Two Week Best of Tasmania Road Trip Itinerary

 
1

Welcome to Tasmania!

Welcome to Hobart, the capital of the Apple Isle!

Nestled amongst the foothills of Mt Wellington, Hobart is a harbour town with heritage charm and a modern lifestyle. From the bustling waterfront of Salamanca Place to the historic houses of quaint Battery Point, Hobart is a gorgeous place to wander and get lost in.

Take a bus to the summit of Mount Wellington for panoramic views over the city, or board a ferry at Brooke Street Pier and sail upstream to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).

You won't be short of delicious dining options this evening: Hobart has fast become one of Australia's top gourmet hotspots, thanks to its amazing local produce.

Accommodation: Hobart - 2 nights

Hobart
Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart offers premier facilities, where guests can work out in the state-of-the-art fitness club or indulge in a skyline swim with views of Mount Wellington in the indoor pool. You can unwind over high tea at The Atrium Bar or reserve a table at the contemporary Restaurant Tasman which overlooks the harbour.
Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart

2

Hobart sightseeing cruise - Iron Pot Lighthouse

Take a Hobart sightseeing cruise to admire coastal scenery and learn about the maritime history of Tasmania’s capital city. As you travel along the River Derwent to Betsey Island and see one of the oldest lighthouses in Australia, you’ll enjoy sights like Hope Beach, Mt Wellington, and Shot Tower. Listen to stories from your guide about life on the sea, from shipwrecks to settlers, on this small-group tour limited to 12 people. 

Vessel: Travel aboard one of our brand new vessels in a small group of up to 12 passengers. The spacious enclosed cabin contains comfortable leather seats. Large awning windows provide a great view and allow you to immerse yourself in the surroundings.

Iron Pot Lighthouse Cruise

3

Beautiful Lake St Clair

This morning collect your rental car and travel to Lake St Clair which is at the southern end of the Cradle Mountain National Park and is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. Carved out by ice over the last two million years, this is the deepest freshwater lake in Australia.

Lake St Clair offers a wealth of walks, ranging from leisurely 45 minutes strolls to overnight bush walks, as well as beautiful forests to explore.

Approximate Distance: 179 km | 11 miles   Total Driving Time: 2 hours 23 mins

Accommodation: Lake St Clair - 2 Nights

Lake St Claire
Accommodation:
Located within Cradle Mountain – Lake St Clair National Park with views of Cynthia Bay, Lake St Clair Lodge offers a variety of accommodation choices. Guests can interact with local wildlife, including pademelons and Bennett’s wallabies. Each studio, cabin and cottage includes a private bathroom and TV with CD/DVD player. Some have a kitchenette with microwave, stove and kitchenware; others have a spa bath or fireplace.
Lake St Claire

4

Experience Lake St Clair Wildlife

Today you are free to roam and enjoy this World Heritage wilderness however you wish.

Lake St Clair is home to wallabies, echidnas, native quolls, possums, wombats, the famous Tassie devil, and a wide variety of birdlife. Stay perfectly still and you may be rewarded with a sighting of the shy platypus hiding in the shallows.

Lace-up your walking shoes, hit the trails, and breathe in fresh mountain air: the giant myrtle forests, button grass plains, mossy tracks, and ferny rainforests are just begging to be explored.

However you spend your day here, keep your camera handy - you'll want to preserve these peaceful moments forever.

platypus

5

Strahan Village

Travel to Strahan Village, a harbour town on the shores of the massive Macquarie Harbour. Welcome to Tasmania's wild west: escaped convicts from nearby Sarah Island prison sometimes asked to return to jail after struggling to survive in this rugged and remote landscape.

Today Strahan is on the edge of a UNESCO World Heritage Area, home to one of the few temperate rainforests that remain on the planet.

Approximate Distance: 131 km | 81 miles   Total Driving Time: 1 hour 39 mins

Accommodation: Strahan - 2 Nights 

Strahan Village
Accommodation:
Featuring a garden and barbecue facilities right on the waters edge, Salt Box Hideaways offers accommodation in Strahan with free WiFi and mountain views. The apartment is fitted with 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, a flat-screen TV with cable channels, a dining area, a fully equipped kitchen, and a balcony with sea views.
Saltbox

6

King River Rail, Raft & Rainforest Experience

Start your wilderness rafting trip with a heritage steam train ride through the West Coast Wilderness before rafting through the peaceful lower reaches of the King River.

Steam Rail: Catch the West Coast Wilderness Railway from Queenstown over the steep Abt section of track to Dubbil Barril train station, located in the rainforest on the banks of the King River. 

