Franklin River, Mt Field, Lake St Clair & Cradle Mountain - 8 Day - Group-Guided

Start the journey off at the Bay of Fires, one of Australia’s most startling natural wonders renowned for its magnificent outcrops of pink granite, orange lichen boulders, breathtaking white beaches and azure blue skies. This remote corner of Tasmania’s unfettered coastline is also teeming with wildlife making the walking here an absolute delight. Next is a jewel amongst Tasmania’s National Parks – the Freycinet Peninsula and Wineglass Bay. The imposing granite peaks of the Hazards, beautiful pink granite craggy tors and white sandy beaches that dot the peninsula are among the many highlights of walking in this park.

Flinders Island is the largest of the 52 islands that make up the Furneaux Group, located in Bass Strait off the coast of Tasmanian. It’s a spectacularly diverse, wild and rugged landscape. We will traverse the large tracts of endemic rainforest that dot the island, climb more than one stunning mountain and get to enjoy gorgeous beach after gorgeous beach. Flinders Island is undoubtedly the least known amongst the best walking destinations in Australia. What’s more, the air is said to be the cleanest in Australia, and with only about 500 people on the island, it’s likely that you going to have it all to yourself.

The Three Capes and Tasman Peninsula walk is a chance to feel Tasmania at its end-of-the-world wildest, without the heavy packs and without throwing yourself completely to the wind. It’s a wild feeling walking this stunning landscape with just the people of your choosing but punctuated each night by staying in excellent accommodation and eating ala carte meals long the way. There’s great variety on the Three Capes, as the route winds in and out of heathland, dry woodland, and striking sections of rainforest. Throw in massive views every day and you have a one of a kind self guided walking experience.

Part of the World Heritage–listed Tasmanian wilderness, the Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park incorporates glacier-sculpted mountain peaks, river gorges, lakes, tarns and tracts of wild alpine moorland. Few places in the world offer such pristine scenery and diverse hiking options. Filling a valley carved out by ice during several glaciations over the last two million years, Lake St Clair is the deepest lake in Australia and the headwaters of the Derwent River. It is ringed by some remarkable mountain peaks which are covered in snow for much of the year. It is also the endpoint for those bushwalkers tackling the Overland Track which runs between Lake St Clair and Cradle Mountain. We will walk the northern and southern-most sections of the world-famous Overland Track through the Tasmanian Wilderness of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, plus some of the best of Tasmania’s Great short walks of this region. We have included the iconic Cradle Mountain walks including the Face Track and Dove Lake as well as many other hikes. Ancient rainforests and alpine heaths, pine-fringed glacial lakes and icy streams that cascade down rugged mountains make the walks at Cradle even more special.

Immerse yourself in the splendid isolation of Tasmania on the Bay of Fires walk, famous for crystal-clear waters, pristine white beaches and orange lichen-covered granite boulders. Explore the 38-km long Freycinet Promontory, a wild pristine coastline with beautiful beaches, clear blue seas and ancient forests scattered with rare wildflowers. Take a boat trip to a secluded beach away from the crowds to climb Mount Freycinet where you’ll witness unobscured, unprecedented views back across the Freycinet Peninsula and over Wineglass Bay. Overlook Wineglass Bay and its perfect arc of blond sand and ice-blue water.

Walk among Tasmania’s Tarkine wilderness, the largest tract of unbroken cool-temperate rainforest remaining in the Southern Hemisphere. This 65-million-year-old forest houses hidden gems and ancient relics including tree species that exist elsewhere only as fossils. We have designed the Tarkine Wilderness walks in order to unlock the beauty of the region that includes mountains, wild rivers, the sublime coastline with its ferocious oceans and iconic open plains. A real highlight of the trip is the boat journey down the Pieman River and then the walk out along the coast. As part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is renowned for its glacier-sculpted mountain peaks, river gorges and icy streams cascading down rugged mountains, glacial lakes, tarns and tracts of wild alpine moorland. We get up close and personal to Cradle Mountain by walking a part of the iconic Overland Track, the Cradle Mountain Face Track and Dove Lake.

A visit to the remote and mostly uninhabited Flinders Island is like stepping back in time. The pace of life here is slower, the locals friendlier, and the air, perhaps the cleanest in the world. Imagine the Bay of Fires meets Wilson's Promontory, and it’s no wonder this was all part of the same mountain range when Tasmania was still joined to the mainland. The Flinders Island walks are so impressive and so breathtakingly gorgeous it’s a wonder that this place remains so unknown. There are rocky coastlines to explore, interspersed with beautiful sandy beaches. There are serene river estuaries and picturesque inlets. And there’s an opportunity to climb the highest peak on the island Mt Strzelecki as well as several smaller peaks. Wildlife abounds too; numerous wallabies (far too many for the locals!), huge Cape Barren geese, wild peacocks, pheasants, birds of prey and large numbers of seabirds roam unfettered all over the island. Walking amidst the peace and tranquillity on this un-spoilt island paradise offers a wonderful panacea to the stresses and strains of modern-day life. We take care of every last detail so you can relax and fully experience this fantastic place on foot.

The Tasman Peninsula is famous for the Three Capes Track walk and its’ dramatic coastline of sea caves and towering sea stacks, the highest vertical sea cliffs in Australia. We get to wander over the 180 million-year-old dolerite columns and a lot more as we explore on foot the Tasman Peninsula National Park. There’s great variety on this Three Capes hike, as the track winds in and out of heathland, dry woodland and striking sections of rainforest. The wildflowers add extra colour with bursts of yellow, white and pink along the track. The turquoise waters and white sandy beach of Fortescue Bay, Waterfall Bay and the unique rock formations are stunning bookends to this 4-day walking adventure. Travelling only at the optimum time to walk the Three Capes Track, autumn and spring coincide with the ideal time to get up close to the migrating whales, something we may experience on our ocean nature tour. The water is absolutely ripe for wildlife spotting; albatross, sea eagles, diving gannets, cliff-nesting cormorants and peregrine falcons all populate the area.

