Discover the Travel Club Advantage

DAY 1: ARRIVE HOBART (2 NIGHTS)

Today is the first day of your Tasmanian highlights adventure. You'll start by picking up your car and then checking into your hotel before exploring Hobart. We recommend Battery Point and Hobart's beautiful waterfront.

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DAY 2: HOBART

Visit Salamanca Markets, if starting your trip on a Saturday, to see a wonderful community market. If you are an art lover, or just interested in extraordinary buildings check out the MONA, Museum of Old and New Art, a subterranian gallery cut into the sandstone of northen Hobart. For a new perspective of Hobart visit Mount Wellington giving you spectacular views of the city and harbour. Head to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary for a special night tour which is included in this itinerary, and the only way to see the nocturnal animals of the sanctuary when they're most active.

Salamanca Markets

DAY 3: HOBART TO STRAHAN (2 NIGHTS)

Today you'll head west to Strahan and along the way, stop in at New Norfolk, a historic town with some amazing buildings and very good morning tea, approximately an hour out of Hobart. Then less than two hours after that you will reach magnificent Lake St Clair, seen as you cross the iconic Derwent Bridge. Lake St. Clair is the deepest lake in Australia, and we recommend stopping there for a spectacular view and a spot of lunch. After that it's less than two hours to Strahan where you can check in to you accommodation before exploring the city.

DAY 4: STRAHAN

The included activity for today is a Heritage cruise. Over six hours you'll see some of the most diverse sights in Tasmania, from a colonial penal colony to beautiful alpine vistas and a rainforest, with a buffet meal included. This cruise includes travel to and a tour of Sarah Island, Australia's first and most notorious penal outpost, then down the majestic Gordon River to see ancient rainforests including a 2,000 year old pine tree. If you are in Strahan between September and May it's recommended that you see The Ship That Never Was, Australia’s longest running play. Even if you aren’t usually into theatre it’s a "must-see", every day at 5:30pm.

DAY 5: STRAHAN TO DEVONPORT (1 NIGHT)

Today you'll go north to Devonport. On your way stop into Zeehan, a great place to stop and discover a little bit of Tasmanian west coast history. Then visit coastal Burnie, a city that's home to artisans of many kinds; from boutique paper makers to cheese-makers who use some of the finest milk in the world. Beautiful Cradle Mountain National Park should be on your list of places to visit. We recommend the view across Dove Lake to Cradle Mountain, to see the beauty of the landscape in full view, with the reflection of the mountain in the lake below.

Cradle Mountain

DAY 6: DEVONPORT TO LAUNCESTON (2 NIGHTS)

While in Devonport, check out the Antique Emporium, a unique building of 1600 square metres spread over four floors full of fascinating antiques from a variety of exotic places around the world. The Emporium also features a two-storey pirate ship, an old-fashioned lolly shop and a European garden centre. You can spend as much of the day in Devonport as you wish, as the drive to Launceston is only just over an hour long. As you’re heading to Launceston, just 15 minutes down the road from Devonport, is the town of Latrobe where you can visit the House of Anvers. It's a chocolate factory with a strong Belgian tradition and a dedication to using only the highest quality ingredients, with a museum of chocolate and a tasting room.

DAY 7: LAUNCESTON

Launceston’s most well-known and well-loved attraction is arguably the Cataract Gorge. It’s only a short trip out to the gorge, around 15 minutes or so from the city centre, and once you're there, you can enjoy walking and hiking trails, gardens, a suspension bridge – and for something a bit out of the box: the longest single span chairlift in the world. Half an hour west of Launceston is the Tamar Valley, an area famous for its wineries, with more than thirty cellar doors spread across this beautiful region. Included in this itinerary is a wine-tasting and lunch experience at one of the beautiful wineries. Also in the Tamar Valley is one of Australia’s most unique zoos, Tasmania Zoo. You won’t want to miss feeding time so make sure you get to the Tassie enclosure at 10:30am, 1:00pm or 3:30pm, perhaps visit here on your way to the lunch as there are some suprising animals in this privately owned zoo.

