Launceston: Cradle Mountain Adventure - Active Day Tour
4.7 / 5 · 100 traveler reviews
Cradle Mountain is a not to be missed highlight when visiting Launceston, Tasmania. Discover this amazing wilderness area as you enjoy around 4 hours exploring the Cradle Mountain day walking area, with a variety of short and longer walking options. Hike the Dove Lake circuit, or climb to a lofty peak for amazing views, discover the local wombats and the natural history of this World Heritage environment. Highlights • Explore Cradle Mountain National Park & World Heritage Area (4-5 hours) • Stand on the shore of the spectacular setting of Dove Lake • Enjoy some short introductory walks and interpretation to the area • Walk along the “Rainforest City” & “Pencil Pine Falls” tracks • Take on the Dove Lake circuit walk (medium grade 6km’s) • Or, take on the harder walk to the lofty views of Marion’s Lookout (hard grade 3 hours) • Explore the historic Weindorfers Chalet
Your experience
Stop 1
We depart Launceston and head towards Sheffield, the town of murals and,enjoy a short stop here.
Stop 2
The Town of Murals. Sheffield is a small and quirky rural village, in the foothills of the mountains. Sheffield is Tasmania’s own outdoor art gallery, featuring over 100 paintings on the walls of buildings across the town. The artwork depicts the history of the Cradle Mountain region and is a great taster of what is to come, before we continue onwards into the mountains.
Stop 3
We arrive at Cradle Mountain National Park, an area of iconic scenery with a wide variety of walking trails to choose. Cradle Mountain is a stunning and World Heritage listed area. We leave our walking itinerary flexible to suit our guests and the weather conditions on the day. Arriving at the Cradle Mountain National Park, we prepare for the walking opportunities ahead of us. We aim for around 4 – 5 hours in the National Park, to really make the most of the trails. We begin with a series of short walks to Rainforest City and Pencil Pine Falls, 2 short and easy walks that introduce us to the area.
Stop 4
Our main hike for today's tour, begins from Dove Lake with 2 walking options available. Here you can choose your preferred main walk. There is the iconic Dove Lake Circuit, which is a 6 kilometre track, classified as easy and usually takes 2-3 hours. This is one of the premier walks in Tasmania, the track undulates around Dove Lake and traverses beneath Cradle Mountain. All the magnificent flora can be viewed on this walk, with buttongrass, myrtle, sassafras, fagus and King Billy Pine along the way, along with epic views of Cradle Mountain.
Stop 5
For the more active and avid hiker, we offer the chance to climb to the loftier heights of Marion’s Lookout. This is around 4 kilometers but is classified as a medium grade hike, with some steep sections. Marions Lookout sits at 1200m and provides breathtaking 360 degree views of the surrounding World Heritage wilderness area.
Stop 6
We stop along the way for a lunch break, enjoy a rest by a quiet stream, watch the famous and friendly Cradle wombats in their natural habitat, or take the time to photograph the landscapes. Learn some of the local history as we visit Weindorfer’s Chalet and see the ancient King Billy Pines on Weindorfer’s Forest Walk.
Stop 7
On our return to Launceston, we stop to refresh and refuel at the delicious Van Dieman's Land Ice Creamery and Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm. We return into Launceston around 6.00 – 6.30pm after a huge yet unforgettable Cradle Mountain day.
What’s included
- National Park entrance fees
- Flexible hiking opportunities
- Professional Tour guide & guided walks
- Small groups, maximum 10 guests
Not included
- Food and drinks (please either pre purchase, or there will be the opportunity to purchase on tour)
- No luggage on board, only your day pack
- No airport drop offs
- Children under 8 years
Meeting and pickup
Our General Meet Point is the Hotel Grand Chancellor at 29 Cameron Street. The pickup time is 7:20am, be ready at 7:15am. The tour returns to this same location around 5.30pm.
Before you go
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Minimum age to participate in tour is 8 years
- This is an active tour with hiking involved; a suitable level of general health & fitness and physical abilities is essential
- We provide accurate interpretation, and keep wildlife disturbance to a minimum by viewing from appropriate distances and informing our guests how to view wildlife with patience and respect. Activities are always confined to tracks and boardwalks to minimize negative impacts.
Cancellation policy
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Check the policy for your selected date and option before booking.
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