Bibbulmun Donnelly River – Pemberton Pack & Camp 5 Day Hike

Duration

Multi-Day

Region

South West

Distance

108 km

Difficulty

Advanced/
Intermediate

The Bibbulmun (Bib) Track stretches 1003 kms from Kalamunda to Albany and is Western Australia’s longest walking trail.

Escape the hustle and bustle and the endless list of “things to do” and instead reconnect with nature on this 108 km / 5 day incredible hiking adventure.

Trekking from the famous Donnelly River Village to Pemberton in WA’s South West region, you will be totally immersed in our spectacular Southern Forests!

You will be expertly guided through lush karri and jarrah forests, rolling country hills, over huge fallen trees turned into makeshift bridges, flowing rivers, tranquil cascades, around picturesque dams as you ride the infamous Donnelly River Rollercoaster!

You are invited to come and experience the great South West along parts of the magical Bibbulmun Track that are only accessible by foot.

This is the perfect adventure off the beaten track and a great one for intermediate skilled adventurers with a good level of fitness to challenge themselves with!

Book now or check out the full inclusion list and detailed itinerary below for more information.

Experience Includes

5 x days of guided hiking
4 x nights camping at Bibbulmun Track shelters
1 x night shared accommodation in Pemberton
OTBT Overnight Hiking Kit Hire (optional extra)
Transport from Perth to Donnelly River Village
Transport from Pemberton back to Perth
All track meals | 4 x trail breakfasts, 5 x trail lunches, 4 x trail dinners + snacks (optional extra)
1 x celebration dinner
1 x cooked breakfast
Virtual Information session & Preparation pack
Access to all OTBT photographs
50% discount on OTBT Endurance Hikes (training)

Day 1 | (Departing 6:30am) | Drive Day & Donnelly River Village to Tom Road Campsite (16.2km)

After driving down to Donnelly River Village, with a cheeky stop at the Balingup Bakery, we will begin our 5-day hike along the Bibbulmun track to Pemberton by walking through the holiday village at Donnelly River itself. You will make friends with all the local Kangaroos and Emu’s of which we may encounter over the next few km’s. On day one we will only walk a few gentle hills which will warm us up for the climbs coming up, our minds will be kept busy getting to know each other and learning to spot the different types of tree’s we will be hiking past with a mixture of flora giving us a taster of what’s to come. Ending our first day at Tom Road campsite, we will set up our tents for the first time alongside a beautiful deep river where if your keen enough you can brave the cold water for a swim under large trees and then warm up next to our first camp fire enjoying a hot cuppa.

Day 2 | Tom Road Campsite to Boarding House Campsite (24.2 km)

Our second day on the track takes us 24.2 km all the way to Boarding House campsite, over the next few km’s you will have to keep a sharp eye as you will start spotting many different kinds of fungi and mushrooms accompanied by great river views and plenty of moss covered log’s, It really will start to look like a magical fairy garden. After crossing the new ‘One Tree Bridge’ suspension bridge you will get to pass the halfway point between Albany and Kalamunda along the Bibbulmun track and we might even get our first group selfie with the half way point sign using the in built selfie stand!! With the last few hundred metres to camp we will cross our first “Tree Bridge”, a crossing made from and old tree which has fallen across the river, which will take you into the Boarding House Campsite, a gorgeous shelter nestled along the banks of a stream, your home for the night.

Day 3 | Boarding House Campsite to Beavis Campsite (21.1km)

Starting with an energy filled breakfast and leaving early in the morning to give ourselves plenty of time we will begin to tackle to Donnelly River Rollercoaster, the trail will take us up and down steep hills, over and through giant trees, winding through green tree tunnels and along high ridge lines with awe-inspiring views. We aren’t going to lie, today is a tough one but the scenery along the way will make up for it. You will get to encounter tranquil trickling streams, some of the most superb fungi and even more “Tree Bridges”. After a tough day on the feet we will plod on into Beavis campsite where we can take our trusty shoes of and let our legs relax and just maybe if were lucky enough be able to soak our feet in the nearby cold water pool. Tonight will be spent under towering Karri Tree’s listening to the peaceful sounds of the forest.

