Tasmania Adventure

Welcome to Tasmania! Your adventure begins in Hobart, or Nipaluna in the language of the Muwinina and Palawa peoples, who are the Traditional Custodians of the land on which Hobart is now located. You’ll have a welcome meeting at 9:30 am to meet your fellow travellers, followed by a short walk to ningina tunapri – TMAG's Tasmanian Aboriginal culture gallery. Depart Hobart for a stopover in the historic town of Richmond – home to some of Australia’s oldest institutions. Enjoy some time to explore the town, then leave for your next stop at a local family-owned and operated winery for a tasting session. Finish your tasting experience and continue to the coastal town of Bicheno, where you will stay for the next two nights.

From your base in Bicheno, drive south to Freycinet National Park, home to white sand beaches, clear water coasts and over 49 species of wildlife, including wombats, wallabies and echidnas. Join your leader for a steep, moderate to difficult walk to Wineglass Bay, voted one of the world’s top 10 beaches, then, after lunch, follow the path up to Cape Tourville Lighthouse. Soak up the views at the top, then return to Bicheno. Tonight, you have the option to join a guided tour of a penguin rookery where the area’s little penguins return nightly to feed their young.

This morning, you’ll depart Bicheno and follow the Great Eastern Drive until you arrive in the northeast corner of Tasmania, home to the Bay of Fires. This popular conservation area features Tasmania’s signature white sand beaches, coastal heaths and woodlands filled with protected wildlife, as well as its unique orange-coloured granite rocks. Set off on a leader-led nature hike to one of the many bays before continuing today’s journey towards your accommodation in Sheffield. The former hydroelectric hub has reinvented itself as an arts community with more than 140 murals on its streets that depict local stories and characters. You’ll have a free evening tonight to explore the town and spot some of its street art.

This morning, say goodbye to the east coast and head west towards Cradle Mountain National Park. Cradle Mountain, at 1,545 m high, stands tall among the native vegetation of the area and is a popular attraction for day trippers and overnight hikers. Today, you’ll have the chance to explore the national park on one of the many walking tracks of the area, including the popular Dove Lake Circuit, a grade 3 walk taking you through the low-lying rainforest, Fagus trees, buttongrass and past the Boat Shed. Your leader will be at hand to explain the options depending on your or the group's ability. End the day by driving to your accommodation in Strahan.

From Strahan, enjoy a full day exploring Tasmania’s West Coast, including the Tarkine, which is not only Australia’s largest temperate rainforest, but the second largest in the world. This cool-temperate rainforest has largely been left untouched and still homes wildlife not found anywhere else on earth, including the endangered Tasmanian Devils. It even retains a biological history from when this area was still connected to Patagonia and New Zealand, known collectively as Gondwanaland. Return to Strahan in the late afternoon.

Start the final day on the Apple Isle by passing through Queenstown’s eroded landscape of treeless hills, then stretch your legs on some great and moderately easy short walks along the Franklin River trail and along to the Nelson Falls boardwalk. Your next stop is Lake St Clair, Australia’s deepest freshwater lake, then continue over the Central Plateau and through the Derwent Valley. Finish your trip traversing Tasmania as you head back to Hobart, where your adventure will come to an end. If you’d like to extend your time in Tasmania, please speak to your booking agent.