The great road trips of NSW: Kosciuszko Alpine Way itinerary

Twist and turn your way along the Kosciuszko Alpine Way for a journey steeped in mythology, history, untold adventure and pure natural beauty.

The Kosciuszko Alpine Way twists and turns its way up and over the magnificent Snowy Mountains, the highest section of the Great Dividing Range, through spectacular landscapes of mountain forests mythologised by Banjo Paterson.

Watch the video below for a taste of what awaits you along the Kosciuszko Alpine Way…

Steeped in intrigue and a storied history that stretches back millennia, this iconic NSW road trip is a well-trodden path indeed: every summer for thousands of years, Aboriginal people would cross tribal boundaries and travel this route to the high country to meet for corroborees, trading, marriages and more, and to feast on bogong moths.

More recently, it was used as a drover’s stock route and for the literally groundbreaking Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme that you’ll learn about en route. And although only just over 100 kilometres in length, squiggling between Jindabyne and Khancoban near the Victorian border, the Alpine Way is a route to be savoured.

Stop off along the way to walk to Australia’s highest peak, immerse yourself in adventure, or simply sit back, inhale the fresh alpine air and sip a crisp Kosciuszko Pale Ale or snow-pure Australian schnapps.

Cooma

Your journey begins at the gateway to the Snowy Mountains in the alpine town of Cooma, just over four hours by car from Sydney and 1.5 hours’ drive from Canberra, and an ideal spot to launch yourself headfirst into the adventure of the region and learn about its monumental heritage.

Start your road trip in the alpine town of Cooma.

Start at the Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre – with its models, interactive exhibits and historical photographs – to learn the story of a modern engineering wonder: the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme is one of the most complex integrated water and hydro-electric power schemes in the world, designed to divert water from the Snowy River westwards beneath the Great Dividing Range to drought-proof parts of NSW and Victoria. You’ll see the scheme play out in real time from Jindabyne to Khancoban.

For a fresh start in the morning, kip overnight at boutique Nebula Motel or a cosy Airbnb on one of Cooma’s most historic streets.

As you make your way west out of town, stop off at Eucumbene Trout Farm, open on weekends, with its cafe, farm tours, fishing experiences and grazing Highland cattle and alpacas. You could also opt to stay the night here in a restful Lakeview Cottage.

Cooma to Jindabyne

Head west from Cooma along Kosciuszko Road for 45 minutes until you reach Jindabyne. The moment you crest the hill just outside of town and see stunning Lake Jindabyne pool out before you is the first of many ‘wow’ moments you’ll have on the road; this glassy expanse forms part of a major dam created in the mid-1960s as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, drowning old Jindabyne in the process. Today the town sits scenically around the lake’s foreshore and, with its crisp mountain air, serves up outdoor adventure and indulgence in equal measure.

See the stunning Lake Jindabyne pool out before you on the drive from Cooma. (Image: DNSW)

Join fellow adventurers fuelling up for the day at the buzzing Birchwood Cafe, where nourishing breakfasts include avo toast stacked with feta, charred grapes, tomato pico, pomegranate and peanut dukkah and a vegan burrito of tempeh mince, tofu scramble, mushroom, spinach and green apple and jalapeno hot sauce.

Fuel up for the day at Birchwood Café.

Then hire a bike from Sacred Ride and cycle the picturesque Lake Jindabyne Foreshore Trail or spend the morning climbing and abseiling the Jindabyne Rock with boutique adventure-tour company K7 Adventures before settling in to a well-earned drink – from vat to tap – at the viewing platform overlooking Kosciuszko Brewing Company at the Banjo Paterson Inn.

Stop in at Wildbrumby Distillery & Cafe to sample their quality Australian schnapps.

Part of the quintessential Jindabyne experience is a stay at one of its superlative accommodation offerings such as Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa, west of town in the Thredbo Valley (make a turn off for Wildbrumby Distillery & Cafe and its Australian schnapps just before you get there).

Stay at Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa for the quintessential Jindabyne experience.

Inside the mountain chalets at Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa.

Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa boasts two excellent on-site eateries, Cuisine Restaurant & Bar and Alpine Larder, as well as a day spa and all manner of outdoor activities including mountain bike and walking trails, canoes and paddleboats. The 60-hectare alpine oasis is peppered with lake-view and mountain chalets and makes for the ultimate retreat for a night or two.

Cycling is one of the many activities on offer at Lake Crackenback Resort and Spa during the warmer months.

Alternatively, check into nearby Tinkersfield, a more intimate affair secluded in the Crackenback Valley with a curated choice of rustic-chic, high-country hideaways – think antique timber, clawfoot bathtubs and open fireplaces – including the one-bedroom Field Huts and two-bedroom Barnhouse and Post Office.

