"Coral Expeditions" Circumnavigation of Tasmania (Hobart - Hobart) 17D16N

All aboard Coral Discoverer for the adventure of a lifetime. Boarding commences at 4:00pm at Hobart’s Princes Wharf where there is time to settle into your stateroom before the 8:00pm departure. Take time to familiarise yourself with all the facilities onboard before meeting your fellow travellers, the Captain and crew for the Captain’s Welcome Drinks.

Walking information: Tasman Trail 19km/12mi | 8hrs | Grade 4, Bushwalking experience recommended. Tracks may be long, rough and very steep. Directional signage may be limited.

Arrive into the Tasman National Park. Located on the Tasman Peninsula, the National Park is famous for its monumental rock formations like the Blowhole, the Devil’s Kitchen, and Tasman Arch.

Spend the day hiking the Tasman Trail. Starting from Fortescue Bay, where towering forest meets the sea, this amazing coastal journey will take you through heathland and forest, revealing dramatic clifftop views including Waterfall Bay and Cape Hauy, one of the iconic Three Capes.

Explore the Tasman National Park from a different perspective, with a kayaking tour of Canoe Bay. The coastal waters here are a magnet for marine life. Watch fur seals hauling out on the rocks, as well as friendly dolphins feeding and magnificent albatross which soar amongst the updrafts created by the sea cliffs.

As you paddle, you will see the remains of a steel-hulled barge, the William Pitt, which was used in the 1940s to construct Hobart’s floating pontoon bridge – the predecessor to the Tasman Bridge. In 1955, she was scuttled to become a breakwater behind which small boats could shelter. It is fascinating kayaking and snorkelling around the wreck.

Arrive at Maria Island, a Noah’s Ark for native Tasmanian species. The Maria Island National Park provides an ideal sanctuary and is one of the best places in Australia to observe endemic birdlife as well as wombats, Forester Kangaroos, Bennet’s Wallabies, and pademelons.

Spend time exploring the World Heritage-Listed Darlington settlement, where you will find the most preserved and intact example of convict life across Australia. Wander through the historic buildings used to process convicts in the early to mid 1800s and get a sense of the hardships endured. At its peak, the number of convicts here totalled 492.

While in the area, make sure to check out the Painted and Fossil Cliffs. The Painted Cliffs will impress with patterns and streaks with iron oxide layers, while the Fossil Cliffs feature some of the most prolific and best-preserved fossils you will see in Tasmania, if not the world. As you explore, keep an eye out for wombat, wallabies, endemic birds, and other wildlife.

Arrive into Freycinet National Park, the jewel of Tasmania’s eastern coastline. Cruise beneath pink granite mountains, past beaches, and across water so clear you feel like you can touch the marine life below.

Cruise close to Ille des Phoques and Scouten Island and keep an eye out for large colonies of fur seals sunning themselves on the rocks.

Today, you will hike to Freycinet National Park’s most famous attraction: Wineglass Bay.

After a stroll along Hazards Beach, walk up and around the low rocky coastline. The views across Great Oyster Bay are beautiful and a taste of what is yet to come as you begin your walk across the wide isthmus to one of the top 10 beaches in the world.

Nestled in the iconic Hazards Range and bordered with those gorgeous pink peaks, Wineglass Bay is the most photographed view in the whole of Tasmania. After descending from the lookout to the sugar white sands, take your time, enjoy a picnic, walk on the beach and paddle in the crystal-clear waters. If you’re lucky, you might see White-bellied Sea Eagles that are known for their aerial gymnastics.

Arrive at Flinders Island, one of the 52 islands in the Furneaux Group dotted across Bass Strait, north-east of Tasmania.

Explore Strzelecki National Park, with its endless stunning beaches, turquoise waters and crisp white sand. Marvel at the pink and grey granite peaks of Mount Strzelecki. Stroll along Trousers Point beach and learn the amusing story behind the name. Visit seaside townships and see relics of the Island’s maritime past at the Furneaux Museum. Shipwrecks artefacts are a highlight, with some dating back as far as 1797.

Arrive at Deal Island, the largest of Tasmania’s Kent Group of Islands. Tasmania’s northernmost national park and marine protected area, these islands are the remnants of the land bridge linking Tasmania and the Australian mainland between 10 and 14 thousand years ago.

Drop anchor and venture ashore to visit what was once the highest lighthouse in the Southern Hemisphere. Built in 1865, the lighthouse was decommissioned in 1992 because, rumour has it, it was ineffective for navigation because much of the time it was hidden behind cloud and not visible.

Powerful winds that sweep through Bass Strait mean there are many world-class wreck dives to be had in the area. Snorkel, swim and dive the crystal-clear waters and enjoy the highest diversity of fish species in the country.

