Tasmania itineraries - 7 road trip ideas to explore on your own!

Tasmania itineraries - the good reasons to go

Cute simplicity and rough wilderness

How to explain? To travel Tasmania is a world apart from backpacking Australia’s mainland. Tasmania is a pretty, green and small island. East and West offer two very different travel experiences on a Tasmania road trip.

Tasmania’s east coast is the place to be to do sunbathing (in summer!) on the shore of clear waters. Maria Island and Freycinet national park are two gems with cute beaches and postcard landscapes. The center of the island and the west coast are shaped by rough, impressive mountain landscapes and gorges. It reminded me of New Zealand’s north island – very preserved Nature, without fanciness. And for beach addicts, Tasmania has also got one of the clearest sands and waters in the Southern part – Bruny island.

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

You can easily start your Tasmania itineraries by flying from Sydney or Melbourne. Taking a plane is a cheap and quick way to reach the island. Low cost companies like Jetstar or Virgin australia offer affordable flights, all year long.

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 !

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

Save here the mini travel guide with landmarks on Hobart + Tasman Peninsula

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

A road trip on the East Coast is by far the most common self drive itinerary in Tassie. Since the East is the touristic part of Tasmania. It’s well accessible by car, accommodation is quite easy to find and there are things to do for everyone. Tasmania itineraries on the east coast are also easy to manage in quite short time frames. But to travel Tasmania’s east coast without being in a rush, count at least 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

Tasmania east coast - 3 tested routes

32 best places places to visit in Tasmania

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

Tasmania west coast has little to do with the East. And that’s exactly why you should start a self drive itinerary on Tasmania West coast. If you like empty places, untouched nature and the real road trip experience, these two Tasmania itineraries are for you. Landscapes are wilder, somehow lonelier than on the eastern side and the towns seem to have been frozen in time – like Queenstown and Strahan, where you can take a break on your Tasmania road trip.

You can start at Launceston, following the North shore through Arthur river, going down to Strahan, then ending up in Bruny island and Hobart. I’ll attach here the center of the island, as it belongs to Tasmania’s western half. Cradle Mountain and Walls of Jerusalem are impressive chains of mountains. Cradle offers easy hikes, while Walls of Jerusalem is another story – advanced hiking trails. The road between Lake St Clair and Bruny island is also a spectacle in itself: a mini New Zealand, made of mountains, glaciers and lakes!

For who? For travellers, hikers and photographers. A Tasmania self drive in the West isn’t as straightforward as on the East coast. There is less accommodation and the weather can be very unpredictable. When hiking, be careful and always follow advices.

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

Tasmania west part - 3 tested routes

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

A Tasmania road trip means a lot of nights in a tent or in the van – my favorite way of sleeping. And to avoid freezing, it’s useful to check first when the weather goes nuts – which isn’t that uncommon in Tasmania! Even if the weather can be unpredictable, in particular in mountains, Tasmania follows the 4 seasons we have in Europe. Just in another order.

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.

Winters on the other hand use to be pretty cold and rainy. It makes it difficult, even dangerous, to hike and drive on roads across the island. Temperatures between May and August range from 3 to 11 degrees and snowfalls are also common.

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

Tested tips to travel Tasmania - Digital guide