7-Day Super Value Tour of Tasmania: Explore Tasmania’s West and East Coasts

Tasmania packs a lot into seven days. This small-group loop from Hobart links towering forests, alpine lakes, wild beaches, convict-era sites, and two of the island’s best national parks without asking you to plan every transfer yourself. I especially like the wide range of scenery and the chance to meet Tasmanian wildlife at Bonorong. The drawback is clear: several days involve long drives and early starts, and the Gordon River cruise costs extra.

The tour suits you if you want Tasmania’s major natural sights with a guide, six nights of accommodation, park entry, and hotel pickup included. Guides such as Natalie and Evan have earned especially warm praise, with Natalie handling a wide range of ages thoughtfully and Evan offering strong historical commentary and careful driving. At $1,038.14 per person, the price can be good value, but only if you are comfortable with a packed schedule and moderate walking.

Six details that shape this Tasmanian week

• Seven days, six nights, and a 7:00 am start: You cover much of Tasmania, but this is an active road trip rather than a slow holiday.
• A maximum of 24 people: The group is small enough for guide interaction, though not as intimate as a private tour.
• Cradle Mountain, Freycinet, and the Bay of Fires: The itinerary reaches three of Tasmania’s major nature areas.
• The Gordon River cruise is not included: Allow extra money if you want the six-hour boat trip from Strahan.
• Wildlife is built into the route: Bonorong includes wombats, quolls, birds, kangaroos, and Tasmanian devils.
• Port Arthur entry is included: You get three hours at Australia’s best-preserved convict settlement, plus the dramatic Tasman Peninsula coast.

What $1,038.14 buys you across Tasmania

The headline price includes six nights of accommodation, national park entry fees, expert guides, Hobart CBD pickup and drop-off, Port Arthur Historic Site entry, and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary entry. The tour is also Advanced Eco-Certified, which gives the trip a useful environmental focus.

The main extra cost is the Gordon River cruise. The six-hour cruise is a major part of the West Coast program, so I would price it before booking rather than treat it as a minor add-on. The theatrical performance of The Ship That Never Was in Strahan is also optional and costs extra.

Value depends on your alternative. A self-drive trip might offer more freedom, but you would need to arrange a vehicle, accommodation, park fees, route planning, and driving on long rural roads. This tour saves that work and links places that are awkward to combine without a car.

You pay for convenience, guiding, and a full route. You give up free time and the ability to linger. That is a fair trade if your Tasmania visit is short and you want the main sights in one organized week.

Day 1: Russell Falls, Franklin-Gordon forest, and Lake St Clair

The first morning begins at 7:00 am, with pickup available from Hobart CBD hotels, hostels, and motels. The opening stop is Russell Falls, reached by a walk through very tall trees. The route finishes at the waterfall, giving you an immediate taste of Tasmania’s wet forest country.

You get about 90 minutes here. That is enough for the walk and photographs, though not for a long, unhurried forest ramble. Bring a waterproof layer, since rain is part of the appeal of waterfall country and weather can change quickly.

Next comes Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. The focus here is on mountain views and rainforest scenery. This is less about one famous viewpoint and more about seeing a broad sweep of protected country from the road and short walks.

At Lake St Clair Park Centre, you have about 75 minutes. Lake St Clair is Australia’s deepest freshwater lake, and it sits at the southern end of the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park. You can take a short walk or use the time for lunch beside the water.

The day ends in Queenstown, a former mining town with a rugged, almost frontier-like character. Twenty-five minutes is brief, but enough to get a feel for its unusual setting and mining past. You should expect a big first day, with several stops rather than one long visit.

Day 2: Strahan and the Gordon River decision

Strahan is a harbor village on the edge of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area. You have 45 minutes to look around before the central activity of the day, the Gordon River cruise.

The cruise lasts about six hours and travels into temperate rainforest along the Gordon River. It is designed as a relaxed scenic outing, with the water providing a different view of Tasmania’s remote western country. If you enjoy boat trips and forest scenery, this is likely to be one of the week’s defining moments.

It is also the itinerary’s most important optional expense. The cruise is listed separately from the included activities, so check the current cost when you book. You do not want to reach Strahan and discover that the day’s main outing stretches your budget.

Henty Dunes gives you 45 minutes among sand dunes that extend for about 15 kilometres along the coast, with dunes reaching 30 metres high. This is an unusual contrast after rainforest and river scenery. You are not simply looking at another beach, but at a large sweep of wind-shaped sand.

Ocean Beach adds another 45-minute stop. The beach runs for more than 40 kilometres, with open views toward the ocean and sunsets over the West Coast. It is a place for scale and fresh air, not a developed seaside attraction.

In the evening, you can pay extra for The Ship That Never Was, a 75-minute show based on an 1834 escape from Sarah Island. The tone is dramatic and funny, making it a good choice if you want a cultural activity after a day outdoors.

Day 3: Cradle Mountain choices and wombat country

Day three is built around Cradle Mountain, and this is where your walking ability matters most. The Dove Lake Circuit is listed as a four-hour option, with close-up and broad views of the mountain and the lake.

You can also choose Marion’s Lookout, another four-hour option described as more challenging but highly scenic. The wording matters: this is not just a roadside photo stop. You need a moderate level of fitness, suitable shoes, and a willingness to walk in changing alpine conditions.

The itinerary presents these as choices, so ask your guide how the day will work and which route fits your ability. If you prefer a gentler outing, do not feel pressured into the harder walk simply because it has the bigger view.

Ronny Creek offers another short boardwalk outing, lasting about 30 minutes. It is known as good wombat territory, and wombats are used to people in this area. Wildlife is never guaranteed, but this gives you a reasonable chance to look for them without committing to a long walk.

Sheffield provides a 45-minute break. This friendly town is known for murals, where local history and public art fill the streets. It is a welcome change after the mountain trails and gives you a small-town stop rather than another forest or lookout.

Day 4: Launceston to the Bay of Fires

Cataract Gorge Reserve, just minutes from central Launceston, begins the fourth day. You get about an hour to walk, look around, and perhaps see the gorge’s unusual chairlift, described as the world’s longest single-span chairlift. The visit is short, so plan to choose a path rather than attempt to see every corner.

The route then heads toward St Helens, a fishing town where you have 30 minutes to pick up lunch and look at the cray boats in the harbor. This is a practical stop, but it also adds a working coastal town to a week otherwise filled with national parks and historic sites.

Binalong Bay is the day’s visual prize. Its clear water, white sand, and orange lichen-covered granite boulders create one of Tasmania’s most recognizable coastal scenes. If conditions are suitable, you can swim, but do not assume this will be a full beach day. The scheduled visit lasts 90 minutes.

You spend the evening in Bicheno, with about two hours to explore on your own. Coastal views, fish and chips, and local wildlife are the main possibilities listed for this stop. This is one of the few points in the week with genuine personal time, so use it for a meal and a calm walk rather than trying to squeeze in another attraction.

Day 5: Wineglass Bay and the Great Eastern Drive

Freycinet National Park gets a generous five-hour visit, making it one of the better-paced days on the tour. The group aims to arrive early to reduce crowd pressure, then walks to the lookout over Wineglass Bay.

Wineglass Bay Lookout is the essential viewpoint, with a broad view of the curved beach and the Hazards Mountains. Depending on the group plan and your walking choice, you may have time to relax near the bay as well as reach the lookout.

Cape Tourville Lighthouse adds a different angle. From the short visit, you look toward the Tasman Sea and back toward the pink granite peaks of the Hazards and Wineglass Bay. It is a useful stop for anyone who wants dramatic views without another demanding trail.

The itinerary includes time to continue along the Great Eastern Drive, with a quick stop in Orford. At 15 minutes, Orford is mainly a stretch-your-legs stop, not a full sightseeing visit.

Freycinet is one of the places where the tour’s early start pays off. You get a longer block of time here than at many minor stops, but the day still involves road travel and several scheduled sections. Pack water, sun protection, and layers for the exposed lookouts.

Day 6: Bonorong, Richmond, and kunanyi

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary gives you two hours with Tasmanian animals. You may see quolls, birds, wombats, kangaroos, and Tasmanian devils. This is more than a quick roadside wildlife glance, and it adds a conservation-focused stop to the natural scenery.

I like this inclusion because Tasmania’s wildlife can be elusive in the wild. Bonorong gives you a more dependable way to learn about local species, especially the Tasmanian devil, without pretending that a road trip guarantees animal sightings.

Richmond follows, with an hour to walk through a well-preserved colonial-era town. More than 50 Georgian buildings are found here, now used for cafes, restaurants, galleries, and accommodation. The Richmond Bridge gets its own 15-minute stop and is noted as the oldest existing stone arch bridge in Australia.

