Tassie's Parks & Nature
The untamed wilderness of Tassie’s West Coast awaits. Explore Russell Falls and the pristine beauty of Lake St Clair on this 7-day guided tour. Visit a UNESCO World Heritage Site as you cruise the majestic Gordon River. Hike Dove Lake at Cradle Mountain or just sit back by the crackling fire with a glass of wine. Wherever you go, an abundance of fine local fare awaits, including seafood dinners, Farm-to-Fork lunches, and tastings of cider and beer to delight your taste buds.
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 6 Breakfast (B)
- 2 Lunch (L)
- Medium level of fitness required. The Russell Falls Walk is an easy, flat 1.4 km trail taking approximately 25mins return. For those choosing to walk round Dove Lake, this is considered a Moderate 6km loop. Track has short steep hill sections, some rough surface and many steps. Not suitable for all guests. Alternate shorter walks are available which your Tour Director will advise. The Cataract Gorge circuit is a short easy walk however there are some steps and uneven surfaces.
- Day 1: Flights to arrive prior to 3.00pm into Hobart AirportDay 7: Fights to depart after 5.00pm from Launceston Airport Airport to Hotel transfers are available to purchase on request. Flights to and from your tour are not included in the tour price.
- Water bottle Warm layers in cooler months Camera Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat
Whats included
- Enjoy a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens Explore Hobart’s iconic Salamanca Market Visit Mount Field National Park including Russell Falls and Lake St Clair Relax on a Gordon River Cruise in the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park a UNESCO World Heritage site Stunning Cradle Mountain National Park and Dove Lake Visit the Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience Indulge in a Farm to Fork lunch at Mt. Gnomon Farm Visit a famous Tamar Valley winery Experience Launceston’s stunning Cataract Gorge
- Brews and Spirits
- Culinary and Cooking
- National Parks and Preserves
- UNESCO Site
- Wine
Day 1 - Welcome to Hobart
The Tasmanian capital, Hobart, packs a lot of punch into such a small perimeter, from restaurants that garner global praise to moody wine bars, eye-opening galleries, waterside walks and character-filled historic precincts. Explore at your leisure before meeting the adventurous souls over dinner.
Accommodations: Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart
Meals: Dinner
Day 2 - City Sights and Salamanca Market
Your morning excursions delve deep into many of the things that make Hobart great: from the Mt. Nelson Lookout, offering dizzying views over the city and Derwent River; to historic Battery Point and the Cascade Brewery. End the tour at the leafy Botanical Gardens spotlighting endemic plants, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Three hundred – that’s the number of stalls you’ll navigate this afternoon at Hobart’s mighty Salamanca Market. Get your heart started sampling gin and whisky or order a coffee while perusing made-in-Tasmania arts and crafts. The Salamanca precinct, amid historic sandstone buildings, is almost as pretty as the produce.
Accommodations: Hotel Grand Chancellor Hobart
Meals: Breakfast
Day 3 - Hobart - Strahan
The West Coast of Tassie is wild – in the best possible way. The air seems cleaner, the lakes cooler, the colours brighter, the waterfalls larger… as you’ll discover when the mist envelops you at tiered Russell Falls. This is part of Mt. Field National Park, the state’s most diverse nature reserve. Speaking of breaking records, Lake St. Clair is the deepest of its kind in Australia, carved by ice during glaciations over the last two million years. Pausing here puts life into perspective, in the best possible way. Skirt the World Heritage listed Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park, before arriving in Strahan. Small in population but big in personality, the town overlooks the immense Macquarie Harbour. Did you know it’s seven times the size of Sydney Harbour? Locals-only insights like this are among the reasons why Tasmania touring is a must.
Accommodations: Strahan Village
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 4 - Strahan - Cradle Mountain
No day that involves a cruise is a bad day. Even better if it’s the deep, dark waters of the far-flung Tassie’s Gordon River. Soak up the silence of this untouched wilderness area on your Gordon River cruise en route to Sarah Island, the state’s oldest convict settlement. Today, the island’s haunting ruins have been reclaimed by nature, enveloped by forest and twisting vines. Your commute toward immense Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park sees you travel through tiny mining towns scattered amongst the mountainous wild terrain. Rest up – Cradle Mountain awaits.
