How to Conquer the Ultimate Bondi to Manly Walk in 7 Chunks

Although the Bondi to Manly walk is not just a little stroll to kill time on a Sunday arvo, it is something that everyone – Sydneysider or tourist – should try at least once in their life. This spectacular whopping 80-kilometre walk covers a lot of ground and will take you from one end of Sydney’s eastern suburbs, right through the CBD and onto the picturesque northern beaches.

There are a few different ways you can tackle this walk, depending on your fitness level, ambition and how much time you have up your sleeve. For Sydneysiders, it's recommended that those attempting this walk do so over the course of a few weekends (stopping at one point then picking up there the next weekend), or spread across a few days.

If you are visiting Sydney, you could really take advantage of the path this walk takes and make a really memorable adventure of it by planning to stay in different suburbs along the way. Just make sure you leave plenty of time to enjoy yourself and each of the communities you’ll wander through.

Day 1: Bondi Beach to Watsons Bay Wharf  - 13.4km

Day 2: Watsons Bay Wharf to Double Bay Wharf - 11.4km

Day 3: Double Bay Wharf to Circular Quay - 8.7km

Day 4: Circular Quay to Taronga Zoo Wharf - 14.5km

Day 5: Taronga Zoo Wharf to Spit Bridge - 12km

Day 6: Spit Bridge to Manly Wharf - 9.8km

Day 7: Manly Wharf to Manly Beach via North Head Sanctuary - 10.2km

It is Sydney's best walk so lace up those walking shoes!

Kicking off in the middle of the famous Bondi Beach, the first 13.4-kilometre leg of your trip will finish up the sleepy seaside suburb of Watsons Bay. We recommended starting this 4-5 hour walk in the early morning, so you arrive in time for a relaxed lunch. Take a well-earned rest on the quiet beach and enjoy some takeaway fish and chips from Doyle’s, while you people watch and keep up with the goings-on of one of Sydney’s most exclusive postcodes.

If you want to explore more of this area, why not try a half-day cruise and lunch at Watsons Bay Hotel, one of the most popular haunts for Sydney’s young and fabulous!

Try not to drag your jaw along the pavement as you gawk at the houses on your way from Watsons Bay to Double Bay. It's a beautiful part of Sydney, both in design and landscape!

Making your way up past The Gap, you will have uninterrupted views of the ocean as you head around the cliffs onwards to Vaucluse. This section follows the Heritage Foreshore Track in parts, a hidden path that leads you around the water through Sydney Harbour National Park. You will start to catch glimpses of the CBD and Harbour Bridge as you begin the descent down from Vaucluse and into leafy Rose Bay and onto trendy Double Bay, which completes the second part of this itinerary.

For those completing the walk over a few days, Double Bay is the perfect spot to rent an Airbnb for the night. The local village is brimming with delicious cafes and restaurants, or for something a bit more special you could treat yourself to dinner at one of Sydney’s best restaurants, Catalina.

If the water is calling your name, these harbour inlets are safe to swim in, but what’s even more fun is trying your hand at kayaking in the harbour or stand up paddle boarding.

You will be amazed by what you can fit in over the next 8.7 kilometres of the Bondi to Manly Walk. Moving on from Double Bay, you’ll soon find yourself in the Central Business District before heading towards the base of the Harbour Bridge. Make sure you spend some time in The Rocks, Barangaroo and Circular Quay to learn more about Sydney’s cultural heritage, tuck into some of the freshest seafood in the world or peruse The Rocks markets (depending on which day you are visiting).

If you have the luxury of time, you can get to know The Rocks more intimately and unlock its convict roots with a historic walking tour and classic Aussie pub crawl. Cheers!

Today is a big one - 14.5km, about 4-5 hours of walking, but rest assured, or walk assured - that it will be so scenic along the way, you'll barely notice you've been walking for 5 hours! Walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a non-negotiable for Sydneysiders and tourists; it's the most iconic structure in Australia and is a really lovely walk. You can view Sydney from a different vantage point and marvel at the distance you’ve travelled in just a few days.

On this leg, you will be heading through the lower north shore until you reach Taronga Zoo – where the giraffes have a better view of the city than most humans.

The suburbs that make up the lower north shore have a similar vibe to those near where you started your walk, and there are heaps of lovely cafes and boutiques to stop in at on your way. If lunchtime rolls around, make a pitstop at Mosman Village for a rustic Italian meal at Fourth Village Providore.

It wouldn’t be right to walk all the way to Taronga Zoo without spending at least half a day at the zoo itself. This beautifully kept sanctuary houses animals from all over the world (and many Australian favourites,) and it even has a newly opened eco-lodge within its grounds if you want to sleep amongst the koalas. If you love camping, you will enjoy the “Roar and Snore” option, which provides overnight accommodation in luxury tents, complete with a private tour of the zoo, the opportunity to meet, pat and feed some animals, and dinner overlooking the harbour. We can’t think of a more extraordinary or unique way to unwind before the next section of the walk.

If you opted for the Roar and Snore at Taronga Zoo, you'll wake up to a delicious brekky and will then be ready to tackle the next section of the walk - 12km and about 3-4 hours of walking. This area of Sydney is particularly picturesque as it's dotted with beautiful parks, small beaches, and sunny bays filled with yachts. The walk criss-crosses Sydney Harbour National Park and visits Cobblers Beach, Balmoral Beach and Chinamans Beach, so bring your swimmers!

The Bondi to Manly walk really does capture the Sydney outdoor lifestyle in all its greatness!

You are getting so close now, and after knocking over the 12km kilometres between the Zoo and The Spit, you only have 20km to go!

The walk from The Spit to Manly Wharf will take a little over three hours and it will leave you smack bang in the heart of Manly. Manly Wharf and its surrounding area are jam-packed full of restaurants, bars, and pubs, which is very handy if you are looking for a place to celebrate how far you have walked. Go on, you deserve it!

Manly is another excellent choice for booking an Airbnb and taking a little bit more time to live like a local before tackling the final leg tomorrow (or even the next day if you are loving the feel of this suburb!).

Woohoo! You have just a little under 11 kilometres to go and you can proudly say you have walked from Bondi to Manly and become firmly acquainted with Sydney on along the way!

This final chapter in the story will take you from the popular Manly Wharf area to the even more popular Manly Beach - yes, you can take a super quick detour through the Corso, but that is cheating! This section of the Bondi to Manly Walk takes you from Manly Wharf, then around North Head before finishing at the beach. This beach is a regular haunt for surfers, swimmers, and strollers alike and you can spend the day here relaxing while you think about your next big walking journey! Or just take a nap. Both is good.

If your legs no longer function, simply books an Airbnb here for the night or head back to the CBD on the Manly Ferry. Either way - big tick for you, you've completed the epic 80km Bondi to Manly Walk!

If this all sounds exciting but you can’t make the long walk (or you are just time poor) we recommend taking in the sights with a bird’s eye view. Hop in a helicopter and be whisked around the city, where you can see Bondi to Manly from above, and all that’s in between.

Got a bit of a penchant for walks now? Try these Sydney walks: