4. Tasmania in 6 Days: the Major Highlights and Attractions
Day 1: Salamanca Markets, Tasmanian Devils and Port Arthur We begin by exploring the famous Salamanca Markets in Hobart/nipaluna. At this bustling outdoor market you can buy hand-made Tasmanian goods and sample a range of seasonal produce and gourmet foods. Then we’ll visit a wildlife sanctuary to meet native wildlife like Tasmanian devils. At Port Arthur Historic Site on the Tasman Peninsula/turrakana, imagine the harsh convict life of the early 1800’s at Australia’s best preserved convict settlement. Later, see the dramatic coastal scenery of Tasman National Park at the geological wonders of Tasman Arch and the Devil’s Kitchen. We return to Hobart for a night to explore the city at your leisure. Day 2: Freycinet National Park to Bicheno Today's highlight is exploring Freycinet National Park with its pristine beaches and pink granite mountains. Climb to the summit of Mt Amos or walk to Wineglass Bay. We'll visit Cape Tourville Lighthouse then continue to the coastal town of Bicheno, home of the little penguin. Day 3: Bicheno to Launceston via Bay of Fires The Bay of Fires/larapuna is a place with profound cultural significance to Tasmanian aboriginal people (palawa). You’ll love walking along the dazzling white sands with its clear waters and lichen clad boulders. We’ll travel to Launceston and walk within Cataract Gorge, looking for wallabies as we go, before spending the night in Australia's second oldest city. Day 4: Cradle Mountain to Strahan Leaving Launceston, a short drive takes us through Sheffield, the ‘Town of Murals’ and then onto Tasmania’s most famous alpine national park. Cradle is home to an abundance of wildlife such as wombats and echidnas. Choose from a variety of incredible walks such as the Dove Lake circuit or the challenging walk to the summit of Marion’s Lookout. Departing Cradle, we travel to the harbourside village of Strahan on the West Coast, our accommodation for the next two nights. Day 5: Wild West Coast Today’s playground is the untouched wilderness of Tasmania’s West Coast. Walk in the rainforests of the Tarkine/takayna to reach Tasmania’s highest waterfall, Montezuma Falls. You’ll also explore the enormous Henty Sand Dunes. Alternatively, today you have the option of cruising the wildly beautiful Gordon River (own cost). Later at Ocean Beach, you can breathe the world’s freshest air. Back in Strahan, our guide can help you look for platypus. Day 6: Strahan to Hobart Buttongrass plains, mountains, waterfalls, rainforest, and pioneer history are some of today’s highlights. Our first stop is Queenstown, a mining town with a fascinating history. We then travel through the Tasmanian World Heritage Area via the pristine Franklin-Gordon Wild River National Park and Lake St Clair. At Mt Field National Park we'll stroll beneath some of the world’s tallest trees and see the beautiful Russell Falls. We return to Hobart around 5.30pm, the end of an incredible adventure.