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Like its name suggests, this is your perfect Tasmania tour. Experience stellar sunsets, dramatic cliff faces of the rugged Tasman Peninsula to picturesque Wineglass Bay, wildlife you can only find in Tassie, Port Arthur’s rich history, local wines, and fresh food from both land and sea.
Like its name suggests, this is your perfect Tasmania tour. Experience stellar sunsets, dramatic cliff faces of the rugged Tasman Peninsula to picturesque Wineglass Bay, wildlife you can only find in Tassie, Port Arthur’s rich history, local wines, and fresh food from both land and sea.
Welcome to Hobart, the capital of Australia’s smallest state and the starting point for your adventure (flights to arrive prior to 3pm). Arriving at your hotel opposite Constitution Dock, you’ll soon see how this is the perfect base for your time in Hobart. Ease into the day with a stroll along the mighty Derwent River before it empties into Storm Bay and the Tasman Sea, or keep it close to the hotel with a walk around the docks, taking in the colourful collection of yachts, boats, and fishing trawlers. Also the finishing line for the annual Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, its friendly, festive atmosphere is your warm ‘Tassie’ welcome. Tonight, set the scene for the rest of your Australia tour package and join your Travel Director and group for a Welcome Reception designed to treat you to the delicious flavours of Tasmania. Fresh Pacific oysters, catch of the day, and grain-fed beef are on the menu paired with local wines and beer.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Grand Chancellor
Today kicks off with a feast for the senses as you graze your way through the sights, sounds, and flavours of Hobart’s Salamanca Market, hearing about its history and discovering the best spots to sample cheeses, pickles, oysters, truffles, cider, and more. You’ll soon see how it’s more than just food as you meander the colourful stalls and potter through the historic sandstone warehouses discovering galleries and innovative Tasmanian arts and crafts. This afternoon your Hobart city tour will show you all the key sights. Stroll through the fragrant and beautifully maintained Royal Botanical Gardens, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, visit historical Battery Point - a maritime village built in 1804 - and stop at Cascade Brewery for the chance to have a walk through the gardens before ending the tour at Mt. Nelson Lookout for panoramic views over the city. You’ll be ready to celebrate your first day of exploring so ask your Travel Director for some recommendations for somewhere to suit your taste and raise a glass to the end of your first day. Cheers!
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 3
Strahan, Gateway to Macquarie Harbour
Your first taste of the dramatic Tasmanian landscapes you’ve been dreaming of come to life today journeying west to Mt. Field National Park to see the magnificent, tiered cascade of Russell Falls. Then take the winding road to iconic Lake St. Clair, Australia’s deepest lake at 160 metres deep. Continuing along the rainforest bordered road of World Heritage protected Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, you’ll pass through the moonscape of the mining town of Queenstown before your final stop today at seaside Strahan. The magnificent Macquarie Harbour, seven times the size of Sydney Harbour, is your backdrop this evening from your hotel perched on the hillside. After a big day we’ll relax over dinner at Strahan Village’s View 42 Restaurant and Bar. You’ll want to be hungry as you feast on even more of the fresh, local Tassie seafood such as oysters, prawns, and scallop and avocado salad.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Strahan Village
Heading to areas of untouched wilderness today, you’ll take in the landscapes from a different view cruising Gordon River with a Local Specialist. Gazing out the floor-to-ceiling windows, you’ll be awestruck by the dark waters, stained amber by Button-grass tannins. Stop at Sarah Island - chosen as a site for a penal colony because of its isolated location - and gain insights into a relic of Tasmania’s convict history. Stroll among the 3,000-year-old pine used in shipbuilding learning about the flora and fauna from your expert guide. You’ll also see Hells Gates, the notoriously treacherous entrance to the harbour. Back on land, pass through the mining towns of Rosebery and Tullah before reaching one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories accommodation nestled in the alpine forest of the sensational national park. End the day of your Tasmania tour with a tasting of local beer and wine, relax by the fire, stroll the wilderness boardwalk, or explore the hotel’s own gallery featuring Tasmanian artists showcasing the Cradle Mountain wilderness and Tasmanian stories.
