Over four days, the Freycinet Experience Walk covers the length of Freycinet Peninsula, taking in the highlights of this breathtaking natural environment as well as its hidden wonders. Boat and vehicle transfers allow walkers to see more, and still return to the Friendly Beaches Lodge each night. The maximum number of walkers is ten and each group is accompanied by two knowledgeable guides. Reasonable fitness and the ability to walk for up to 6 hours a day will let you enjoy your Freycinet experience to the full.

Download full trip notes here (in PDF format)

We depart the Old Woolstore in Hobart at 8.30am for the scenic journey from Hobart to Coles Bay, taking in wide panoramas of the Freycinet Peninsula across Great Oyster Bay. A morning tea break is taken at the historic Spiky Bridge near Swansea. On arrival at Coles Bay on the Freycinet Peninsula, we board the Naturaliste for a spectacular sea cruise down the western length of the peninsula to Schouten Island, the southernmost part of Freycinet National Park (weather permitting).  After a picnic lunch, there’s a walk up Bear Hill for magnificent views, or fishing for flathead in Schouten Passage with our Coxswain Shep. The boat returns to Coles Bay and guests are transported to Friendly Beaches Lodge to relax and enjoy a dinner of fresh fish, good company and fine wine, to the rhythm of the waves on Friendly Beaches.

Walkers rise with the sun and are transferred early from Friendly Beaches Lodge to Coles Bay for another boat trip down the peninsula. There’s a choice of walks today: a peaceful walk from Bryan’s Beach through sclerophyll forests and along beaches to the renowned Wineglass Bay or the more challenging walk from Cook’s Beach to the top of Mt Graham (579m above sea level) descending to Wineglass Bay via spectacular Quartzite Ridge. When we arrive at Coles Bay late in the afternoon, it’s the perfect time for a swim in the bay’s crystalline waters and a dry off on its sugar-white sand. Refreshed, we make the steep climb to the Wineglass Bay Lookout for spectacular views, then descend to the waiting vehicle. Back at the lodge, we enjoy refreshing hot showers before drinks and dinner

Transfer by vehicle this morning brings walkers to secluded Bluestone Bay. Here there’s time to explore the fascinating geology of White Water Wall and little Bluestone Bay before climbing to the Bluestone Bay cliff tops. We walk back to the lodge through pristine bushland following a track used by the Oyster Bay Tribe. Along the way we spot giant Xanthorea (Grass Trees) and the exceptionally rare flowering Epacris Barbata. After a peaceful walk we arrive at the orange lichen-splashed rocks at the beautiful south Friendly Beaches headland. We continue along the dazzling white sands of Friendly Beaches to arrive at the lodge where cool drinks and homemade afternoon tea await.  Savour a well-deserved meal and then relax with a glass of wine by the roaring fire.

Rise early and head to the beach or sleep in.  After breakfast there’s an optional walk along the fossil-rich ridgeline of Mt Mary and a descent to Saltwater Lagoon - nesting ground of black swans and pelicans. After an exceptional lunch, a stroll along Friendly Beaches brings walkers to Isaac’s Point, meeting point for the leisurely journey back to Hobart.

The Freycinet Experience Walk is a four-day guided walk covering the entire length of the Freycinet Peninsula on Tasmania’s East Coast. Four days of blissful immersion in nature with three nights of stylish accommodation at the secluded Friendly Beaches Lodge. The walks, with boat and vehicle transfers, reach deep into the heart of the exquisite Freycinet National Park, the untamed jewel of Tasmania’s East Coast. Freycinet Experience recently won the 2008 Australian Gourmet Traveller Awards for the Best Eco-tourism experience.

Download full trip notes here (in PDF format)

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