Walking holiday in Tasmania

country:	Australia
location:	Tasmania
trip type:	Moderate / strenuous walking holidays
departures:	2008: 1 Dec
price:	From AU $4385 - AU $8440 (9-18 days) excluding flights.

Australia holidays

Wilderness holidays

Birdwatching holidays

the amazing things you'll be doing

Join our small group guided journeys to 10 National Parks and the world heritage wilderness areas of our island State, Tasmania.

Set in the path of the Roaring Forties band of wind, the changeable weather, the extremely rugged landscape, wild rivers, serene beaches and coves, guarantee an emotional travel experience. Distinctly different to mainland Australia, Tasmania is a haven for guided walks, wildlife, creative and adventurous people and quaint unblemished villages. Extraordinary views of crater lakes, jagged mountain ranges, alpine tarns, glaciated valleys, towering sea cliffs and impenetrable rainforest arouse the naturalist in us all. Immerse yourself in the tragic history of our first penal settlement and stand in awe of some of the most photographed scenery in Australia.

We’ll walk remote trails all day, seemingly all to ourselves and travel back roads in the comfort of a luxury, air-conditioned 4WD vehicle. The tour is fully accommodated with all meals, experienced guides, an all-inclusive price and opportunity to immerse yourself in local life. The ultimate 18 day journey offers the most extraordinary variation of scenery in a small area and a compelling experience, but the tour is available in two 9 day sections covering the west or the east side of this island state of Tasmania. The tour starts and concludes in Launceston with 9 day connecting flights through Hobart.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	We travel from Launceston to Cradle Mountain National Park via the Great Western Tiers visiting the unique Wilderness Gallery of celebrated nature photographers and the National Park Visitors Centre. Time too for an easy 3 hour walk around the picturesque Dove Lake circuit with the imposing backdrop of Cradle Mountain beckoning before we settle in to our lodge accommodation for four nights.
Day 2-4:	We will enjoy 3 inspirational days of walking set to prevailing alpine conditions with options including a day walk/climb to Cradle Mountain summit via Crater Lake and Marion’s Lookout, the Face Track traverse, via Hanson’s Peak, Twisted Lakes and cushion plant moorlands, a day walk to the Walls of Jerusalem, the Cradle Valley boardwalk and a selection of short enchanted walks. We’ll take a night visit to a Tasmanian Devil Sanctuary for a close up encounter with these incredible and endangered creatures.
Day 5:	We travel from Cradle Mountain to the remote western fishing port of Strahan through lush forests and historic mining villages. Weather conditions permitting, we’ll include a sea plane flight over the Frenchman’s Cap which dominates the world heritage wilderness, then down the wild water ravines of the Franklin River to land on the Gordon River, scene of the memorable conservation encounter of 1982-83 which brought international focus to “Saving the Franklin”. An alternative cruise is available across Macquarie Harbour, to the Gordon River, with visits to the notorious Hells Gate and Sarah Island of penal settlement times. At night we visit a local rookery to experience one of the world’s most incredible bird migration phenomenon.
Day 6:	This travel day from Strahan to Maydena /Mt Field National Park region via Lake St Clair National Park is interspersed with short walks taking in delightful waterfalls in the temperate rainforest, an Eagles view of the Frenchman’s Cap wilderness, upper reaches of the Franklin River, Australia’s deepest Freshwater Lake at 220m and the extraordinary craftsmanship and vision of one man, his unfolding working exhibit in Huon Pine and bronze.
Day 7-8:	2 wonderful days await us, of alpine walking through picturesque glaciated lakes and tarns and an immersion in the Styx River Valley old growth forests, the last stronghold of the world’s largest creatures and the feared extinct Tasmanian Tiger. Our program is set to prevailing conditions with options including a day circuit walk onto the dolerite strewn Tarn Shelf and its historic ski huts, strolling through the Valley of the Giants, 600 steps to a panoramic vista of Lake Pedder and assimilation of events which have stirred and polarised the environmental awareness and conscience of most Australians, one of Australia’s most picturesque waterfalls, a unique wildlife sanctuary and some patient viewing of our living fossil, the Platypus.
Day 9:	Early in the day, time to conclude our Mt Field National Park visit and then we travel to Hobart the delightful city of character and charm, set around its historic docks and Battery Point and nestled under the towering bluffs of Mt Wellington. End of 9 day west section of the tour. Arrival of 9 day east section guests. 18 day tour participants continue with a free afternoon to explore the city, to farewell departing guests and to welcome others joining us for the latter half of our journey.
Day 10-11:	These two days are set to prevailing alpine conditions, including the options of a short drive and walks on Mt Wellington and its Organ Pipes, a day walk in Hartz Mountain National Park and a summit climb to view the great South-West Wilderness, Precipitous Bluff, Federation Peak and the jagged Arthur Ranges. There is a sedate boardwalk to Lake Esperence and Ladies Tarn to view the King Billy Pines, cushion plants and heath land. A memorable visit to the Antarctic Centre to learn more of the historic exploration programs of the deep south wraps up a memorable 2 days.
Day 12:	We travel from Hobart to Port Arthur visiting the historic village of Richmond which claims a number of Australia’s oldest buildings. Travel breaks are filled with the study of ancient sea deposits and tidal paving, blow holes, remarkable arches and caves, historic sites representing a dark page in our indigenous and convict history, a Tasmanian Devil sanctuary and spectacular seascapes with brilliant blue waters.
Day 13-14:	2 spectacular days will be spent exploring the wild sea cliffs of the Tasman Peninsula commencing with a day walk to the dizzy precipice of 200m high dolerite cliffs and stacks of Cape Raoul or Cape Hauy, the Candlestick, Lanterns, Totem Pole, Thumbs and Monument. Share the world of Sea Eagles and Pacific Gulls. We follow this with a sea life experience beneath towering 300m high dolerite cliffs of Cape Pillar and Tasman Island, floating into colourful sea caves adorned with pink and purple lichen, close encounters with colonies of seals, seabird rookeries, the feeding grounds of giant Albatross, Little Penguins and endangered Kelp forests. We also visit the historic ruins of Australia’s largest penal settlement and a failed experiment in reforming petty scoundrels from the English homeland.
Day 15:	We travel from Port Arthur to Freycinet National Park taking in a ferry transfer and full day of relaxed walking on historic Maria Island with its extraordinary compacted fossil and painted cliffs, a wildlife sanctuary protecting free roaming Cape Barren Geese, Native Hens, Kangaroos and bird life.
Day 16-17:	2 days of delightful walks and roaming in the picturesque Freycinet National Park are dominated by the colourful granite domes of The Hazards and the most photographed Wineglass Bay. Our options will include an energetic ascent of Mt Amos, a full day circuit walk onto the pristine beach of Wineglass Bay, Hazards Beach and Fleurieu Point plus visits to Cape Tourville, sleepy bays filled with colourful lichen covered granite boulders, the delightful coves, rocks, bird life and sea creatures of Friendly Beaches and by night, a Little Penguin rookery (in season) and some nocturnal wildlife spotting.
Day 18:	We travel north along the east coast from Freycinet National Park for a mid morning visit to the serene and colourful Bay of Fires, reflecting on the locals who have managed to escape the fast life, preferring the simple values of beauty and harvest by the sea. Continuing on to Launceston and journey’s end we’ll lunch break at an historic bush pub “loaded with Aussie character” and deviate into the scenic winegrowing valleys of the island, arriving in Launceston late afternoon for next day connecting flights (of your choice) to the Australian mainland and beyond. End of the ultimate 18 day journey and 9 day east section.