Day 4 | Beavis Campsite to Beedelup Campsite (22km)

Day four and well over halfway along your journey, after a tough previous day today will feel a lot easier on the feet. The trail today will make its final climb out of the Donnelly Valley you have called home for 3 days and through to Beedelup National Park where we will come across our first Jarrah/Marri forest that we have seen in the last few days. Although we are nearly to the end there is still plenty to see, especially the amazing Beedelup Falls where water will cascade over the very end of the Darling range Fault line into the depths of the forest below. Crossing yet another suspension bridge you will make your way through the last few km’s to your final forest home, Beedelup shelter, hiding under tall Karri Trees alongside a bubbling brook which if your bold enough can make for a nice ice bath to soak in before your final track diner eaten by a warm glowing fire as we recall stories of our time spent on the track together.

Day 5 | Beedelup Campsite to Pemberton (25.1km)

Your final stretch and homeward bound and your longest day of your journey on the track. Although this is your longest stretch it is by far the easiest, with only a handful of small hills and plenty to see. The track today will take you over a Stile and though private farmland where we can make friends with the local Pemby cows and hopefully soak up the sun in the open-air paddock before heading down our last decent back into dense forest and following old railway formations into the Big Brook Arboretum which is home to many native and exotic trees including giant sequoia redwoods all the way from California. Passing by Big Brook Dam and shortly after, Pemberton Trout Farm signifies our last few Km’s on the trail before Pemberton which means a nice hot shower, a scrumptious pub meal and a real bed awaits.

Day 6 | Breakfast at Wild At Heart – Depart Pemberton 9am – Arrive back in Perth by 1pm

After what may be one of the most relaxing sleeps of your life it is time to head on home and back to reality but not before we treat you to a big, delectable breakfast at Wild At Heart in the Centre of town to refuel your body from a glorious full 5 days deep in the forests of the South West. Its now your time to relax as we drive you back to Perth. You will feel empowered and invigorated, with plenty of amazing memories and stories to tell!

Fitness Level: A high level of fitness is required for these hikes. You do need to have overnight hiking experience and to have done at least one overnight hike before embarking on a multi-day journey. We will guide you through the packing and preparation and even assist you with some training suggestions. During the hike, we will be going at a pace where we will enjoy the journey as well as the destination.

Departing from: 6:30am Cockburn Central Train Station, ‘The Siding’ pick up area, Junction Boulevard, Cockburn.
Please arrive 6:15am ready for a 6:30am departure.

Upon registration, you will be issued with a Guest Information Pack which contains a training plan, packing list, copy of itinerary and other useful information.

Individual Equipment Hire Available

65ltr backpack
1 person tent
2 person tent (to share with a pal)
Sea to Summit sleeping mat
Stove & Pot set

Or make life easy and hire the full Overnight Hiking Kit which includes the below (pricing as per above):

OTBT Overnight Hiking Kit
The following kit will be issued for you to use for the multi-day hike (and returned upon completion):
Hiking poles
Own tent (or shared if preferred)
Sleeping mat
65lt backpack
Hiking stove with gas
Lightweight pot set
Mug, Bowl, Spoon
Head torch
Water purification tablets
Dry sack for food storage
Dry sack for clean clothes storage

Please note: You will be required to pay a security bond of $500 for the use of the OTBT Hiking Kit. This will be refunded back to you once the kit has been returned in full and in good condition.

Payment: To secure your place on this tour you can either pay in full or pay a 20% deposit. With the balance due 30 days prior to tour departure. Payment requests will be emailed at intervals leading up to your departure to make paying off the balance more manageable.

Cancellations: No-shows and cancellations received within 30 days of tour departure will incur a 100% cancellation fee.

Cancellations received 30-60 days prior to the tour departure will incur a 50% cancellation fee.

Cancellations received over 60 days prior to the tour departure will receive a full refund minus 15% administration fee.

Customers can transfer their booking to a friend or family member with no penalty but must advise in writing so Off The Beaten Track WA can provide confirmation information to this individual and ensure waivers are completed.

All bookings are made online via Rezdy Stripe or Paypal and are inclusive of GST and will incur a booking fee. The booking fee is non-refundable in the case of a cancellation.

If Off The Beaten Track WA cancels a tour you will be eligible to transfer amounts paid to another departure date or alternatively receive a full refund.

Book Now

from $1600

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