Mt Gower
Mt Gower
5
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- Katie DBrighton and Hove, United Kingdom461 contributionsNice viewsMaybe it was just the time of year, but if you don't keep up you get left behind to wait, or everyone has to turn around, so you feel guilty about the others in the group. There were lots of stops on the flatter parts and less on the steeper parts, several lets sit and have a snack rather than snacking on the way. Got back at least an hour before we were due to be back, so could have paced it better so there was more chance for the slower ones. On the plus side, there was a lot of information about the habitat etc, and some nice views from the saddle.Visited July 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten 5 October 2023
- Will-flysHervey Bay, Australia15 contributionsMt Gower Climb with JackExcellent hike/climb. Our guide Jack was very informative and down to earth. This is a hard climb though, lots of rope work and strenuous exercise. Stunning views and the flora is next level. Jack was sure to hold a good pace however he had no problem with stopping to let the group regroup and catch our breath. He is accommodating to all abilities but if you’re not fit or don’t like heights don’t attempt this climb. You need to ensure you are concentrating for the majority of the climb to ensure you don’t fall or hurt yourself. Very glad I did it and you feel very accomplished when completed, well worth the dollars!!!Visited December 2023Travelled with friendsWritten 14 December 2023
- Mark S9 contributionsThe best view of the island is from high upI participated in the trek to Mt Gower with Environmental Tours guide Kayla and about 10 others. Kayla set a fast pace but included rest stops every ten minutes for a brief and informative education on the geology or biology of the area. She is clearly experienced in guiding people to the mountain top and wisely recommended walkers retain some energy reserves for the trip back. I was one of those who didn't quite make it to the top but had climbed enough distance to enjoy some spectacular views back at Mt Lidgbird and the island beyond it. The arduous trip is well worth the effort even if the pinnacle is not reachedVisited February 2024Travelled soloWritten 18 February 2024
- archipop22Brisbane, Australia4 contributionsAwesome and challenging but not for the faint-hearted. Ensure you are fit and healthy to take it on.My Gower is a very challenging and rewarding climb. We had Jack as a tour guide, very experienced and informative, and I felt safe with his guidance. Okay, I am healthy, in a healthy weight range, exercise regularly but not overly fit. But I found this very challenging, mainly due to a lack on leg muscle strength with very sore knees on the way down. So I would highly recommend some strength training prior to taking it on. The landscape is amazing, as are the views. My favourite section was the cloud forest at the top and all the moss in the unique and endemic vegetation of the summit. Be aware there is a precipice with a narrow path where you walk holding on to a rope in the rocks - this is not for the faint-hearted nor those that are scared of heights. There are many climbing sections with ropes, so ideally suited to those with arm strength, longer legs and not carrying extra weight! I did not have a problem with either of those sections, but my legs seized up on the way down so I needed to keep using my hands as my legs did not feel strong enough. Overall I would definitely recommend the hike (climb), but ensure you are fit and physically able if you want to get to the top. I’m not sure what percentage make it there, but only 2/5 did from our group. Being part of the “500 club” ( those that make it to the saddle), 500m up, is still a great achievement - they will enjoy a great hike with some climbing, brilliant views, entertaining stories, a long lunch break and less muscle pain afterwards. Still a worthy walk!Visited September 2024Travelled with friendsWritten 12 September 2024
- Rachel H1 contributionAwesome hike with JackFantastic hike with Jack. We left at 7.30am and arrived back just before 5.00pm. We had a group of 12 who all made it to the top. We had a spectacular day.. sunny and warm. There are lots of ropes and rocks to climb, but an awesome hike. This is so able for any age ..as long as you reasonably fit ..we are 52 (female) and 55 (male) and did the hike with ease. We also had an 80 year old on our hike who made it to the top...it is well worth the long day and early start... don't delay, do it today!Visited September 2024Travelled with familyWritten 23 September 2024
- Andrea HNewcastle, Australia145 contributionsA challenging day in paradiseA challenging walk, 17km elevation 748metres and on the mountain for 9hours. So lucky to have a lovely sunny day with spectacular views. A lot of ropes for climbing challenging parts which were very much appreciated. Some really steep sections which needed care in choice of footholds and slowed the pace down to slowest pace of 36 min/km. Would be very slippery when wet or covered in cloud. Vegetation was varied and unique and views were to die for. Not for anyone who is unfit , suffers from vertigo and has weak upper arm strength.Visited September 2024Travelled soloWritten 25 September 2024
