaning if anything unexpected arises, help is always close by.

If you’re ready to start planning your next walking adventure, get in touch with our team.