Raft: On this 15km adventure, you will see thousands of huon pine trees, paddle through mirror reflections of silent ancient forest, drift past mining relics being reclaimed by nature and spot black cockatoos and eagles wheeling overhead.

Highlights

  • Raft the King River's Class I Rapids
  • Get up close to ancient rainforest and rare Huon Pine and King Billy Pine trees.
  • Experience calm serene reaches & listen to the silence
  • Catch glimpses of local wildlife and birds
  • Other stops of interest including the original town of Teepookana and the old Cascades Hotel, Water Fall Gully
King River Rail
King River Rafting

7

Cradle Mountain National Park

After a leisurely morning, enjoy the scenic drive to Cradle Mountain National Park.

Home to the world-famous Overland Track and iconic Cradle Mountain this pristine area is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, the park is one of the state's most special places, where ancient pines fringe glacial lakes and icy streams cascade down rugged mountains.

The vegetation is rich and diverse including grassland, rainforest,, and many ancient plants such as the long-lived and endemic King Billy pine and the unusual native deciduous beech. The park also provides a rich habitat for wildlife, including tasmanian devils, quolls, platypus, echidna, and several bird species.

Approximate Distance: 146 km | 90 miles   Total Driving Time: 2 hours 10 mins

Accommodation: Cradle Mountain - 2 nights

Cradle Mountain
Accommodation:
Cradle Mountain Hotel is a stylish, wilderness hotel, located at the northern boundary of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. Set on the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Cradle Mountain Hotel offers warm, welcoming accommodation within easy reach of Tasmania’s most iconic wilderness experiences.
Cradle Mountain Hotel

8

Explore Cradle Mountain National Park

Cradle Mountain National Park is arguably one of the prettiest National Parks in Australia. With alpine wilderness, abundant native wildlife and a huge variety of walking trails to choose from you'll love exploring this peaceful haven.

The gentle Dove Lake Circuit takes around 2 hours with amazing mountain views. Or you try the climb to Marion’s Lookout if you feel energetic. It's ridiculously steep but the lake & mountain views from the top are a worthy reward.

If hiking isn't your thing, there are endless ways to explore the area: try a scenic flight, horse treks, canyoning adventure, or a wildlife-spotting walk to name but a few!

Dove Lake

9

Drive to Launceston

Welcome to Launceston.

One of Australia's oldest cities: charm-filled Launceston is a boutique riverside town with Colonial and Victorian heritage buildings in abundance.

Located at the head of the picturesque Tamar Valley, Launceston's beautiful attractions include the spectacular Cataract Gorge Reserve and beautiful parks & gardens.

Settle in with a stroll along the waterfront, perhaps head out to the Tamar Valley region for a taste of Tasmania’s fine wines or take a short walk to the wild and beautiful Cataract Gorge, just 15 minutes from town.

Approximate Distance: 150 km | 93 miles   Total Driving Time: 2 hours 8 mins

Accommodation: Launceston - 1 Night 

Launceston
Conveniently located in Launceston, Peppers Silo offers modern accommodation in an historic building. Dine at the Grain of the Silos Cafe and sample Tasmania's world-renowned produce. The modern interiors are inspired by natural surrounds with recycled Tasmanian timbers used throughout. Each room includes free WiFi and a flat-screen TV with Chromecast. Your private bathroom offers a walk-in shower. Some rooms feature breathtaking river views.
Peppers Silo Hotel Launceston

10

Freycinet National Park

If you thought Tasmania couldn't get any more beautiful, Freycinet National Park will prove you wrong. Against a backdrop of pink granite mountains, you'll discover secluded bays, pristine waters, white sandy beaches, local wildlife, and incredible walking trails.

Wineglass Bay is the jewel in Freycinet's crown. Nestled at the foot of the forest-covered mountains, you'll see a crescent of white sand bordering the emerald waters of the bay. Admire it from the Wineglass Bay lookout point or grab a picnic and hike down to one of the most beautiful beaches you have ever seen (2.5hrs return).

Suggested Activity: Bicheno Penguin Tour (30 mins from Freycinet)

At night begins to fall, see Little Blue Penguins return to their burrows on a twilight guided penguin tour. This is a rare and thrilling chance to get very close to the world's smallest penguins in a private rookery. Watch as they emerge from the ocean after a hard day of fishing and head home for the night

Approximate Distance: 176 km | 109 miles   Total Driving Time: 1 hour 09 mins

Accommodation: Freycinet National Park - 2 Nights

Freycinet National Park
Accommodation:
Freycinet Lodge creates a perfect union of luxury accommodation and superb natural setting. The Lodge’s timber eco cabins are sensitively located within Freycinet National Park’s natural environment. Surrounded by native vegetation, the cabins are linked to the Lodge by a series of raised timber boardwalks that weave through the bush, and sit lightly in the landscape.
 Freycinet Lodge

11

Morning Paddle in Beautiful Freycinet

A 3 hour Freycinet Sea Kayak Tour lets you experience the stunning National Park from on the water .

