Moon camping area, The Ngaro Track, Whitsunday Islands | Matt Horspool

The Ngaro Track, Whitsunday Islands | Matt Horspool

Ngaro Track Walk In Comfort

Carry-less and enjoy more camp comforts on this guided Ngaro Track walk

3 Days from

$1590 USD

Trip Code: NGW

View dates to Book Essential Information

Extra trip options & supplements

*Prices listed are per person

Sleeping Bag Hire

$22 USD

Duration

3 Days

Activities

3 days trekking with a medium sized backpack

Accommodation

2 nights architecturally designed camp sites

Meals

3 Dinners
3 Lunches
2 Breakfasts

Difficulty Grading

4 / 10

Introductory to Moderate

Carbon Footprint

22kg of CO₂-e PP per day

(44kg of CO₂-e PP entire trip)

The Ngaro Track In Comfort Trip highlights

Walk the full Ngaro Track carrying a lighter pack
Enjoy rare views over the Whitsundays that can only be reached on foot
Summit Whitsunday Craig Summit (353m elevation)
Learn more about the Ngaro people through the art installations
Hike the Whitsundays’ only mangrove boardwalk
Gain a deeper understanding of the unique biodiversity on the island

Overview

The new Ngaro track on Whitsunday Island is located in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area - one of Queensland’s iconic national parks. This walk allows you to experience it without a full-pack, and with more camp comforts.

The 32 kilometre track takes its name from the Ngaro people, the Traditional Custodians of this land. Ngaro families have played an integral role in supervising the track’s construction and shaping its interpretive elements, ensuring the cultural significance of Country is respectfully represented. Their stories and insights are shared with walkers through artwork placed along the route.

This three day fully-supported walk takes in the area’s most recognisable destinations, connecting the iconic silica sands of Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet, weaving across both coastal and inland terrain. Renowned for its outstanding scenic beauty, diverse natural features and rich cultural heritage, the track rewards walkers with constant vistas and countless photo opportunities showcasing the breathtaking Whitsundays. Built with natural materials, the track has been thoughtfully designed to complement the island’s rugged environment. Each section has varying challenges that culminate at architecturally-designed campsites complete with hardwood tent platforms, communal shelters and ‘loos-with-views’.

This more comfortable, supported walk is designed for walkers who want the full Ngaro Track experience with far less to carry and much more taken care of. Ideal for travellers who are short on time, prefer lighter loads, prepared camps and guides managing the daily logistics, so you you focus entirely on the walking, the views and the stories of Country.

You’ll carry between 8-12kg in your pack each day, while your guiding team handles camp setup, meal preparation and on-track support. It’s the perfect choice for those seeking an immersive, multi-day island walk without the demands of a full pack, offering comfort, ease and expert care in one of Queensland’s most spectacular landscapes.

The Ngaro Track combines cultural storytelling with spectacular landscapes - from Whitehaven’s white sands and mangrove wetlands to rainforest ridges and the dramatic Whitsunday Craig. It is a must-do experience for travellers seeking an active holiday enriched with a deeper cultural understanding of the Whitsundays.

Itinerary

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The trip will start with an early morning pick up from Airlie Beach for our drive to Shute Harbour and the boat over to Whitsunday Island. The pick up time from Airlie Beach and departure time from Shute Harbour are tide dependent, with the boat usually departing between 7am to 10am. The journey typically takes 1-1.5 hours. We’ll arrive by boat at the southern end of the popular Whitehaven Beach. Here we will visit the Whitehaven Beach lookout where the views set the scene of what’s to come before continuing along the shared use trail to Chance Bay Beach. The Ngaro Track starts just beyond Chance Bay and we’ll take our time to enjoy the space, read the information signs and connect with Country. From here we will start our walk through a unique ecosystem of rainforest growing from sand, with the track taking us deep into this vegetation. We’ll visit Bari dhili (Rock eye) viewpoint, and enjoy the view of the Whitsunday Craig and the Ngaro family art installation posts. Continuing south we will reach Bowarri yamba, meaning moon camp. Here, we arrive to our already setup camp and enjoy uninterrupted views of the nighttime sky. The architecturally designed shelter delivers plenty of space to relax, and a selection of camping decks and earth nodes offer differing views over the island and sea. Walking Time: 5 hours | Distance: 8.3km *You will need to arrive in Airlie Beach the day before your trip, ensuring that you arrive in time to attend the 3:30pm pre-trip briefing.

Meals: L,D

Beginning the day watching the sunrise over Silicon Bay and the south end of Whitsunday Island will set the tone for the vistas to come today. After breakfast we’ll don our backpacks and descend into a shady area dominated by hoop pines and grasses, known locally as the pines. We’ll then follow the contours of the coast to Craig point viewpoint and begin our steady climb up to Whitsunday Craig (353m). Gradually ascending, the track offers outstanding views of the imposing rock face before a short final climb with ladders and stairs leads to the lichen-encrusted rock platforms of the Whitsunday Craig. From here we’ll marvel at the incredible scenic views of the Whitsundays. The track steeply descends, down the Hill Inlet to Bilbili dhili viewpoint overlooking the unique samphire forbland. We will pause at Lower Craig and Crayfish Bay for photo-worthy lookouts and to reflect on the Ngaro family art installations that share cultural storylines, before continuing down onto the shores of Torres Herald Bay and our campsite for tonight, Dhula yamba (Tree camp). The campsite is set in a shaded, cool palm forest, where we can enjoy the views and sounds of the sheltered bay’s waters. Walking Time: 7 hours | Distance: 10.8km

Meals: B,L,D

For our final day we will walk from one side of the island to the other. From Dhula yamba (Tree camp) we will walk north to the Whitsunday’s only mangrove boardwalk, where you’ll come to cross a bridge over Hill Inlet. The undulating track crosses seasonal waterfalls and passes through gullies of forests and rocks. As we continue there will be creek crossings through magnificent palm groves where we’ll discover the seasonal Gumi (Ponds) wetland. Leaving our packs behind, we’ll head out to Murmuru bari (Round rock) viewpoint for a unique view of Hill Inlet. As the track continues we will enjoy stunning scenery throughout the day, culminating on the shores of world-renowned Hill Inlet. As the adventure draws to a close, we depart from Whitsunday Island via boat transfer back to Airlie Beach. The boat journey typically takes approximately 1-1.5 hours, allowing for ample time to reflect on the memories made and the beauty witnessed throughout this remarkable experience. Please be advised that boat transfer timings are subject to change based on weather conditions and tides, ensuring your safe return to Airlie Beach this evening. Walking Time: 8 hours | Distance: 12.8km

Meals: B,L,D

Map

Elevation

The map and elevation chart are for illustrative purposes only and meant to provide general guidelines.

Ready to start your adventure?

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What’s included?

Included

2 breakfasts, 3 lunches, 2 dinners, snacks & hot drinks
2 nights architecturally designed camps on a twin share basis or free upgrade to single tent for solo travellers
Airlie Beach hotel pick up/drop off on first and last day of tour
Marine transfers to and from Whitsunday Island
Professional wilderness guides & support staff
Camping equipment including tents, comfortable sleeping mats & stretcher beds plus all cooking equipment and utensils
National Park fees
Emergency communications & 24 hour back-up
Comprehensive group first aid kit
Mandatory pre-trip briefing held the day before the trip starts

Not included

Accommodation in Airlie Beach before and after the trip
Transfers from/to Whitsunday Coast Airport
Items of a personal nature, such as laundry and alcoholic beverages
Backpack and sleeping bag (if you would like to hire a sleeping bag please let our staff know at least 14 days prior to your trip)
Airfares
Travel insurance