Walk Tasmania's East Coast

Welcome to Launceston! With a charming mixture of heritage buildings, a vibrant foodie scene and beautiful scenery just minutes from the city centre, Launceston is the perfect spot to start our journey. If you arrive early in the day, perhaps head to the Cataract Gorge and enjoy a slice of nature just a short walk from the city or discover one of the many museums on display here. If you get a chance to dine in Launceston – you won’t regret it, it wasn’t named a UNESCO city of gastronomy for nothing. After a day to explore at your own will, meet your tour leader and group in the hotel lobby for a welcome meeting at 6pm this evening where you’ll discuss the plans for the next few days. Then, get to know each other over a group dinner and toast to your upcoming adventures.

This morning, you’re in for a treat. Drive to Freycinet National Park – one of Australia’s most renowned and picturesque regions. As you enter the park, the views over Coles Bay towards what’s known as The Hazards Range is a sight to behold. On arrival, lace up your walking shoes for a scenic 11.5 kilometre circuit walk which takes you to the iconic white sands of Wineglass Bay, and also the lesser-known, but no less stunning, Hazards Beach on the opposite site of the Freycinet Peninsula isthmus. Best to have your camera at full charge today, because the vistas are out of this world. After your walk, perhaps enjoy an icy (refreshing) swim before driving toward the quaint coastal town of Swansea, to relax for the evening. You might like to take a quiet stroll along the foreshore or stock up on supplies before joining your group and leader for a delicious dinner.

After breakfast, jump on a ferry bound for Maria Island. A natural wonder full of history, sweeping bays and rugged cliffs sitting off the coast of Tasmania, Maria Island is an ideal destination for hiking. Walk across coastal plains, past reminders of settler history and along tracks that often have forester kangaroos and wombats lurking about. Climb the short, steep track to Fossil Cliffs and marvel at the thousands of shellfish fossils embedded in the limestone, formed millions of years ago. Visit the Painted Cliffs, formed from Triassic sandstone that showcases spectacular colouration from seeping groundwater and fantastic shapes sculpted by often fierce salt-laden winds. Also, enjoy some time to explore Darlington township – with a fascinating history, this town was first established as a penal colony in 1825. Today the township is part of a wildlife sanctuary, while the whole island has been declared a National Park. You’ll be lucky to spot Forester kangaroos, Cape Barren geese and the adorable waddling wombats from Flinders Island today. After a short ferry ride back to the mainland, drive to Port Arthur – where we’ll call home for the next two nights.

Fuel up on breakfast today before exploring Cape Raoul on one section of the Three Capes Track. You’ll start inland, walking through the beautiful heath country this area is known for but as you start getting closer to the coastline, you’ll catch glimpse of the spectacular dolerite cliffs that drop dramatically into the ocean below. As the trail heads east along the striking cliff tops, you’ll descend onto the Cape Raoul plateau. Here, you’ll be rewarded with views that take in the swirling seas, glimpses of the northern coastline and the incredible Cape Pillar (with its 300-metre-high cliffs) in the distance. After some time to take it all in, you’ll walk back to the bus before driving to Port Arthur for your final night of the trip. Enjoy a delicious dinner with your group and leader and swap travel stories as you reminisce on the walks you’ve achieved over the past few days.

Our final walk on the Tasman Peninsula, also part of the Three Capes Track, is the Cape Huay walk. You’ll head along the section of the Tasman Peninsula, with spectacular views greeting you along the way. Walk through heathland full of wildflowers on undulating tracks until you hit the coastline. The scenes of dolerite cliffs get more and more pronounced as you near the narrow edge of the promontory – it’s seriously incredible viewing. Stop by a number of vantage points to soak in the best of The Lanterns, Mitre Rock, The Candlestick and Totem Pole – the perfect walk to finish your adventure. Afterwards, we’ll make our way to Hobart (nipaluna in the language of the muwinina and palawa peoples, who are the traditional owners of the land on which Hobart is now located) where our trip comes to an end.