The Big 3: Cradle Mountain + Wineglass Bay + Port Arthur Historic Site | 3 Day Combo Tour

This incredible 3-day adventure takes in the BIG 3 iconic attractions of Tasmania — Cradle Mountain, Wineglass Bay and the Port Arthur Historic Site — combining the very best of our day tours into three huge, action-packed days filled with amazing highlights, stunning scenery, wildlife encounters and plenty of fun with our awesome guides.

Day 1: Cradle Mountain World Heritage Area

• Departs: Launceston 7:30 am
• Returns: Launceston 6:00 pm
• Overnight: Launceston (accommodation through own arrangement)

Highlight:

• Cradle Mountain World Heritage Area (5+ hours)
• Dove Lake
• Rainforest City & Pencil Pines Falls walk
• Weindorfer's Chalet & Forest walk
• Dove Lake Walk (easy grade) or Marion’s Lookout (medium grade)
• Sheffield, a township of 30+ murals
• Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm & Van Diemans Land Ice Creamery

Cradle Mountain National Park is an area of iconic scenery with a wide variety of walking trails to choose from. Cradle Mountain is a stunning, World Heritage-listed area. With around 5 hours to spend in the National Park, the walking itinerary is kept flexible to suit guests and the weather conditions on the day.

After departing Launceston, the tour includes a short stop in Sheffield - the Town of Murals. Sheffield is a small and quirky rural village in the foothills of the mountains. It is Tasmania’s own outdoor art gallery, featuring over 100 paintings on the walls of buildings across the town. The artwork depicts the history of the Cradle Mountain region and is a great taster of what is to come before continuing onwards into the mountains.

Arriving at Cradle Mountain National Park, the group prepares for the walking opportunities ahead. The aim is to spend around 4-5 hours in the National Park to truly make the most of the trails. The adventure begins with one of Tasmania's Great Short Walks, providing the perfect introduction to the area via the Enchanted Walk trail - an easy 20-minute circuit following Pencil Pine Creek.

The main hike for the day begins from Dove Lake, with two walking options available. Guests can choose their preferred main walk. The iconic Dove Lake Circuit is a 6-kilometre track, classified as easy, and usually takes 2-3 hours. This is one of the premier walks in Tasmania; the track undulates around Dove Lake and traverses beneath Cradle Mountain. Magnificent flora is showcased along the way, including button grass, myrtle, sassafras, fagus and King Billy pine, along with epic views of Cradle Mountain.

For the more active and avid hiker, there is the chance to climb to the loftier heights of Marion’s Lookout. This walk is around 4 kilometres and classified as a medium-grade hike with some steep sections. Marion’s Lookout sits at 1,200 metres and provides breathtaking 360-degree views of the surrounding World Heritage wilderness area.

There is time along the way for a lunch break, a rest by a quiet stream, watching the famous and friendly Cradle wombats in their natural habitat, or taking the time to photograph the landscapes. Some local history is included with a visit to Weindorfer’s Chalet and the ancient King Billy pines on Weindorfer’s Forest Walk.

On the return to Launceston, the tour stops to refresh and refuel at the delicious Van Diemen's Land Ice Creamery and Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm.

We return to Launceston around 6:00 pm.

Day 2: Launceston to Hobart via Wineglass Bay & Freycinet National Park

• Departs: Hobart 7:30 am
• Returns: Launceston 6:00 pm
• Overnight: Hobart (accommodation through own arrangement)

Highlight:

• Freycinet National Park (4+ hours)
• Wineglass Bay Lookout
• Cape Tourville short walk and lookout
• Honeymoon Bay & Sleepy Bay
• Devils Corner Winery

We depart Hobart, heading east, then follow the coastline north. We travel through the seaside towns of Orford and Swansea as we make our way to Freycinet National Park. Freycinet is one of Tasmania’s first national parks, famous for its rich and stunning coastal landscapes. The pink-granite mountains form the backdrop for secluded bays, pristine waters, white-sandy beaches, local wildlife and amazing walking trails.

We walk as a group to the Wineglass Bay Lookout, where the guide will help capture those sought-after photographs and offer some walking options for the day. This walk takes around 1.5 hours and is graded as an easy, but uphill, walk.

For the keen walkers, the walk can continue down to Wineglass Beach (2.5-hour return walking time). There is time on this famous beach to take a swim, relax, eat lunch or meander along the white sands.

If the shorter walking option is preferred, then other areas of Freycinet can be explored with the tour guide. Visit Honeymoon Bay, Sleepy Bay, Cape Tourville Lighthouse and the great short walk.

We re-group, ready for the return journey. Our final stop on the East Coast is the stunning Devil’s Corner Winery, where there is time to take in the magnificent view. On-site, guests can enjoy a wine tasting, wood-fired pizza, fresh seafood from Freycinet Marine Farm and ice creams, all available at their own expense on the day. Then it is onwards into Launceston, returning around 6:00 pm.

We arrive in Launceston around 6:00 pm.

Day 3: Port Arthur & Tasmanian Devils

• Departs: Hobart at 7:30 am,
• Returns: Hobart 6:00 pm
• Overnight: Hobart (accommodation through own arrangement)

Highlight:

• Waterfall Bay Cliff Top Walk
• Pirate’s Bay Lookout, Tasman Arch, Devil's Kitchen, Doo Town
• Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
• Devil Feeding & Birds of the Bush show
• Port Arthur Historic Site (2.5hrs), Guided Walk, Harbour Cruise
• Richmond Historic Village
• Hobart City Lookout

Today is action-packed and fast-paced. We make an early start from Hobart and drive directly to the stunning Tasman Peninsula. This area has an amazing history, fascinating stories and spectacular scenery. It is also home to Australia’s highest sea cliffs. We enjoy panoramic views of the area from Pirates Bay Lookout, which provides a great vantage point of the surrounding area. Passing through Eaglehawk Neck and “The Dogline”, our tour guides share some fascinating stories and the history of the area.

Then we begin one of Tasmania’s “Great Short Walks”. This is a short but spectacular track along the Waterfall Bay Clifftop. The walk is around 45 minutes, undulating, and categorised as an easy walk. The track concludes at the remarkable rock formations of Tasman Arch and Devil’s Kitchen.

The next stop is the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo. We arrive in time for all the action of a Tasmanian Devil feeding. Watch the snarling, fighting and bone-crushing in a spectacle of devilish behaviour during the feeding. Hand-feed the wallabies and walk among the local fauna and flora in the charming “Unzoo” setting.

Continuing our journey, we arrive at the Port Arthur Historic Site. As we enter the site, there is a wealth of information and history to take in and explore. Entry includes a complimentary harbour cruise around the Isle of the Dead, The Port Arthur Experience podcast, which provides a fascinating introduction to the site, and complimentary site talks throughout the day led by Port Arthur’s expert guides. Discover the grim and violent history of the early Australian penal system and get a sense of the isolation experienced by the convicts in this “inescapable prison”. With around 2.5 hours here, there is time to walk through the main penitentiary, see the solitary-confinement cells and explore many more buildings in this World Heritage open-air museum.

On our return to Hobart, we travel via the historic township of Richmond. Arriving late in the afternoon, there is time to meander the streets, stop for a coffee, visit the Lolly Shop and Chocolatier, and walk across Australia’s oldest bridge still in use – a convict-built sandstone bridge reported to be haunted!

We return to Hobart around 6:00 pm.