Tasmania Western Wilds Road Trip
10
Days
Tasmania, Australia
curated by
Luke Tscharke
Tasmania, Australia
Curated by award-winning landscape photographer Luke Tscharke, this self-drive journey takes you deep into the heart of Tasmania's wild and captivating west coast—a region so untamed and unique, it's as if you're stepping into another world. This corner of Tasmania is a treasure trove of pristine natural beauty, secluded hideaways, and experiences that resonate with the pulse of the Earth itself.
Your adventure begins with a top-of-the-line SUV, empowering you to intimately explore this breathtaking region. Wake up to the unparalleled natural settings of Pumphouse Point and Corinna Wilderness Experience, and take part in unforgettable activities such as the Pieman River Cruise and the West Coast Wilderness Railway. Luke's personal travel guide, complete with his handpicked photography locations and must-visit spots, will enrich your adventure. As you explore ancient forests, meander along pristine rivers, and immerse yourself in landscapes frozen in time, you won't just be seeing Tasmania—you'll be living it.
This trip is created in partnership with Tourism Tasmania and is fully customisable, allowing you to tailor the road trip to your preferences.
Tasmania is a place of exceptional natural beauty, renowned for its rugged landscapes, pristine beaches, and diverse flora and fauna. Award-winning landscape photographer Luke Tscharke possesses a rare talent for capturing the essence of these landscapes, and his road trip is a gateway to Tasmania's most exquisite locations.
As a local, Luke has an intimate knowledge of the island, leading you to hidden gems often overlooked. His well-crafted itinerary includes stops at lesser-known locations that offer stunning photographic opportunities, giving you a unique chance to see Tasmania through the lens of a landscape photographer.
Luke's road trip is designed to be flexible, allowing you to tailor the trip to your interests. You'll be able to explore Tasmania at your own pace, with expert tips and tricks from a much admired photographer.
Welcome to Tasmania!
Pick up your X-TRAIL from Hobart Airport and take the spectacularly scenic Gordon River Road to Strathgordon. Tonight you will stay at Pedder Wilderness Lodge, situated on Lake Pedder, where you can gaze into the vastness of the Tasmanian World Heritage Wilderness Area from the comfort of your room.
Drive up to Lake St Clair, where the atmosphere is moody and ethereal.
Carved out by glaciers over millions of years, Lake St Clair is Australia's deepest freshwater lake. You will stay at Pumphouse Point for 2 nights, a unique adults-only retreat poised mysteriously on the glacial lake and surrounded by century-old myrtle forests. This will be one of the highlights of your trip.
The Aboriginal name for Lake St Clair is leeawuleena, meaning ‘sleeping water’.
After your first night here, you can probably appreciate the origins of this name. The area around Lake St Clair offers a range of walks, from easy 45 minutes strolls to longer bushwalks, as well as beautiful forests to explore.
Drive to Strahan, a harbour-side village with a dark and fascinating convict past. Nestled on the shores of Macquarie Harbour, Strahan is the gateway to the World Heritage listed Franklin–Gordon Wild Rivers National Park. You will stay in a charming Waterfront Cottage at Strahan Village for 2 nights. From your cottage, it’s just a short walk to one of Strahan’s historic pubs, filled with character and stories.
Step back in history and take a breathtaking train journey deep into the heritage of the Tasmanian wilderness this morning with West Coast Wilderness Railway.
Witness the impressive engineering achievement of this railway as you cross historic bridges and see the remains of the 244-metre trestle bridge at Quarter Mile. You’ll visit some of the stations along the line, and have the chance to walk in the rainforest.
Get up early and drive to Corinna for the iconic Pieman River Cruise.
Feed your soul and nourish your senses at Corinna Wilderness Experience, a remote settlement on the banks of a primitive river – an unforgettable experience that unlocks the secrets of the Tarkine rainforest and the wild west coast. Stay here for 1 night in a Queen Eco Retreat with a balcony overlooking the Tarkine rainforest.
Drive to Cradle Mountain Hotel, a stunning wilderness hotel in the alpine forests of Tasmania's central highlands where you will stay for 2 nights.
Explore the trails of Cradle Mountain, get active in the clean mountain air and meet the friendly, furry locals, including echidnas, wombats and wallabies. Lake St Clair National Park and the iconic Boat House at Dove Lake are all just a stone’s throw from the hotel.
Iconic Cradle Mountain is a place of exceptional natural beauty and synonymous with all things pristine.
Wildlife is in abundance in this spectacular national park, with the opportunity to encounter Tasmanian devils, quolls, platypus, echidna, wombats and the inquisitive black currawong. Home to a world-class system of walking tracks to explore, from very short easy strolls to the legendary Overland Track, we highly recommend the Dove Lake Circuit today.
Your final destination on this road trip is Launceston, a relaxed and heritage rich city famed for the Cataract Gorge.
Sleep in one of Launceston’s landmarks, an 1830s flour mill with architecturally designed rooms and waterfront views. Stillwater Seven is only a short walk to the Cataract Gorge and the city centre.
It is time to head back to the airport and drop off your rental car.
If you can’t get enough of Tasmania’s west coast, we can always extend your stay!
"My absolute favourite place to photograph is Tasmania, and I visited many times to explore and be immersed in the world heritage listed wilderness. In fact, I love Tasmania so much I decided to relocate there."
“Thanking the stars I found Airguides and Jono's trip. We were totally taken care of! Paul answered all our questions and took care of the details so all we had to do was get there. Jono Allen is an amazing, talented photographer who created a special group experience. The WHALES were mind blowing. What a gift to be in Tonga staring into the eye of a baby whale! This trip was a lifelong dream come true. I highly recommend it so much we’ve already signed up again for next year!"
"The Airguides trip to Tonga to swim with humpback whales was the experience of a lifetime. I have traveled all over the world, and nothing compares to being in the wild, rustic, deep blue waters of the South Pacific while interacting with whales and their calves. A wonderful and caring team made our adventures stress free. Absolutely amazing, so much so, that I am doing it again this year! Thanks a million Paul, Jono, Al, Alistair, Christian and Polly!"
"Thank you for your help in putting together our trip to the Northern Territory. Everyone agreed that it was the best family holiday we'd ever had and - even better - everyone nominated something different as 'the best thing'."
"The trip with Airguides was magic. Paul was our kind and patient guide, Mark Fitz was our talented and positive photographer/storyteller. It was a perfect mix of activity and relaxation and I’m already planning my next Airguides trip."
"I recently visited Lady Musgrave Island with Airguides. They have a unique and meaningful approach to travel and travelling with and learning from a world-class photographer, who was on the trip, was incredible."
"I cannot say enough amazing things about Airguides and the amazing honeymoon they planned for us. We began our trip planning by being overwhelmed with travel blogs, not knowing what was actually the best plan for us."
“Just had an amazing trip to Heron Island organised by the Airguides team. Perfect balance of activity and relaxation, they made it so easy. Can't wait until I can do another trip!“
“ We recently organised our trip to Heron Island with Bibi and Paul as a last minute getaway. Seamlessly dealt with and an added bonus of having a world-class photographer/ free-diver as our story teller. The trip has only whet our appetite for more positive and relaxing experiences with the Airguides team- Awesome “
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