Taste of Tasmania

Traverse the island from east to west, leaving Hobart behind and venturing through the Derwent Valley. Your first stop is Mt Field National Park – home to an abundance of wildlife, diverse fauna and stunning lush vistas. Walk in the land of the giants as you explore beautiful surrounds on a guided walk-through tremendous fern forest to Russell Falls. Continue to Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest freshwater lake before entering the temperate time capsule that is the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Along the way, stretch your legs on some great short walks in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Pass through Queenstown with its intriguing, eroded landscape of treeless hills then finishes the day in Strahan at the very edge of the West Coast.

Today’s driving time approx. 325 km / 5 hrs.  There will be three hikes today, one will take approximately 1 hour and the other two will take around 45 minutes.

Enjoy a full day of exploration in the untouched wilderness of Tasmania’s West Coast beginning with a visit to the shifting sands of Henty Dunes. Reaching heights of up to 30 metres, these vast dunes are a desert amid Tasmania’s dense rainforests. Then we continue towards the Tarkine Rainforest and walk to Tasmania’s highest waterfall – Montezuma Falls. On return to Strahan we visit Ocean Beach and inhale some of the freshest air in the world. An alternative optional activity today you can choose to join the world-famous Gordon River Cruise (optional, at your own expense)

Today’s driving time approx. 150 km / 2 hrs. The hike today will take approximately 3 hours.

Depart from Strahan this morning and head to the magnificent wilderness of Cradle Mountain National Park. The mountain at 1,545 meters high, is one of the park’s iconic features and is surrounded by stands of native deciduous beech, rainforest, alpine heath lands and button grass. Icy streams cascade down the mountainsides and ancient pines are reflected in the still glacial lakes. Like many of ATA’s products, we love that we can show-off yet another World Heritage-listed National Park of Australia; and everything that Cradle Mountain has to offer. Explore the park along several different guided or self-guided walking tracks. For those who prefer to travel at a leisurely pace, consider taking a trip to Waldheim Chalet or wandering along the Dove Lake circuit. For those with a little more grit, or people who simply love views of gorgeous lakes with rugged mountain backdrops, the hike to Marion’s Lookout is perfect. Later today, travel to Launceston via Sheffield, the town of murals.

Today’s driving time approx. 290 km / 4 hrs. The hiking today will depend on which walking path you have chosen, please ask your guide for estimates.

Departing Launceston, we take in some amazing views of Cataracts Gorge before heading towards the peaceful North-East corner of Tasmania. The Bay of Fires is remarkable for its beauty, wildlife and cultural history with long stretches of dazzling white beaches, shimmering turquoise waters, coastal heath and woodlands that abound with wildlife. We continue late in the day to Bicheno where the Little Penguins return nightly to their rookeries to feed their young.

Today’s driving time approx: 270 km / 3.5 hrs. The hike today will take approximately 1.5 hours.

This morning, drive east to the beautiful Freycinet National Park, home to a wild domain of sublime beaches, whose powder-white sands are lapped by translucent waters. For those seeking a challenge, try the climb to the summit of Mt Amos or join the walk to Wineglass Bay, voted one of the world’s top 10 beaches. There are other free walking choices available, including the path up to Cape Tourville Lighthouse, where you can enjoy panoramic vistas across the coast. Afterwards, head back to Hobart, making a choice on a multitude of great food options for dinner, before settling into our accommodation for the night.

Today’s driving time approx: 230 km / 3 hrs. The hike today will take approximately 2 hours.

Today we head North to town historical town of Richmond, then onto a wildlife sanctuary for a chance to see some of Tasmania’s native wildlife up close including the famous Tasmanian Devils (they’re not as fiendish as they sound!). We visit Kunanyi (Mount Wellington Park) to savour some magnificent views of the city and its surrounding mountains, forests and waterways. We’ll hit one of the many walking tracks for a relatively short and moderate walk within this stunning park (weather permitting) before returning to Hobart and bidding farewell to your travel companions and your incredible adventure.

Today’s driving time approx: 115 km / 2.5 hrs. The hiking today will take around 2 hours