Adventure Tours Australia Tasmania trips range from a 45-minute distillery tasting to a five-day hike through the Tarkine. The operator runs small group tours from Hobart to Launceston, with start points in Hobart, Launceston or Devonport.
This page walks through the tours currently listed on our site and what the places on each itinerary are known for. Prices are starting prices, so check each tour page for current details.
What the operator's Tasmanian touring covers
The operator's Tasmanian range is built around distinctive East and West Coast touring environments: dramatic coastlines, forests, rivers, wildlife, nature walks and colonial history. Named highlights include Lake St Clair, Cradle Mountain, Strahan, Wineglass Bay, the Bay of Fires and Port Arthur. The range also takes in camping safari and accommodated soft adventure tours, as well as private group charters.
Tasmania suits this kind of touring. It is an island state 240 kilometres south of the mainland, separated by Bass Strait, and about 42% of its land area is protected in some form of reserve. World Heritage Sites account for 21% of it. The state is also a significant destination for eco-tourism, which fits the national park and wilderness focus of most trips below. For wider trip planning, the official Discover Tasmania site is a useful companion.
Day trips from Hobart
Mt Field and the Derwent
The Peaks, Falls and Furry Locals day tour runs 8 to 9 hours and is listed from $1040. It spends a full day in Mt Field National Park, Tasmania's most visited wilderness area. You walk through cool temperate rainforest with prehistoric ferns and eucalypts to reach Russel Falls, then visit a wildlife sanctuary to spot native mammals and birds. Transport and morning tea are included, and lunch is either packed or taken at the on-site Agrarian Kitchen restaurant, which operates on weekends only.
Port Arthur for cruise passengers
The Port Arthur shore excursion from Hobart is a 6 hour 30 minute trip from $239. It collects passengers from Macquarie Wharf and drives 90 minutes to Port Arthur Historic Site, where you get up to two and a half hours with a guide. On the way back, weather and timing permitting, it stops at a working lavender farm and an artisan chocolate foundry before returning you to your ship by mid-afternoon.
The history behind the site is sobering. Europeans settled the island in 1803 as a penal settlement, and around 80,000 convicts were sent to Van Diemen's Land before transportation ended in 1853.
Two-day trips
Cradle Mountain
The 2 day Cradle Mountain tour starts at $445 and includes accommodation. Groups are small, with a maximum of 13. The itinerary covers hikes through temperate rainforest, past waterfalls and into alpine terrain, with a stay at a lakeside lodge and a return to Hobart by day three.
Cradle Mountain is a dolerite peak, and it was a nunatak, a peak that stood above the ice during glaciation. Much of Australia's glaciated landscape is found on the Central Plateau and in the Southwest.
Hobart highlights and Bruny Island
The 2 day Tasmanian Highlights tour is listed from $305. Day one covers Hobart: Salamanca Market on Saturdays, the views from Mt Wellington, and the colonial village of Richmond. The second day heads to Bruny Island for wildlife and local producers. At Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary you can meet kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats and koalas.
Mount Wellington is a good example of Tasmania's dolerite geology, with distinct columns known as the Organ Pipes. Adventure Bay was named by Tobias Furneaux after his ship HMS Adventure, when in 1773 he became the first Englishman to land in Tasmania. Captain James Cook landed there in 1777.
A longer wilderness option: the Tarkine
The takayna / Tarkine five-day hiking tour is the most demanding trip listed, from $3275. It is based from Launceston and explores the remote Tarkine region in small groups led by accredited local guides trained in wilderness first aid. You trek through forests, alpine plateaus and coastal landscapes and stay in basic bush camps. The operator holds eco-tourism certification and handles transport, meals and park fees.
The operator grades its tours by fitness. Hikes range from up to 5 kilometres a day for basic fitness to 9 kilometres or more, and the top grade suits very fit people who enjoy basic bush camping. We would check the grade before booking a camping trip, because bush camps have no facilities.
Shorter experiences and a price comparison
- LARK Distillery Tour: 45 minutes from $69, with three tastings and a walk through the heritage buildings and active production site.
- Evening Dinner Cruise: six hours from $155 aboard Spirit of the Wild, a hybrid-powered vessel on the Gordon River and Macquarie Harbour, with chef-prepared dinners from local produce and onboard interpreters.
- Alpaca Farm Tours with Toffeemont: 1 hour 30 minutes from $55 at a working farm near Orielton, with sessions at 10am, 1pm or 3pm daily and homemade refreshments.
These suit travellers short on time, or anyone wanting a gentler day between bigger trips. The dinner cruise is the one we would pick for a quiet evening, as the boat's quiet engine keeps the focus on the landscape.
| Tour | Length | From |
|---|---|---|
| Mt Field and the Derwent | 8 to 9 hours | $1040 |
| 2 Day Cradle Mountain | 2 days | $445 |
| Port Arthur shore excursion | 6h 30m | $239 |
| 2 Day Highlights and Bruny Island | 2 days | $305 |
| takayna / Tarkine hiking | 5 days | $3275 |
| LARK Distillery | 45 min | $69 |
| Evening Dinner Cruise | 6 hours | $155 |
| Alpaca Farm Tours | 1h 30m | $55 |
More Tasmanian itineraries and background
Longer itineraries are covered on their own pages, including the 3 Day West Coast Explorer and the 6 Day Taste of Tasmania. For general background on the island, its geology and its history, see the Tasmania encyclopedia entry.
Frequently asked questions
Where do the tours start?
Tours can start from Hobart, Launceston or Devonport. The Cradle Mountain and Highlights tours above leave from Hobart, and the Tarkine hike is based from Launceston.
What is the cheapest tour listed?
The Alpaca Farm Tours with Toffeemont, from $55 for 90 minutes. The LARK Distillery Tour follows at $69.
Do the tours suit all fitness levels?
It varies. There are few age restrictions but general good health is essential, and walking grades run from basic fitness up to very fit hikers.
