10 Days - Best of Tasmania

Highlights

• Discover Launceston
• Sample Tasmanian Wines at the Bay of Fires Winery
• Visit Freycinet National Park a Ranger led walk
• Explore the grounds and ruins at historic Port Arthur
• Cruise around the Isle of the Dead at Port Arthur n Enjoy 2 nights in Hobart, Queenstown and Burnie
• Stroll through Richmond
• Tour the Cadbury Chocolate Factory or Sorell Fruit Farm
• Mt Field National Park
• Spectacular Russell Falls
• Explore Cradle Mountain National Park
• Cruise on the Gordon River
• See a Tasmanian Devil
• Walk to the massive promontory ‘The Nut’
• Delightful Allendale Gardens
• Ashgrove Farm Cheese Factory
• Enjoy time at Entally House

Itinerary

Day 1 - Fri: Arrive Launceston

Transfer from airport to hotel for check-in and a meet and greet before we head off through Launceston to the Tamar Valley and the Bay of Fires Winery for a wine tasting and tutorial. We’ll also see the Swiss style Village of Grindelwald. In the evening join your Tour Director and travel companions for dinner.

Accomodation: Mercure Hotel, Launceston
Meals: Dinner

 

Day 2 - Sat: Freycinet National Park

First stop today is Sidling Lookout for photos. Continuing on we’ll see Legerwood’s WW1 memorial tree carvings, the old mining town of Derby and then drive through the lush Myrtle Rainforest at Weldborough Pass. We’ll visit St. Helens, the largest town on the east coast, at lunchtime. Then get your camera ready for the spectacular and breathtaking – Freycinet National Park. We’ll take a guided walk with a National Park Ranger that will unveil astonishing views across brilliant blue water, forest and golden beach. Cape Tourville Lookout will astound.

Accomodation: Beachfront at Bicheno.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 3 - Sun: Hobart

En route to our morning tea destination of Copping we’ll travel through Swansea, Orford and Sorrell. Then chart a course for Port Arthur along an impressive cliff-lined coast. We’ll cross the 100 year old Denison Canal, and the historic once-guarded checkpoint of Eaglehawk Neck to infamous Port Arthur. Once there, we’ll cruise round the Isle of the Dead, then take a fascinating guided walk of the Historic Site and prison. This afternoon we”ll head back over the Tasman Peninsula to Hobart. Along the way we’ll feast our eyes on the amazing vistas of Tasman’s Arch, Devil’s Kitchen and the Blowhole, travel the Sorrell Causeway and cross Pittwater into Hobart.

Accomodation: Wrest Point, Hobart, 2 nights
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 4 - Mon: Richmond

This morning we travel to Claremont for a guided tour of the Cadbury Chocolate Factory (seasonal). Crossing the Derwent River, we’ll get up close and personal with Tasmanian Devils and other native animals at Bonorong Wildlife Park. We travel through the Coal River Valley to the historic sandstone village of Richmond, site of Australia’s oldest operational road bridge and a perfect spot for lunch! Back to Hobart for a city tour, then it’s all yours for the afternoon and evening! Explore it as you wish – take a Derwent River Cruise, walk through Sandy Bay or wander around historic Battery Point exploring its galleries, cafés and convict-built houses.

Meals: Breakfast

 

Day 5 - Tue: Russell Falls

A spectacular view of Hobart and the Derwent River from Mt. Nelson starts our day on a high. Then we head west, through New Norfolk to the magnificent Mt. Field National Park – Tasmania’s oldest and the site of spectacular Russell Falls. We’ll have morning tea then wind our way up to the sensational Lake St. Clair for our lunch break with a view. Back down to Queenstown, via the rainforest-bordered road of the World Heritage protected Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. :

Acccomodation: Chancellor Inn, Queenstown, 2 nights
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 6 - Wed: Gordon River Cruise

Today we travel to the fishing village of Strahan on the Macquarie Harbour where we’ll cruise the Gordon River. You’ll be awestruck by the beauty of the crystal clear water reflecting the untouched wilderness of this pristine, heritage-listed river and be amazed by the 1,000 year old Huon Pine at Heritage Landing. Post cruise the afternoon is yours. Use your free time to relax or explore – enjoy an optional, highly recommended, train ride on the West Coast Wilderness Railway or maybe visit the Huon Pine Museum– it’s up to you!

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Day 7 - Thu: Cradle Mountain

We travel past Lake Plimsoll through Tullah to the sensational Cradle Mountain National Park. Once here we’ll take you up to Waldheim and gorgeous Dove Lake for spectacular views of Cradle Mountain – make sure the camera’s loaded and the batteries charged, this is a scenic highlight, and the air – there’s none fresher! Next we travel to Sheffield, for a wander through this town of murals, en route to Burnie.

Accomodation: Beachfront Voyager, Burnie, 2 nights.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 8 - Fri: The Nut, Stanley

Rolling green hills and Friesian cows – this morning you’ll think you’re in a butter commercial as we make our way to Table Cape, home of tulips, for views of Bass Strait, the lighthouse and coastline. We’ll arrive at Wynyard for morning tea. Then picturesque Stanley is in our sights as we head west for lunch with a view of ‘The Nut’. The hills roll on from Irishtown to our next guided tour – Allendale Gardens.

Meals:Breakfast

 

Day 9 - Sat: Cataract Gorge

We travel east along the coast through Penguin, stopping at Ulverstone for morning tea. Then we’re off to Ashgrove Farm Cheese Factory for a presentation on cheese making and some delicious product testing – yum! Deloraine is our lunch stop. Next we travel to historic Entally House for a guided tour, after which we can wander around the beautiful grounds. Then it’s back to Launceston, where we’ll visit Cataract Gorge – wilderness in the city. Just two minutes out of town and you’re surrounded by rivers, a gorge and exotic flora and fauna. Enjoy a walk across the suspension bridge, spot peacocks or take the chairlift for an aerial view of this fascinating urban wilderness, you decide.

Accomodation: Mercure Hotel, Launceston
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

 

Day 10 - Sun: Depart Launceston

This morning we’ll transfer you to the airport for your onward flight.

Meals: Breakfast

 

Further Information

Flights

Day 1 – flights to arrive prior to 1.00 pm
Day 10 – Flights to depart any time