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5.0
259 reviews
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Pandora
1 contribution
Oct 2020 • Family
Husband and I climbed. Very hard work but extremely satisfying. Great group of 12 people plus guide Jack Shick. Everyone supported each other in a very encouraging way and friends were made through a challenging experience. Can't rate it highly enough. Beautiful bonding experience with strangers who became friends through doing extremely hard thing together. Height fear was eleviated by the compassionate guide who realised when I was getting a bit freaked out and conversated me through it. Huge bragging rights and self satisfaction. Felt safe with the guide the whole way through and enjoyed the summiting so much. Am of average fitness and found it very hard but not unachievable with the great guide who never stressed us and made us aspire to succeed.
Written 13 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Emanpee
Sydney, Australia2,729 contributions
Mar 2021
Definitely one of the great walks of Australia, but don't just turn up, regardless of your age, and expect to do this easily. Descibed as an 8 hour hike, our group completed in 6.5hrs, but the 10km and 875m rise from sea level tests out even the fittest. There are 3 separate landscapes as you head to the top. With plenty of steep hill sections, rock scrambles and hand rope uphill assists, you'll know you deserve the reward of great views when the summit is achieved. Views are stunning. The trip down, while easier, still demands a full body workout down steep sections. This hike can only be undertaken with a guide, and environmental tours look after you superbly.
Written 26 March 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sharyn LH
Melbourne, Australia20 contributions
Apr 2022
Walked or should I say climbed Mt Gower last week and it was tough. Jack gives little encouragement or support but simply guides you up and down - interspersed with some amusing stories. The views were superb and cloud forest stunning but make sure you are cardio fit and comfortable with heights. No regrets!
Written 30 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
dave w
Nowra, Australia796 contributions
Apr 2022 • Solo
This is a stunning walk. However it is also very challenging. So much to see. The view is awesome. We had about a dozen people in the group. Everyone was doing their best but Jack the guide was very discouraging saying people were too slow. Heard him swear a few times how slow we were. Jack has done the walk many times so is good at it. For all of us it was our first. The track is wet and slippery. My suggestion is ask for a guide that can encourage people. We were being careful and being pushed to go faster only made things more difficult.
Anyway the walk is well worth it.
Anyway the walk is well worth it.
Written 14 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
JElliot32
New South Wales, Australia3,971 contributions
Mar 2021
Believe everything everyone tells you about the Mt Gower climb. It is a challenging assignment, demanding both fitness and upper body strength. It is much more of a mountain climb than a bushwalk. That said it is very rewarding: the exquisite views, the beautiful and varying forests you traverse including the remarkable mountaintop 'cloud forest', and the astounding antics of the resident Providence petrels are all worthy of comment. As was seeing a pair of Woodhens right at the very summit.
I went with Lord Howe Environmental Tours with Dean as our guide, who I thought did an excellent job. He was right on top of the geology and natural history of the island and seemed to do a fine job at shepherding along those towards the tail of our (big) group. In the end I think everyone made it to the top, from where we had a perfect view along the length of the island.
I did make one observation though that worried me. About two hours into the climb we stopped at pristine Erskine Creek, where we could replenish our water bottles. Dean suggested henceforth toileting spots would be few and far between, so for those who might need it he pointed in one direction for the lads and and another one for lasses - with both directions being well away from the creek. He added that to make sure than 'anything involving paper' was well hidden under leaves, detritus etc (including the paper). Being in a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Listed site, that approach did concern me, not just aesthetically but as a possible source of contamination in this unspoiled environment. There are long-drop toilets provided at several remote sites around the island (such as North Bay) and it occurred to me that it would not be a bad thing for the authorities and tour companies could invest in similar facilities at the start of the track up Mt Gower, maybe at Little Island.
