Trekking in Wonderland

The smallest state of Australia is almost 10 times smaller than Ukraine. But this southern state-island is guaranteed to promise incomparable impressions to all its visitors. Let's find out - the island of Tasmania or just Tassi, as the locals call it. For several thousand years, the island has been isolated from both Australia and New Zealand, so it is a real treasure trove for those who want to immerse themselves in untouched nature and for all seekers of the new and unknown.

Much of Tasmania is covered with plateaus and tablelands, the highest peak is Ossa 1617 m, many beautiful lakes of glacial origin are scattered throughout its territory, of course, you can visit the stunning beaches and bays, but 44% of the island is covered with forests, mostly tropical rainforests. Therefore, Tasmania may boast of unique diversity of fauna and flora, and about 80% of animals are endemic ones.

To protect the pristine ecosystem 19 National Parks are created in Tasmania, they cover as much as 21% of the island. All parks are open to the public, but you need to book a seat in advance and pay for an entrance ticket ($200 on average). The most interesting of these is Mount Cradle - Lake St. Clair National Park, Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area recognized by UNESCO. This is a place, where the dream of many trackers is situated - Land Trail, Overland Track.

The track is designed for 6 days, its length is 65 km. Only 24 people are admitted to the track in one day, but in total it gives more than 8000 people a year who can test their physical fitness and explore one of the most unique places on the planet. You can only move from north to south, i.e. the it starts from Mount Cradle down to the deepest lake in Australia, St. Clair (200 meters deep). This lake is also the deepest of the lakes of glacial origin on our planet. If you still have the strength, it makes sense to walk an additional track along it, in total, "gathering" by your feet 82 km of untouched nature. The Land Trail is a chance to feel the spirit of true pristine Tasmania and see unique animals by yourself, such as the echidna, the platypus, the marsupial flying squirrel, and the eastern quoll. If you are lucky one :), you can meet one of the most dangerous venomous snakes on the planet, a tiger snake or even a fierce and voracious Tasmanian devil who lives only in Tasmania. The Tasmanian devil is able to eat up to 40% of his body weight in just 30 minutes, emitting terrible shrill cries or monotonous growls. But it is safe for humans.

What dangers await travelers on the Land Trail? The track belongs to the 4th level of difficulty, so you need to be well-prepared, energetic and strong, and you need to follow some rules. The climate in Tasmania is moderately cold and the weather is very changeable. Even in summer the average maximum temperature is +21°C, the average low is +12°C, but at night it can fall below zero. Therefore, you should bring warm and waterproof items. Also, despite the existence of tourist huts, a prerequisite for admission to the track - the presence of a tent and sleeping bag up to -10°C. In general, the list of recommended clothing and camping equipment, which will definitely be checked before the start of the track, it is really impressive - it has more than 40 items. Everyone should carry all their travel equipment and food for 6 days in a backpack. You must admit that, the burden is not easy, given 10 to 15 km every day in the wild, as well as the fact that almost half of the track passes in the mountains above 1000 meters.

But no difficulties will stop you from enjoying the surreal landscapes of untouched Tasmania, because the Land Trail is a journey that will change your life.