## AUSTRALIA - 11 Days Nature Escape to Tasmania
### TOUR OVERVIEW / HIGHLIGHT
Being separated from the mainland of Australia, Tasmania is largely unspoiled, and from its totally unique wildlife to its dream-like landscapes, it provides some of the most memorable travel experiences you'll find anywhere in the world. On this journey, meet some of the continent’s cutest and unique wildlife – Tasmanian Devil, Eastern Quoll, Platypus; delight in Tasmania’s finest produce such as the prized Pacific Oysters, and fine wines; ramble along the stunning Bay of Fires coastline, and rest your head at an award-winning ecolodge; and not forgetting to embrace the eccentric at the avant-garde Museum of Old and New Art in Hobart.
### WHAT TO EXPECT?
#### DAY 01: ARRIVAL - MELBOURNE / LAUNCESTON
Welcome to Tasmania! Arrive at Launceston, the perfect place to start any exploration around Tassie. A city brimming with ancestral charm and architectural elegance, the culture hungry venture here to discover a myriad of museums and galleries while wine lovers and foodies flock to unravel a gourmet scene that rivals Hobart.
*Meals: -*
#### DAY 02: LAUNCESTON
Your discovery begins with a visit to Trowunna Wildlife Park in the beautiful Mersey Valley for an understanding of the wildlife unique to Tasmania and home to a wide range of native animals, dedicated to caring for injured and orphaned wildlife. the breeding and rehabilitation programs are explained by informative guides who will also host your very close encounters with the famous Tasmanian devil, wombats and kangaroos.
Return to Launceston and have the rest of the afternoon at leisure or discover more of the city on your own.
Why not visit Design Tasmania, featuring a museum of contemporary wood design made in the state by designers who live and work in Tasmania, as well as a gift shop with local crafts.
For dinner, we recommend Stillwater Restaurant, situated in a converted 1830s flour mill right on the banks of the Tamar River. With a strong focus on seasonal local produce like Cape Grim beef, abalone and wallaby, it’s a firm local favourite as well as a national award winner.
*Meals: Breakfast*
#### DAY 03: LAUNCESTON / MOUNT WILLIAM
Adventure awaits us as we spend the next 3 days exploring the iconic Bay of Fires in Mount William National Park carrying only a lightweight daypack. Walk along soft sandy beaches, discover secluded coves, kayak Ansons River and enjoy the luxury of two nights accommodation at the award-winning Bay of Fires Lodge.
This experience gives you time and space to relax and breathe, indulge in a signature treatment at our exclusive spa, or enjoy the outdoor bathing pavilion.
Following a hearty breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive to the Bay of Fires, to be greeted by the azure blue waters, white sandy beaches and iconic orange lichen-covered granite boulders.
Your lunch spot today is nestled in the dunes near Eddystone Point Lighthouse. Have time to explore the lighthouse and its long-standing story before it's time to get your walking boots sandy as you trek far-stretching beaches that lead to the celebrated Bay of Fires Lodge.
Afternoon tea will be waiting, along with spa treatments for those who want to indulge. Pre-bookings are best if you’re keen to sink into the outdoor tub or settle in for a luxurious few hours at the spa.
Come evening, venture into the library or have your hosts deliver a cold drop while you dip toes into a foot spa on the back deck. Dinner is a Tasmanian long-table affair, featuring produce from the island matched with fine local beer and wine.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 04: MOUNT WILLIAM
Rise early to the native birds accompanying the dawn, waking to the aroma of a hot-cooked breakfast and freshly brewed coffee. If it's a sunny morning, breakfast on the deck can reward you with whale spotting and dolphins surfing the waves.
Later in the morning, choose to kayak down Ansons River and experience the riparian ecology of this winding waterway. Cross the bird-rich waters of Ansons Bay and conclude with a stroll over the dunes of Abbotsbury Peninsula back to the lodge.
Other options for today include a spa treatment, fishing, exploring shell coves, or enjoying the lodge surrounds.
After dinner is when the native wildlife wander out – keep an eye out for wombats, wallabies, Forester kangaroos, possums or even a Tasmanian devil. Don’t forget to look up! The night sky from this pristine coastline is an awesome spectacle.
*Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner*
#### DAY 05: MOUNT WILLIAM / BEN LOMOND / SCOTTSDALE
Following a leisurely breakfast at the lodge, begin your tour of Northeast Tasmania with a drive to Ben Lomond.
Visit spectacular Ben Lomond National Park showcasing its magnificent Tolkien landscape, travel via forest back-roads to the Tyne Valley for a nature experience reviewed as one of Australia's best – the Quoll Patrol.
Enjoy a campfire dinner with kangaroos and the ambience of a crackling campfire while sampling Tasmanian wines before meeting some of Tasmania’s endearing wildlife characters focusing on the eastern quoll, pademelon & Bennett's wallaby, wombat and brush-tail possum.
Thereafter, call it a night at a lovely homestead.
*Meals: Breakfast*
#### DAY 06: SCOTTSDALE / COLES BAY
Early morning, travel a short distance to the outskirts of Scottsdale to hunt for the unique and fascinating platypus. Leaving the elusive platypus, we continue to the Pipers Brook and Tamar Valley regions where a tour of vineyards awaits you.
Visit Jansz Tasmania which boasts the best bubbles in Tasmania and experience the rustic charm of Delamere Vineyard before stopping by the Bay of Fires Vineyard. We continue on to the Relbia region to the Sharman’s Vineyard with wine varieties including Pinot Noir, Cabernet/Merlot, a vintage Sparkling Pinot/Chardonnay, Chardonnay (oaked and unoaked), Riesling, and Sauvignon Blanc. Our last stop is the Josef Chromy Vineyard with lunch in the vineyard restaurant.
After lunch, drive to Coles Bay and check in to your stunning lodge for a three-night stay.
*Meals: Breakfast & Lunch*
#### DAY 07-08: COLES BAY
Saffire Freycinet’s complimentary range of activities let you engage and connect with Freycinet’s stunning natural wonders and attractions.
Don a pair of waders and visit a working oyster farm located in a beautiful setting within an internationally significant wetland and ornithological site. Develop an understanding of wetland and marine ecology, plus a taste for prized Pacific oysters.
Encounter Tasmanian devils in a natural setting, and participate in the quest to save this endangered species from extinction. Led by your knowledgeable guides, visit Saffire’s free-range Tasmanian devil enclosure, meet some of the resident population of Tasmanian devils and observe them as they feed and interact.
Other activities include guided short walks to Wineglass Lookout, as well as Freycinet Bays and Capes.
*Meals: Breakfast*
#### DAY 09: COLES BAY / HOBART
Drive to Hobart, Tasmania’s state capital founded in 1804, and is a place where the old meets the new.
Victorian portside warehouses and historic gardens are mixed with cutting-edge restaurants, galleries and cafes. On Saturdays, mingle with the locals at the Salamanca Market (0830-1500h) where you’ll find fine local produce, artisan crafts and antiques.
Afternoon, visit Tasmania’s most famous convict settlement site of Port Arthur. Cruise around the Isle of the Dead (approx. 20-min harbour cruise), and a guided walking tour of the historic site. 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”, a World Heritage open-air museum.
*Meals: Breakfast*
#### DAY 10: HOBART
A must-visit during your time in Hobart is the incredible MONA – the Museum of Old and New Art which offers a fascinating insight into the changing culture of Australia from the 19th-century to the present day. Take a fast ferry along the Derwent River to MONA. Enjoy a guided tour of this unique and controversial museum before a gourmet lunch at The Source restaurant, perched on top of the MONA site.
*Meals: Breakfast & Lunch*
#### DAY 11: HOBART / MELBOURNE - DEPARTURE
There’s still time for a last taste of Tassie before heading to the airport for your flight home. Safe travels!
*Meals: Breakfast*
### ACCOMMODATION WE LOVE:
1. Launceston: Peppers Silo
1. Mount William National Park: Bay of Fires Lodge
1. Scottsdale: Willow Lodge
1. Coles Bay: Saffire Freycinet
1. Hobart: Henry Jones Art Hotel