Coastal Hikes and Great Lodges in a Magnificent Land Down Under
Wild Tasmania
Overview
Explore the spectacularly green island-state of Tasmania—the WT way! We’ll walk amid towering tree ferns at Mt. Field National Park, sail by private yacht, and look for wallabies, wombats, and Tasmanian devils as we hike in Cradle Mountain National Park. On the dreamy Freycinet Peninsula, we enjoy a fabulous coastal hike and sundowners on the beach. Our Trip Leaders share the secrets of Tassie’s superb cuisine, from fresh-shucked oysters to artisan cheeses, and we’ll sip the finest chardonnays and pinot noirs. Our accommodations include lodges warmed by roaring fires and cozy cabins on the shores of the deep blue Tasman Sea.
Arrive: Hobart, Australia
Depart: Hobart, Australia
Highlights
- Enjoy expert Trip Leaders who know this island as home
- Hike dramatic Cradle Mountain, a World Heritage Site, and Freycinet, Tasmania’s spectacular coastal reserve
- Cruise by private yacht in Macquarie Harbour
- Stroll among fruit sellers, artists, and musicians at Hobart’s Salamanca Market
- Visit the Port Arthur penal colony, Australia’s most historic site
Itinerary
We’ll stroll through the Saturday Salamanca Market before our hike to the top of Mt. Wellington. In Mt. Field National Park, we walk in a forest of giant eucalyptus to magnificent Russell Falls. In the charming village of Strahan on the West Coast, we’ll watch a performance of The Ship That Never Was, Australia’s longest running play, and enjoy a sunset dinner cruise in World Heritage-listed Macquarie Harbour.
Leaving the West Coast, we head to Cradle Mountain National Park for hikes through alpine moorlands where wallabies, wombats, possums, quolls, and Tasmanian devils are often encountered. Our beautiful wilderness lodge offers optional spa treatments.
After sampling the wines of Tasmania’s east coast cellars, we make our way to Freycinet, Tasmania’s premier coastal park, with its striking pink granite rocks, turquoise waters, and white-sand beaches. We take a gorgeous hike to Hazards Beach, then cross the isthmus to Wineglass Bay for a picnic.
We feast on Tassie fish and fresh oysters at a country fish market, visit the historic Port Arthur penal colony, then cruise from Port Arthur into the Southern Ocean and along the wild and scenic coast to Tasman Island and Cape Pillar, with a chance to see dolphins, along with southern right and humpback whales. Depart on Day 11 via Hobart.
Accommodations
Scroll through our signature accommodations for this trip below. Although it is highly unlikely, we may make substitutions when necessary.
What the Trip is Like
This trip is rated Level 2, Easy to Moderate, according to our trip grading system. Anyone in a reasonable state of fitness, accustomed to outdoor adventures, should be able to fully enjoy the planned activities. Participants should be prepared for hiking each day over uneven terrain (carrying a daypack only).
Average Hiking Day
- 4 miles
- 3-4 hours
- 500' ascent/descent
Challenge Day
- Day 8: 6 miles, 5.5 hours, 600' ascent/400' descent
Hiking trails are through lush temperate rainforests and dramatic coastal reserves. Expect well-established dirt paths and forest tracks that are sometimes uneven or muddy, with gentle to moderate elevation changes and daily hikes of about 3 to 4 hours. Many walks feature scenic highlights such as waterfalls, rocky mountain viewpoints, and sweeping ocean vistas, with opportunities to see wildlife along the way.
To get the most out of this trip, we recommend you make a special effort to be in good physical condition. Daily brisk walking and/or regular hiking (or using a stair-climbing machine at your gym) are excellent preparatory exercises.
As the weather in Tasmania is often variable, we must occasionally wait for it to change to participate in our planned activities. In such a case, we may rearrange the daily itinerary to accommodate the weather.
Tasmania has a cool maritime climate, rarely extremely hot or extremely cold. The seasons are opposite to that of the northern hemisphere. Summer is from December to February, when the average maximum temperature is about 70°F. The weather on the east coast is nearly always warmer and milder than the rest of the state. Rainfall is evenly distributed throughout the year.
The trip features a variety of accommodations chosen for their character, size, and location. Overnights range from "bed and breakfast" inns to cabins, historic inns, and delightful wilderness lodges.
Vehicle touring is mostly over good roads (though they can be very windy at times) in a comfortable van or minibus. Our van will transport the group's luggage, so you only need to carry a daypack for items you need during the day (rain gear, sweater, camera, water bottle, etc.).
Client Testimonials
"It would have taken me many individual trips to find all the visual and experiential treasures I enjoyed in nine short days. Hats off to James Fuss—he’s one of your best."
Carmela C.
Fallbrook, CA
"James knows not only the nature trails but also the small restaurants, the art exhibitions—good planning!"
Carmen O.
Portola Valley, CA
"Everything went very smoothly - couldn't ask for anything better."
Carol M.
