December 24, 2025 — 5:00am
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Hiking trips used to mean muddy boots taken off blistered feet in a basic lodge at the end of an arduous day of backpack lugging. The upside, of course, was the incredible scenery, experiences in nature and a great sense of achievement from the day’s travails.
The Cape to Cape Walk in Western Australia.
For the purists, those trips are still satisfying. But the advent of walking-holiday companies offering luggage transportation and cosier stays has opened up the realm of hiking to a wider, marginally less hardy cohort.
Now the trend that one clever clogs (pun intended) dubbed “bootiquing” (pun also intended) is opening up on-foot discovery to another audience.
And in this sector your boots will still get muddy, your feet may still blister, but the end-of-day rewards will be perhaps oh-so-much sweeter: bootiquing is the combination of walking and luxury travel.
Nikki King, founder and chief executive of Perth-based company Walk into Luxury, says she’s seen significant growth in these types of holidays.
“There is incredible demand for walking holidays and premium journeys that let clients disconnect from the busy modern world and reconnect with nature. There is something special about discovering a new destination on foot and ending the day in a boutique lodge – you really enjoy the modern comforts after some physical activity and fresh air.”
Incredibly popular … the Cape to Cape Walk.
So much so, she says, that “this year is record-breaking for us. We are predicting 200 per cent growth year-on-year this financial year, and last year was also a very strong growth year.”
The former lawyer created Walk into Luxury in 2014, combining her passion for hiking with her business acumen. Its first itineraries were the Cape to Cape Walk, a four-day on-foot holiday running along Western Australia’s south-west coast between Cape Leeuwin and Cape Naturaliste, with luxurious oceanfront accommodation and outstanding Margaret River food and wine along the way.
Milford Track walking adventure in New Zealand … a little bit of luxe.
Since then the company has expanded into other parts of Australia, as well as into New Zealand, Patagonia, Japan and Norway.
It’s been such a success that Rob Tandy and Lou Tandy (nee McGeary, of travel operator APT), co-owners of Captain’s Choice, recently took a 50 per cent stake in King’s enterprise.
Keen walker Lou Tandy says their decision to get involved reflects the “fast-growing demand for transformational, nature-based travel”.
Walking adventure … Lake St Clair, Tasmania. 
The scenic route … New Zealand’s Milford Track.
“Luxury travellers are increasingly seeking journeys that enhance their physical, emotional and mental wellbeing,” she says.
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“Walk into Luxury is at the forefront of this shift, creating private journeys that connect people with nature and spectacular scenery while offering the highest level of comfort and service.”
By the end of 2026 the company will have launched further itineraries in Bhutan and Nepal, the Dolomites in Italy, Sri Lanka, Peru and the Galapagos Islands.
As for their footprint – of the ecological kind – participants can enjoy their luxury trappings with some peace of mind. A member of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, Walk into Luxury was recognised this year for its efforts in the environmental field by the non-profit Ecotourism Australia, this country’s peak body for sustainable tourism.
It was one of 13 operators acknowledged as Green Travel Leaders, celebrating a decade of ECO Certification and their enduring contribution to responsible tourism.
See walkintoluxury.com
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Julietta Jameson is a freelance travel writer who would rather be in Rome, but her hometown Melbourne is a happy compromise.Connect via email.From our partners
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