8 Day Campervan Hire Tasmania Road Trip

Tasmania may look like a small Island next to mainland Australia, but there’s a huge amount to see and do.  8 days is the minimum time I’d recommend for those wishing to do a lap around the Island.  To get a true taste of what Tasmania has to offer, we’ve packed a lot in for this 8-day itinerary.  If you’re looking for a more relaxing slower pace you may want to focus on one area of Tasmania, save certain spots for another visit or enjoy a longer stay.

8-Day Itinerary 

1250 km, 18 hours driving time total

Day 1

Hobart – Mount Field National Park – Lake St Clair

220 km, 3 hours 30 min driving time plus stops

Prepare yourself for some Tasmanian nature, Mount Field as a great introduction to Tasmania’s wilderness, discover huge trees, waterfalls and enjoy the drive to Lake St Clair. Finish the day off with a hot meal at the Lake St Clair restaurant (Booking recommended) or Derwent Bridge Hotel.

Recommended stops;

New Norfolk – Last chance to stock up on groceries from a large supermarket until Launceston.

Mount Field National Park, Three Falls Circuit, 6 km, 2 hrs.  Discover 3 waterfalls, huge trees and a beautiful walk in this heavily forested area. Alternatively take the short walk to Russel Falls, or explore the longer hikes in this National Park.

The Wall, $18 entry ea, an impressive 3 metre high, 100 metre long sculpted Huon Pine wall. Bookings required.

Lake St Clair National Park, offering short walks to long hikes.  Visit the information centre to find your perfect fit.

Camping;

Lake St Clair National Park Campground, booking recommended.

Derwent Bridge Wilderness Hotel, free overnight parking in the carpark, enjoy a hot meal and drinks in the Hotel.

Day 2

Lake St Clair – Cradle Mountain

200 km, 3 hours driving time plus stops

We recommend taking the stunning scenic drive via Queenstown’s 99 bends, this drive will take you by waterfalls, lakes, lookouts and all with a beautiful Mountain backdrop.  There’s plenty of opportunities to get out and stretch your legs so take your time and soak it all in.

Recommended stops;

Franklin River Nature Trail, 25 min return rainforest walk.

Donaghys Hill Lookout, 45 min return walk for spectacular views.

Nelson Falls, 20 min return walk.

Horsetail Falls, 20 min return walk.

Queenstown historic mining town, explore the West Coast Wilderness Railway, local street art, walk up to the Spion Kop lookout.

Mount Murchison Track, 5.3 km allow 3 – 4 hours. If you have time, the weathers in your favour and you’re feeling fit, this challenging route offers exceptional scenic views over the Wild West of Tasmania, one of my favorite hikes in Tasmania, and a must do for any keen hikers.

Camping;

Discovery Parks Cradle Mountain, booking essential as this is the only camp ground at Cradle Mountain National Park.

Cradle Mountain Fishery & Camping, 15 min drive from Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre, lookout for a Platypus!

Day 3

Cradle Mountain

Once you arrive into Cradle Mountain National Park, pop into the Visitors Centre for bus tickets down to Dove Lake, and explore what walks you want to do. There are many walks here, so take your time to enjoy Cradle Mountain, you can easily spend the day here exploring the Park, or head off toward the East Coast at your leisure.

Recommendations;

Dove Lake Circuit, 6 km, 2 hours, easy track around the lake.

Marions Lookout, I’d certainly recommend doing this lookout as part of the Dove Lake Circuit, the views are amazing (weather permitting) and well worth the effort.

Cradle Mountain Summit, allow around 6 hours to hike up to the Summit and back down around Dove Lake. This challenging but rewarding climb is something you’ll never forget. This hike can get busy so get the first bus down to avoid the crowds and ques up to the Summit.

Enchanted Walk, easy 1.1 km circuit along the river, best done at dusk to spot some Wombats.

If you’ve smashed out the hikes early, you may want to get a head start on your drive towards the East Coast.

Day 4

Cradle Mountain – Bay of Fires

320 km, 4 hours 30 min driving plus stops

A big driving day on more scenic roads, we’ll keep the stops short to allow for plenty of relaxation at the Bay of Fires. The easiest route to take is via Lilydale Falls which cuts out a lot of narrow and twisty roads.

Recommended stops;

Sheffield, the Town of Murals, well worth a wonder through on foot to admire the many murals and cute shops.

Launceston, Cataract Gorge has plenty of walks to stretch your legs, take a ride on the chairlift or grab a hot drink at the café. Last major supermarkets before Sorell so great to stock up on supplies.

Derby, grab some lunch in one of the cafes, walk around the lake, or just enjoy walking through this vibrant MTB town. If time allows book a visit to the Floating Sauna with a dip in the lake to cool off.

