Climb Cradle Mountain: Tasmanian Wilderness Adventure

Cradle Mountain, Overland Track, Lake Saint Clair, West Coast (Ocean Beach, Macquarie Harbour, Sarah Island, Strahan, Queenstown), Gordon and Franklin Rivers.

Recharge and reconnect through magic moments of complete wilderness immersion, made accessible and affordable for anybody. Should you answer the call, you will be greatly rewarded. 

Designed for Humans seeking Wilderness and Wildlife.

Temperate Forests.

Quite moments.

Exertion and exhilaration.

Starry Nights and Southern Lights.

Rugged Mountains, alpine lakes and windswept moors.

Embracing the elements - even sleet and snow.

A challenge.

Beauty.

Highlights: 

• Opportunity to summit Cradle Mountain and hike even further towards the Cradle Cirque overlooking Waterfall Valley, returning via Lake Rodway Track and Twisted Lakes. An epic Grade 4 day hike that is even bigger than day #1 of the Overland Track, allowing you to fully experience some of the very best sub-alpine wilderness in the world with just a day pack.

• Two full days inside the National Park, based at Waldheim Cabins - walk out and walk back to Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake.

• Walk/Run/Swim along Ocean Beach, and glide deep along the Gordon River on “Spirit of the Wild” with two walking tours (Heritage Landing and Sarah Island)

• Walk the entire length of Lake Saint Clair and embrace the final leg of the Overland Track with a ferry ride and day pack. A remarkable full day slowly moving through an ancient and wild landscape.

• Feed Devils and Quolls at Devils @ Cradle Sanctuary.

• Hobart out and Hobart in with Day 1 early airport meet and go via cafe breakfast and Day 5 airport return possible making for a clean and full 5 days and 4 nights.

• Small groups, comfortable beds, hot showers, healthy food.

• Five unique, active, well balanced, memorable, nature focused, photographers dream locations, life affirming days.

Wow!  

Seriously, so much packed into 4 remote nights and 5 big days - perfect for Singles, Couples and Small Groups wishing to focus on fully experiencing the Wild Heart of Tasmania in a highly efficient way. 

Our Nature & Wilderness focused small group guided tours are designed for people with at least moderate fitness and health in mind. Although some of the trails we tackle require good fitness and mobility to complete, if you don’t think you could tackle a steep hill or the whole 16 km (plus) rough trail, do not discount this wonderful opportunity to visit and experience some remarkable, remote and wild places.

If you are experienced and confident, then you will have the opportunity to go further along the trails and see even more.

Itinerary - simple

Day 1 - depart from Hobart early and drive to Cradle Mountain, two short walks on Central Plateau. Late afternoon walk close to Ranger Station. Devils and Quolls feeding tour. Waldheim Cabins settle in. Dinner in Cabin.

Day 2 - Hero Hike #1 early start. Dinner in Cabin.

Day 3 - sleep in, Dove Lake Circuit and additional trails. Depart for West Coast. Ocean Beach and dinner at Restaurant in Strahan. 

Day 4 - Gordon River Wilderness Cruise, two short walks, including Heritage Landing and Sarah Island. Leave Strahan early afternoon, pass through Queenstown, stop at Nelson Falls (2km), Donaghys Lookout (3km) arrive at Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel early evening. Dinner in the Tavern.

Day 5 - Hero Hike #2, 30 minute Ferry to Narcissus Hut at northern end of Lake Saint Clair. Hike back to Cynthia Bay - the official final leg of the Overland Track. Arrive Hobart late afternoon.

We follow the A.B.O.U.T philosophy of multi-day active tours, and that is Always Be Outside Unless Tired.

Ready to book?

Call or email Sam. For solo and couples, we have limited availability. We aim to offer more departures in line with accommodation and availability of guides. 

This tour found expression and published in February 2024 with the first scheduled for late July. 

I have been thinking of doing this for some time now, even as I have been running my day tours for the past few years. I am confident that  - no matter the weather and conditions - you will have a truly remarkable and memorable time. Read on for a detailed itinerary.

Accommodation:

The first two nights are in a newly renovated cabin with single bunks, surrounded by tall trees and looking out across button grass sweeping up to Cradle Mountain. Basic mattress with linen provided. Cabins are warm and cosy. Toilet and showers are in a separate building close by, where you may encounter possums and wombats in between. The original cabin built by Gustav and Kate Weindorfer in 1910, and a short forest walk is also here.

Dinner on the first and second nights will be prepared and enjoyed in the cabin. 

On the 3rd night we will stay in a Motel in Strahan that has an ensuite, and is in walking distance to the Gordon River Cruise waterfront departure point as well as the local pub or Thai Fusion restaurant for dinner that evening.

Our final night's accommodation is at the Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel, a short drive from Lake Saint Clair. The Tavern has a great menu, pool table and has the large double sided fire going all year round.