You’ll want to rise early and make the most of every minute of this active day discovering the inspiring beauty of Cradle Mountain National Park - one of Australia’s most famous national parks protecting this glaciated landscape’s flora and fauna. Visit the Waldheim Chalet for insights into the early history of the area, learning how after summiting the peak, Gustav Weindorfer and his wife Kate found the area so magnificent that they built the Waldheim (“home in the forest”) Chalet for tourists to stay and enjoy its beauty. Take a boardwalk stroll with your Travel Director on the shores of Dove Lake beneath the towering, jagged peaks of Cradle Mountain. On a clear day you may spot the dolerite peak, as well as Bennett’s wallabies, echidnas, and pademelons grazing along the way. Not done yet? You could choose to end the day learning about some of the wilder residents like the iconic Tasmanian devil. Or, enjoy animal spotting at dusk on Cradle Mountain viewing nocturnal mammals and marsupials including wallabies, wombats, and possums in their native habitat.
Indulge the foodie within on today’s adventures. Starting strong and sensory, go behind the scenes at Hellyers Road Whisky Distillery in Burnie, home to one of Australia's best single malt distilled whiskies. See what’s distilling, learn how to taste with one of the resident experts, and even choose to pour and wax seal your very own bottle to take home. Today’s highlight on your Tasmania tour is sure to be an insider's look at rural life as we head east to Mount Gnomon Farm. Connect with Locals at this Be My Guest experience which supports owner, passionate fifth-generation farmer, Guy. Hear his story during this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you explore his apple orchard and gardens before sitting down to a delicious farm-to-fork lunch paired with his own cider. After a quick stop in quirky Sheffield, the ‘Town of Murals,’ continue to your home for tonight, the historic city of Launceston.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Grand Chancellor
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast, Be My Guest
Day 7
Wilderness and Wine in Launceston
Culture, wildlife, and history combine this morning in the wilderness of Launceston's Cataract Gorge. Take an easy walk around the Basin and across the historic suspension bridge or get a bird's eye view aboard the world's longest single span chairlift. A tasty lesson in Tasmanian wine history awaits at our next stop, Josef Chromy. Settle in for a delicious tasting including Pinot Gris, Riesling, Pinot Noir, and Chardonnay before sitting down to tasty meat and cheese platters and your main course paired with Pepik Pinot Noire. You’ll quickly understand why this winery with its English gardens, picturesque lake and vineyard views is known as one of Tasmania’s prettiest settings. If you can pull yourself away from the award-winning wines, the afternoon is free for you to explore even more of Launceston or opt for an optional cruise on the Tamar River halfway up to the gorge.
The floral undertones will linger long after your decadent, sensory experience at Bridestowe Lavender Estate, producer of high-quality lavender since 1922. On your tour of the farm with a Local Specialist, you’ll discover they produce one of the only single flower honeys in the world and watch the oil being extracted in the distillery—a traditional process from the 1920s which pays tribute to the farm’s beginnings starting with a packet of seeds from southern France. Stroll the sprawling purple fields, homemade lavender ice cream in hand, and have a look at the vintage memorabilia in the Old Tractor Shed. Continue your Australia tour package to Legerwood Carved Memorial Trees site and spend lunchtime in St. Helens before following the picturesque East Coast to Bicheno. Tonight, take a short walk down to the water's edge to view Little Penguins in their natural environment.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Diamond Island Beach Resort
Start the day with a drive through dry eucalypt forests to Cape Tourville for a walk that will reward you with views of brilliant blue water and golden beaches. Make sure your camera is charged for today’s highlight, the best of stunning Freycinet Peninsula on a four-hour boat trip with lunch. Your Local Specialist will share their in-depth knowledge as you cruise along gentle shores of Coles Bay past waterfalls, sea caves, towering pink granite cliffs, and through the inner passage of remote Schouten Island - home to penguins and short tailed shearwaters - to the main event of Wineglass Bay, a crescent of dazzling white sand where you’ll anchor for a ploughman's lunch. Keep your eyes peeled, these pristine waters are home to diverse wildlife including sea eagles, pods of bow-surfing dolphins, fur seals sunbathing on the rocky coast and even migrating humpback and Southern Right whales. Know that your visit a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, will help protect the area's wildlife. Later, pass through the seaside towns of Swansea and Triabunna before arriving at your hotel overlooking stunning Maria Island.
