The "Wild Dark Shore" Adventure to Tasmania:

Day One: November 10
Wing your way from the Australian mainland across the shining sea to this island of wonders and wilderness. It is a mysterious land apart with mountains and shadowed valleys and shimmering vineyards.

Touch down in Hobart by 12pm. Our guide, Trent, a native of Tasmania, will collect us for a convivial lunch as we get to know one another and then we’ll set off for a relaxing afternoon of sunshine and exploration.  

Meals: Lunch
Lodging: Hobart

Day Two: November 11
Rise early to the glowing sunshine of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.  Tuck into an energizing breakfast and then we are off to the green forests, winding trails and somersaulting waterfalls of the island’s central and northern national parks.

We’ll explore Mount Field National Park, where eucalyptus trees tower over the landscape and emerald ferns shade the walking paths. Let’s marvel over Russell Falls, a three-tiered waterfall and take in this wilderness that was designated a World Heritage Area more than a decade ago.

From Mount Field we’ll head to the stunning Lake St. Clair National Park, the deepest freshwater lake in all of Australia. Hiking trails surround the lake and we’ll set off on a hike on the lookout for platypus, wombats and pademelons, a small marsupial that lives in forests and woodlands.

After lunch, it’s on to Franklin River, a wild and swift-running waterway that tumbles from the mountains to join the Gordon where they race to the sea. 

 “I still have the leaves that (our guide) Geoff picked long ago by the Franklin, sere and sapless, pressed into the pages of my dictionary….They remind me that if I ever want to write of my own country, I will have to learn it, like a foreigner, like a migrant, leaf by leaf, from seed to blossom to bough.” Geraldine Brooks, Author of “Horse” and “Memorial Days.”

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: Cradle Mountain Village, Cradle Mountain National Park

Day Three: November 12
Our day begins bright and early in the exceptionally beautiful Cradle Mountain National Park, where snow-capped peaks thrust into blue skies and glacial lakes shimmer in the distance.

After breakfast, we’ll set off on a hike around Dove Lake (6km) as we wind through rainforests and open grasslands. Catch glimpses of Cradle Mountain as we amble under fragrant pines and learn about the remarkable flora and fauna of Tasmania.  

After a packed lunch, we’ll head for Waldheim in search of wombats! When the little furry creatures congregate, they are known as a wisdom of wombats. The director of the Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary calls them “fluffy bricks with teeth.” 

(Photo of a wombat)

Our relaxing afternoon will be spent on the Enchanted Walk to Pencil Pine Falls, followed by an excursion to the Interpretative Center for the park. We’ll spend the night again at Cradle Mountain Village.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Lodging: Cradle Mountain Village, Cradle Mountain National Park

Book Conversation

(Photo of Tasmanian vineyards)

Day Four: November 13
Let the wine tasting begin! This is a day of sun-drenched vineyards, spectacular artistry, world-famous ice cream and a cabin in the wilds. 

“Give me books, French wine, fruit, fine weather, and a little music played out of doors by somebody I do not know….” John Keats, poet.

We’ll begin our day in Tasmania’s “town of murals” where an outdoor art gallery surrounds visitors with vibrant color and beauty. We’ll wander past larger than life outdoor paintings and learn about the images that they depict.  There will be time for shopping too.

Then, it’s off to Elizabeth Town and the Van Diemans Land Creamery, a beautiful shop in that spins Tasmania’s Jersey cow’s milk into delicious, light-as-air flavors. When we’ve gobbled and swooned, it’s time to learn about Tasmania’s thriving vineyard culture.

We’ll take a leisurely walk among the Tamar Valley vines and sample the fine Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays and then gather for a nourishing repast together.  

“Wine is bottled poetry.” Robert Louis Stevenson, author of “Treasure Island.”

(Photo of wine glass)

When we’ve lingered long enough in the vineyards, we’ll make for a remote animal reserve where there is wildlife all around.  

Let’s take in the magnificent night sky as we toast marshmallows and tell ghost stories around the campfire.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, BBQ Dinner
Lodging: Remote Bush Cabins

Day Five: November 14
Today we are on the northeast coast of Tasmania where the pristine beaches are lapped by sparkling azure waters. The Bay of Fires Conservation Area has earned a global reputation for one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. We’ll swim, stretch out on the sand and hunt for shells and seaglass. 

Then it’s off to a wildlife sanctuary to observe the notorious Tasmanian Devil in all of his ferociousness.  

Our day is complete in Bicheno, a beautiful must-see town on the east coast of the island.  After a coastal walk, it’s a guided tour at dusk among the Little Fairy Penguin colony.  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: Bicheno

“Nature always wears the color of the spirit.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Photo of Tasmanian orchids)

Day Six: November 15
Rise and shine, Sirens, for we are off for an active and scenic day that includes more wine-tasting! We’ll begin in Freycinet National Park with a walk to the lookout at Wineglass Bay, a magnificent curl of coastline lapped by sapphire blue waters. This is one of Tasmania’s most wild and pristine landscapes.

There’s plenty of time to bathe in the warm sun and take in the fragrances of the trees and flowers. There are more than 80 species of orchids in this park and trees that grow only in Australia!

Our hosts at a local coastal winery with a stunning view will greet us for lunch and we’ll linger into the afternoon.

For the evening, we are headed back to Bicheno for a book conversation over (yes!) more wine! And then dinner is yours to decide.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Late Afternoon Book Conversation
Lodging: Bicheno

Day Seven: November 16
After a nutritious breakfast, we are hitting the high seas. We’ll board a ferry to Maria Island National Park. It is a World Heritage island– windswept and gorgeous–and wildlife abound here. 

(There are no cars or shops)

We’ll wander the island’s trails and learn about the remarkable animals that live on the island.  When we’ve taken it all in, we’ll board the ferry for the return and then we’ll strike out on the Great Eastern Drive for the trip to a winery and berry farm with a spectacular view of Mount Washington.  

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: Berry Farm & Winery

(Photo of Mount Washington)

Day Eight: November 17
Pack the breakfast carbs in today, friends, for we are headed for a wild and wonderful wildlife cruise where, as we sail by towering sea cliffs and deserted beaches, we’ll see dolphins, whales, albatross and more!

We’ll learn about the history of Cape Pillar and Tasman Island. We’ll hike in Tasman National Park. where we’ll witness The Blowhole, a natural sea cave where waves rush into a fissure and explode into airborne spray. Lunch is al fresco and then it’s a drive back to our lodging at the Berry Farm & Winery,

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Late Afternoon Book Conversation
Lodging: Berry Farm

“A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party…….”  Charles Baudelaire

(Photo of Coal River Valley)

Day Nine: November 18
Today is a day of sampling the wonders that the Coal River Valley offers:  luscious fruits and vegetables, delicious cheeses, sparkling wines.  As a tranquil lunch is served, let’s converse about the majestic sights we’ve seen and wonders we’ve experienced.  

There is time in the late afternoon to follow your curiosity as you wander Hobart’s lanes and shops to collect some souvenirs and treasures.  Be sure to find Hobart’s favorite bookstores, The Hobart Bookshop and Fuller’s Bookshop.

And then a seafood dinner is yours to plan for our last evening in Tasmania!

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Lodging: Hobart

“And as the waves take her apart, piece by piece, she watches the message of the lighthouse spelling itself out on the surface of the water….”  Danielle Wood, “The Alphabet of Light and Dark.”

Day Ten: November 19
Rise for a delicious breakfast and then if there is time before your flight back to the mainland, squeeze in a bit more souvenir-hunting.

Then, we are headed to the airport together as visions of this wonderful adventure accompany us all the way home.