Explore the Wonders – Tasmania Tour

Travel to Auckland – stay overnight in an airport hotel due to having to be at the airport for an early morning flight to Tasmania.

09.00 – Fly to Hobart directly from Auckland

10.55 – Arrive at Hobart airport and meet your driver & coach. Then travel to the historic town of Richmond. The village is famous for its Georgian architecture, with many arts and craft shops, galleries, and cafes, Richmond is home to Australia’s oldest bridge, church and Gaol built by convicts in the 1820s.

Travelling back via the Coal River valley before enjoying a small city sights tour showcasing Hobarts waterfront and main buildings. A drive to the top of kunanyi/Mt Wellington for panoramic views looking over Hobart.

Accommodation for 3 nights at DoubleTree by Hilton Hobart, our newest hotel in the city.

Welcome Dinner included at Leatherwood Bar & Kitchen on the lower level of the hotel, a modern Australian restaurant that will showcase Tasmania’s best producers.

Visit Port Arthur Historic Site – one of Tasmania’s most visited destinations.  Hear the story of Tasmania’s famous UNESCO world heritage listed convict settlement.  Feel the sense of isolation experienced by the convicts and discover the history of the early Australian Penal system.  Your site entry includes a harbour cruise, essentials walking tour and free time to explore the site.

As you depart Port Arthur and return to Hobart, take in the sights of the Tasman Peninsula with stunning scenery such as Devil’s Kitchen, the Tasman Arch and Tessellated Pavement on your scenic 1.5-hour drive to Hobart.

Full day tour with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys on the Bruny Island Traveller.  A full day tour of Bruny Island – visiting the local artisan producers on a gourmet adventure.

Taste your way around Bruny Island, whilst discovering the spectacular scenery and cultural heritage of Tasmania’s favourite island. Search the rainforest for White Wallaby, visit Bligh Museum, & Two Tree beach walk. Be prepared for a delicious day out where you will enjoy award winning cheeses, premium wines and beer, freshly shucked oysters, handcrafted fudge, local honey and a delicious lunch at Pennicott’s beachside restaurant with sweeping views of Adventure Bay. Enjoy a WoW day out.

Depart Hobart and travel the West Coast to the beautiful village of Strahan.

The halfway point to Strahan is at Derwent Bridge and the Lake St Clair National Park, this will be a great stop to stretch the legs before continuing onto Queenstown an old mining town where the hills were mined for copper, silver and gold. Take a look around the town centre home to the Paragon theatre a restored Art Deco building.

Strahan is a nice Tasmanian waterfront town, located on the bay of Macquarie Harbour.

Accommodation for 2 nights at Strahan Village.

Dinner included both nights.

Start the day with a World Heritage Cruise, down the iconic Gordon River in The Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. Enjoy the most immersive and comfortable journey possible through the region: passing the Hell’s Gate entrance and untouched forests and stopping at Sarah’s Island—site of Tasmania’s first penal settlement—and UNESCO-listed Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. An onboard lunch and live commentary make everything extra enjoyable

This evening experience the live performance “Ship That Never Was” Australia’s longest-running play, The Ship That Never Was tells the dramatic and hilarious true story about the last Great Escape from Sarah Island. The play is based on a real event in 1834. The last ship built at the convict settlement in Macquarie Harbour was about to sail for the new prison at Port Arthur but was hijacked by ten convict shipwrights.        Dinner included.

Travel to the North West Coast via Cradle Mountain, Tasmania’s best known National Park and a must visit whilst here.  Take the Shuttle into Dove Lake for amazing photo opportunities and take your own postcard photo of the iconic Dove Lake Boat House.

You will then visit Devils@Cradle, a Tasmanian devil sanctuary. A breeding and conservation facility for three of Tasmania’s unique threatened carnivorous marsupials; the Tasmanian devil, the Spotted-tail quoll, and Eastern quoll. Join a day keeper feeding tour, providing an unforgettable encounter seeing the extraordinary animals in action. ➔ Continue travelling on to Devonport, home to the Spirit of Tasmania.

Check in to your accommodation at Novotel Devonport, a premium 4-star, very new hotel in the city centre.

A relaxed day exploring the North West Coast, taking a short coastal drive to Penguin to grab a photo with the towns BIG attraction the The Big Penguin before continuing to Latrobe with a visit to Anvers Chocolate Factory and the Reliquaire shop, a unique family-owned gift store in North West Tasmania.

Travelling to Launceston Tasmania’s 2^nd largest city for a free afternoon to explore around the city.

Accommodation for 2 nights Hotel Grand Chancellor Launceston, a comfortable and spacious rooms in an elegant hotel setting.

Today you will spend time exploring Launceston starting the day with Tamar River Cruises on a Cataract Gorge 50-minute cruise.  Learn about the history of Launceston’s seaport, kings wharf, heritage properties and Cataract Gorge.

This afternoon experience Seahorse World with a guided tour of the facility home to seahorses, sea dragons & other marine life.  There will be free time to explore the city.   Some may want to visit the Platypus House and others of you may wish to visit Launceston Distillery – who produce hand-crafted, small-batch whisky. Using traditional techniques and craftsmanship, Tasmanian malted barley and pure river water are combined to produce the finest quality single malt whisky. From grain to bottle everything happens under their roof. Tastings for just $15pp. of Hangar 17.

Dinner included this evening.

After Breakfast depart Launceston and travel to Swansea, Travel the stunning North East countryside, you will stop at Bridestowe Lavender Estate.  Bridestowe is one of the largest lavender farms in the Southern Hemisphere, with a visitor centre stocked with unique products containing Bridestowe’ s famous lavender oil & Bobbie the Bear.

Continuing via Scottsdale, Derby and Pyengana, arriving in St Helens the largest town on the East Coast and down The Great Eastern Drive to Swansea for 2 nights at Swansea Beach Chalets with a great location and beautiful beachfront panoramic views across Great Oyster Bay to the Freycinet Peninsular.

Wineglass Bay Cruise, a stunning cruise capturing Wineglass Bay, Vista Lounge seating including Lunch.

This evening travel to Bicheno, enjoy Dinner which is included before joining the Bicheno Penguin Tour watching the little blue penguins waddling home from the ocean under the starlit sky before returning back to Swansea.

Before heading down to Hobart. we explore the Freycinet National Park. Best known for the stunning beauty of Wineglass Bay that you saw on the cruise on Day 10.  There will be the opportunity for a walk to the Wineglass Bay Lookout (a steep 1.3km walk) or the less challenging but spectacular Cape Tourville Lighthouse Walk. With remarkable coastal views of Freycinet National Park and a well-constructed walkway, this very easy walk is a great way for everyone to experience Freycinet. The track loops around the automated lighthouse at Cape Tourville.

The track is wide, with even surfaces. Much of the walk is on a raised boardwalk which, at times, takes you right to the cliff edge, offering amazing views. Sights include the Hazards, Wineglass Bay and nearby offshore rocks known as The Nuggets. Keep an eye out for wildlife. Sea birds, sea-eagles, whales, seals and dolphins have all been seen from here.

Before departing Coles Bay, you will enjoy Tasmania’s finest seafood for Lunch at Freycinet Marine Farm.

Arrive in Hobart late afternoon for your final night at DoubleTree by Hilton Hobart.  Farewell Dinner included.

Air New Zealand direct flight departs at 12.20 with an ETA in Auckland at 17.50.

After collecting our luggage, we will be met by our Zealandier Tours coach & driven home to your door, having experienced the most wonderful 12 days of adventures and delights.