Visit Freestone Point, once home to the world's largest wood chip mill. This 43-hectare waterfront site is now managed by a group intent on charting a sustainable path. Witness a 'Welcome to Country', connecting you to the stories of the palawa Aboriginal people. After a tour of the market garden, you’ll have the opportunity to join us in a sustainability programme by assisting the horticulturists with propagating seeds collected onsite, which will be planted at the mill to regenerate the entire area. It’s a “get your hands dirty” experience that’s a lot of fun and will fuel your passion to preserve these beautiful places and one of our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experiences. Then it's time for a bite to eat in the historic township of Richmond before checking in to your hotel in Hobart for an evening at leisure.
Trip Summary Accomodation IconHotel - Grand Chancellor
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 11
Explore Historic Port Arthur
Today you’ll Dive Into Culture exploring the historical side of Tassie at Port Arthur with a Local Specialist. Begin by crossing Eaglehawk Neck to the Tasman Peninsula and enjoying a cruise of the harbour around the Isle of the Dead before a fascinating guided walk through the ruins, including the cathedral and cells of Port Arthur's infamous convict prison. Learn the evolution of this storied place from its beginnings as a small timber station to a penal settlement where some convicts contributed to shipbuilding to the renaming of “Carnarvon” in the 1880s. On the drive back to Hobart, see rugged sea cliffs from Pirate’s Bay Lookout and feast your eyes on the amazing vistas and natural rock formations of Tasman’s Arch, Devil’s Kitchen, and the Blowhole. Soak in the views surrounded by swirls of water and clouds of spray reminding you of the power of nature to create this wild landscape.
Trip Summary Meals IconIncluded Meals - Breakfast
Day 12
Make the Most of Hobart
Today is yours to explore more of Australia’s southern-most capital or go further afield to its wilder surroundings. You could choose an Optional Experience day trip to Bruny Island and take in Australia’s highest sea cliffs and craggy formations by boat. A proper adventure and MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, you’ll listen to the awesome ‘Breathing Rock,’ enter deep sea caves, and pass through the narrow passage feeling the power of nature at the very point where the Tasman Sea meets the mighty Southern Ocean. Don’t forget to join in the search for seals, dolphins, migrating whales and sea birds. Or, visit the Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, occupying one of Australia's most historically significant sites and home to 800,000 objects ranging from fossils to fine art. As your epic encounter with Tassie comes to an end, join your fellow travellers at a seafood feast Farewell Dinner in one of Hobart's popular restaurants, Mures Upper Deck overlooking Constitution Dock, the perfect way to toast your time in perfect Tasmania.
This morning after breakfast, we say farewell to our newfound friends as your Australia tour comes to an end and you are transferred to Hobart Airport (flights anytime). It’s been a big week for adventuring, sightseeing, and tasting the best of Tasmania and we hope to see you again soon!
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About this trip
About this trip
What's included
Trip Summary Accomodation Icon
12 nights
Accommodation
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24 Meals
1 Welcome Reception, 12 Breakfasts, 1 Farewell Dinner, 6 Dinners, 3 Lunches, 1 Be My Guest
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On-trip Transport
All transport shown
The Trafalgar difference
Stays With Stories
Nestled within breathtaking alpine forest in the central highlands of Tasmania, Cradle Mountain Hotel offers you an inviting home away from home to unwind after a day of exploring the pristine Tasmanian wilderness.
Connect with Locals
Meet fifth-generation Tasmanian farmer, Guy Robertson, at Mount Gnomon Farm for an exclusive farm-to-fork Be My Guest experience in his beautiful barn.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
Help keep Tasmania pristine, by assisting horticulturists with propagating seeds, which will be planted to regenerate the site at a former wood chip mill.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
Your visit to the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens contributes to their conservation projects, Seed Bank, and care and upkeep of these picturesque gardens.
Dive into Culture
Explore Tasmania's convict history including a cruise around the Isle of the Dead and a guided walk of Port Arthur's infamous convict prison.
