9 Day Tasmanian Wildlife and Wilderness Encounter Tour

Upon your arrival at Hobart Airport by 3:00 pm, you’ll be transferred to your accommodation in the CBD, where you’ll have time to freshen up. At 4:30 pm, we’ll take you to the first highlight of your tour: Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. Here, you’ll enjoy an exclusive 2.5-hour behind-the-scenes night tour, offering a unique opportunity to get up close to many of Tasmania’s endemic animals while gaining fascinating insights directly from the experts.

Accommodation: Old Woolstore Hotel Hobart, Studio apartment (or similar)

This morning, travel to the seaside village of Triabunna and board a ferry to cross the Mercury Passage to Maria Island. This unique island national park sits just off Tasmania’s east coast. Enjoy a day of peaceful walking amongst historic ruins across sweeping bays, rugged fossil cliffs and imposing mountains. This island sanctuary provides an opportunity to view its resident wildlife, including Wombats, Cape Barren Geese, Tasmanian Pademelons, Forester Kangaroos and even the Tasmanian Devil in their natural environment. Later this afternoon, continue your journey along Tasmania’s sunny east coast to Bicheno in the Freycinet area.

Accommodation: Beachfront at Bicheno or Bicheno by the Bay (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast and Picnic lunch

After breakfast, travel to Coles Bay and embark on the award-winning 4-hour Wineglass Bay cruise. Cruise the spectacular coastline of Freycinet National Park from Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay. Be enthralled by the stunning granite coastline, including the dramatic pink peaks of the Hazards range. Discover a coast dotted with sparkling white sand beaches, including Cooks and Bryans Beaches, only accessible by water or a full day bushwalk. Explore the inner passage of remote Schouten Island, home to little penguins and short-tailed shearwaters, before heading into the Tasman Sea towards Wineglass Bay. Look out for hidden sea caves, blowholes and waterfalls amongst the sheer granite cliffs. Disembark the vessel in the early afternoon and visit the Friendly Beaches before your guide takes you to your accommodation.

Accommodation: Beachfront at Bicheno Hotel or Bicheno by the Bay (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast and lunch (ploughman-style)

Today, continue your journey along the East Coast and visit the stunning orange-lichen-covered granite rocks of the Bay of Fires conservation area. Take the opportunity to wander around and explore the whitest sandy beaches and turquoise waters. We travel on to St. Columba Falls, one of the highest waterfalls in Tasmania and through lush and green valleys before we arrive in Launceston, the second-largest city in Tasmania.

Accommodation: The Verge Hotel, Launceston, King or Twin room (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

This morning, enjoy a city introduction to Launceston and visit the stunning Cataract Gorge, where the South Esk river forces its way through sheer granite rocks, before your journey to UNESCO Word Heritage-listed Cradle Mountain National Park continues. En route, stop in Sheffield to see the famous murals. Travel through lush rolling farm pasture before reaching the alpine bush of the Cradle Valley. Before checking-in to your accommodation, visit the Cradle Mountain National Park and travel to Ronny Creek where with a bit of luck, grazing Wombats can be observed.

Accommodation: Cradle Mountain Hotel, Deluxe room (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Today you will be mesmerised by the beautiful alpine landscapes of Cradle Mountain, where in many places, dolerite cracked into vertical columns has, resulted in spectacular sculpted mountains and cliffs. On a clear day, the rugged grandeur of Cradle Mountain is reflected in the tranquil waters of Dove Lake, or you may experience the drama of its craggy peaks through swirling mist. Your guide will guide you on some of the many walks available and showcase the beauty of this little island paradise. At noon be taken to a local Tasmanian Devil sanctuary where you have the opportunity to get close to some of our local animals on a joey encounter tour and even hold a joey (baby wombat or baby devil). The after lunch, travel towards the rugged west coast and the quaint fishermen’s town of Strahan (occasionally, we may arrange overnight in Queenstown, mainly during the winter months).

Accommodation: Strahan Village (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

Today, be transferred to Queenstown. Board the nostalgic West-Coast Wilderness railway and head out to Lynchford, once a centre for pioneers, adventurers and those with gold fever. (West Coast Wilderness Railway may be substituted with the Gordon River Cruise if availability is not given.) In the afternoon, explore the area further by visiting the Henty Dunes, Ocean Beach or Hogarth Falls. You may also want to join the historical play ‘The Ship That Never Was’ (at your own expense) in the early evening hours.(West Coast Wilderness Railway may be substituted with the Gordon River Cruise if availability is not given)

Accommodation: Strahan Village (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

After a leisurely morning, continue the scenic journey on the road and visit a mining pit outlook and stunning waterfalls before you arrive at Derwent Bridge, not far from the picturesque Lake St Clair. Occasionally, we may arrange overnight at Mount Field National Park accommodation.

Accommodation: Derwent Bridge Chalets or Mt Field Retreat (or similar)
Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, your guide takes you into Mount Field National Park, the oldest in the state. Be mesmerised by the lush forest landscapes, from eucalyptus temperate rainforest to alpine moorland. Explore the green forest canopy, where you can crane your neck to see some of the tallest flowering trees in the world. This cool temperate rainforest allows you to search for some of Tasmania’s 12 endemic bird species, including Scrubtit Black Currawong and Tasmanian Thornbill. After lunch (own expense), return to Hobart in the late afternoon, where the tour concludes at around 4 pm.

Meals: Breakfast