On this relaxed guided tour of the Freycinet coastline, you’ll glide beneath pink mountains, past pristine beaches, and across waters so clear you feel you can touch the marine life below. Discover Freycinet’s abundant wildlife as you weave along the coastline. While you paddle, your local guides will share little known stories of the area. Refreshments are provided halfway through the tour - you'll pause at a secluded sandy beach for a freshly brewed cup of coffee and a tasty snack.

  • All equipment supplied.
  • Perfect for a family with children.
Freycinet Sea Kayak

12

Drive to the Tasman Peninsula

While the drive from Freycinet to The Tasman Peninsula can be made in about Two and a Half hours, the suggested stops that follow can take up to a full day if you take the back roads and stop at the attractions mentioned. The east coast of Tasmania is very picturesque, and the scenery ranges from beaches to expansive coastline, to wooded forest areas. This is a very picturesque part of the world, one to be experienced slowly.

Marion Bay: The sands of Marion Bay form some of the most beautiful beaches you will ever find in Tasmania. These beaches are used mainly by surfers, but the water is safe for swimmers provided you take care. 

Swansea: Swansea is a pretty seaside village that looks out over Great Oyster Bay with a rich colonial history, unique attractions, and old-world charm. Swansea is quiet, friendly, and laid back, even when the town fills with holidaymakers over the summer months. The town centre is home to many interesting historic buildings, with a terrific local history museum that shares the town's stories and artifacts.

Buckland: The rural hamlet of Buckland is a quiet rural village noted for the beauty and historic importance of its St John the Baptist Anglican Church. Make sure you pay a visit to the Tasmanian Bushland Garden and take a stroll among the displays of endemic and rare Tasmanian east coast plants. The Garden also has picnic facilities, a landscaped quarry, and a waterfall.

Approximate Distance: 189 km | 117 miles   Total Driving Time: 2 hours 38 mins

Accommodation: Port Arthur - 1 Night 

Bucklands
Stewarts Bay Lodge is nestled between a beautiful beach, a forest, the calming ocean, a world heritage listed national park and Australia’s profound Port Arthur Historic Site with 9 hectare (22 acres) property on the shores of Stewarts Bay at Port Arthur just 90 minutes from Hobart in the beautiful region known as the Tasman Peninsula. Stewarts Bay Lodge offers a variety of quality self-contained cabin and chalet accommodation with restaurant, function rooms and recreation facilities all surrounded by a white-sand beach, crystal clear ocean waters and beautiful woodlands.
Port Arthur

13

Tasman Island Wilderness Cruise

Tasman Island Cruise

The awe-inspiring cruise travels beneath the highest vertical sea cliffs in the Southern Hemisphere at Cape Pillar. Guests explore waterfalls, rock formations, archways, and deep-sea caves. The coastline is part of the Tasman National Park. It is home to a variety of wildlife including hundreds of seals, migrating whales, and abundant sea birds in their thousands.

At any time of year, you're likely to see the feeding frenzy of diving gannets, albatross and sea eagles wheeling on the wind, cliff-nesting cormorants, and peregrine falcons, or a pod of playful dolphins surfing the bow wave of the boat.

Highlights

  • Cruise alongside some of Australia's highest sea cliffs
  • Encounter marine wildlife & seabirds
  • Enter deep-sea caves
  • Feel the power of nature at the point where the Tasman Sea meets the might of the Southern Ocean
  • Search for the abundant coastal wildlife such as seals, dolphins, whales, and sea birds
Tasman Island Cruise

14

Return to Hobart and Farewell!

Drive to Hobart and say farewell to Tasmania today as you board your onward flight, taking with you the magical memories of a truly exceptional Tassie experience. 

We hope to hear from you again soon to help with your next adventure!

Approximate Distance: 77 km | 47 miles   Total Driving Time: 1 hour 

Devil

Profile picture for user Michelle
What Michelle says about this tour: You have two glorious weeks to enjoy the Apple Isles on this Best of Tasmania Road trip. The accommodation is on point, with stunning seaside locations and wilderness outlooks, and they're all two night stays. You'll head see the best of Tasmania's National Parks including Freycinet, Cradle Mountain and the wild west coast as well. Flying in and out of Hobart so plenty of time in the coolest little capital there is.
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