I went with Lord Howe Environmental Tours with Dean as our guide, who I thought did an excellent job. He was right on top of the geology and natural history of the island and seemed to do a fine job at shepherding along those towards the tail of our (big) group. In the end I think everyone made it to the top, from where we had a perfect view along the length of the island.
I did make one observation though that worried me. About two hours into the climb we stopped at pristine Erskine Creek, where we could replenish our water bottles. Dean suggested henceforth toileting spots would be few and far between, so for those who might need it he pointed in one direction for the lads and and another one for lasses - with both directions being well away from the creek. He added that to make sure than 'anything involving paper' was well hidden under leaves, detritus etc (including the paper). Being in a UNESCO-listed World Heritage Listed site, that approach did concern me, not just aesthetically but as a possible source of contamination in this unspoiled environment. There are long-drop toilets provided at several remote sites around the island (such as North Bay) and it occurred to me that it would not be a bad thing for the authorities and tour companies could invest in similar facilities at the start of the track up Mt Gower, maybe at Little Island.
Written 19 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
angelaparr77
Knockrow, Australia65 contributions
Feb 2021
Wow wow wow! By far the hardest day hike I’ve ever done but great sense of achievement in completing this very challenging climb. It is NOT a hike. It is a climb and you will need to have trained thoroughly for this unless you are already superbly fit. I am 60 and trained arms, legs and core through fast walks and hill climbs, boot camps with heavy weights, long stair sets, swims and hill cycles. It is a gruelling 8 hour trip . I went with Jack Shick (over 2000 climbs to his name), and young Nelson who climbs barefoot! Not recommended for us. You will need good shoes (runners or trekking shoes), gloves for all the rope sections (and there are many), 2-4 litres of water, (you can refill bottles at the small creek but don’t slip on the mossy rocks), AND keep drinking all day long as you will dehydrate! High quality snack food and lunch plus your camera for the all important summit photo. I took a hat but actually found it a problem because I often didn’t see the low hanging branches. Ouch! I also took one walking stock which I left behind at some point because both hands are needed to climb. You will be under the tree canopy for most of the climb and only have a few vantage points along the way. The views are spectacular, but if you’re going for the view buy a postcard. You will take days to recover and will need to keep moving through the pain the next two days to be back to normal. Do not overestimate your ability.... we had several people drop out along the way and they had to sit in the one spot (alone) until they were “collected” on the way back. Be prepared, train hard and you will be rewarded! This trek is sure to be changed soon (with clip on ropes etc), so get in now to experience it the “old” way.
Written 16 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sandra N
Melbourne47 contributions
Sept 2022 • Friends
The Mount Gambier walk was extremely challenging, the hardest walk I have done. The middle three hours, 1.5 hours up and 1.5 hours down, to the summit is even more challenging and is all climbing rock faces with ropes. The guide said we could wait here if we didn’t want to go further but that would have meant 3 hours sitting alone waiting for others to return. We walked when it was wet underfoot, making it even more challenging. A high degree of fitness and upper and lower body strength is required. I felt the safety precautions were not entirely adequate as our guide was not always aware of where all the walkers were and if anyone was trailing behind. The track is quite hard to find at times and it would’ve been appreciated if the tour guide ensured that we were all together more often. I wouldn’t do it again.
Written 22 September 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerrie L
3 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
Kayla took us up the mountain.
We knew what to expect as we had been up Mount Gower before.
Dean’s video doesn’t mince words so no excuses if you say you didn’t know how hard it would be. You can be left behind because enviro tours has a responsibility to get everyone back to the bus in a reasonable time and before dark.
