Tasmania itineraries - 7 road trip ideas to explore on your own!
Tasmania itineraries - the good reasons to go
Cute simplicity and rough wilderness
Tasmania road trip: made to disconnect
Tasmania’s lifestyle is also way slower than on the mainland. It makes it a perfect getaway to get to know the quiet side of Australia. To take a break from the hectic traveling life on the mainland!
How to get to and move around in Tasmania: easy peasy
When it can become quickly a headache to plan a road trip, Tasmania has the advantage to be easily accessible and well adapted to travels. Why? Tasman Island is of small size, has (quite) good roads and good connections with the mainland. Renting a car in Hobart is the best way to explore the island. More info on renting car below !
Related article to Tasmania itineraries
South: 2 itineraries in Hobart & Tasman Peninsula
The perfect getaway for a weekend - 1 to 3 days
Hobart and Tasman peninsula make a perfect travel destination for a long weekend. They are close to each other, quickly accessible from Australia’s mainland and easy to travel.
For who? These Tasmania itineraries are made for solo travellers, families, and photographers. They are chill self-drive itineraries, to do hiking or relaxing.
Hobart
- Day 1 – Salamanca market, Royal Botanic Gardens
- Day 2 – MONA, go out at night in the downtown
- Day 3 – Mt Wellington
Tasmania road trip 3 days on the Peninsula
- Day 1 – Lime Bay, Cape Raoul (overnight)
- Day 2 – Remarkable Cave, Port Arthur, Fortescue Bay (overnight)
- Day 3 – Devils Kitchen, tasman Arch, Eaglehawk Neck, back to Hobart
What to do in Hobart and on the Tasman Peninsula?
- Eat & drink: eat local food at Salamanca market
- Visit: the cool museum MONA, the most famous convicts site Port Arthur
- Hikes: go to Mt Wellington, to Cape Raoul, to Lime Bay
- Photography: plenty of spots for beginner photographers
- Camping: at Fortescue Bay, on the lake’s shores
Tasmania road trip on the East coast: the all-rounder in 7 to 10 days
If you’re an undecided traveler like me, Tasmania’s East coast is exactly what you need ! Hikes or chill on the sand ? City weekend or outdoors trip? You’ll find all in one on the East Coast. It’s a perfect all-rounder to see very different landscapes of the devil island.
The quickie: Tasmania east coast in 7 days
Tasmania itinerary 7 days
- Day 1 to 3 – Coles Bay, Freycinet (overnight at Coles Bay or Swansea)
- Day 4 to 5 – Bicheno, Chain of lagoons, Binalong Bay, Bay of Fires (overnight Bay of fires, Binalong, camping)
- Day 6 to 7 – Mt William (overnight at Mussel Roe or Launceston), Launceston
The extended one: Tasmania road trip 10 days
- Day 1 to 2 – Maria island
- Day 3 to 5 – Coles Bay, Freycinet (overnight at Coles Bay)
- Day 6 to 7 – Bicheno, Douglas Apsley national park (overnight at caravan park / hotel)
- Day 8 – Chain of lagoons, St Mary, Bay of Fires
- Day 9 to 10 – Mt William, Flinder island (overnight at Musselroe), Launceston
Must-dos and sees on Tasmania’s East Coast
- Eat & drink: Launceston, backpackers’ town
- Walks, relax and chill on the beach: Freycinet
- Have fun at unique spots: penguins and blow hole at Bicheno
- Hikes: Mt Amos, Hazards Beach, Wineglass Bay, Mt William
- Photography: practice nature photography
Get more about Tasmania itineraries on the East coast
East + Center: Tasmania itineraries in 15 days
Explore more in a 15 days self drive itinerary
This Tasmania itinerary is a good mix of chilling time and adventure! After the beaches and touristic spots of Tasmania East Coast, it’s time to give some time to Tasmania’s wilderness. Wild landscapes, colder climate also: Cradle mountain’s region is an authentic picture of Tasmania nature.