Accommodations: Cradle Mountain Hotel
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5 - Cradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain owes much of its protected status to early settlers Gustav and Kate Weindorfer, who were pivotal in championing the conservation of the area. Their efforts are remembered at Waldheim Chalet, their former home, set among myrtles and King Billy pines that gradually give way to moss-covered ancient rainforests and deep river gorges, snow-tipped peaks and wild alpine moorlands. This is the heart of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, carved by glacial waterways like Dove Lake. You can see why Bennetts wallabies, echidnas, wombats and pademelons live here – you, too, will find it hard to tear yourself away. If you’re a night person, consider enlisting to spot Tassie’s nocturnal animals, whether at a devil sanctuary or in the wild. Optional Cradle Mountain tours see you spotting elusive creatures. Where else in the world can you say you saw a devil feed? (own expense)
Accommodations: Cradle Mountain Hotel
Meals: Breakfast
Day 6 - Cradle Mountain - Launceston
Begin your day with a visit to The Emu Valley Rhododendron Garden, a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Wander through 11 hectares of stunning gardens, ornate structures, and tranquil lakes, where over half the world’s 1,000 rhododendron species flourish. Dedicated volunteers have lovingly shaped this botanical haven, and if you’re lucky, you might spot a platypus! Next, travel east along the coast to Penguin, a town as charming as its name suggests. Then, at Mount Gnomon Farm, farmer Guy Robertson invites you to sample brews crafted from apples grown in his heritage orchard. Savour a paddock-to-plate lunch, rich in local flavours. Finally, continue to quirky Sheffield, the famed ‘Town of Murals,’ before winding your way through the scenic Meander Valley to Launceston.
Accommodations: Hotel Grand Chancellor Launceston
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7 - Farewell from Launceston
It’s no secret that Tasmania is renowned for producing some of the finest food in Australia, thanks to its clean air, pure water, and fertile soil. Begin your day at the Tasmanian Gourmet Sauce Company, where you can sample delectable sauces, jams, mustards, and relishes. While indulging, take the opportunity to learn about the local produce and the unique ingredients grown right here in Tassie. By the time you arrive at Josef Chromy Vineyard, you’ll be ready to quench your thirst with a glass of Tasmania’s exceptional cool-climate wine, crafted to perfection. Next, prepare to be awe-inspired by Cataract Gorge. This stunning natural attraction boasts a lush blend of bushland and meticulously maintained Victorian gardens, all conveniently located within walking distance of the Launceston CBD. Don’t miss the chance to ride the longest single-span chairlift in the world, offering incredible views of the gorge below (own expense). This afternoon, immerse yourself in the vibrant culture of Launceston, known as the city of gastronomy, where culinary delights await. If your journey doesn’t end here, we highly recommend extending your adventure with one of our carefully curated optional tours to explore even more of Tasmania’s treasures!
Meals: Breakfast
Our Commitment
We’re captivated by the places we visit, from the rugged, crimson sands of Australia’s outback deserts to the verdant forests and inky depths of New Zealand’s fjords and valleys. Our passion for our lands, their people and wildlife is part of what makes each AAT Kings experience unique, and is why we work with partners who share our vision for making travel matter, now and in the future. When you travel with AAT Kings and any of our sister brands you can be assured that you are choosing to travel with a company that puts sustainability and the planet at the core of everything we do.
TreadRight
The TreadRight Foundation was founded over a decade ago as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands with a mission to ensure our trips have a positive impact, and AAT Kings is proud to be a founding member.
People
Community support and cultural preservation by targeting overtourism through the inclusion of new MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences, the creation of a standalone strategy to encourage greater diversity and inclusion at AAT Kings, and our global give-back efforts.
Planet
Sustainability and conservation by targeting climate change, sustainable food production and responsible consumption through carbon management, renewable energy, the food cycle, waste reduction, and the elimination of single-use plastics.
Wildlife
Conservation and protection by targeting animal welfare and conservation, and ethical wildlife experiences through our Animal Welfare Policy.
AAT Kings supports the following projects
In partnership with the TreadRight Foundation, we have supported more than 55 sustainable tourism projects worldwide which seek to protect wildlife and marine life and have a positive impact on the people and communities we visit. Each tourism project we support is assessed based on its impact on each of the TreadRight pillars of people, planet and wildlife, underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which combine to form the basis for our five-year sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right (HWTR).
Kiwi Conservation with the National Kiwi Hatchery
Since 1995 Rainbow Springs Nature Park in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island has provided vital support to vulnerable populations of the flightless Kiwi bird, a beloved national species. The species is under threat from predators and their ground nests lack adequate protection, causing their population to decline each year. To date the National Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs has hatched more than 2,000 eggs, providing a safe environment for birds to hatch, releasing them into ideal habitats in the wild so that they can continue to reproduce. You can visit the Hatchery to learn more about the vital work they are doing to ensure the survival of the species, with less than 70,000 kiwis left in the wild.