This is a destination where photos can never do it justice. How do you translate visually the splendid isolation of an island that’s almost the size of Luxembourg with only 900 inhabitants (Luxembourg’s population is 600,000). As a result, the pace of life is definitely a lot slower here, the locals friendlier, the air is cleaner and as you walk you won’t see a soul. Visualise the Bay of Fires on steroids; the Flinders Island walks are so impressive and so breathtakingly gorgeous it’s a wonder that this place remains so unknown. The coastline is punctuated by the red lichen-covered boulders that have made the Bay of Fires famous, the difference is that on Flinders Island there is just way more of it. The pristine sandy beaches seemingly are for your own private use. Climb the tallest peak on the island, Mt Strzelecki as well as several smaller peaks. Wildlife abounds too; huge numbers of wallabies (far too many for the locals!), Cape Barren geese, wild peacocks, pheasants, birds of prey and large numbers of seabirds roam unfettered all over the island.

Stay in luxury inside the park and explore the Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania’s most beautiful coastal walking destination. This walk, in contrast to the 3-day option, allows you another day to further explore the region, a little more time to relax and enjoy the pristine powder-white beaches. A boat cruise out to Schouten Island is also included. The Freycinet Peninsula’s towering pink-hued granite mountains, pristine white beaches and gorgeous bays, the most famous of all being Wineglass Bay, work in concert to make this a fabulous four-day walking experience. Witness Wineglass Bay from 3 different vantage points. Feel the sand of Wineglass Bay, Hazards’, Crockets and Cook beaches underfoot. You will stay at the luxurious Freycinet Lodge inside Freycinet National Park on Oyster Bay. This ensures that after each day’s walk, you get to unwind in luxury, but with the sense that you haven’t left the wilderness. We supply private transfers from Launceston to the Freycinet Peninsula, a short 2-hour drive. Auswalk has been providing self-guided walks for nearly 30 years, so you can relax with the knowledge that you are in safe hands.

Explore Freycinet Peninsula, Tasmania’s most iconic coastal walking destination. The peninsula’s combination of towering pink-hued granite mountains, pristine isolated white beaches and gorgeous bays, the most famous of all being Wineglass Bay, all work in concert to make this a fabulous three-day walking adventure. Even though this walk is only 3 days, we have designed the trip so that each day includes the very best of the scenery and diverse landscape the national park has to offer. Witness Wineglass Bay from 3 different vantage points. Feel the sand of Wineglass Bay, Hazards’ and Cook beaches underfoot. Get you feet wet, or if you are up for it, take a dip in the ocean at one of the remote beaches. Staying in the luxurious Freycinet Lodge inside Freycinet National Park on Oyster Bay, ensures that after each days walking, you get to unwind in luxury, but with the sense that you haven’t left the wilderness. We supply private transfers from Launceston to the Freycinet Peninsula, a short 2-hour drive. Auswalk has been providing self-guided walks for nearly 30 years, so you can relax with the knowledge that you are in safe hands.

The Flinders Island highlights walk includes the 3 must do walks on the island. This is a destination where photos can never do it justice. How do you translate visually the splendid isolation of an island almost the size of Luxembourg but with only 900 inhabitants (Luxembourg’s population is 600,000). What you will discover is that the pace of life here is a lot slower, the locals friendlier and the air is cleaner. If you meet someone as you walk or on one of the magnificent pristine sandy beaches, then it feels crowded. The Flinders Island walks are so impressive and so breathtakingly gorgeous it’s a wonder that this place remains so unknown. The coastline is punctuated by the red lichen-covered boulders that have made the Bay of Fires famous, the difference is that on Flinders Island there is just way more of it.

This is literally a walker’s paradise, with mountains, forests, and incredible beaches at every turn. To put it simply, the diversity of walking here is astonishing. A visit to the remote and mostly uninhabited Flinders Island is like stepping back in time. The pace of life here is slower, the locals friendlier, and the air, perhaps the cleanest in the world. The walking here is so impressive and so breathtakingly gorgeous it’s a wonder that this place remains so unknown. Imagine the Bay of Fires meets Wilsons Promontory on steroids, and it’s no wonder this was all part of the same mountain range when Tasmania was still joined to the mainland. Mt Strzelecki is the tallest mountain in this mountain range and definitely the most striking. Wildlife abounds with wallabies, Cape Barren geese, wild peacocks, pheasants, various birds of prey and large numbers of seabirds all calling this place home. One evening we will cruise over to the Short Tailed Shearwater birds feeding grounds, which are three small island off Flinders Island, and watch the clouds of birds swoop in to feed their young.

The Tasman Peninsula is famous for the Three Capes Track walk and its’ dramatic coastline of sea caves and towering sea stacks, the highest vertical sea cliffs in Australia. We get to wander over the 180 million-year-old dolerite columns and a lot more as we explore on foot the Tasman Peninsula National Park. There’s great variety on this Three Capes hike, as the track winds in and out of heathland, dry woodland and striking sections of rainforest. The wildflowers add extra colour with bursts of yellow, white and pink along the track. The turquoise waters and white sandy beach of Fortescue Bay, Waterfall Bay and the unique rock formations are stunning bookends to this 4-day walking adventure. Travelling only at the optimum time to walk the Three Capes Track, autumn and spring coincide with the ideal time to get up close to the migrating whales, something we may experience on our ocean nature tour. The water is absolutely ripe for wildlife spotting; albatross, sea eagles, diving gannets, cliff-nesting cormorants and peregrine falcons all populate the area.