Tasmania, Australia’s island state, provides a rare opportunity to encounter unique and endemic wildlife. Renown as a prime area for marsupial spotting, Tasmania is a crucial habitat for many species, including quolls, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and the most famous resident, the Tasmanian devil. Tasmania provides sanctuary for an abundance of birdlife, including the twelve endemic species, as well as marine mammals and the only two types of egg-laying mammals in the world, echidnas and platypus. Our focus on this small-group tour is to observe wildlife in the wild. It is a soft-adventure tour focusing on wildlife and wilderness but offers a high level of comfort. Tour starts in Hobart and ends in Launceston.

 

Tasmania, Australia’s island state, provides a rare opportunity to encounter unique and endemic wildlife. Renowned as a prime area for marsupial spotting, Tasmania is a crucial habitat for many species, including quolls, kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and the most famous resident, the Tasmanian devil. Tasmania provides sanctuary for an abundance of birdlife, including the twelve endemic species, as well as marine mammals and the only two types of egg-laying mammals in the world, echidnas and platypus. Our focus on this small group tour is to observe wildlife in the wild. It is a soft-adventure tour focusing on wildlife and wilderness but offers a high level of comfort.

Tour includes:

  • 5 days of small group touring with a local guide
  • Transport in a well-appointed vehicle
  • 4 nights accommodation
  • 4 x breakfast, 2 x lunch
  • 2.5-hour Bonorong Night tour
  • Maria Island Ferry
  • Wineglass Bay Cruise
  • Penguin Night Tour
  • All National Parks passes

This tour can be combined with the 5 Day Western Wilderness Tour for a more in-depth experience.

 

DAY 1/ Sunday                        

HOBART ARRIVAL – BONORONG NIGHT TOUR

Upon arrival at Hobart airport no later than 3.00 pm, you will be transferred to your accommodation in the CBD, where you have time for a quick refreshment stop. At 04:30 pm, we will take you to the first highlight of this tour. Arrive at Bonorong sanctuary, where we invite you to a shared 2.5-hour behind the scenes night-tour, where you have the opportunity to get close to many of Tasmania’s endemic animals and get a lot of information first-hand.

Accommodation: Old Woolstore Hotel Hobart, Studio apartment (or similar)

Meals: –

 

DAY 2/ Monday                       

HOBART – MARIA ISLAND – BICHENO

This morning, travel to the seaside village of Triabunna and board a ferry to cross the Mercury Passage to Maria Island. This unique island national park sits just off Tasmania’s east coast. Enjoy a day of peaceful walking amongst historic ruins, across sweeping bays, rugged fossil cliffs and imposing mountains. This island sanctuary provides an opportunity to view its resident wildlife, including Wombats, Cape Barren Geese, Tasmanian Pademelons, Forester Kangaroos and even the Tasmanian Devil in their natural environment. Later this afternoon, continue your journey along Tasmania’s sunny east coast to Bicheno in the Freycinet area.

 Accommodation: Beachfront at Bicheno Hotel, Pool view room (or similar)

Meals: Breakfast and picnic lunch

DAY 3/ Tuesday          

Freycinet Peninsula – Penguins

After breakfast, travel to Coles Bay and embark on the award-winning 4-hour Wineglass Bay cruise. Cruise the spectacular coastline of Freycinet National Park from Coles Bay to Wineglass Bay. Be enthralled by the stunning granite coastline, including the dramatic pink peaks of the Hazards range. Discover a coast dotted with sparkling white sand beaches, including the beaches Cooks and Bryans, only accessible by water or a full day bushwalk. Explore the inner passage of remote Schouten Island, home to little penguins and short-tailed shearwaters, before heading into the Tasman Sea towards Wineglass Bay. Look out for various hidden sea caves, blowholes and waterfalls amongst the sheer granite cliffs. Disembark the vessel in the early afternoon and visit the Friendly Beaches before your guide takes you to your accommodation. The rest of this afternoon is at leisure. At dusk, we invite you to an informative tour on private property to get close to the local colony of fairy penguins nesting and breeding in the dunes.

Accommodation: Beachfront at Bicheno Hotel, Pool view room (or similar)

Meals: Breakfast and lunch (ploughman-style)

 

DAY 4/ Wednesday                 

BICHENO – BAY OF FIRES – LAUNCESTON

Today, continue your journey along the east coast and visit the stunning orange-lichen covered granite rocks of the Bay of Fires conservation area. Take the opportunity to wander around, explore the whitest sandy beaches and the turquoise waters. We travel on to St. Columba Falls, the highest waterfalls in Tasmania and through lush and green valleys before we arrive in Launceston, the second biggest city in Tasmania.

Accommodation: Grand Chancellor Launceston, Deluxe room (or similar)

Meals: Breakfast

 

DAY 5/ Thursday                      

LAUNCESTON – DEPARTURE

Enjoy a city introduction of Launceston and visit the stunning Cataract Gorge, where the South Esk river forces its way through sheer granite rocks before the tour ends at midday at the Launceston transit centre.

Meals: Breakfast

2023 Departures

Von Bis
Sunday, 9 April 2023 Thursday, 13 April 2023
Sunday, 23 April 2023 Thursday, 27 April 2023
Sunday, 7 May 2023 Thursday, 11 May 2023
Sunday, 21 May 2023 Thursday, 25 May 2023
Sunday, 4 June 2023 Thursday, 8 June 2023
Sunday, 18 June 2023 Thursday, 22 June 2023
Sunday, 2 July 2023 Thursday, 6 July 2023
Sunday, 16 July 2023 Thursday, 20 July 2023
Sunday, 30 July 2023 Thursday, 3 August 2023
Sunday, 13 August 2023 Thursday, 17 August 2023
Sunday, 27 August 2023 Thursday, 31 August 2023
Sunday, 10 September 2023 Thursday, 14 September 2023
Sunday, 24 September 2023 Thursday, 28 September 2023
Sunday, 8 October 2023 Thursday, 12 October 2023
Sunday, 22 October 2023 Thursday, 26 October 2023
Sunday, 5 November 2023 Thursday, 9 November 2023
Sunday, 19 November 2023 Thursday, 23 November 2023
Sunday, 3 December 2023 Thursday, 7 December 2023

 

2024 Departures 

Von Bis
Sunday, 14 January 2024 Thursday, 18 January 2024
Sunday, 28 January 2024 Thursday, 1 February 2024
Sunday, 11 February 2024 Thursday, 15 February 2024
Sunday, 25 February 2024 Thursday, 29 February 2024
Sunday, 10 March 2024 Thursday, 14 March 2024
Sunday, 24 March 2024 Thursday, 28 March 2024