Meals:

PYO means pay your own.

For three meals per day, factor in the following:

Breakfast #1 PYO (depart Hobart 9 - 9.30am)

Lunch #1 PYO (Bakery in Sheffield)

Dinner #1 Included - Vegetables, protein, pasta, sour dough.

Breakfast #2 Included - porridge, weetbix, sourdough, bacon and eggs

Lunch #2 Included - wraps, protein, trail mix, fruit, chocolate

Dinner #2 Included - Vegetables, protein, pasta, sour dough.

Breakfast #3 Included - porridge, weetbix, sourdough, bacon and eggs

Lunch #3 Included - wraps, protein, trail mix, fruit, chocolate

Dinner #3 PYO in Strahan

Breakfast #4 PYO - Bakery is open across road from Cruise, weetbix, fruit etc also available to access

Lunch #4 Included - a generous buffet lunch is part of the Wilderness Cruise

Dinner #4 PYO - Tavern.

Breakfast #5 Included - simple continental breakfast.

Lunch #5 Included - wraps, fruitcake, protein, chocolate etc.

Dinner #5 PYO - Hobart 

Along with a modest and healthy mix of food we will pre-plan and carry, fruit, water, tea and coffee, nibbles will also be available. A wee dram or a glass of wine with some dark chocolate will end most days.

Itinerary - detailed

Day 1: 

We gather early morning in Hobart and ready ourselves for departure. With advance communication, a time and place will be nominated - likely a waterfront cafe. If you are arriving on a morning flight then we can meet you at the airport and your tour starts straight away.

Depart Hobart 9 am (aiming for) in our comfortable bus that has capacity for 11 people with luggage, but we are capping this at just eight people. Part way over the Central Plateau following the Highland Lakes Way we stop at The Steppes for half an hour for a 1km bushwalk through dry eucalyptus to a memorial honouring the wildlife and a Pioneer Family.

Travelling at over 1000m above sea level, around the Great Lake, passing through small villages and admiring the edge of the official Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area and Great Pine Tiers, we stop and follow the boardwalk across a fragile sub-Alpine wilderness surrounded by ancient Pencil Pines to Pine Lake. Half an hour here and you will feel like you are in a completely different time in the earths history.

We stop for lunch at The Bakery in Sheffield, and also any final supplies needed at the IGA, Pharmacy or Outdoor & General Store. From Sheffield we head towards imposing Mount Roland, descend down a gorge to cross the Forth River, ascend back up to higher ground, vegetation ever changing, more ferns, birch and myrtle now, and soon after, arrive at the northern end of Cradle Mountain - Lake Saint Clair National Park.

It is mid-afternoon, and we have plenty of time to walk and explore the immediate area around Cradle Mountain Lodge and Rangers Station with a few lovely trails. A comfy chair by the log fire or wandering through the Interpretation Centre may also be enticing. 

At 5.30 pm we go together to Devils @ Cradle for  the evening Devils and Quolls feeding tour (included) Devils and Quolls are amazing carnivorous marsupials that are so cute, but definitely not cuddly (except for the ones in the gift shop) These shy creatures are so hard to see in the wild but here we will get very close indeed. This experience is interesting, engaging, and supports a great cause in the protection and understanding of our native wildlife. 

After Devils @ Cradle we will then head 5 km down to Ronny Creek and settle into our cabin at Waldheim. You will of course have the option to walk there via the Cradle Valley Boardwalk. Maybe its sunset. Maybe its a full moon. If the conditions meet your desire, then this has the potential to be a stunning walk to the cabin. Either way, it has been a big first day with so much more than just getting to our cabin ready for the next day's Hero Hike.

A hearty cabin cooked meal, night cap and a warm bunk bed rounds out a beautiful first day.

Day 2: Day 3: Day 4: Day 5:

Hobart depart 9 am  The Steppes 10.45 am (30 minutes)

           Steppes 11.15 am to Pine Lake 12 noon (45 mins )

           Pine Lake 12.45 pm to Sheffield 2 pm (30 mins, Bakery etc)

           Sheffield 2.30pm to Cradle Mtn 3.30 pm

           King Billy Walk / Devils @ Cradle / Enchanted Walk

           Dinner and accommodation

Day 2: Cradle Mountain - the big Walk, Horse Track, Summit, face track, Twisted Lakes, Hansons Peak

Day 3: Cradle Mountain - the smaller walk, Dove Lake circuit, Marions Lookout, Crater Falls.

          Drive to STrahan, The Ship that never was.

Day 4: Gordon River Cruise 8am. Finishes at 2pm, drive to Lake St Clair, stop for the Nelson Falls and Lookout Walk, stay at Derwent Bridge Wilderness…

Day 5: Ferry to Narcissus Hut and 16km walk back to Cynthia Bay, return to Hobart