The Three Capes Track is a must-visit for nature lovers and hikers and one of those classic MUST DO trails. Cape Pillar, the highlight of the trail, is a real treat!
The Three Capes Track is a 48-kilometre track located on the Tasman Peninsula, southeast of Hobart, the capital of Tasmania. The walk takes four days and three nights, and it is a unique experience that provides ample opportunities to connect with nature, explore the stunning environment and learn about the history of the region thanks to the many art installations and the accompanying complimentary guidebook.
To set off on the Three Capes Walk, you will need to book in advance, as the number of hikers is limited due to conservation and safety. My walk was in February, and I booked 6 months(!) prior and still didn’t get the dates I specifically wanted. There is a wait list option available, and I was fortunate that about 1 month prior, the actual dates I wanted became available and as soon as I received the email notification, I promptly booked the new dates. The cost for the walk is $495 per adult, $395 concession. (UPDATE: These prices are going up for 2024 to $595 and $495 respectively)
I’ll give you a HOT TIP though, there is a ‘Free Capes‘ walk which takes you to the same highlights, minus the huts experience. Certainly, this option opens up the walk for those of us who are bit more spontaneous with our travel plans.
I stayed in Hobart the night before and caught a bus to Port Arthur early in the morning. It is about a 90-minute bus ride which includes a toilet stop.
In retrospect I wish I stayed at Port Arthur the night before and got an extra walk in out to Cape Raoul in the morning.
The walk starts with a 90-minute boat trip from Port Arthur to Denmans Cove, where the trail begins. The boat ride is included in the walk fee and is quite a pleasant ride, offering spectacular views of the coastline and jagged cliffs of the Tasman National Park – plus plenty of wildlife sightings. Be warned, you will need to hitch your pants up and hang your boots around your neck for when it’s time to get off the boat for a paddle to shore where the trail itself starts!
The walk to Surveyors Hut where you will stay the night is very short, 4km, that’s how short! You can probably jog it in your tea break. So, it’s worth taking your time and enjoying the scenery along the way. Or even having a slow lunch and paddle at Denmans Cove before you start the walk.
Now to the huts… this is really what you are paying for on this walk. And yes, they are stunning with expansive windows, so you get to enjoy the beautiful surrounds even while inside! Architecturally designed with modern and minimal interiors, they provide all the essential amenities. Each of the three huts had a different design but still the same basic composition with communal kitchen areas, expansive verandas and dorm rooms. The main hut area has several communal gas stoves, and basic cooking equipment such as pots and pans so there is no need to carry all that cooking gear!! There is also plenty of USB points for charging devices, books, games, packs of cards, yoga mats, rollers (for stretching) and plentiful free ear plugs!
At each hut you are greeted by the Hut Ranger and all three on my walk had great personalities and found a way to make their hut spiels highly entertaining.
The accommodation is in shared rooms of 4-6 bunks. The mattresses are super comfortable! Pit toilets are available, and I can assure you they are the cleanest pit toilets you’ll ever encounter.
I awoke to pouring rain! Keeping an eye on the radar it looked like it would pass eventually so I decided to wait it out at the hut. There are deck chairs so I was happy as could be kicking back there under the shelter with a book and plentiful hot cups of tea!
While the Rangers suggest you leave by 10am, there is no official ‘check out’ time however, everyone in my ‘group’ hit the trail between about 8am and 10am. Eventually the rain passed at midday, and I set out, arriving at the next hut by 4pm dry as a bone to find all my fellow walkers had spread the entire contents of all their saturated packs on every available surface. Admittedly I felt quite smug at that point.
Now Munro Hut has a special treat… a hot bucket shower! It’s quite fun to use and it’s surprising how long one bucket of hot water lasts. There is also a stunning lookout here over the ocean which presents another perfect opportunity to pull up a deck chair and book. Bliss!
I was keen as mustard to get an early start to arrive at the Cape for sunrise however, woke to heavy cloud and drizzle so it wasn’t going to be a good morning for an epic sunset. Hence, I kicked back with my book and tea in deckchair to enjoy the views and rain from shelter then hit the trail about 11am when the weather started to clear. Last to leave, again. But that suited just fine me as I got to have the trail to myself for much of the time and by the time I arrived at the Cape the clouds had lifted!
This is a big walking day – 19km (with all my excited zigzagging about this day ended up being 25km for me), so it is worth your while not to leave it too late to get on your way. Or at least having a good awareness of your own capabilities and what distances you can cover in what time. You only need to carry your pack for the last 4km of it so don’t stress.
