The Tarkine And Cradle Mountain Explorer - 6 Days
AustraliaThe Tarkine

The Tarkine And Cradle Mountain Explorer - 6 Days

6 Days
Moderate

The Tarkine And Cradle Mountain Explorer - 6 Days

from $3,895 / person

Overview

Hike and explore Tasmania's Tarkine wilderness, the largest area of unbroken cool-temperate rainforest remaining in the Southern Hemisphere. This 65-million-year-old forest houses hidden gems and ancient relics, including tree species that exist elsewhere only as fossils. Mountains, wild rivers, and a sublime coastline with ferocious oceans and iconic open plains complete the picture.

An extra full day at Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park sets this six-day itinerary apart, with glacier-sculpted peaks, river gorges, glacial lakes, and wild alpine moorland to explore. The walk takes in a section of the iconic Overland Track, the Cradle Mountain Face Track, and the shores of Dove Lake.

Accommodation sits right on the edge of these majestic parks, keeping walkers immersed in the quiet wilderness throughout. Two experienced guides take care of every detail, with options to shorten walks where preferred.

Highlights

  • The Tarkine is reputed to produce some of the world's freshest air
  • Beautiful Philiospher Falls with its towering myrtle and sassafras trees
  • Pieman and Whyte rivers - look out for a platypus!
  • The spectacular view from the summit of Mt Donaldson
  • Pieman River cruise with fascinating historical commentary
  • Plenty of time to explore the fabulous walking tracks and rich wildlife of Cradle Mountain National Park
  • A stunning walk into Dove Canyon and the Face Track brandishing the best of Tasmania's sub-alpine scenery
  • Cooked breakfasts each morning and two-course dinners in the evening

Itinerary

Day 1

Launceston via Philosopher Falls to the Tarkine
4 km

This holiday commences in Launceston at 8.00 am. From here, we will travel through Penguin on our way to the Tarkine. Half of this region is rainforest, with the remainder being eucalypt forest, heathland, button grass and rivers. The Tarkine, reputed to produce some of the world’s freshest air, is so vastly inaccessible it takes a solid walk before you find the pure Sassafras rainforest, tree ferns and Myrtle trees, some of which are over half a millennia old. We’ll enjoy lunch amidst some of Tasmania’s oldest forest environments. On our first day we’re walking at the beautiful Philosopher Falls, this time amidst the stunning towering Myrtle and Sassafras. Accommodation is in a private room but shared cabin and bathroom - please read the accommodation info section.

Accommodation

Lodge in Corrina

Meals

Lunch, Dinner

What's Included

Accommodation

Lodge (5 nights)

Meals

5 breakfasts, 6 lunches, and 5 dinners

Transfers

  • Private Vehicle Transfers
  • Ferry transfer

Guidance & Support

  • Itinerary & Walk Notes
  • 24/7 on-trip support

Included Activities

  • Pieman river cruise

How We Rate This Walk

3

Auswalk Walking Grade

Moderate

Rated by our team — we walk every route before we recommend it.

Expect some hills and longer walking days. A reasonable level of fitness will help you enjoy the experience.

View Fitness Guide

6

Days on the trail

4-12 km

Daily distance range

Daily ascent range

5/10

Trail difficulty

Where You'll Stay

From remote cabins to a four-star hotel on the edge of the national park, the accommodation on this walk shifts with the landscape. The first three nights are in private rooms within two-bedroom cabins, with shared bathroom facilities. Single rooms are available, though some variation may apply, and rooms are assigned on a first-come-first-served basis. The final two nights are at a four-star hotel right against the park boundary, with en-suite rooms and a setting that makes for an exceptional close to the walk.

What You'll Eat

From the first breakfast to the last dinner, the food on this walk draws on some of the finest produce Tasmania has to offer. Five cooked breakfasts are included, with restaurant breakfasts on most mornings and provisions provided on three mornings at the cabin property for you to cook yourself. Six walker's lunches are taken out on the trail each day at some of the most remote and beautiful spots in the state, varying slightly but always including a high-protein salad, a roll or wrap, a muesli bar, something sweet, fresh fruit and trail mix. Five à la carte two-course dinners are prepared each evening by professional chefs at the accommodation restaurants.