Save the Tasmanian Devil
In some areas, more than 80% of the Tasmanian Devil population has been wiped out by Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) which continue to spread through wild populations in Tasmania. In conjunction with the TreadRight Foundation, AAT Kings support the work done at the University of Tasmania to develop a vaccine to ensure the population of Tasmanian devils can thrive disease-free in the wild. Guests travelling on selected Tasmanian tours can spend time observing the nocturnal behaviour of the Tasmanian Devil and learn more about these fascinating creatures with our Devils After Dark experience.
Animal Welfare Policy
AAT Kings is committed to only offering ethical wildlife experiences on our trips guided by TreadRight’s Animal Welfare Policy to support a tourism industry free of animal cruelty. The policy is based on the Five Domains of Animal Welfare.
How We Tread Right (HWTR)
Launched in 2020, How We Tread Right (HWTR) is AAT Kings’ five-year sustainability strategy. It is the sustainability blueprint for us and our sister brands under our parent company The Travel Corporation (TTC).
Our strategy consists of 11 sustainability goals anchored to the United Nations’ Global Goals, which guide the way we are addressing climate change, sustainable food production, waste reduction, travel experiences, diversity and inclusion, and wildlife: the six main issues that we are currently focused on as a business.
Goal 1: Climate Change
Reach net zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050 from a 2019 baseline year
Goal 2: Climate Change
Source 50% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025
Goal 3: Sustainable Food Production
Reduce food waste by 50% across
Goal 4: Sustainable Food Production
Increase use of local & organic food products by our supply chain by 2025
Goal 5: Responsible Consumption
Reduce printed brochures by 50% by 2025
Goal 6: Responsible Consumption
Eliminate as many unnecessary single-use plastics from our operations and itineraries
Goal 7: Overtourism
Include at least 1 Make Travel Matter Experience on 50% of TTC itineraries by 2025
Goal 8: Overtourism
Achieve a 20% increase of itineraries visiting developing regions for select specialist brands by 2025
Goal 9: Our Culture
Increase employee and market sentiment regarding diversity and inclusion across our brands
Goal 10: Our Culture
Complete 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025
Goal 11: Animal Welfare
Ensure all wildlife experiences across TTC brands adhere to our animal welfare policy
At AAT Kings we've assembled a range of fun, passionate, quirky, knowledgeable and talented people to help make your holiday great and one you’ll remember forever. Our team will bring your holiday to life and they’ll share their passion and knowledge for Australia and New Zealand in ways beyond expected.
Travel Directors
At AAT Kings we pride ourselves on having some of the most experienced and insightful Travel Directors in the world. They’ll provide the commentary, stories and local insights behind each destination to allow you to truly get a feel for the places you visit. They’ll share advice, provide personal recommendations and reveal some ‘Hidden Gems’ along the way that you simply couldn't experience if travelling on your own.
Driver Guides
We personally train all our Driver Guides to provide exceptional service every step of the way. Each and every Driver Guide has extensive on road experience and driver training with a safe driving track record. Along with passion and local insight these genuine Aussie characters will enhance your AAT Kings experience and make sure you have a holiday you won’t forget. If you’re travelling on a Short Break you may be joined by a different Driver Guide each day so you can benefit from the breadth of their combined knowledge and years of experience for a more independent style of travel.
Local Guides
We’ll also be joined by a number of Local Guides at various destinations on selected Day Tours and Short Breaks. These Local Guides have specialist knowledge of their hometown and local traditions. They’ll take your sightseeing experience to a whole new level as they share their passion and stories in an engaging and entertaining way.
Travel Solo, Not Alone
Travelling solo doesn’t mean that you have to travel alone. Travelling solo on an AAT Kings Guided Holiday connects you with other like-minded travellers to experience the best Australia and New Zealand have to offer on a worry-free adventure.
Your Solo Traveller Options
Solo Traveller Room Share
On nearly all of our itineraries you can choose to be matched with a same gender traveller and only pay the twin share price
Enjoy A Room Just For You
We offer single room supplements across our tours if you want to enjoy a room all to yourself. Simply choose your tour and select your room preference in the booking process.
What to expect when travelling solo in Australia and New Zealand with AAT Kings
On an AAT Kings Guided Holiday you’ll be joining a tour with travellers who have one thing in common. A desire to uncover the true beating heart of Australia and New Zealand in ways that you never imagined possible. Getting under the skin of a destination, learning from local experts, and travelling worry-free, you’ll experience places more beautiful than any guidebook can describe.