how this holiday makes a difference

You’ll enjoy an informative evening presentation by a local ranger whose research focus is the curious and threatened Tasmanian Devil.

There will be many opportunities to revisit the extraordinary conservation events and locations which brought the nation to a new awareness and appreciation of the wilderness environment and to learn from locals of a new era of concerns.

We’ll join a national park ranger in an after dark visit to a breeding colony of amazing migrating seabirds, thereby supporting a local Discovery Program run by the National Parks people.

Time to call into and support the Hobart hub of the Wilderness Society which sits at the leading edge of environmental issues in Australia. We seek to donate to this organisation in supprt of their conservation battles and in recognition of their achievements. Guests have the chance to place spontaneous donations and purchases.

We’ll journey with the sons of local fishermen and lighthouse keepers in a memorable Sealife Experience beneath towering cliffs, in ocean crafted caves, floating with sea and bird life on distant ocean swells. This is a small local business who we support as a partnering operator.

All our guests receive a written brief, pre-tour, in which they are referred to our Travel Ethic, minimising the tour impact on the environments we visit.

Compliance with the Travel Ethic and the values of Responsible Travel form part of the Terms and Conditions, when booking.

You will also receive a questionnaire, pre-tour, in which you can profile your expectations of the tour, your special interests and declare the importance of sustainable tourism and the environment to you.

Our pre-tour “meet and greet” briefing includes references to the Travel Ethic and Responsible Travel and values are highlighted spontaneously throughout the tour.

Your tour is extensively researched for local content and “authenticity” and where available local guides are engaged in support. In addition your tour leader imparts a much broader study of Australia’s evolution, land management and conservation issues and knowledge drawn from research on other tours, by the company.

Our tours also provide an extensive library of nature based field reference books, background information on local features, indigenous culture, conservation and history plus select DVD’s on these subjects for special viewings.

Glaringly orchestrated and themed, mainstream tourist traps are not featured or included in our tours.

Through annual and access fees to national park authorities we provide revenue essential to the protection and maintenance of the parks we visit. We comply with the management plans of each park and assist by reporting adverse events or special findings to the park management.

We collect and thoughtfully dispose of any rubbish sighted in the parks visited. We retain and dispose of our own rubbish in a similar manner.

We minimise the use of disposable packaging and recycle all catering items where possible.

We conduct limited departures to any one tour or destination so minimising our impact on any one pristine environment.

All catering is arranged or purchased locally or home made.

In most instances quality accommodation is chosen on the basis of local family ownership and small business management and with added practices in place, particularly saving of water and energy.

Our tour group sizes are limited to 8 to 15 people maximum, to minimise any negative impact on the environment, the enjoyment of other people, the capacity of community services, the safety and stress of wildlife. We encourage the practice of low noise bushwalking and special solo activities making our guests at one with the environment.

We minimise the use of our tour vehicle in preference for walking, travelling only on formed roads and tracks, applying the annual recorded mileage to a carbon offset program.

Vehicle fuel and service requirements are purchased locally.

We conduct our operations from a minimalist city office under a policy of recycling paper and clerical supplies, minimising power and water usage in a current drought affected environment and engaging a network of expert small business services as required.

Each year from tour proceeds we donate to The Wilderness Society, WWF-Australia, The Australian Bush Heritage Fund, The Australian Wildlife Conservancy

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