Walking Holidays for Mental Health: How Multi-Day Walks Nurture Wellbeing

Why More Travellers Are Rethinking Wellness—And How a Walk Can Make a Difference

For years, “wellness” has meant different things to different people. For some, it’s a morning yoga class or a green smoothie. For others, it’s the quiet joy of losing yourself in a good book, or the sense of accomplishment after reaching the summit of a mountain. However, as we recognise World Mental Health Day today, it’s timely to ask:

What does wellness truly mean for me? Does it live in grand gestures, or in the steady, nurturing rituals we bring into our everyday lives?

Wellness rarely arrives in a single, life-changing moment. More often, it’s found in the choices we quietly make for ourselves — like deciding to take on a multi-day walk. And here’s the real gift: the journey begins long before your boots touch the trail.

Choosing a walk isn’t just about the hike itself. It’s the days and weeks leading up to it: carving out time to train, preparing your gear, planning your route, and quietly building confidence in your own abilities. Each small step — an early morning walk, a new pair of socks, a call with a walking buddy — is a gentle act of self-care.

By the time you set foot on the trail, you’ve already nurtured your wellbeing in so many subtle, important ways.

Quick Summary

• Wellness is personal. Preparing for a walk is a process that builds resilience and confidence, not just fitness.
• Walking holidays offer unique, proven benefits for mental health, including calm, connection, and a sense of daily accomplishment.
• Science backs it up: Time in nature, especially over multiple days, supports lower anxiety and brighter moods.
• Multi-day walks invite travellers to slow down, let go, and return to life feeling more themselves.
• Real stories from the track show it’s often the preparation and small moments that matter most.

Wellness: More Than a Buzzword

Wellness is everywhere these days. Smoothie bars, apps, and yoga studios promising the secret to happiness. The Oxford Dictionary calls it “the state of being in good health, especially as an actively pursued goal.” But talk to someone who has returned from a multi-day walk, and you’ll hear a more personal story.

For many, wellness is the feeling that you’re enough – not perfect, not constantly striving, just gently tuning in to what you need. It’s a blend of movement and stillness, challenge and comfort, solitude and connection. And it’s most powerful when it’s woven into the rhythms of everyday life.

The Science: Why Walking in Nature Lifts Your Mood

If you’ve ever noticed your worries soften after time outdoors, science says you’re onto something. Research in Frontiers in Psychology and other journals has shown that walking in nature can:

• Lower stress hormones (like cortisol)
• Improve sleep
• Reduce feelings of anxiety and depression
• Spark creative thinking and fresh perspectives

Stanford University researchers even found that time in wild places can help break the exhausting loop of repetitive, negative thoughts (the kind that love to stick around on tough days). And the benefits grow stronger the longer you give yourself to disconnect and just walk.

It Starts Before You Set Out: The Quiet Power of Preparation

Committing to a multi-day walk is a quiet promise you make to yourself: I will invest in my wellbeing. The steps you take, from researching the right boots to learning what snacks keep you going. These are small victories.

You might notice:

• The satisfaction of feeling fitter as the weeks go by
• The comfort of a well-packed backpack, ready and waiting
• The excitement that builds with every plan and every “what if?”

This gentle lead-up builds inner strength and self-trust. It’s not about chasing perfection. It’s about showing yourself steady care.

On the Trail: Walking for Your Mind, Not Just Your Muscles

When you finally head out, the benefits only deepen. Here’s what past Great Walks of Australia travellers often share:

1. Space to Think (Or Not Think at All)

“By the second day, my thoughts slowed to the rhythm of my steps. The track became my quiet place to process, to breathe, to just be.”

2. Real Connection — With Nature, Yourself, and Others

“On the trail, I felt part of something bigger. Whether I was swapping stories over dinner or savouring a silent sunrise, I connected with parts of myself I’d lost touch with.”

3. A Gentle Sense of Achievement

“Completing each day’s walk — even through rain or tired legs — gave me a quiet pride I carried home. It reminded me that I’m stronger than I think.”

Little Moments, Lasting Impact

• The fresh scent of eucalyptus in the early morning.
• A mug of tea warming your hands after a satisfying day.
• The quiet hush of a forest, broken only by birdsong.
• The pleasure of a shared laugh with a new friend.
• That first, deep breath of ocean air after hours inland.

These aren’t luxuries. They’re reminders that real wellness is stitched together from simple, sensory moments… if we make space to notice them!

How to Get the Most from a Walking Holiday (for Mind and Mood)

• Choose a walk that lets you truly unplug
  Multi-day, guided walks (like those with Great Walks of Australia) are designed for leaving daily distractions behind in safe, beautiful settings.
• Don’t rush the preparation
  Enjoy the process of getting ready: walking in your local park, trying out your gear, walking and talking with friends. Letting the anticipation build.
• Allow for both company and solitude
  Some days you’ll want to share the journey; others, you’ll crave quiet. Both are valuable.
• Set kind intentions
  Forget about “achievement.” Instead, focus on being present, gentle, and open.
• Celebrate every step
  Whether you walk 5km or 50, each day is a win for your mind as well as your body.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is walking really good for mental health?
Yes. Countless studies show that gentle movement in nature lowers stress, lifts mood, and encourages better sleep — especially when you can fully unplug.

Do I need to be super fit for a multi-day walk?
Not at all. Many of the Great Walks of Australia are designed for a range of abilities, with support, rest options, and expert guides to help you find your pace.

Will I come back “a new person”?
Maybe not. You will still be you, however you’ll likely come back feeling more yourself than you have in years.

How do I find the right walk?
Head over to Great Walks of Australia’s Walks page for honest descriptions, guest stories, and planning tips.

This World Mental Health Day, Take a Step for Yourself

Wellness isn’t about overhauling your life or chasing the next trend. Sometimes, it’s just about putting one foot in front of the other — and letting the journey do what it does best: restore, reconnect, and remind you how good it feels to slow down.

Ready to walk your way to wellbeing?

Images showcased here from our 4 day / 3 night Twelve Apostles Signature Walk. Marvel at the rugged Victorian coastline as you walk dedicated tracked ending in the icon Twelve Apostles. Visit our website to see which other walks from the collective call you, and start your own story of gentle, lasting care. Read more on Beating Burnout by Walking in Nature here.

Bothfeet, the leading Victorian-based walking operator, is now known as Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk. The name change, and accompanying re-branding, is designed to more accurately describe the company’s  popular walk along Victoria’s South West Coast which culminates at the iconic Twelve Apostles.

Dana Ronan, Director of Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk, explained the reason for the new name: “We felt that Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk was a more apt name and explains how the company has evolved over the last ten years.  We are now just focusing on this one popular walk, so it made sense to have the same company name as the product name.  In addition, when we built the eco-lodge at Johanna Beach in 2008, it immediately became a pivotal component of the product.  So, in short, Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk describes exactly who we are and what we do!”

To celebrate the name change, Great Walks of Australia subscribers can save $500 per person if they book the 4 day/3 night Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk before 25th December 2014 for travel between now and 28th February 2015.  This offer is for the first 20 bookings only.  Mention the code GWLESS500 when booking.

The price of the Twelve Apostles Lodge Walk includes return Melbourne transfers to the Twelve Apostles, daily gourmet meals including morning and afternoon teas, non-alcoholic drinks, gear hire AND a scenic helicopter flight over the Twelve Apostles.  There is no single supplement for single travellers and they are catered for in single rooms.