Palos Verdes Estates, CA
"I loved the variety of activities on this trip. From beautiful scenery, to fascinating and unusual wildlife to cultural activities. I can’t imagine duplicating this trip on my own."
Eve C.
Sausalito, CA
"What a fantastic way to experience Tasmania! We were able to be in the midst of natural beauty, see animals we'll not see anywhere else in the world, attend the longest running play in Australia, visit the Port Arthur penal colony, visit and tour Trowunna animal sanctuary and 42 Degrees South, cruise and dine aboard the Stormbreaker. And the meals--what glorious meals and food we had. We not only never went hungry, we ate like royalty."
Gayle M.
Lodi,California
"We loved the trip! The best part of traveling with your company is not having to worry about details. The hotel and restaurant selections were always very good and at times exceeded our expectations. The traveling time we spent in the van was very limited considering that we saw almost every corner of Tasmania. Not only were we able to hike in beautiful remote parks but we met people who demonstrated by their hard work and artistic attributes a love for their land."
Georgia S.
Sacramento, CA
"The trip was great, with wonderful surprises in store as each day unfolded."
Jan B.
Denver, CO
"The variety of our days and the choice of venue, whether hiking, sailing, exploring, or wine tasting, was superb!"
Jean Y.
Jackson, WY
"James did an excellent job of organizing and leading an outstanding trip with great variety and depth."
Jerry T.
Portola Valley, CA
"Really awesome itinerary design with nice mix of locations, lodging, and activities. Our Trip Leader outdid himself—his local knowledge and connections made for many unique experiences."
Kate F.
Santa Monica, CA
"The trip was fabulous with a great itinerary and variety. Tasmania is a truly unique area. This was my best trip yet!"
Kathy B.
Lafayette CA
"This was an outstanding trip. The pace and flow, excellent, the organization, outstanding, the food excellent, and the scenery wondrous. What was so great was that the trip was so much more than a hiking trip. Visits to gardens, museums, a play, a boat ride with dinner onboard at sunset--all more than a standard trip. This trip certainly holds up the Wilderness Travel excellence."
Larry K.
Seattle, WA
"Tasmania is a Wilderness dream. It has everything. The experiences were very well designed and organized and made great use of the land and sea. It provided many opportunities to experience the wildlife up close and personal (wallabys, wombats, kangaroos, birds of all varieties, possums, and fortunately, not any snakes). The hikes were beautiful and not difficult. The flora on some of the hikes were diverse and provided some magical moments. We also had a terrific group of participants."
Laurie K.
Edina, MN
"I've done several trips with WT and this is one of the very best. The scenery, the food and wine, and the guides make for a perfect experience. We saw so much of this amazing island--and I can't wait to go back and see more!"
Liz K.
Portland, ME
"We loved all of the different scenery in Tasmania, from the seashore to the mountain lakes to the temperate rainforest. Every day was an adventure!"
Lyn S.
Las Vegas, NV
"Trip of a lifetime. Fell in love with Australia, which I did not expect to do."
Lynn K.
Denver, CO
"The best way to see this beautiful, exciting part of Australia!"
Mary Ellen B.
Bloomfield Hill, MI
"Good mix of natural beauty, history, great food and wine, and hiking."
Norm S.
Chicago, IL
"The small group together with sterling leaders and food/facilities made this an unforgettable trip—thank you!"
Patricia J.
Berkeley CA
"One of our best trips ever."
Penny A.
Los Angeles, CA
"James is a great guide. Very knowledgeable about Tasmania. I especially enjoyed his interest in food and wine."
Piage L.
Rye, NY
"This trip was wonderful. A well-designed itinerary, great accommodations, and food that was over the top! I can't believe the diversity of things we saw and did , from visiting markets and museums, to an exhilerating boat ride, to petting a wombat and seeing Tasmanian devils up close (boy, do they sound terrible!)."
Randy L.
Kensington, CA
"Tasmania was very beautiful, from the mountains to the sea. We got to see the variety of landscapes and the people are all so friendly. We enjoyed the variety of activities that were part of the trip. It gave us a real feel for Tasmania"
Robert N.
Sedona, AZ
"Our trip to Tasmania was a wonderful experience that will be remembered for a long time. James and Lucy, our guides, were superb, knowledgeable, personable, and a lot of fun to be with. They both went the extra mile to make sure that everyone was having an enjoyable experience. The scenery, hiking trails, animals, birds, and the super friendly ‘Aussies’ were simply terrific! Wish we were still there!"
Roger E.
San Francisco, CA
"The trip was wonderful and we saw so much of the island. The food was fantastic!"
Sandy B.
Petaluma, CA
"The food and lodgings were superb; the places we went were beautiful, engaging, sometimes astounding and exhilarating."
Vicki N.
Corte Madera, CA
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Itinerary
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Trip Levels
With more than 200 different adventures to choose from, we want to help you find the trip that’s right for you. Our Trip Level system ranks each trip in two ways: a number rating from 1 to 6 according to the activity, and general travel rigors. 1 is the easiest and 6+ the most difficult.