Arrive into Launceston, one of Australia’s oldest cities. Take the short walk into the city centre and immerse yourself in the city’s rich cultural heritage and flourishing food and wine scene. Amid a backdrop of Georgian streetscapes, feast on Tasmanian specialties including freshly shucked oysters, Tasmanian-grown Atlantic Salmon, wild abalone, black truffles and more. With a full belly, check out the must-see sights including Cataract Gorge Reserve, the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and the James Boags Brewery.

Continue along the Tamar River and treat yourself to some of Tasmania’s famous cool climate wines.

You’ll stop in at Josef Chromy Wines for an event. Josef Chromy has a state-of-the-art winery with a modern and minimalist exterior that provides a home for some of the best winemaking equipment available. Sample grape varietals including Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling and Sauvignon Blanc.

While at the winery, enjoy food from the chef-hatted restaurant. Head Chef Nick Raitt hones in on great local produce, cared for and cooked with heart and honesty.

Walking information: The Nut: 3km/1.9mi circuit | 1hr circuit | Grade 3: Moderate

Arrive into the charming seaside village of Stanley. Here, you’ll scale The Nut, the remains of an ancient volcanic plug with a large, mostly flat surface that can be circumnavigated on foot (hence its original name, Circular Head). The walking track rises 152-metres (499ft) and takes about 10-20 minutes. Alternatively, you may opt for the chairlift, which rises up 95-metres (312ft) in just 5-minutes, with plenty of fantastic photo ops along the way. Once at the top, you’ll be greeted with 360-degree views of Stanley, the neighbouring farmland, Bass Strait, and the Rocky Cape National Park.

Back in town, spend the rest of the day exploring the historic colonial buildings and sample some of Stanley’s famous fish and chips.

Arrive into King Island. Situated just off Tasmania’s northwest coast, King Island is home to dramatic cliffs, fresh seafood, fine produce, and some of the cleanest air in the world.

Tour the Island with local guides and learn about its colourful history. Pay a visit to the King Island Dairy and sample melt-in-your-mouth cheeses including Brie, Camembert, Cheddar and Blue, and be invited into the homes of local farmers to sample Island beef and freshly caught crayfish.

You’ll leave the Island with a full belly and fuller heart.

Voyage south along Tasmania’s wild West Coast and look on in wonder as the landscape becomes ancient pines, untamed rivers and rugged mountains. If weather permits, make a stop along the coast to take it all in.

Arrive into Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour. Located on Tasmania’s extreme southwest corner in the Southwest National Park, the landscape here is about as wild as it gets. Raw craggy-peaked mountains and drowned river valleys. Wild rivers and rivulets carved by by an eternity. Where tannin-rich freshwater sits atop saltwater, tinting the ocean the colour of tea. With no road access, the logical way to explore this wilderness is by small expedition ship.

Spend 2.5 days (weather permitting) in Port Davey and Bathurst Harbour and enjoy a rare opportunity to hike, kayak and take in this pristine natural environment. Explore by Xplorer tender and learn about intrepid European explorers and Indigenous Peoples, who once walked this land. Traverse the magnificent Huon Pine Forest on the Old River and the untouched Celery Top Islands. Keep an eye out for the critically endangered Orange-Bellied Parrot!

Walking information: Mount Beattie: 3hrs return | Grade 2/3 walk – some bush-walking experience recommended. Tracks may have short steep hill sections, a rough surface, and many steps.

Delve deeper into the Southwest National Park and spend half a day hiking Mount Beattie, one of Tasmania’s most southern mountains.

Part of the infamous Port Davey Track, a 70-kilometre track that takes experienced bushwalkers 4 to 5 days to complete, Mt Beattie offers impressive views of the Bathurst Harbour, Channel and Melaleuca. Due to the region’s sheer remoteness, you will likely be the only people for miles around, so soak up the serenity!

Arrive at Bruny Island, home to some of Tasmania’s most beautifully preserved natural environments with abundant wildlife and stunning cliff top views.

Spend time in Adventure Bay, one of the main townships on the Island. Stroll along the dramatic coastal cliffs of Fluted Cape or take a dip at one of the Island’s more sheltered beaches. Keep an eye out for Bennet’s Wallabies, which are only found here.

All good things must come to an end! After breakfast, say farewell to the crew and disembark in Hobart at 8:00am to commence your onward journey. A post-cruise transfer from the vessel to Hobart city or airport is included.

NOTE: The itinerary is indicative. No two expedition cruises will be the same, with each expedition crafted by the experienced Masters and Expedition Leaders. Throughout the expedition we may make changes to the itinerary as necessary to maximise your expeditionary experience. Allowances may be made for seasonal variations, weather, tidal conditions and any other event that may affect the operation of the vessel. We suggest that you do not arrive on the day of embarkation or depart on the day of disembarkation due to any changes that may occur in scheduling.