Tasmania West and East Coast 5-Day Tour from Hobart

Mount Field National Park and Russell Falls

Mount Field, just over an hour from Hobart, is one of the oldest national parks in Australia, protected since 1916. Its lower slopes hold some of the tallest flowering trees on earth, the swamp gums, which can rise close to a hundred metres, with a dense understorey of tree ferns and mosses. Higher up the park climbs into alpine moorland and glacial lakes.

The most famous walk leads to Russell Falls, a tiered waterfall that spills over steps of rock into a fern-lined gully. It is an easy, flat track of about 25 minutes return with no steps, suitable for most fitness levels, and a perfect first taste of Tasmanian wilderness. Your guide explains the plants and wildlife of the forest, and pademelons and lyrebirds are sometimes seen near the paths.

Tasmania West Coast

The West Coast is the wildest part of Tasmania, a region of rugged mountains, button-grass plains, dark rivers and some of the wettest temperate rainforest in the world. Much of it lies within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The road west from the central highlands winds through deep valleys and past lakes, with stops for short rainforest walks and waterfalls along the way.

On the coast, the small harbour town of Strahan sits on the shore of Macquarie Harbour, a vast natural harbour fed by the Gordon River. A cruise on the Gordon River into the rainforest is available as an optional extra at your own expense. The West Coast is also rich in mining and convict history, and your guide shares stories of the people who lived and worked in this remote corner of the island.

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake

Cradle Mountain, with its jagged dolerite peaks, is the symbol of Tasmanian wilderness and the northern anchor of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. At its feet lies Dove Lake, a glacial lake whose dark water reflects the mountain on calm days. The surrounding landscape mixes ancient rainforest of myrtle beech and pencil pines with open alpine plains.

The classic walk here is the Dove Lake Circuit, about 6 km and two to three hours, with some hills, rough sections and steps, and a famous old boatshed on the shore. Easier short walks are also possible, and all walks on the tour are optional. Wombats are often seen grazing in the area, especially in the early morning and evening. The best time to visit Cradle Mountain is from late spring to autumn, though the weather can change at any time of year.

Bay of Fires and St Helens

The Bay of Fires on the north-east coast is one of the most beautiful stretches of shoreline in Australia: white sand beaches, clear turquoise water and granite boulders covered in bright orange lichen. The name comes from early sailors who saw the fires of Aboriginal people burning along the coast, and your guide shares the story of the Tasmanian Aboriginal people and their culture along this shore.

Nearby St Helens is the largest town on the east coast and a fishing port on the shore of Georges Bay, a good base for the night with cafes, takeaways and supermarkets for self-catering. Bring swimwear if the weather is warm, as the beaches of the Bay of Fires are lovely for a paddle, though the water stays cool for most of the year.

Bicheno, the Blowhole and the Gulch

On the final day you travel south along the Great Eastern Drive to Bicheno, a relaxed seaside town on the east coast. There is time for a coffee or a bite to eat, and to see the Bicheno Blowhole, where waves force seawater up through a gap in the granite rocks in a loud burst of spray.

A short walk away is the Gulch, a narrow channel between the shore and a small island where fishing boats shelter and the water glows a deep blue-green. The granite rocks around Bicheno are streaked with the same orange lichen you see at the Bay of Fires, making this a great spot for photos. From here it is a short drive on into Freycinet National Park.

Freycinet National Park and Wineglass Bay

Freycinet National Park covers a granite peninsula guarded by the pink peaks of the Hazards. Your first stop is Honeymoon Bay, a secluded cove with views up to the mountains. Then comes the walk to Wineglass Bay Lookout, about 450 steps up through eucalyptus forest with plenty of rest stops, to the famous view of a perfect curve of white sand and turquoise water.

You can return the same way or continue down to Wineglass Bay Beach for time on the sand, a moderately strenuous walk with real wow factor. Very fit guests who are comfortable with heights and rock scrambling can instead climb Mount Amos for even wider views. The day ends with an easy walk at Cape Tourville Lighthouse, looking over the Tasman Sea, before the drive back to Hobart.