Cape Pillar is an absolute highlight, not only of the day but of the entire walk. Offering epic exposure and spectacular views of the coastline, sea cliffs, towering dolerite pillars, and the Tasman Island. For me, Cape Pillar made Three Capes Trek worthwhile. It was just awesome!!
After you’ve done the out and back from the hut to the Cape, you can collect your pack from the hut then walk the last few kilometers to the Retakkuna Hut set amongst the grasslands. There is a resident pet here which pretty cool to see. I won’t spoil the surprise.
Your bus departure time will determine what time you need to set off for the final day on the trail. I was on the earlier but and left about 7/8am as I recall (which was heaps of time). This day is delightful and takes you through pristine rainforest.
There is an out and back detour to Cape Hauy which is an absolute must! Like Cape Pillar you will encounter epic exposure and truly awesome views! If you’re zonked and just want to get on the bus you could certainly skip it and save yourself about 8km but you might regret it.
The walk ends at Fortescue Bay and a swim at this glorious turquoise water beach is a fitting finish before the final bus ride (also included in the fee) back to Port Arthur.
To get to and from the Three Capes Track, Hobart is the nearest city. There are several bus companies which can get you between Hobart/ Hobart Airport and Port Arthur, so it is just a matter of picking one that suits your timing best. Cost will be around $35-$45 each way. I used Pennicott one direction and Grayline the other which did the job.
– Pennicott
– Grayline
– Public bus
– You can store your luggage for FREE at the Info Centre at Port Arthur before you get on the boat and collect it once you get off the bus upon completing. There are also lockers available here for a small fee.
– No tent, no sleeping mat, no cooking gear means you either go really ultra-light or take extra food!! Especially for night one and morning one, pack a feast- you only have to carry it 4km after all! Plus, you don’t need to worry about gas consumption and water is available on tap at all huts so keep that in mind with your food selection. I saw plenty of people with fresh meat and veggies for the first night especially. Dehydrated meals were also popular.
– No knives are available in the communal kitchens so if you want to cut things up, pack your own.
– You’re allocated a room each night so no need to race so you get the ‘best room’. You’ll keep the same room number and roommates through out the walk.
– Distances between the huts on the first two days are short, seriously there is NO RUSH.
– There is NO water available between huts so make sure you have 2L worth of bottles with you, particularly for day 3.
– Be prepared for four seasons in a day, even in Summer. That includes a decent raincoat and a waterproof pack cover.
– Take a book and journal, there is HEAPS of down time to read and reflect. There is generally mobile phone reception on most of the trail but it is nice to make the most of the opportunity to get off grid.
– Grab a yoga mat and take some time to stretch at the end of the day.
– There are boardgames and packets of cards in all huts so a great way to spend the evening with your fellow hikers.
– The Three Capes Track website by Tas Parks and Wildlife is very comprehensive and contains all the need-to-know information.
Well, I’m torn on this one because I honestly just love hiking solo with just my pack and 1P tent. I love the solitude of it, the serenity and the freedom. Having lots of people on the trail and being locked into set distances admittedly irks that wild part of me that just wants to surrender to whatever magic may lay before me.
I think the price is pretty high for 3 nights basic accommodation but can appreciate that there is no road access to the huts, so they were built with FIFO workers and materials being helicoptered in which doesn’t come cheap. Plus, the huts really are state of the art.
In saying that, there was a lot of rain during the 4 days I did the walk and camping in the rain, nor hiking with a wet tent in your pack is particularly ideal. I will admit having luxurious shelters, deck chairs, and lovely people to chat and play cards with of an evening certainly made it an enjoyable experience.
If you’re a free-spirited, surrender to the wild type like me, and your boots, tent and pack are well worn from solo (or duo) wild adventures then the ‘free capes’ may be far better suited to you. If you are new to multi-day hiking, don’t have a tent and all the gear, like socialising, prefer the known and having some idea of what to expect to each day, or just want to try a very-nice-hut experience than this one is for you.
I had a quick look at the all-inclusive pack-free options for this walk and they start at $2095 for the self-guided and $2495 – $3595 for group-guided. The lodges look like my dream home!!
There is no doubt that the paid Three Capes Track makes mutli-day hiking accessible to anyone – young, old, experienced inexperienced alike. For me it was about as close as you could get to a guided multi-day walk without being one and at a much-reduced price point.
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Thanks Michelle, a beautifully written outline of the 3 capes. Thank you.
Thank you so much Peter. I really appreciate your comment!
This is great Michelle! Such good information. Looking forward to reading your other articles!
Awesome to hear Cate! Thanks so much for the comment 🙂