Highlights of Tasmania

Welcome to Tasmania! Your adventure begins in Hobart (nipaluna in the language of the muwinina and palawa peoples, who are the traditional owners of the land on which Hobart is now located). You’ll be picked up at 8.00 am this morning, marking the start of your adventure. Traverse the island from east to west, leaving Hobart behind and venturing through the Derwent Valley, and then up onto the Central Plateau. Your first stop is Mount Field National Park – home to an abundance of wildlife, diverse fauna and stunning lush vistas. Walk in the land of the giants, the world’s tallest flowering trees, as you explore beautiful surrounds on a guided walk through tremendous fern forests 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 including along the Franklin River and to Nelson Falls. Pass through Queenstown with its intriguing eroded landscape of treeless hills then finish the day in Strahan at the very edge of the west coast.

Enjoy a full day of exploration in 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 venture into the Tarkine region. Nestled in the largest tract of temperate rainforest in Australia, the Tarkine is alive with unique creatures and habitats not found anywhere else on earth, and home to vast forests of myrtle, leatherwood and pine trees – living links to Gondwanaland that it shared with Patagonia and New Zealand millennia ago. Take a guided walk among its pristine rainforest and discover Tasmania's highest waterfall encased in a lush fern forest and rocky cliffs. Afterwards, return to Strahan and head to Ocean Beach to inhale some of the freshest air in the world.

Depart from Strahan this morning and head to the magnificent wilderness of Cradle Mountain National Park. The mountain, at 1545m 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. Explore the park along a number of different guided or self-guided walking tracks. If you prefer to travel at a leisurely pace, consider taking a walk 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. Your leader is at hand to explain options. Later today, travel to Launceston via Sheffield, the town of murals.

Departing Launceston head for 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, and of course the orange coloured granite rocks. Explore the beach of Cosy Corner, then continue late in the day to Bicheno where tonight you can take a guided tour for a closer look at the life of the Little Penguins as they return nightly to their rookeries to feed their young.

This morning, drive south 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 your leader for 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 Bicheno for the night and perhaps indulge in a delicious seafood dinner in this fishing town, from crayfish to abalone.

Head to a 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!). The sanctuary is dedicated to the rehabilitation and conservation of Tasmania’s wildlife, and quolls, bandicoots, bettongs and potoroos are also bred here before being reintroduced into the wild. The sanctuary also takes in injured animals to rehabilitate or rehome. After your visit, travel further south along the scenic Great Eastern Drive, passing through the coastal towns of Swansea and Orford, before stopping in the historic village of Richmond in time for lunch. Back in Hobart visit Mount Wellington Park to savour some magnificent views over 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 the city centre and bidding farewell to your travel companions and your incredible adventure.