Walking in Tasmania

Tasmania’s reputation as a walking wonderland is well founded.

Be it a week through the mountains on the Overland Track, or just a few hours delving into a city gorge or a perfectly cut beach, Tasmania is a trove of trails, landscapes and experiences. Go it alone or trek in guided comfort. Walk this way.

Best walking

Beach walks 

Tasmania is framed in beaches, many of which can be reached only on foot. Climb through the Hazards to step onto famed Wineglass Bay, discover enormous sand dunes on Crescent Bay and head as far south as it gets on the walk to South Cape Bay. The week-long South Coast Track strings together nine beaches.

Alpine walks

Pick a mountain, any mountain. Tasmania has more than 400 to choose from. Set your sights high with a climb of Cradle Mountain, peer deep into World Heritage wilderness from Hartz Peak, and go lake-hopping across the Tarn Shelf in Mount Field National Park.

Island walks

Tasmania is an island ringed by hundreds of smaller islands. On Maria Island, walk to the natural patterns of the Painted Cliffs, then climb Bishop and Clerk. Scale Flinders Island’s highest mountain, the Strzelecki Peaks, and beach-hop to towering Castle Rock on its west coast. On Bruny Island, pass a remarkable stone arch on the hike to Cape Queen Elizabeth before climbing to the top of some of Australia’s highest sea cliffs at Fluted Cape.

City walks

Tasmania’s wild side stretches into its cities, which offer fine walking of their own. Burrow into Cataract Gorge, a remarkable slice of wildness just a stroll from inner-city Launceston. In Hobart, explore the web of trails to cliffs, waterfalls and views on kunanyi / Mount Wellington. Discover city stories and flavours on guided urban walks with Wallaby Walkabout Tours (Launceston), Hobart Historic Tours and Gourmania (Hobart).

Waterfall walks

Blanketed in mountains and rainforest, Tasmania has a brilliant array of waterfalls. Walk to Russell Falls and its upstairs companion, Horseshoe Falls, at Mount Field National Park. Trace the course of an old mining tramway to Montezuma Falls, the highest waterfall in the state. And follow cascades downstream to the perfectly formed Liffey Falls, rushing through rainforest.

Tasmanian Aboriginal walks

Join palawa (Tasmanian Aboriginal) guides tracing ancient footsteps along the larapuna coastline around the Bay of Fires on the wukalina Walk. Follow the route taken to old Government House in 1832 by members of the Aboriginal resistance on the takara nipaluna walking tour of Hobart.

Forest walks

Discover enchanted scenes beneath – or in – the forest canopy on a range of forest walks. In the remote north-west, set out from Corinna on the Savage River walk to experience an ancient, gnarled forest. Twist and bend your way around the trees on the Creepy Crawly Nature Trail in Southwest National Park – it’s like a yoga class on a boardwalk. Walk in the treetops on the elevated Tahune Airwalk, with its cantilevered platform overhanging the Huon River.

Luxe walks

Fancy some comfort and fine food and wine at the end of a day’s walk? Luxury guided hikes across the state are found on the Overland Track, Three Capes Track, Maria Island, takayna / Tarkine, Bruny Island, Freycinet Peninsula and Bay of Fires.