Wellington Park, on Mount Wellington, or kunanyi, finishes the day with two hours. The area includes fern glades, eucalyptus forest, rock columns, and boulder fields. Weather can affect what you see from the mountain, so keep expectations flexible. The park is close to Hobart, but it feels far removed from the city.

Guide quality matters on a day like this. Evan has been praised for detailed but interesting history, considerate driving, and useful recommendations. Natalie has been praised for adapting to a group with a wide age range. Those are not small points on a road tour, where the guide shapes much of the day.

Day 7: Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula

The final day heads to the Tasman Peninsula, beginning with a quick lookout at Pirates Bay and Eaglehawk Neck. Ten minutes gives you panoramic views toward Cape Hauy and Cape Pillar. It is a photo stop, not a hike.

Port Arthur Historic Site receives three hours, which is enough to take the convict settlement seriously rather than rush through a few buildings. The site presents the harsh realities of prison life and the workings of the former settlement. Entry is included, making this one of the tour’s strongest cultural inclusions.

The natural sights of Tasman National Park follow. Tasman Arch, Devil’s Kitchen, and the Blowhole show how the sea has shaped the peninsula’s rock formations. These stops are short, but they work well together because each one offers a different form of erosion and coastal scenery.

Tasman Arch Track takes about 20 minutes, while Devil’s Kitchen has a 15-minute observation platform stop. Remarkable Cave receives the longest final visit, about two hours and 15 minutes, including a short walk toward the coastal sand dunes of Crescent Bay.

The last day combines history with big coastal views, which is a fitting finish. It also remains busy, so do not expect a quiet final morning.

Walking, transport, and group size

The tour has a maximum of 24 people and includes Hobart CBD pickup and drop-off. You begin and finish at the meeting point at YHA Hobart Central, 9 Argyle Street, with the first departure at 7:00 am.

The route is efficient but demanding. You move between western rainforest, Cradle Mountain, Launceston, the Bay of Fires, Freycinet, Hobart, and Port Arthur in one week. That means long stretches on the road, short visits at some minor stops, and several days when an early start is essential.

A moderate physical fitness level is required. The walking ranges from easy short paths to four-hour Cradle Mountain options. You should be comfortable walking on uneven tracks and spending much of the day out of the vehicle.

The group size gives you a useful middle ground. You are not alone with a private guide, but a group of up to 24 is more manageable than a large coach. The guide’s driving and commentary will have a major effect on your comfort, so the positive feedback about Evan and Natalie is worth taking seriously.

Who should book this seven-day route?

I would choose this tour if you want the main natural and historic sights in one trip, do not want to drive yourself, and enjoy moving at a steady pace. It is especially suitable for first-time visitors who want Cradle Mountain, Freycinet, the Bay of Fires, Port Arthur, and the West Coast without building a complicated plan.

It is less suitable if you want long mornings in bed, extended hikes, or several free afternoons. The itinerary has only limited unstructured time, and the early departure every morning can wear you down.

Before booking, budget for the Gordon River cruise and the optional Strahan theater performance. Also note that the booking is non-refundable and cannot be changed after purchase, so confirm your dates carefully.

Should you book it?

Book this tour if coverage matters more to you than independence. For $1,038.14, the included accommodation, park entry, guides, transfers, Port Arthur, and Bonorong make the price reasonable for a seven-day guided loop, especially if you would otherwise rent a car.

Skip it if you prefer to stay several nights in one place or choose your own walking pace. The best reason to book is the sheer range: rainforest, alpine lake, open ocean, orange granite, wildlife, colonial towns, and convict history all fit into one week. Just arrive ready for early starts, moderate walking, long road days, and at least one extra charge.

FAQ

Where does the tour start and finish?

The tour starts and ends at YHA Hobart Central, 9 Argyle Street, Hobart. Pickup and drop-off are offered from Hobart CBD hotels, hostels, and motels.

What time does the tour start?

The scheduled start time is 7:00 am.

How many nights of accommodation are included?

Six nights of accommodation are included in the seven-day tour.

Is the Gordon River cruise included?

No. The six-hour World Heritage Cruises Gordon River outing is not included in the listed price.

Is Port Arthur Historic Site entry included?

Yes. Entry to Port Arthur Historic Site is included, with about three hours scheduled at the site.

How fit do I need to be?

You should have a moderate level of physical fitness. The itinerary includes short walks as well as four-hour walking choices at Dove Lake and Marion’s Lookout.