Check in to Tinkersfield for a secluded stay in the Crackenback Valley. (Image: DNSW)

Inside the rustic-chic accommodation at Tinkersfield. (Image: DNSW)

Jindabyne to Kosciuszko National Park

Back on the road and you’re on the Alpine Way proper, cruising into Kosciuszko National Park with its pine-clad ridges as immortalised in Banjo Paterson’s iconic poem The Man from Snowy River. A classic winter destination that’s home to the ski fields of Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass, as well as Australia’s highest mountain, Kosciuszko reveals a whole different side in the warmer months.

Wintery views outside the window at Charlotte’s Pass. (Image: Alexander Adoncello/DNSW)

And the ultimate way to experience it is via the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift. Lifting off from Thredbo, this thrilling joyride takes 15 minutes one way and sweeps up the mountain for 560 vertical metres, offering breathtaking views of the national park and back to the Thredbo Valley. Once here, treat yourself to lunch with a view at Eagles Nest, Australia’s highest restaurant.

The ultimate way to experience the warmer months is via the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift.

From here, you can also undertake a day walk to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, the highest peak in the country. Breathing fresh alpine air, you’ll pass granite outcrops and alpine meadows coloured with wildflowers come summer, until you’re 2228 metres above sea level with 360-degree views of the Snowy Mountains – and a true sense of wonder at being at the top of Australia.

Breath in fresh alpine air, pass granite outcrops and alpine meadows on the trails in Kosciuszko National Park. (Image: DNSW)

The most stunning stretch of the Alpine Way twists and turns soon after you leave Thredbo. Roll down the window to let in the unique scent of the Aussie Alps – pine trees mingled with eucalypts – as you descend the hairpin mountain road that looks, on a map, like it’s been drawn by a polygraph. You’ll practically kiss the Victorian border at Tom Groggin campground before taking a sharp turn north towards Khancoban and the end of the Alpine Way. Make it last by including a few scenic pit stops and bushwalks along the way.

Halfway along this stretch you’ll find Geehi Flats, a secluded picnic and camping spot located on the sparkling Swampy Plains River. Simply stretch your legs and take a peek at the first of three historic alpine huts in the area, or head off on the six-kilometre Geehi huts walking track, which takes in two more plus river crossings and more magnificent Snowy Mountains views. You can also opt to pitch a tent for the night on the river’s grassy banks for maximum tranquillity (bookings essential via the NPWS website).

Fifteen minutes further up the road you’ll find Scammell’s lookout, 1000 metres above sea level and offering up spectacular views back the way you’ve come from: from here you can trace the contours of the rugged western fall of the Snowy Mountains’ Main Range.

Picturesque scenes on a walk through Snowy Mountains’ Main Range. (Image: Elinor Sheargold)

Enjoy the diversity and rugged beauty that Kosciuszko has to offer near Thredbo and Perisher along the Illawong walk, Pallaibo walking track and Waterfall walking track, which are great for nature-spotting sessions.

One of the best ways to have an adventure in the Snowies is to hire a mountain bike or e-bike (or take your own) and hit the Thredbo Valley Track. It’s a 35-kilometre trail which winds through stunning alpine terrain with scenic suspension bridges to cross and spectacular sections running alongside the Snowy River. The track offers world-class mountain biking for all abilities, from easy beginner rides to a challenging full day ride.

Khancoban

Originally built to house workers on the Snowy Mountains Scheme, Khancoban sits on the western edge of Kosciuszko in the foothills of the mountains.

The scenic pondage at Khancoban. (Image: Snowy Valleys Council/Matt Beaver)

Today the small town’s scenic pondage, which forms part of the scheme, is used recreationally for fishing, kayaking and water sports. And, part of the idyllic Snowy Valleys region, it marks the end – or perhaps just the beginning – of the legendary Alpine Way.

Kayaking is just one of the many recreational activities offered in Khancoban. (Image: Tourism Snowy Mountains)

Park the car and go off-piste

Three multi-day adventures to have in the Snowy Mountains:

1. Make like The Man from Snowy River and immerse yourself in the Kosciuszko wilderness on a three- to five-day horse-riding trek on a Reynella Rides Horseback Safari. Departing Cooma from October through to the end of April, there’s surely no better way to travel through the Snowy Mountains and its landscape of wildflower carpets, alpine streams and open plains.

2. Spend five or six days paddling the Snowy River through the ancient landscape of the Byadbo Wilderness in the remote southern reaches of Kosciuszko with Alpine River Adventures. Led by an Aboriginal guide for interpretation of country and Indigenous perspectives, this unique journey departing from Numeralla near Cooma takes in beach camping, river gorges and chances to spot platypuses, kangaroos, emus and sea eagles in the wild. Trips run year-round, with guaranteed water levels from August to November.

3. Take on Australia’s 10 highest peaks over four days with boutique tour operator K7 Adventures. Join a hiking tour through the high country from November to May with guide and landscape photographer Mike Edmondson; opt to base yourself in lodge accommodation in Jindabyne or, to really immerse yourself in the elements, camp out in the mountains under the stars.

Download our beautifully-illustrated map of NSW’s best road trips (pictured below) or find the giant wall map inside issue 90 of Australian Traveller magazine.

Illustration: Mike Rossi