How to Plan and Pack Fuel for a 1,000km Thru-Hike on the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia

Thru-hiking is more than an adventure—it tests endurance, self-sufficiency, and good planning. Packing food for a 1,000 km hike is a balancing act, where you’re trying to find the perfect combination of high-energy, nutritious (and delicious) foods that don’t weigh too much. 

By definition, thru-hiking involves completing an entire long-distance trail in one continuous journey, over weeks or months. Food planning was my top priority before I embarked on my thru-hike of the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. Ensuring I had enough energy, protein, and essential nutrients to fuel each day of walking—and recover overnight—was critical. At the same time, I needed to keep the weight of my backpack manageable.

I hiked the Bibbulmun Track over seven weeks in the spring of 2024.This is how I fuelled my adventure.

What is the Bibbulmun Track?

The Bibbulmun Track is one of Australia’s premier hiking trails and the country’s most popular long-distance hike. Stretching 1,000 km from the Perth Hills to Albany’s stunning south coast, the Bibbulmun Track takes hikers through some of Western Australia’s most diverse landscapes. From towering karri forests to coastal vistas, this iconic trail offers free campsites and charming trail towns, making it a bucket-list experience for hikers. 

The trail can be completed in either direction, north to south or south to north, depending on the season. If you’re thru-hiking, it will take 6 to 8 weeks to complete from one end to the other. However, many hikers tackle the track in sections, completing one part at a time.

Hikers can use free campsites featuring huts or shelters, water tanks, and drop toilets along the trail. The Bibbulmun Track passes through several towns, allowing you to stock up on food, shower and enjoy sleeping in a real bed. Between towns, the trail takes you through the diverse landscapes of Western Australia's southwest, including the scenic Perth Hills, fragrant karri forests, boggy Pingerup Plains, and the breathtaking south coast.

My Experience Thru-Hiking the Bibbulmun Track in Spring 2024

After solo hiking the 1200 km Heysen Trail in South Australia in 2022, I’d been waiting for the right time to do another long walk, but this time on the Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia. These trails are Australia’s two longest walking trails, and it was a dream of mine to complete them at some point in my life.

I’d never been to Western Australia (WA) and 2024 seemed to be the perfect year to make the long drive west. While I had no set plan, I figured that if I was in WA for a few months, I had to walk the Bibbulmun Track.

I arrived in Western Australia in June and decided to wait until spring to start my Bibbulmun Track adventure. Spring is considered the best season to walk the trail with beautiful wildflowers blossoming in the forests and whales popping up along the coast. However, August turned out to be one of the wettest months in years and sections of the trail were closed due to flooding. I postponed my thru-hike, and when a clear weather window arrived at the end of August I decided to go for it and hope for the best.

I began on August 27th from Kalamunda near Perth. It drizzled in the morning as I drove to the trailhead, but the rain cleared later that day. From then on, I had incredible luck with the weather for the remaining journey. I walked in bad rain once and avoided two other rain storms by taking well-timed rest days. Otherwise, it turned out perfectly for me, with the flood water receding enough to complete the trail safely. I finished on the 13th of October, 48 days after starting. This included 5 rest days. For the 43 days I spent walking, I averaged 23.3km per day, with my longest day being 34km. 

What Food to Eat on a Thru-Hike

When packing for a thru-hike, you need to make practical food choices. Your backpack has limited space, and you can only carry so much weight. You also need to think about keeping food fresh and handling your rubbish. 

Most importantly, you need to eat enough to replace the energy you burn. But food is more than just fuel—it makes the journey better. A yummy snack can feel like a treat, a hearty meal can keep you going, and a hot drink at the end of the day feels like a big, warm hug. 

When planning your food for a thru-hike, consider:

• Your daily caloric (or energy) needs. For example, a 100kg male will burn significantly more calories than a 50kg female. If you’re hiking with a partner, your energy requirements may differ, so plan accordingly to meet your individual needs. 
• Energy and nutrient density. Focus on foods high in macronutrients (carbohydrates, fat, and protein) and rich in vitamins and minerals. Protein and fibre can be tricky to get enough of on the trail, so prioritise options that help meet these needs.
• Item weight (including packaging and rubbish). Remember, everything you carry—food and its packaging—adds weight. Tinned and bottled items may not be practical for long hikes.
• Contingency food. Pack a little more than you need in case of an emergency.
• Cooking and water requirements. Be realistic about how much time you want to cook each day and how much water your meals require. Lightweight, easy-to-prepare options can save time and effort after a long day of walking.

Your energy needs on a thru-hike can vary widely based on factors like your weight, height, age, sex, backpack weight, and even the terrain. On average, you’ll require between 2,000 to 4,000 calories per day to sustain the physical demands of the trail. Most hikers aim to pack about 700g to 1kg of food per person per day to balance calorie needs with a manageable pack weight.

