This Tasmania 10 day itinerary has you covered with enough time to hit all the main attractions. Lots of people make the mistake of thinking you can see Tasmania in just a few days, but you definitely need over a week to make the most of it. 

A Tasmania road trip has been top of our Australia bucket list since lockdown when vanlife and RVs took over the internet and self-driving is definitely the easiest way to see the island state.

This is a loop itinerary so while we started from Hobart, you could do this as a 10 day Tasmania road trip from Devonport if you are taking the ferry over or a road trip from Launceston if you’re flying into there (always worth considering as Launceston flights are sometimes cheaper than Hobart).

There are actually three itineraries in this post, the one I first planned when we booked Tasmania flights, the one we changed to when we actually checked the winter conditions in Tasmania, and the one we ended up doing when the weather ruined our other plans. 

If you’re doing a Tasmania trip in summer, stick with the first itinerary as it includes everything you can feasibly squeeze into 10 days.

The second itinerary is ideal for Tasmania road trips in winter as it avoids the more difficult mountainous roads and high snowfall areas in the northwest of Tasmania and on the west coast.  

If you are travelling in winter and the Cradle Mountain roads are closed, as they were when we went, go for the last option.

Days 1-2: Hobart

Hobart, the capital of Tasmania, is a super picturesque building, sitting between the harbour and the mountains, with lots of grand old sandstone buildings from the colonial era. 

There are plenty of things to do in Hobart, but the top attractions are the “three Ms” of MONA (Museum of Old and New Art), Mountain (Mount Wellington) and Markets (the Saturday Salamanca Markets).

My two days in Hobart itinerary has a plan for hitting up these three as well as the best places to eat in the city.

Drive time: 0 minutes Distance: 0 km

Where to stay: 

• Camping/Vans/RVs: Discovery Parks Hobart
• Budget: Hobart Central YHA
• Mid-range: Hadleys Orient Hotel
• Luxury: MACq01

Day 3: Hobart to Coles Bay, Freycinet National Park

This drive is a great way to kick off the actual road trip part of your 10 day Tasmania itinerary as you get a mix of the history, scenery and gastronomy that Tasmania is known for. 

I have a whole guide on driving from Hobart to Freycinet National Park, but as a quick summary, the highlights are stops in Richmond, the East Coast beaches and seafood at Freycinet Marine Farm.

Drive time: 3 hours (+ stops) Distance: 200 km

Where to stay: 

• Budget and Camping/Vans/RVs: Big4 Iluka
• Mid-range: Edge of the Bay Resort
• Luxury: Freycinet Lodge

Day 4: Coles Bay to Launceston

There isn’t a heck of a lot between Coles Bay and Launceston, so I’d recommend spending the morning doing more activities in Freycinet National Park before starting the drive. 

Top of the list is the Wineglass Bay Walk. You can opt for either the short 1-1.5-hour return lookout ack walk or a 2-3 hour return trek down to the beach itself which includes over 1000 steps. In the interest of time, we skipped the steps and opted for the lookout which has more than enough spectacular views.

On your drive, make the detour to Bicheno to see the famous blowhole, just make sure to check the tide times as if you mistime the trip, it’s disappointing.

In Launceston, spend some time exploring the Cataract Gorge Reserve. This nature haven in the middle of the city has some great walks and a slightly terrifying chairlift. We also came across 8 peacocks in the carpark!

Drive time: 2 hours 15 minutes (+ stops) Distance: 175 km

Where to stay: 

• Campig/Vans/RVs: Big4 Launceston
• Budget: Pod Inn
• Mid-range:  Waratah on York
• Luxury: Peppers Silo

Day 5: Launceston to Cradle Mountain

I’ll be honest, we got to this day on our 10 day Tasmania road trip and had to completely change our plans as the roads were closed, so we are yet to make it to Cradle Mountain. But the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is the number one destination in Tasmania, so it needs to be on your itinerary.

The drive to Cradle Mountain goes over some windy mountainous roads, so you’ll need to check the weather forecasts and police road safety alerts before you go.

At Cradle Mountain, the top activities are the Enchanted Walk (look out for wombats!), Dove Lake, and the Devils @ Cradle Sanctuary. There is a shuttle bus into the park from the visitor centre that will take you to the start of most of the walking tracks.

For a once-in-a-lifetime experience, book a helicopter flight over the mountain. The views are supposed to be unbeatable, and we have that booked already for our return trip!

Drive time: 2 hours (to the visitor centre) Distance: 140 km

Where to stay: 

• Budget and Camping/Vans/RVs: Discovery Parks Cradle Mountain
• Mid-range: Cradle Mountain Wilderness Village
• Luxury: Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge

Day 6: Cradle Mountain to Strahan

Spend the morning of Day 6 squeezing in any extra Cradle Mountain walks or exploration that you couldn’t fit in the previous day before heading west to the small town of Strahan.

Strahan is one of the quieter stops on the Tasmania itinerary and a good opportunity to relax after some busy earlier days.

The main things to do here are rides on the West Coast Wilderness Railway and/or a cruise on the Gordon River. These are very chill ways to explore the stunning west coast national parks and world heritage areas. 