Drink in the view, discover wild tastes to feed your soul and immerse yourself in stories that live and breathe, safe in the knowledge that every detail of your trip will be taken care of. You’ll enjoy the benefits of travelling in a group, with all of the essentials like accommodation and exclusive experiences all seamlessly sorted ‘behind the scenes’.
You don’t need to be single to travel solo. Perhaps you want to travel to parts of Australia and New Zealand your partner is not keen to visit, or you want to challenge yourself to travel solo for the first time. Our First Choice and Best Buys Guided Holidays give you the flexibility to choose a fully curated experience with plenty of local connections or a flexible itinerary with more time for you.
Our Commitment
We’re captivated by the places we visit, from the rugged, crimson sands of Australia’s outback deserts to the verdant forests and inky depths of New Zealand’s fjords and valleys. Our passion for our lands, their people and wildlife is part of what makes each AAT Kings experience unique, and is why we work with partners who share our vision for making travel matter, now and in the future. When you travel with AAT Kings and any of our sister brands you can be assured that you are choosing to travel with a company that puts sustainability and the planet at the core of everything we do.
TreadRight
The TreadRight Foundation was founded over a decade ago as a joint initiative between The Travel Corporation’s (TTC) family of brands with a mission to ensure our trips have a positive impact, and AAT Kings is proud to be a founding member.
People
Community support and cultural preservation by targeting overtourism through the inclusion of new MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experiences, the creation of a standalone strategy to encourage greater diversity and inclusion at AAT Kings, and our global give-back efforts.
Planet
Sustainability and conservation by targeting climate change, sustainable food production and responsible consumption through carbon management, renewable energy, the food cycle, waste reduction, and the elimination of single-use plastics.
Wildlife
Conservation and protection by targeting animal welfare and conservation, and ethical wildlife experiences through our Animal Welfare Policy.
AAT Kings supports the following projects
In partnership with the TreadRight Foundation, we have supported more than 55 sustainable tourism projects worldwide which seek to protect wildlife and marine life and have a positive impact on the people and communities we visit. Each tourism project we support is assessed based on its impact on each of the TreadRight pillars of people, planet and wildlife, underpinned by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which combine to form the basis for our five-year sustainability strategy, How We Tread Right (HWTR).
Kiwi Conservation with the National Kiwi Hatchery
Since 1995 Rainbow Springs Nature Park in Rotorua on New Zealand’s North Island has provided vital support to vulnerable populations of the flightless Kiwi bird, a beloved national species. The species is under threat from predators and their ground nests lack adequate protection, causing their population to decline each year. To date the National Kiwi Hatchery at Rainbow Springs has hatched more than 2,000 eggs, providing a safe environment for birds to hatch, releasing them into ideal habitats in the wild so that they can continue to reproduce. You can visit the Hatchery to learn more about the vital work they are doing to ensure the survival of the species, with less than 70,000 kiwis left in the wild.
Save the Tasmanian Devil
In some areas, more than 80% of the Tasmanian Devil population has been wiped out by Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) which continue to spread through wild populations in Tasmania. In conjunction with the TreadRight Foundation, AAT Kings support the work done at the University of Tasmania to develop a vaccine to ensure the population of Tasmanian devils can thrive disease-free in the wild. Guests travelling on selected Tasmanian tours can spend time observing the nocturnal behaviour of the Tasmanian Devil and learn more about these fascinating creatures with our Devils After Dark experience.
Animal Welfare Policy
AAT Kings is committed to only offering ethical wildlife experiences on our trips guided by TreadRight’s Animal Welfare Policy to support a tourism industry free of animal cruelty. The policy is based on the Five Domains of Animal Welfare.
How We Tread Right (HWTR)
Launched in 2020, How We Tread Right (HWTR) is AAT Kings’ five-year sustainability strategy. It is the sustainability blueprint for us and our sister brands under our parent company The Travel Corporation (TTC).
Our strategy consists of 11 sustainability goals anchored to the United Nations’ Global Goals, which guide the way we are addressing climate change, sustainable food production, waste reduction, travel experiences, diversity and inclusion, and wildlife: the six main issues that we are currently focused on as a business.