Thank you for an amazing, exhilarating day. Back on the beach at 2.50pm. Gobsmacked.
Calling one the providence petrels was incredible. Such goofy but amazing birds. To think they leave LHI and don’t touch land for months is incredible because they can sleep whilst flying.
We were in cloud at the top but the views and photos below the cloud line were sensational.
I said twice was enough up and down Gower but Kayla... we might be back.
Kerrie and Bruce.
We knew what to expect as we had been up Mount Gower before.
Dean’s video doesn’t mince words so no excuses if you say you didn’t know how hard it would be. You can be left behind because enviro tours has a responsibility to get everyone back to the bus in a reasonable time and before dark.
Thank you for an amazing, exhilarating day. Back on the beach at 2.50pm. Gobsmacked.
Calling one the providence petrels was incredible. Such goofy but amazing birds. To think they leave LHI and don’t touch land for months is incredible because they can sleep whilst flying.
We were in cloud at the top but the views and photos below the cloud line were sensational.
I said twice was enough up and down Gower but Kayla... we might be back.
Kerrie and Bruce.
Written 21 April 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mark S
9 contributions
Feb 2024 • Solo
I participated in the trek to Mt Gower with Environmental Tours guide Kayla and about 10 others. Kayla set a fast pace but included rest stops every ten minutes for a brief and informative education on the geology or biology of the area. She is clearly experienced in guiding people to the mountain top and wisely recommended walkers retain some energy reserves for the trip back. I was one of those who didn't quite make it to the top but had climbed enough distance to enjoy some spectacular views back at Mt Lidgbird and the island beyond it. The arduous trip is well worth the effort even if the pinnacle is not reached
Written 18 February 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Andy G
London, UK93 contributions
Jan 2023 • Solo
The walk map makes it clear that this is a tough walk - Grade 5. But I expect a walk to be undertaken almost entirely using your feet and legs. I spent at least 50% of the time using my hands and at times was supported entirely by my hand and arms, grasping a wet rope with a substantial drop below. It’s halfway between a scramble and a climb. Maybe ‘a rope assisted scramble’. It’s very tough on the way up but when wet the way down is treacherous. Nearly everyone slipped multiple times and most had one or more grazes. I was terrified at several points on the way down.
That said Jack the guide was great and I’m sure many would find it exhilarating.
I’m an avid walker and fit. But I am 67 and should no better! But several much younger folk found it very hard.
My advice is think very hard before going if you are over 40 and don’t regularly do climbing or other mountaineering at the extreme end.
I’m sure if you are young and fit with a great head for heights it’s an ace experience.
Everyone would enjoy themselves more when it’s dry underfoot!
That said Jack the guide was great and I’m sure many would find it exhilarating.
I’m an avid walker and fit. But I am 67 and should no better! But several much younger folk found it very hard.
My advice is think very hard before going if you are over 40 and don’t regularly do climbing or other mountaineering at the extreme end.
I’m sure if you are young and fit with a great head for heights it’s an ace experience.
Everyone would enjoy themselves more when it’s dry underfoot!
Written 5 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Has anyone done the Mt Gower hike with kids? Our boys are 13 and 11. They are both very fit. Walking is not really their thing but this hike is on my bucket list so I’m trying to convince them to do it. My husband and I are reasonably fit and have done many walking holidays in the past. Any advice or suggestions welcome 😀
Written 14 November 2020
Im planning to do the track to Mt. Gower... How hard is the rock climbing? Does one require experience in rock climbing? How long do we need to give notice of booking a guide?
Written 28 January 2017
hi Dhar, no you don't need any experience in rock climbing at all. Just two factors will lift your spirits up - people as old as 80 have done it successfully, kids as little as 4 yo have done it successfully. Please read my review, i tried writing as detailed as possible.
I guess the notice depends on the season, we have booked ours just couple of days prior.
Written 1 February 2017
I know this is highly subjective but can people please advise on whether running shoes with grip are suitable for this trek?
Written 10 November 2016
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