Thru-hikes often require carrying several days’ worth of food before reaching the next resupply point—sometimes as long as seven days. This makes keeping your pack as light as possible a priority. For my Bibbulmun Track adventure, I aimed for a daily food limit of 700g to keep my backpack manageable without compromising energy and nutrition.

So, what foods did I carry with me? Let’s take a look.

Best Foods to Eat on a Hike

Here are my top picks for energy-dense foods that were filling, satisfying, and would fuel a few hours of hiking:

• Porridge or oats are a filling breakfast for a day on the trail. They pack in carbohydrates, fibre, and protein, making them a versatile base for other energy-rich ingredients like protein powder, dried fruit, and nut butter. 
• Nut butter is great for long hikes. It has an impressive energy-to-weight ratio (i.e., number of calories per gram of weight). It’s nutrient-dense, containing important vitamins and essential fats. It’s also versatile and can be used for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or snack. The only downside is that jars are heavy! More on that later. 
• Dehydrated meals. You can dehydrate your meals or purchase from brands like Campers Pantry, Real Meals or Strive. They are convenient dinners because they’re lightweight and easy to prepare, just rehydrate with water. Brands cater to all dietary requirements, and it’s an easy way to introduce flavour variety.  And clean-up is simple; sometimes you can eat them straight from the packet. 
• Energy bars or bliss balls are satisfying snacks. They’re easier to eat than trail mix, and there are options including high-protein ones. Or make homemade bliss balls with dates, coconut and nut butter.
• Soup doesn’t qualify as a meal, but I enjoyed having a cup of soup before dinner. I opted for a healthier bone broth sachet from Offgrid Provisions. I added rice noodles and dehydrated veggies (also light to carry) for extra calories, vitamins, and fibre.

If you’re not vegan, hard cheeses and tuna are popular choices for thru-hikers, especially for lunch. 

Preparing Food Resupply Along the Trail

There are several ways to resupply on the Bibbulmun Track. You can purchase food and snacks at the general stores and supermarkets as you pass through trail towns. Or, you can post food resupply boxes to trail towns before you start your journey, and pick them up from the Visitors Centre when you arrive. 

I chose to do both. I organised four resupply boxes that I posted to Dwellingup, Balingup, Pemberton and Walpole. Hikers can post their boxes to the Visitor Centres in each town. I found the staff at the Visitor Centres incredibly helpful.

In each box, I made sure I had my staple, favourite items and things I couldn’t necessarily buy along the way, such as Roam’s Energy Nut Butter and specific dehydrated meals. However, I’d stop at a general store in each town, as I like supporting local businesses.

If I had my time again, I’d probably send more boxes, including one somewhere in the first section before Dwellingup, and one at Donnelly River. The longest section between food resupplies was the first section, between Kalamunda and Dwellingup. Most people cover this in 10 days, but I did it in 9 days, knowing this was the maximum amount of food I could carry. And it was a struggle. Ideally, most thru-hikers prefer not to carry more than 5 days of food at a time.

My Typical Daily Menu on the Bibbulmun Track

Here’s what I ate on a typical day on the trail. Most days were similar as I had my food well-organised, but I made sure to mix up the flavours to keep things interesting.

Breakfast: A porridge sachet with Roam Vegan Protein Powder and boiling water, topped with Roam Energy Nut Butter. 

I used the 90-gram packs of Roam Protein - they were lightweight and easy to carry. It’s hard to eat enough protein on the trail, mainly because high-protein foods like meat and dairy don’t fare well without refrigeration. Adding an extra bit of protein to my breakfast helped to make off for the loss of protein I would normally have in my diet. Protein in general is great because it keeps you feeling fuller for longer too. 

Roam Energy Nut Butter was a key part of my diet on the trail—I used it for breakfast, lunch, and snacks. The 27-gram sachets are lightweight and easy to pack, and they come in three delicious flavours: Chocolate, Coconut, and Espresso. Made with almonds and cashews, they’re a tasty alternative to peanut butter and provide long-lasting energy that sits well in your tummy.

Mid-morning snack: Muesli bar or energy bar 

Lunch: Bagel with Roam Energy Nut Butter and a cup of electrolytes

Afternoon snack: Energy bar or bliss ball

Afternoon snack #2: Gingernut biscuits with Roam Energy Nut Butter

Pre-dinner meal: Noodle soup 

Dinner: Dehydrated meal from Campers Pantry or Strive

Dessert: Dark chocolate (70% minimum).

Final Thoughts

Organising food for a long thru-hike can feel overwhelming but it’s worth the effort. Eating the right food helps you stay energised and recover between long walking days. Remember, lightweight, energy-dense, nutritious, and tasty foods are important! 

There’s no shame in eating foods on repeat, especially if they provide the energy and nutrition you need. I probably ate kilos of nut butter on the  Bibbulmun Track! It’s much easier to plan for your hike when you find foods that work for you. I hope these tips help you plan your meals for your next adventure.