Tasmania Hiking Tour: Cradle Mountain, Bay of Fires & Maria Island

Rainforest, alpine ridges & coastal cliffs walk spotting wombats, wallabies & Tasmanian devils in the wild

A 6-day guided hiking tour of Tasmania departing from Hobart that loops through the island's wilderness—Cradle Mountain National Park, Bay of Fires, Maria Island and the Tasman Peninsula—with a small group of no more than 13 people. You stay in comfortable accommodation (lakeside lodge, bush cabins, beachside bungalows and farm stays), hike to named landmarks like Wineglass Bay and Cape Hauy, and watch wildlife including wombats, wallabies, echidnas and Tasmanian devils in their natural habitat. Breakfast and dinner are included each day; the tour operates with a live English-speaking guide and pickup from Hobart.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1 — Hobart to Wild West Coast

• Walk Tall Trees in Mount Field National Park
• See Russell Falls and Horseshoe Falls
• Stroll Franklin River and Nelson Falls
• Visit Queenstown mining town
• Arrive at Tullah

Day 2 — Tullah to Central Tasmania via Cradle Mountain

• Drive through temperate rainforest
• Arrive at Cradle Mountain National Park
• Hike Marions Lookout
• Walk Dove Lake Circuit
• Spot wild wombats

Day 3 — Central Tasmania to Bicheno

• Drive to Bay of Fires
• Explore beaches and granite boulders
• Visit wildlife sanctuary for Tasmanian Devil feeding
• Feed kangaroos
• Drive to Bicheno
• Explore blowhole and coastal loop walk
• Visit whales lookout

Day 4 — Bicheno to Southern Tasmania

• Hike Wineglass Bay Lookout and Beach or Hazards Circuit or Mount Amos
• Stop at Cape Tourville

Day 5 — Maria Island National Park

• Ferry to Maria Island
• Explore Fossil Cliffs
• Visit Painted Cliffs
• Tour historic Darlington township
• Spot wombats, pademelons, wallabies, kangaroos, echidnas, and birds

Day 6 — Cape Hauy and the Tasman Peninsula

• Start hike at Fortescue Bay
• Hike 4-hour return to Cape Hauy
• Enjoy panoramic ocean views and rock formations
• Rest at Fortescue Bay beach
• Explore Tasman Peninsula and sample local produce

The Experience

The tour leaves Hobart and heads west into Mount Field National Park, where you walk the Tall Trees trail past Russell Falls and Horseshoe Falls before crossing into the Tasmania Wilderness World Heritage Area. A stop at Franklin Gordon Wild Rivers National Park takes you along the Franklin River and under Nelson Falls. By afternoon you reach Tullah on the west coast, staying at a lakeside lodge—the first of four different accommodation bases over the six days.

Day two moves into Cradle Mountain National Park through temperate rainforest. You hike Marion's Lookout for views or walk the Dove Lake Circuit depending on the group's preference, and wombats often appear along the trails. The next morning brings a drive to Bay of Fires, where you rock-hop among orange lichen-covered granite boulders and swim in turquoise water, then stop at a wildlife sanctuary to watch Tasmanian devils feed and hand-feed kangaroos. You sleep in Bicheno, a coastal town where you can explore the blowhole and coastal loop walk.

The fourth day takes you to Freycinet National Park and the hike to Wineglass Bay—the route depends on weather and fitness, with options including the Hazards Circuit or Mount Amos. Day five is the ferry crossing to Maria Island National Park, where you trek to the Fossil Cliffs and Painted Cliffs, walk through the historic township of Darlington, and watch for wombats, pademelons, wallabies and echidnas. The final day is a 4-hour return hike to Cape Hauy on the Tasman Peninsula, the highest sea cliffs in Australia, where the Three Capes Track descends through forest and coastal heath to panoramic ocean views. You rest at Fortescue Bay afterward and sample local produce before returning to Hobart.

What’s included

• Breakfast and dinner each day.
• air-conditioned vehicle throughout the tour.
• accommodation in a lakeside lodge, bush cabins, beachside bungalows and farm stays.
• live English-speaking guide.
• pickup from Hobart.
• entry to national parks and the ferry to Maria Island.

Good to know

Moderate physical level

Operated by Wild Tasmania Tours

Is this one for you?Pick this tour if you want guided hikes through Cradle Mountain and Tasmania's alpine regions with wildlife spotting included, rather than navigating trails and animal encounters solo.

Top questions

What wildlife will I actually see on this Tasmania hiking tour?

The tour frequently spots wombats, wallabies, echidnas, quolls and pademelons in the wild along the trails and in the bush. You'll watch Tasmanian devils feed at a wildlife sanctuary on day three and hand-feed kangaroos there as well. Maria Island and the coastal regions often show additional birdlife and sometimes whales from the lookout points.

How difficult are the hikes, and do I need to be very fit?

The operator states travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness. Hikes vary across the six days—some are walks like the Dove Lake Circuit, while others like the 4-hour return trek to Cape Hauy and the Wineglass Bay hike are more demanding. Weather can affect which route you take on certain days.

What's included in the 6-day tour price?

Breakfast and dinner are included each day; the air-conditioned vehicle, guide and all accommodation (lakeside lodge, bush cabins, beachside bungalows and farm stays) are included. Pickup from Hobart is included. Lunch and other meals are not covered.

Where do I stay each night on this tour?

You stay in four different locations: a lakeside lodge at Tullah on the west coast; secluded bush cabins surrounded by wildlife in central Tasmania; beachside bungalows in Bicheno; and farm stays on the Tasman Peninsula and Maria Island. The operator emphasizes comfortable accommodation with no hostels.

Is this a private tour or a shared group experience?

This is a small group tour with a maximum of 13 people. You can book a private room with shared bath for one or two people, or choose multi-share accommodation; the group itself remains shared with a single guide leading everyone together.

How do I get to Maria Island, and what will I see there?

You take a ferry from the mainland to Maria Island National Park on day five. Once there, you trek on foot to the Fossil Cliffs (where ancient marine history is visible in the rock faces), the Painted Cliffs (known for their colorful swirling patterns), and the historic township of Darlington. Wildlife sightings often include wombats, wallabies, kangaroos and echidnas.