Grand Circle Self Drive

Day 1: Hobart
On arrival into Hobart, pick up your hire car and drive to Crowne Plaza Hobart, where you will check in to stay for the next two nights. Hobart is a beautiful city built around a harbour in the shadow of Mount Wellington. Spend the rest of the day orienting yourself with the local area.

Day 2: Hobart
Today is your first full day in Tasmania and you’ll spend this time exploring Hobart. Perhaps take a walk to the Royal Botanical Gardens, Constitution Dock, Sandy Bay, Salamanca Place, or Battery Point. If you happen to be in Hobart on a Saturday, make sure to wander around the famous markets of Salamanca.

Day 3: Hobart - Strahan
Check out and head out of Hobart today to drive through the heart of Tasmania towards Strahan, on the West Coast. En route, stop off and enjoy one of the short walks that lead off from the highway to rainforests, waterfalls and spectacular lookouts. When you arrive in Strahan, check into Franklin Manor Hotel, where you will stay tonight on a bed & breakfast basis.

Day 4: Strahan – Cradle Mountain
This morning after breakfast, depart Strahan and travel north to Zeehan, a fascinating place that was previously a booming mining town in the early 1900’s. Then, make your way to your hotel, Cradle Mountain Hotel, where you will stay for the next two nights on a bed & breakfast basis.

Day 5: Cradle Mountain National Park
After a lovely breakfast, today is at your leisure to explore Cradle Mountain National Park, renowned for its walking tracks with spectacular mountain peaks, deep gorges, lakes, wild open moorlands and an incredible variety of wildlife. The Dove Lake Circuit is a popular choice and takes around three hours in total.

Day 6: Cradle Mountain - Launceston
Depart Cradle Mountain after breakfast and set off eastwards to Launceston, nestled in the hills and known as the ‘Garden City’, and the centre of Tasmania’s north. Check into your hotel, Hotel Grand Chancellor Launceston, where you will spend tonight. The rest of the day is yours to explore, perhaps visit the magnificent Cataract Gorge, just ten minutes from the city centre.

Day 7: Launceston – St Helens
Depart Launceston and travel northeast, to the small bayside town of St Helens, well known for its seafood. Check into your hotel, Tidal Waters Resort, where you will stay for one night. This afternoon, visit The Gardens and the Bay of Fires Coastal Reserves near Binalong Bay for stunning beaches.

Day 8: St Helens - Freycinet
Head south from St Helens, through the towns of Scamander and St Mary’s, before stopping for pancakes at Elephant Pass. Drive through the small resort town of Bicheno before continuing south through Coles Bay to the Freycinet National Park. Stop along the way to explore the Friendly Beaches. When you arrive, check into your hotel, Freycinet Lodge, where you will stay for two nights on a bed & breakfast basis.

Day 9: Freycinet National Park
After breakfast, you have time today to explore all that the Freycinet National Park has to offer, including abundant wildlife, spectacular beaches, and a variety of walking trails. Perhaps hike to Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach, the view over the famous arc of white beach, green, forested isthmus and blue water is unmatched. Turn back from here, or complete the four or five-hour circuit past lovely Hazards Beach.

Day 10: Freycinet National Park – Hobart
Enjoy a hearty breakfast as you make an early start this morning to enable you to spend some time at Port Arthur, one of Australia’s best known historic sites, home to the well-preserved convict settlement. Afterwards, travel to Hobart via the historic village of Richmond and check into your final hotel, Crowne Plaza Hobart, where you will stay for two nights.

Day 11: Hobart
Spend your last day at leisure in Hobart. Take a stroll along Hobart’s pretty waterfront, where rows of Georgian sandstone warehouses have been converted into galleries and restaurants where you can shop for those last minute trinkets. Or, take a day trip to Bruny Island, climb the stairs to the lookout above the Neck – a narrow, sandy isthmus connecting north and south Bruny Island – to take in 360-degree views over Adventure Bay.

Day 12: Hobart - UK
Today, check out of your hotel and drive back to Hobart Airport to return your car, before heading to catch your flight back to the UK.