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    Itinerary

    2 Weeks in Tasmania: The Full Island Loop Itinerary

    This is the full loop version of our 7 Days in Tasmania itinerary — the same east coast run from Hobart to Launceston, then continuing on to Cradle Mountain, down the west coast to Strahan, and back to Hobart rather than flying out of Launceston. If you don't have 14 days, the 7-day version covers the east coast alone and is the better fit.

    Length
    14 days
    Total distance
    ~1,180 km loop
    Season
    October–April for the most reliable weather. Cradle Mountain and the west coast see rain and cold even in summer — pack for four seasons in a day regardless of when you travel.
    Vehicle
    Any 2WD. Tasmanian roads are narrow and constantly turning — add 30–40% to any time a map gives you. The Lyell Highway's descent into Queenstown is steep and winding; drive it in daylight.
    Suits
    Couples, Family, Friends Group
    2 Weeks Tasmania — Full Island Loop — Tasmania

    Route map

    Approximate route: Hobart → Tasman Peninsula → Coles Bay → St Helens → Launceston → Cradle Mountain → Strahan. Shown for planning only — this is not a turn-by-turn route. Always check current road conditions before you travel.

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    Leaflet © OpenStreetMap contributors

    Route stops in order: 1. Hobart, 2. Tasman Peninsula, 3. Coles Bay, 4. St Helens, 5. Launceston, 6. Cradle Mountain, 7. Strahan.

    Fourteen days is workable but not generous. The honest trade-off is the Strahan-to-Hobart return leg, a genuine 5-hour driving day — if your pace allows, breaking it with a night at Derwent Bridge near Lake St Clair is a better use of the extra time than trying to also fit in one more stop elsewhere.

    Cradle Mountain and the west coast are where most visitors should slow down rather than rush through. Both regions reward an extra half-day more than any other stretch of this loop — the weather is the least predictable here, and having slack in the schedule for a bad-weather day is worth more than another town ticked off.

    Day by day

    2 Weeks Tasmania — Full Island Loop — stage plan
    DaysRouteDistanceDriveWhat you doSleep
    Day 1Arrive Hobart——Settle in. Salamanca Place and Battery Point on foot.Hobart
    Day 2Hobart → Tasman Peninsula (Port Arthur)91 km1h 30mPort Arthur Historic Site — the ticket is valid two consecutive days.Tasman Peninsula
    Day 3Tasman Peninsulalocal—Tasman Arch, Devils Kitchen and the Remarkable Cave.Tasman Peninsula
    Day 4Tasman Peninsula → Freycinet (Coles Bay)~210 km3hArrive with light to spare for an easy afternoon.Coles Bay
    Day 5Freycinet National Parklocal—Wineglass Bay Lookout at first light, before the car park fills.Coles Bay
    Day 6Freycinet → Bay of Fires (via Bicheno & St Helens)~115 km1h 45mBicheno's blowhole and penguin colony en route. Bay of Fires' orange-lichen granite and white sand from Binalong Bay north.St Helens / Binalong Bay
    Day 7Bay of Fires → Launceston~186 km2h 30mArrive with time for Cataract Gorge, a 10-minute walk from the CBD.Launceston
    Day 8Launcestonlocal—Cataract Gorge if you didn't get to it yesterday, or a Tamar Valley wine day — the region is a genuine cool-climate alternative to Margaret River, 20–30 minutes from the city.Launceston
    Day 9Launceston → Cradle Mountain~140 km2hArrive by early afternoon. Private vehicles are restricted past the visitor centre in peak periods — a shuttle bus runs to Dove Lake.Cradle Mountain area
    Day 10Cradle Mountainlocal—The Dove Lake Circuit (6 km, mostly boardwalk, 2 hours) is the accessible option. Summiting Cradle Mountain itself is a serious 6–8 hour scramble, weather-dependent, and often abandoned partway — don't plan a tight schedule around reaching the top.Cradle Mountain area
    Day 11Cradle Mountain → Strahan~140 km2hArrive on the west coast. Ocean Beach at sunset if the weather cooperates.Strahan
    Day 12Strahanlocal—A Gordon River cruise into the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers World Heritage Area is the classic Strahan day out — several operators run it, half or full day.Strahan
    Day 13Strahan → Hobart (via Queenstown)~300 km5hA genuine full driving day via the Lyell Highway — the descent into Queenstown is the most dramatic stretch of road in this loop. Break the trip at Derwent Bridge (Lake St Clair) if you'd rather not do it in one push.Hobart
    Day 14Hobart——Depart.—

    Cost and booking notes

    • A Tasmanian Parks Pass covering Freycinet, Cradle Mountain and any other park you visit is much cheaper than paying per-park on a trip that touches this many of them.
    • Hire cars in Tasmania sell out over summer and Easter — book well ahead.
    • Cradle Mountain and Strahan accommodation is limited relative to demand in peak season — book both before the east coast leg of this trip, not after you arrive.

    Common questions

    The first seven days are the same east coast run from Hobart to Launceston. This version continues on to Cradle Mountain and the west coast before looping back to Hobart, rather than flying out of Launceston. Use the 7-day version if you don't have the extra week.

    If the weather is good, one full day covers the Dove Lake Circuit comfortably. Cradle Mountain's weather changes fast, though, and rain or low cloud can rule out the summit walk entirely — an extra half-day of slack is worth more here than almost anywhere else on this loop.

    Yes, if you have the time — Strahan and the Gordon River are unlike anywhere else in this itinerary, and the drive itself through the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers area is part of the experience. If you're tight on time, it's the first thing to cut, not the last.

    Useful services on this trip

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