Hobart, Port Arthur & Bruny Island: 3-Day Tasmania Tour

Three Days Across Tasmania's South: Hobart, Bruny Island & Port Arthur

You visit Hobart's colonial centre and Salamanca Market on day one, then spend day two on Bruny Island exploring rainforest, lighthouses and local oyster farms. Day three takes you through Port Arthur's penal settlement with a guided walk and harbour cruise, plus stops at chocolate, lavender and cheese producers along the way. Hotel pickup, park pass and Bonorong entry are included. You arrange your own transport to the tour start.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Hobart key attractions tour

• City highlights bus tour
• Drive up Mount Wellington
• Visit Salamanca Market
• Explore Richmond Village
• Cheese tasting at Wicked Cheese
• Visit Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

Day 2: Bruny Island scenic day trip

• Walk in temperate rainforest
• Explore Cape Bruny Lighthouse
• Visit Bruny Island lookout
• Oyster tasting stop
• Relax at seaside town beach
• Cheese tasting at Bruny Island Cheese

Day 3: Port Arthur and Tasman sights

• Stop at Eaglehawk Neck lookout
• Visit Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry
• Explore Port Arthur Lavender Farm
• Tour Port Arthur Historic Site
• View Maingon Bay and Remarkable Cave

The experience

The Salamanca Market fills before nine on Saturday mornings: stalls crowding the waterfront, coffee steam rising, buskers warming up. That's where this three-day Tasmanian tour starts, after you've already climbed Mount Wellington and seen the city spread below you from 1,272 metres up. The first day moves fast: city highlights by bus while Hobart's still quiet, the colonial sandstone buildings sliding past, then the market itself where locals and visitors blur together over breakfast and handmade goods. You'll also stop at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary to see Tasmanian devils, wombats and koalas up close, and Richmond Village with its 19th-century bridge and award-winning cheese maker.

Day two is Bruny Island: the part people talk about after. A 20-minute rainforest walk gets you into the island's rhythm, then you're at Cape Bruny Lighthouse (the second oldest tower in Australia still standing), climbing to a lookout with 360-degree views across the Tasman Sea. The island's famous for oysters and cheese, and both appear on the route back to the ferry. You'll spend time on the main beach and at Bruny Island Cheese Company, tasting local produce that actually tastes like where it's from. A Parks Pass is required for this day: buy it online before you go, or call ahead to arrange it.

Port Arthur comes on day three, and it's not a quick stop. You get a 35-minute guided walking tour of the penal settlement plus a 20-minute harbour cruise, entry included. On the way there, the bus pulls in at Eaglehawk Neck's Pirate Bay and the Dog Line monument for photos, then the Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry (obvious reason). The Lavender Farm sits between that and Port Arthur itself. After the historic site, you can either stay the full four hours or head back to the bus for Remarkable Cave: 115 sandstone steps down to a viewing platform where the cliffs close in around you.

The whole tour runs with a local guide, air-conditioned vehicle, and hotel pickup from selected CBD hotels in Hobart. Bonorong costs $33.50 per person on top of the tour price. If you start on Thursday or Friday instead of Saturday, the itinerary shifts: Bruny Island and Port Arthur come first, and you skip the Salamanca Market. Book the Saturday start if the market matters to you.

What’s included

• Local professional guide.
• air-conditioned vehicle.
• hotel pickup and drop-off from selected CBD hotels.
• National Parks Pass.
• Port Arthur Historic Site entrance fee and 35-minute guided walking tour plus 20-minute harbour cruise.
• Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary entry ($33.50 per person).
• free cheese sampling at Wicked Cheese in Richmond.
• access to Salamanca Market (Saturdays only).
• stops at Cape Bruny Lighthouse, Bruny Island Cheese Company, Tasmanian Chocolate Foundry, Port Arthur Lavender Farm, Eaglehawk Neck's Pirate Bay, and Remarkable Cave.

Before you book

Days and timesMonday, Thursday, Friday and SaturdayDeparts at 07:30

Book up to2h before

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Tassie Tours Tasmania

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to see Tasmania's three main regions in one trip without arranging your own transport, park passes and timing: the fixed three-day schedule and included guide handle all of that, leaving you to move through each place at the pace the tour sets.

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Top questions

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What day does the Salamanca Market stop happen?

Saturday only. The Hobart Highlights day is always scheduled for Saturday to include the market. If you start Thursday or Friday, you'll do Bruny Island and Port Arthur first.

Do I need a Parks Pass for the whole tour?

Only for Bruny Island. Buy it online at passes.parks.tas.gov.au before the tour, or call ahead during the day to arrange it by phone.

How long do we spend at Port Arthur?

You can stay the full four hours (includes a 35-minute guided walk and 20-minute harbour cruise), or return to the bus after three hours to visit Remarkable Cave and Maingon Bay instead.

What's included in the tour price?

Local guide, air-conditioned vehicle, hotel pickup and drop-off from selected CBD hotels, National Parks Pass, Port Arthur entrance fee, and Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary. Bonorong costs $33.50 extra per person.

Can I bring young children?

Yes. Infants can travel in a pram or stroller, and must sit on an adult's lap. The tour suits all fitness levels.

How much walking is involved on Bruny Island?

A 20-minute return walk through rainforest, plus time at Cape Bruny Lighthouse and the main beach. You'll also visit cheese and oyster stops, which involve minimal walking.

Is lunch included?

No. You'll have opportunities to buy food at the Salamanca Market, Bruny Island cheese and oyster stops, and along the Port Arthur route, but meals are not included in the tour price.

What if Mount Wellington is cloudy on day one?

The tour uses an alternative lookout so you still get views of Hobart and surroundings, even if the mountain itself is shrouded in cloud.