After a pre-departure briefing in Launceston the day prior you will be transferred to Northern Tasmania and the start of the Coast to Cradle trail. Over the next six days you will walk from the north coast, along the length of the stunning Leven Canyon before ascending the Black Bluff Range and onto Mt Beecroft and the Vale of Belvoir.
Over the course of the next seven days you will have the opportunity to climb some of Tasmania’s most well known peaks such as Cradle Mountain and Mt Ossa and walk around Lake St Clair. The Overland Track is famous for its spectacular diversity, glaciated landscapes, ancient rainforests and stunning alpine vegetation. Everyday will provide a new discovery and your expert guides infuse you with their enthusiasm and love for this very special area. At the end of the track you will be staying at Derwent Bridge for three nights where you can relax and reflect upon the journey so far.
Once again you will be collected from your accommodation before being transferred to the start of the Frenchmans Cap Track. This wonderful walk is a stark contrast to what has been experienced so far. The dolerite dominated landscapes of the last week give way to mountains of glistening white quartz and implicate rainforests festooned with dripping moss and ferny creeks are a walker’s delight. The objective of this trek is to summit the distinctive peak and marvel at the stunning views from atop the mountains 300m sheer quartzite face.
The track will lead you down to Irenabyss on the Franklin River where you will meet up with your rafting guides who will welcome you to the ‘Ditch’ and get you ready for the next thrilling part of your journey.
From Irenabyss you will spend the next eight days on this world famous river, rafting through deep valleys and gorges and sections of rapids with s names such as ‘Thunder Rush’ and ‘The Cauldron’; which inspire awe and fear in equal measure. Reaching the lower Franklin the river joins with the Gordon River where the rafting concludes and you spend at night at Sir Johns Falls. The next morning you are collected by a yacht and cruise down the length of the river before reaching Macquarie Harbour. The vessel will then dock at the Strahan Wharf and you will say farewell to your adventure companions. The next two nights will be spent at your accommodation in Strahan before commencing the final stage of your trip.
Today you will meet a pilot from Par Avion at the Strahan air strip and jump aboard a flight which will follow the wild and rugged West Coast before flying over the Southwest National Park. The flight will then land at Melaleuca where you will be met by the rest of your walking companions. From here you will embark upon a true wilderness expedition on one of the most remote and pristine hiking trails to be found in Australia. Secluded beaches, mountain ranges and mesmerizing views of this stunning coastline are just some of the highlights of this walk. Over nine days the track will lead to Cockle Creek, Australia’s southern most town, where you will be met by our friendly bus driver and transferred to Hobart. The night will likely be spent celebrating your amazing achievement of completing Tasmania’s five most famous and exciting wilderness adventures with your fellow walkers. Accommodation and dinner is included for this final night (27 March) of this remarkable journey.