Goal 1: Climate Change
Reach net zero GHG emissions across the value chain by 2050 from a 2019 baseline year
Goal 2: Climate Change
Source 50% of our electricity from renewable sources by 2025
Goal 3: Sustainable Food Production
Reduce food waste by 50% across
Goal 4: Sustainable Food Production
Increase use of local & organic food products by our supply chain by 2025
Goal 5: Responsible Consumption
Reduce printed brochures by 50% by 2025
Goal 6: Responsible Consumption
Eliminate as many unnecessary single-use plastics from our operations and itineraries
Goal 7: Overtourism
Include at least 1 Make Travel Matter Experience on 50% of TTC itineraries by 2025
Goal 8: Overtourism
Achieve a 20% increase of itineraries visiting developing regions for select specialist brands by 2025
Goal 9: Our Culture
Increase employee and market sentiment regarding diversity and inclusion across our brands
Goal 10: Our Culture
Complete 30,000 volunteer hours by 2025
Goal 11: Animal Welfare
Ensure all wildlife experiences across TTC brands adhere to our animal welfare policy
At AAT Kings we've assembled a range of fun, passionate, quirky, knowledgeable and talented people to help make your holiday great and one you’ll remember forever. Our team will bring your holiday to life and they’ll share their passion and knowledge for Australia and New Zealand in ways beyond expected.
Travel Directors
At AAT Kings we pride ourselves on having some of the most experienced and insightful Travel Directors in the world. They’ll provide the commentary, stories and local insights behind each destination to allow you to truly get a feel for the places you visit. They’ll share advice, provide personal recommendations and reveal some ‘Hidden Gems’ along the way that you simply couldn't experience if travelling on your own.
Driver Guides
We personally train all our Driver Guides to provide exceptional service every step of the way. Each and every Driver Guide has extensive on road experience and driver training with a safe driving track record. Along with passion and local insight these genuine Aussie characters will enhance your AAT Kings experience and make sure you have a holiday you won’t forget. If you’re travelling on a Short Break you may be joined by a different Driver Guide each day so you can benefit from the breadth of their combined knowledge and years of experience for a more independent style of travel.
Local Guides
We’ll also be joined by a number of Local Guides at various destinations on selected Day Tours and Short Breaks. These Local Guides have specialist knowledge of their hometown and local traditions. They’ll take your sightseeing experience to a whole new level as they share their passion and stories in an engaging and entertaining way.
Travel Solo, Not Alone
Travelling solo doesn’t mean that you have to travel alone. Travelling solo on an AAT Kings Guided Holiday connects you with other like-minded travellers to experience the best Australia and New Zealand have to offer on a worry-free adventure.
Your Solo Traveller Options
Solo Traveller Room Share
On nearly all of our itineraries you can choose to be matched with a same gender traveller and only pay the twin share price
Enjoy A Room Just For You
We offer single room supplements across our tours if you want to enjoy a room all to yourself. Simply choose your tour and select your room preference in the booking process.
What to expect when travelling solo in Australia and New Zealand with AAT Kings
On an AAT Kings Guided Holiday you’ll be joining a tour with travellers who have one thing in common. A desire to uncover the true beating heart of Australia and New Zealand in ways that you never imagined possible. Getting under the skin of a destination, learning from local experts, and travelling worry-free, you’ll experience places more beautiful than any guidebook can describe.
Drink in the view, discover wild tastes to feed your soul and immerse yourself in stories that live and breathe, safe in the knowledge that every detail of your trip will be taken care of. You’ll enjoy the benefits of travelling in a group, with all of the essentials like accommodation and exclusive experiences all seamlessly sorted ‘behind the scenes’.
You don’t need to be single to travel solo. Perhaps you want to travel to parts of Australia and New Zealand your partner is not keen to visit, or you want to challenge yourself to travel solo for the first time. Our First Choice and Best Buys Guided Holidays give you the flexibility to choose a fully curated experience with plenty of local connections or a flexible itinerary with more time for you.
About AAT Kings
A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travellers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customised, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid domestic and international travellers on a wild and wonderful ride.
We’ve spent the last century perfecting a Holy Grail of life-changing moments around Australia and across New Zealand – ones you likely never knew even existed, and that you won’t find in a guidebook or listed on any website. Our DNA has never changed – we are, and always have been pioneers committed to worry-free and sustainable travel, revealing these majestic countries in a way that you never imagined possible.
About AAT Kings
A century ago, the Australian outback was but a twinkle in most travellers’ eyes. But thanks to visionaries like the Pyke family and Bill King, the way we explore the Land Down Under was about to change in unimaginable ways. Over the coming decades, maps were unfolded, desert cruisers and coaches were customised, and guides were trained. From humble beginnings, the company now known as AAT Kings was going places few had gone before, pioneering new paths across Australia and New Zealand and taking intrepid domestic and international travellers on a wild and wonderful ride.
We’ve spent the last century perfecting a Holy Grail of life-changing moments around Australia and across New Zealand – ones you likely never knew even existed, and that you won’t find in a guidebook or listed on any website. Our DNA has never changed – we are, and always have been pioneers committed to worry-free and sustainable travel, revealing these majestic countries in a way that you never imagined possible.