Both these activities take most of a day, so you’ll need to do one on each of Day 6 and 7 if you’re committed to both. There are options for luxurious fully catered packages or more entry level tickets. However, if you’re travelling Tasmania on a budget, I’d recommend just choosing one as even the basic tickets are over $100 per person. We booked the railway as it’s a bit more unique (there are lots of day cruises in Tasmania) and had some interesting food and history stops along the ride.

Other activities in Strahan include exploring the waterfront area, dune-bashing or boarding in the Henty Dunes in summer or seeing The Ship That Never Was (a well-known comedy play about local history put on for families and tourists).

Drive time: 2 hours Distance: 140 km

Where to stay: 

• Budget and Camping/Vans/RVs: Big4 Strahan
• Mid-range: Aloft Boutique Hotel
• Luxury: Franklin Manor

Day 7: Strahan to Hobart

This is mostly a big drive day as you’ll need to get from the West Coast back down south.

There’s not a whole heap to do in between Strahan and Hobart but it is a very scenic drive through a lot of national parkland. You’ll pass Mount Field with it’s ski resorts and you may want to make a detour to see Russell Falls waterfall.

If you’re ok with the extra driving you could push on tonight to stay near Kettering, where you’ll take the ferry to Bruny Island on Day 8. Otherwise, Hobart offers lots of options and is still very close by.

Drive time: 4 hours 30 minutes (+ Mount Field detour) Distance: 300 km

Where to stay: 

• Camping/Vans/RVs: Discovery Parks Hobart
• Budget: Hobart Central YHA
• Mid-range: Hadleys Orient Hotel
• Luxury: MACq01

Day 8: Bruny Island

On Day 8, take the ferry to Bruny Island, the 70km long island off the south coast of Tasmania.

Bruny Island is an awesome day trip for foodies especially as there are a lot of artisan producers based on the island that you can go to for tastings. My favourite was the Bruny Island Cheese Company, but Get Shucked Oysters, the honey company and the cider at Hotel Bruny are also great. The only place we found disappointing was Bruny Island Chocolates which had a tiny range and was nothing new.

In between food stops, you can drive down to the Bruny Island Lighthouse, try some of the hiking tracks, walk up to the lookout at The Neck or enjoy some time at the beaches around Adventure Bay.

You do need a vehicle to get around the island, but you can easily take your car/van over on the ferry. My Bruny Island ferry guide has all the details.

Drive time: 35 minutes from Hobart plus 20 minute ferry and drive time on the island (2.5 hours+ if you go to the lighthouse)

Distance: 30 km from Hobart to the wharf

Where to stay: 

• Budget and Camping/RVs/Vans: Captain Cook Holiday Park
• Mid-range: Bruny Island Escapes and Hotel
• Luxury: 43 Degrees Bruny Island

Day 9: Huon Valley

The Huon Valley, to the southwest of Hobart, is one of the less-visited parts of Tasmania but is possibly the best foodie destination in the state. 

The area is surrounded by the forests of Southwest National Park and the Hartz Mountains but is full of pretty little waterfront towns, historic pubs and hotels and farms.

If you want to try Tasmania’s famous apple ciders the Huon Valley is the place to go as you can do tastings at Willie Smith’s Apple Shed and Pagan Cider Cellar Door.

For something more adventurous, head out to Tahune Adventures where you can take a hang glider across the river and try the AirWalk, 30+metres above the forest floor. 

Check out my guide on things to do in the Huon Valley for more ideas.

Drive time: 1 hour from the ferry wharf to Port Huon (other spots in the valley are further/closer) Distance: 60 km

Where to stay: 

• Camping/Vans/RVs: Huon Valley Caravan Park, Huonville
• Budget: Kermandie Hotel, Port Huon
• Mid-range: Ambiance on Huon Bed & Breakfast, Cygnet
• Luxury: The Peninsula Experience

Day 10: Return to Hobart

I’ve left this last day for making your way back to Hobart and departure. It’s only a short drive from the Huon Valley so no issues if you have any early flight out.

If you have a bit more time or are doing this as a 10 day road trip from Launceston or Devonport, I’d suggest using this day for a trip to Port Arthur and the Tasman Peninsula. It’s about an hour’s drive from Hobart and the Port Arthur Convict Site is a UNESCO World Heritage attraction.

Drive time: 50 minutes from Port Huon to Hobart Distance: 60 km

Alternative itinerary for a winter road trip in Tasmania

Same days 1-5

Day 6 Cradle Mountain to Stanley

Day 7 Stanley to Launceston

Day 8 Launceston to Huon Valley

Day 9 Bruny Island

Day 10 Return to Hobart

Second alternative Tasmania winter road trip itinerary

Same days 1-2

Day 3 Hobart to Port Arthur

Day 4 Port Arthur to Maria Island

Day 5 Maria Island (Triabunna) to Freycinet National Park

Day 6 Freycinet National Park to Launceston

Day 7 Launceston to Huon Valley

Day 8 Huon Valley

Day 9 Bruny Island

Day 10 Return to Hobart

Happy travelling!

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