Sightseeing highlights
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Explore Hellyer's Road Whisky Distillery, Freestone Point, Bridestowe Lavender Estate, and Port Arthur Historic Site with a Local Specialist
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Discover Hobart
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Visit Salamanca Market, Royal Botanical Gardens Hobart, Russell Falls, Cradle Mountain and Freycinet National Parks
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View Dove Lake in Cradle Mountain National Park, and the historic Richmond Bridge
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Scenic Cruise on the Gordon River, and on Wineglass Bay
Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
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Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
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All land transport shown. All transfers shown
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Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
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Optional Experiences and free time
Live, unedited & independent traveller reviews
Perfect Tasmania trip reviews
Our guests are at the heart of everything we do, their feedback fuels our innovation, inspiring us to improve continuously and craft Simply The Best vacations. That's why we ask each of our guests to leave a third-party verified, independent review after every trip. As testament to our commitment we have been given the Trusted Service Award from Feefo, recognising we deliver exceptional experiences as rated by real guests.
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Graham Edwards My Account Icon
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nice place to getaway to TASMANIA
Trip Rating
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4
Some hotels were a bit old even though they were comfortable time to update the accommodation
the trip was very well organized and yes would recommend Trafalgar to anybody wanting a relaxing time away.This was our 5 trip traveled with Trafalgar and hope to do more when we are ready to return to overseas traveling.Only thing i would like them to improve is add more lunches and dinners to the trips so as we do not need to go looking for ourselves
The Tasmanian tour was quite well planned. Twelve days were filled with many enjoyable experiences. The coach was clean and the driver was first class. The Travel Director was well organised and very knowledgeable.
Itinerary was great, only one compliant, we had an optional extra tour on the day of our farewell dinner. We got back to hotel at 5.50pm and dinner was 6.30pm, so not enough time time get ready. Maybe change the last 2 days around would be a better solution.
Our tour director Margaret and driver Darren, did an excellent job, Margaret is so full of knowledge of the area. We were always informed of what our next arrangements were , hotels, meals etc.just a wonderful experience.
Welcome Reception (WR), Breakfast (B), Farewell Dinner (FD), Dinner (D), Lunch (L), Be My Guest (BMG)
Please note that return international airfares are not included in the prices. Trafalgar guarantees to quote you the lowest possible airfare available to us on the day that you book.
This trip is operated in conjunction with our sister company and South Pacific Specialists - AAT Kings.
Unless otherwise stated, trip prices are per person, land only, based on double occupancy and reflect applicable discount. Discounts are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time without notice.
Trip prices are correct at the time of the products going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. All trip information is correct at time of trips going live, however are subject to change - please confirm all details at time of booking.
Twin-share option not available for trips to South America, Costa Rica, Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, South Africa, Kenya & Tanzania, Botswana, Zambia or for any holiday & cruise combination, or in Asia and Eastern Mediterranean except Highlights of Turkey (without cruise) & Best of Turkey. It's also not available on Small Group trips. Guided Vacations included in this restriction are Newfoundland and Labrador (DNLA). Does not apply to trips operated by Inspiring Journeys & our Mini-stays.
For trips that are part of our Guaranteed Room Share, please note that there is a no smoking policy in all shared rooms. Solo travel is not accepted on guided Family Experiences holidays unless travelling as part of a family group.
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Your selected departure date will feature some seasonal itinerary changes to what is displayed. Click 'VIEW ITINERARY' below to see full details.
Active Trip Details
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What is an Active Trip? This is an "Active" lifestyle itinerary, with walks and hikes most days. Hikes will range from easy/moderate to strenuous. No technical climbing skills are required but a reasonable level of fitness is required to make the trip more enjoyable. Understanding that not all people want to hike at the same pace or even on the same trail we will, where possible, host map orientation and then let everyone disperse to enjoy the trails best suited to them.
What to Pack Guests should bring lightweight hiking shoes or boots, broad brimmed sun hats, sunglasses, layered clothing, reusable water bottle(s), a hiking day pack and hiking poles (optional)
Weather & Altitude While the itinerary is laid out below, we are at the mercy of the weather and so reserve the right to adjust the program as necessary. Please keep in mind that the higher elevations and possible variations in weather and temperature can increase the perceived level of difficulty of our activities. Elevation ranges up to 9,000 feet for Utah’s Mighty Five and up to 11,000 feet for California High Country Adventure.
Everyone reacts differently to altitude and so if you do have any health issues you should check with your doctor that this trip is suitable for you.