Hike at a Glance
Max elevation: 1682m
Min elevation: 643m
Total Ascent: 2688m
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Content use
Please don’t copy GPX files or content from this site to AllTrails or other platforms. Each trail has been personally mapped, documented, and refined to support Australia’s bushwalking and hiking community. While some details come from land managers, every listing reflects significant personal effort. This is a free, community-driven initiative—your respect helps keep it that way.
Getting there
Getting to the trailhead: Alpine National Park.
Closest towns to this walk: Benalla, Bright, Dinner Plain, Falls Creek, Harrietville, Hotham Heights, Mansfield, Mitta Mitta, Mount Beauty, Mount Hotham, Myrtleford, Omeo, Porepunkah, Tawonga South, Wangaratta
Similar walks nearby
Looking for more walks in or near Alpine National Park? Try these trails with a similar difficulty grade.
Track grade
Grade 5 (Difficult) - Walks for the Most Experienced: Grade 5 represents the most challenging walking tracks on the AWTGS. These are only recommended for very experienced and fit walkers with specialised skills, including navigation and emergency first aid. Tracks are likely to be very rough, very steep, and unmarked. Walks may be more than 20 kilometers. These challenging walks demand a high level of fitness and experience to navigate difficult terrain, significant elevation changes, and potentially unformed paths.
Explore safe
Plan ahead and hike safely! Carry enough water, pack layers for changing conditions, and bring safety gear like a torch, PLB, and reliable communication device. Check official sources for trail updates, closures, and access requirements, and review local weather and bushfire advice. Most importantly, share your plans with someone before you go. Being prepared makes for a safer and more enjoyable hike! Stay Safe, Explore More, and Always #ExploreSafe.
Packing checklists
What you carry in your pack depends on factors like weather, terrain, and your adventure type. Not sure what to bring? My free planning, food, and packing checklists are a great starting point, covering day hikes, overnight trips, and multi-day adventures. Use them to customise your kit and always prioritise safety.
Let someone know
Before heading out, take a moment to fill out your trip intentions form. It’s a quick way to share your hike details with family or friends. If something goes wrong, they can notify emergency services, ensuring a faster response and peace of mind. Stay safe and enjoy your adventure
Suggest an edit
Spotted a change on this trail? Maybe there are new features, the route has shifted, or the trail is permanently closed. Whatever the update, I’d love your input. Your feedback helps fellow hikers stay informed and ensures that our trail info stays fresh and reliable.
Acknowledgement of Country
Trail Hiking Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands on which we hike and pay respects to their Elders, past and present, and we acknowledge the First Nations people of other communities who may be here today.
3 Reviews on “The Viking Circuit Hike (41km)”
We completed the cct over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. There were quite a few groups doing the cct both clockwise and counterclockwise. We completed it clockwise and there were well over 30 people doing the same. Counter clockwise there were about 10 that I was aware of + plenty doing the out the Viking saddle and return with everybody meeting on night 2 at Viking Saddle. (It was a very busy campground.) This walk is rated 5 and rightly so, it is a hard walk, you will need a base level of hiking fitness to complete the loop. You will need more food than usual, I took my normal hike menu and could have done with a bit more and left a few KGs of myself on the track. You will need more water than usual if it is hot, I found I needed an extra litre per day over what I normally use. The track well defined from Howitt Car Park to before the decent before the Viking Saddle camp ground, On the decent there is several hundred meters of tree fall. So think three large Moutain Ash lying on top of each other continuously. you cannot go around as it pushes you into the gully so you have to climb up and log walk to stay over the track It took most groups about 1.5 hours to move through the tree fall and it was energy zapping. From the Viking to the spur line leading to the Wonnangatta river the track fades in and out so you will need to know how a map relates to the terrain to follow the path. Now to the Zeka Track. Once you leave the road, the track does not exist as everybody has stated. Even with all the foot traffic there was only a vague trail forming. So this is pushing through bush making about 1 to 1.5 KMH progress, but for me it was worth it, plenty of wild flowers and the views on the loop returned in this section. Given the alternative of staying on the road and having a 300m decent and climb back up again I would choose the bush path . For me I have always wanted to do the cct and was so glad I took notice of the reviews and had mentally prepared myself for the walk ahead. If you decided to do this as an out and back as some recommend you still have a 4 day hard hike as the return path is as hard as it was going in. So just prepare yourself for this hike and you will experience one of the best 4 days hikes that you will ever do. At Cup Weekend Good Water was at Mac Springs, Camp creek and Viking Saddle.
Wow, that’s a lot of people out there. I’ve done this circuit a couple of times and have never seen another soul. Hope it didn’t take away from the remote experience. Sounds like you really enjoyed the hike which is fantastic given you’ve always wanted to do it. Thanks heaps for the update on the trail conditions.
Started from Mt Howitt carpark clockwise, There is water at camp creek currently (March 2023), would recommend taking the “Speculation road” from lower camp creek to Catherine Saddle in 2023, We didn’t, day 2 we started from upper camp creek, was tough to get through that section along the Aus alpine hiking track, no path was found at any point, very heavy brush on a slope. Maybe even consider camping at lower camp creek if you are feeling a bit sore on day 1.
Not sure if there is water at Viking saddle.
Very hard. Amazing views. Pack as light as you can, lots of up and down.
Talked to somebody who made it from Mt Speculations to Viking and back in a day with a day pack another time, this could be an option with an early start, lets you skip Zeka Spur track but need to be very fit.
Patricia Pringlez
Patrick Cooley
Pepper Carroll
Phil Hunter
Rodney how are your navigation skills?
Short by 60k and no ‘Bastard’ in it
Shunyo James
Shayne Gillings get on it
That section of the hike has always and will probably always be over grown simply due to the number of people who attempt this hike. It is only for experienced hikers (not necessarily foolhardy). It is the only route you can take to complete the circuit.
Sascha Hovens ok! Next hike after the lake!
Suzie Sharp one for when I get all of my overnight gear?
There is a section so dense we averaged 1.5k for 6 hours. if you could run the whole thing I will shave off all my hair
Thijs Baarda
Three hard, full days. A lot of people choose to do it in four for this reason.
Samuel Jc…good times
Suzie Sharp it’s only 10kms per day so what’s the problem ??
Romana Hoffman
Spring is a good time as it is more likely that there will be water around.
A good training walk for us Bev Gaylene
Aaron ?
Adam. This looks great.
Adeline Dickson
Alan Dow
Amy Brown let’s set a weekend maybe in November??
Andrew Chau – another “lazy hike” to talk the ladies into for a long weekend?
Angelo Garlitos
Any update on the Viking Saddle to Wonnangatta River section as per tien nguyen’s comments on 1 February 2017? Heavy undergrowth and blackberries seem to rule this route out except for the most adventurous, or foolhardy.
April Watson
Brenda Belfield 🙂
Cameron Forrest
Chris Smith quite possible.i would have to have a look at map first. in general i want to do all great alpine hike
Could just run it and be done in 6hrs
Craig Grant
Craig Thomas Irvine
Damian Hess
done! i’m up for some trail inspiration.
Alicja Alice I like the sound of this….think we could do in 2 days! ?