A road trip for who? Hikers and photographers will enjoy these Tasmania itineraries. They combine East Center of Tasmania.
15 days Tasmania road trip
- Day 1 – Hobart
- Day 2 to 3 – Tasman Peninsula (Remarkable cave, Fortescue Bay (overnight), Devils kitchen and the Arch, Eaglehawk neck)
- Day 4 to 5 – Coles Bay and Freycinet (overnight at Swansea)
- Day 6 to 7 – Bicheno, Binalong, Bay of Fires, Launceston
- Day 8 to 9 – Cradle mountain (Overnight: camping at the exit of Cradle mountain park)
- Day 10 – Mole Creek Cave, lake St Clair and Burbury Lake
- Day 11 – Russel falls, Tarreleah Falls, Cygnet (overnight)
- Day 12 to 15 – Bruny island, back to Hobart
West: Off-the-path's Tasmania self drive
7 days: Western Tasmania self drive
7 days Tasmania self drive West coast
- Day 1 – Launceston (Cataract Gorge, lavender fields)
- Day 2 – Artur river (overnight at Marrawah, campground)
- Day 3 – Western Wilderness road, Zeehan falls, Strahan
- Day 4 – Macquarie Heads, Queenstown (overnight)
- Day 5 – Lake St Clair, Tarraleah lagoon (overnight)
- Day 6 – StrathGordon / Red Knool, Russel falls, New Norfolk
- Day 7 – Cygnet, back to Hobart
Full Tasmania itinerary 21 days
- Day 1 to 3 – Start at Hobart, visit Tasman Peninsula
- Day 4 to 5 – Coles Bay and Freycinet (overnight at Swansea)
- Day 6 to 7 – Bicheno, Binalong, Bay of Fires
- Day 8 to 10 – Mt William, Flinder island, Launceston (overnight)
- Day 11 to 12 – Cradle mountain (Overnight: camping at the exit of Cradle mountain park)
- Day 13 – Zeehan, Strahan
- Day 14 – Macquarie heads
- Day 15 to 16 – Queenstown, lake St Clair, Tarraleah lagoon (overnight)
- Day 17 – Red Knool, Russel falls, New Norfolk
- Day 18 to 21 – Bruny island, back to Hobart
Deep further into West Tasmania itineraries
How to make the best of your travels - Tips
Transportation in Tasmania
I prefer to make it clear for you: without a car, it’s a headache to travel Tasmania. The island is pretty small but busses and train connections are… of pretty much no help. There are no passenger transport railways, simply. Except for a few tourist steam locomotives between Queenstwon and Strahan, called the West Coast Wilderness Railway.
The bus is a good option if you travel at a slow pace, and stay longer at each place.
- Tips to renting a car in Tasmania:
- Use online comparators (vroomvroomvroom, budget.com.au)
- Call the rental company to check all conditions online are accurate. Take info about insurance costs and deposit
- Book online (cheaper) and in advance at high season (a few weeks before)
- Pick up the car at the airport (cheaper)
- Take photos of the car before hitting the road
- Buying a car is a good idea if you plan to stay longer and to look for backpacker jobs. You can bring the car back to Australia’s mainland by ferry. A lot of travelers also buy and sell cars on backpackers’ networks every day.
When to travel Tasmania
The best bet is to travel Tasmania during summer. Temperatures are bearable – on average, up to 25 degrees. It’s quite sunny and ‘crowds’ of tourists are still at Tasmania’s scale – manageable. Plan your trip between December and March, if you aim to enjoy the outdoors without becoming a penguin.
Budget info to prepare your Tasmania itineraries
To travel Tasmania is very similar to Australia’s mainland, regarding budget. The good news: you’ll probably spend less in drinking and doing party since Tasmania isn’t the place for this.
- Accommodation:
- From 60$ for a night in a private room
- From 20$ in a dorm hostel
- From 5$ at the camping
- Food: from 150$ per week for groceries
- Park pass: 40 to 80$
- Car rental in Tasmania: from 700$, large car for 8 days