Please advise us of any food allergies or intolerances at the time of booking. If you have severe allergies, bringing some of your own snacks is recommended, as specialist ingredients can be harder to source in more remote parts of this walk.

Note: Drinks and alcohol are not included with meals, with the exception of tea, coffee and juice served with breakfast.

More About This Trip

The walk both starts and finishes in Launceston, Tasmania. Launceston Airport (LST) is well connected with domestic flights from major Australian cities. The walk departs at 8.00am from the Best Western Plus Launceston, 3 Earl Street Launceston, on the first day.

The walk returns to Launceston at approximately 4.30pm on the final day, with a drop-off at the same location.

This guided group walk has scheduled departure dates in spring and autumn. Spring brings native flowering plants into bloom and wildlife becomes increasingly active across both the Tarkine rainforest and the Cradle Mountain trails. October and November can still see snow on the higher ground, adding drama to the mountain stages. April sees the famous Fagus trees beginning to turn gold and amber. Warm layers and waterproofs are essential whatever the month; conditions in both destinations can change quickly.

This walk is graded moderate. Daily walks average 14.5 kilometres with around 400 metres of ascent and descent, and a terrain difficulty rating of 8 out of 10. Tracks range from well-maintained to less kempt, though all are easily passable and mostly dry and firm underfoot. Some days involve steep ascents and descents running to between five and seven hours, with easier alternatives available.

Sturdy walking boots with reliable grip are essential. Two experienced guides lead throughout, with options to suit all levels each day.

You must hold adequate travel insurance for your trip, including cover for personal liability and accidental injury and illness. For all trips involving international travel, your policy must also include emergency medical treatment, evacuation and repatriation cover. We strongly recommend your policy also covers trip cancellation and curtailment, and loss of or damage to luggage.

A cancellation fee usually applies if you cancel after your booking is confirmed. Travel insurance with cancellation cover will generally cover this fee, so it's worth arranging your policy at the time of booking.

Full insurance requirements are set out in our booking terms and conditions.

A detailed information pack and itinerary will be sent to you around six weeks before departure, covering everything you need to know for a seamless experience. In the meantime, our team is always on hand to answer any questions.

Due to limitations of catering at certain accommodations we are unable to cater for vegans on this tour unfortunately.

Starting in Launceston, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery (QVMAG) spans two free-entry sites, including the permanent First Tasmanians: Our Story exhibition at its Royal Park art gallery.

Dates & Pricing

Choose Your Departure

Select a fixed group departure - places are limited

Prices shown are per person, twin/double share basis.

Notes

For the rest of our 2027 departures we have added a 1 night stay in Launceston so you can arrive and enjoy a welcome dinner.

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Want to Know More?

The Tarkine Experience

Wonder
Walk beneath Myrtle and Sassafras trees over 500 years old on the way to Philosopher Falls, in a forest that has stood for 65 million years.
Cruise the wild Pieman River aboard the historic Huon Pine launch Arcadia II, past middens and mining history, out to the river mouth on Tasmania's untouched west coast.
Stand at the summit of Mt Donaldson, looking out over a stretch of wilderness few walkers ever reach.
Wellness
Four days with nothing to carry but a light day pack, your luggage and every logistical detail taken care of by experienced guides.
Evenings unwind at Corinna's self-sufficient wilderness lodge or lakeside at Tullah, with a chef-prepared two-course dinner waiting after each day's walk.
Days move at the pace of the track, from a gentle 4km introduction to Philosopher Falls through to the longer coastal and river walks, with an easier option always on offer.
Nature
The Tarkine is the largest unbroken tract of cool-temperate rainforest left in the Southern Hemisphere, home to tree species found nowhere else.
Watch the Whyte and Pieman Rivers for platypus, and keep half an eye out after dark for a Tasmanian devil near camp.
Air here is reputed to be some of the cleanest in the world, drawn across thousands of kilometres of open ocean before it reaches this coast.