DAY 8: LAUNCESTON TO ST HELENS (2 NIGHTS)

Today you will be travelling from Launceston to St Helens. The total length of this drive is just under two and a half hours, so you can see a bit more of Launceston before you leave. On the way, stop in at Scottsdale, about an hour northeast of Launceston. This pretty little agricultural town is a great place to stop for lunch. Enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat at the Scottsdale Art Gallery Cafe before continuing on to beautiful St Helens.

DAY 9: ST HELENS AND BAY OF FIRES

Tasmania offers some wonderful coastal views. Lonely Planet once declared the Bay of Fires to be the hottest travel destination in the world. St Helens makes for a perfect base for your forays into the Bay of Fires, so you can discover the reason behind the name and why it's so famous. St Helens is also known as the game fishing capital of Tasmania, and for those who can imagine no better way to spend a day than pursuing big fish, chartering a boat and setting out in search of marlin and albacore is a great option.

Bay of Fires

DAY 10: ST HELENS TO FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK/COLES BAY (2 NIGHTS)

About one and a half hours south of St Helens is Freycinet National Park and Coles Bay, where you will be staying. Freycinet National Park has many beautiful beaches, but Wineglass Bay stands head and shoulders above the rest. Many choose to make the most of their time in the Wineglass Bay area by setting out on a long walk to Hazards Beach and back again. The 11-kilometre circuit takes about four to five hours. You'll cross a low, marshy area with low granite hills rising periodically on either side. This walk is best taken at an easy-going pace, stopping every now and again for a rest or to walk on the beach for a while and dip a toe in the clear blue water.

DAY 11: FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK

Today you'll take in Wineglass Bay from the water, on the included cruise with lunch. See this beautiful beach in an unique way, and relax in style. After the cruise, explore some of the lesser-known areas of the park and revel in the ancient natural beauty of this area.

DAY 12: FREYCINET NATIONAL PARK TO PORT ARTHUR (1 NIGHT)

Today you are travelling from Freycinet National Park historic Port Arthur. Your journey from Freycinet down to Port Arthur will take you along the Great Oyster Bay coastline. While the sea is in sight, a passenger could keep an eye out for dolphins and fur seals; these creatures often frequent the calm waters of the bay. If you’re travelling in winter you might even be lucky enough to spot some whales. On arrival or the next day you can take advantage of the included entry to Port Arthur historical site. This amazing, Unesco World Heritage–listed, convict site is one of Tasmania’s big-ticket attractions. The dozens of structures here are best interpreted via guided tour (included with admission).

DAY 13: PORT ARTHUR TO HOBART (1 NIGHT)

Heading south of the town a stop at Remarkable Cave is recommended; it's an awe-inspiring natural wonder. Keep in mind, you do have to descend about 150 steps to get there. This is certainly a place you’ll want to experience before you head back to Hobart. Only an hour and a half drive to Hobart for your last night. Take the time to see some places along the way and anywhere in Hobart not yet visited that you'd like to see.

DAY 14: HOBART

Today is your final day in Tassie, and now that you have had your memorable adventure, it's time to drop the car back and head back to the mainland. Meanwhile, you'll have noted down a few places that you might want to put on your next Tassie travel itinerary.

EXTENSION OPTIONS

Want more time in Tassie?

Add another two to three nights in Hobart see more of what Hobart has to offer. Gives you more time to see such highlights as MONA, Mt Wellington, Cascade Brewery and to sample the boutique restaurant and café scene in Hobart.

Spend an extra night or two in Strahan and Queenstown so you can explore more of the West Coast of Tassie including the ancient rainforests and beautiful waterfalls in the rugged wilderness area called Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.

If you want to see more of Cradle Mountain and Lake St Clair, then consider spending a couple nights at Cradle Mountain so you can hike the mountain, cruise the river or just enjoy the crisp mountain air. You can stay right in the National Park.

If you want to experience some of the best beaches and views in Tasmania, then stop at Swansea for a night and spend some time at the beach looking out towards the granite peaks of Freycinet. This is also a recommended stop for foodies, as the fresh, local produce here is beautiful, especially the oysters.

Only half an hour west of Devonport is Burnie, an industrial-centre-turned-artisans’ paradise. A port town with art deco architecture. The main attraction is the Makers Workshop, an arts centre and museum where you can see anything that can be made, being made. There are also several other things to see in Burnie including Australia’s largest boutique whiskey distillery, a regional museum and a 12-hectare Rhododendron Garden.