St Columba Falls, 20 – 30 min, 1.2 km return walk to one of Tasmania’s tallest waterfalls.

St Helens, find hot showers by the car wash (coin operated), enjoy the boardwalk and cafes.

Camping;

Bay of Fires offers many free camping opportunities with drop loo’s, we recommend getting into these as early as possible for good spots during peak times. Swimcart Beach, Cosy Corner South, and Cosy Corner North are our picks.

Tasman Holiday Parks St Helens, for a traditional campground with facilities, booking required.

Day 5

Bay of Fires – Freycinet National Park

130 km, 2 hours driving plus stops

The Great Eastern Drive offers plenty of chances for beach walks, taking a breath and being relaxed by the natural beauty. Explore wineries, local produce and plenty of lookouts along the way.

Recommended stops;

Bicheno has a lot of tourist activities including Little Penguin Tours, Devils in the Dark Tour, Glass Bottom Boat, Bicheno Blowhole, Whalers Lookout Reserve and plenty of eateries.

Freycinet National Park offers hikes, short and long to view the stunning Wineglass Bay. Our pick is Mount Amos if you’re after a challenge, the Lighthouse Lookout Boardwalk or the Wineglass Bay Lookout. Pop into the Freycinet National Park Visitors Centre to find your perfect walk.

Camping;

Freycinet National Park Campground, limited spots so book early.

Friendly Beached Campground, free camping, recommend getting in early for a spot during peak season.  Endless walking up and down the beach.

Freycinet Campground, booking recommended during peak seasons.

Day 6

Freycinet National Park – Port Arthur via Sorell

240 km, 3 hours driving plus stops

We strongly advise going through Sorell on this drive, avoiding the very slow unsealed road past Bream Creek. Yet another scenic drive giving you great views of the Hazards, Vineyards and the Ocean, you’ll come across plenty of stops so if you end up running short on time you may wish to save the Tasman Peninsula for another visit, you can easily spend a 3 – 4 days here alone.

Recommended stops;

Devil’s Corner Cellar Door, one of the most popular cellar doors with restaurant, lookout and vegan friendly wines.

Take a break at the seaside towns of Swansea and Triabunna for a quick feed and stretch of the legs.

Stock up on groceries at Sorell, the last chance before heading to the Tasman Peninsula.

Eaglehawk Neck offers plenty of POI’s, check out the Tasman Bay National Park Lookout, Tessellated Pavement, The Dog Line, Blow Hole, Tasmans Arch, Devil’s Kitchen and Waterfall Bay Lookout.

Port Arthur Historic Site, dive back into history with this fun experience, our pick is the Ghost Tour.

Remarkable Cave, Crescent Bay and Mount Brown Lookout, scenic and unique walks from 10 mins to a couple hours.

Camping;

NRMA Port Arthur Holiday Park, booking in advance required.

Fortescue Bay Camping Ground, booking in advance required.

Day 7

Port Arthur – Richmond

100 km, 1 hour 30 min driving time plus stops

If you still have some energy after all the activities so far, starting the day off with the Cape Hauy track offers some truly breathtaking views, and one my favorite hikes. Take a drive back towards Richmond for some relaxation in this super cute town.

Recommended stops;

Cape Hauy Track, 4 hours return, 9.4 km and a lot of stairs, but well worth the effort.

Catch up on any sites at Eaglehawk Neck if you missed them yesterday.

Richmond Bridge, enjoy a walk along the river and find the oldest stone span bridge in Australia.

Explore the many attractions, shops and cafes around Richmond.

Camping;

Richmond Caravan & Cabin Park, booking recommended.

Discovery Parks Hobart, booking recommended.

Day 8

Hobart

Take some time to enjoy Tasmania’s Capital, you can easily spend a few days alone exploring Hobart with this just being some of our favorite things to do.

Recommended stops;

Mona – Museum of Old and New Art.

Salamanca Place, for cafes, bars, old sandstone buildings and enjoy the Salamanca Markets on Saturdays 08.30 – 15.00 for souvenir’s, local produce, food stalls.

Farm Gate farmers markets, Bathurst Street on Sundays 08.30 – 13.00 for local eats and produce.

Cascade Brewery Hobart, take a tour of the oldest operating brewery in Australia, or enjoy the restaurant and gardens.

Mount Wellington, take a drive up to the Summit for some spectacular views across Hobart and beyond.

Bonorong Wildlife Park, a sanctuary for animals and animal lovers alike, Bonorong do an amazing job in rescuing and rehabilitating our injured wildlife.  Night tours are our pick, when the animals are most active and allow an intimate encounter.

Although not an exhaustive list, we’ve compiled our must see’s and do’s when hiring a campervan to explore Tasmania.  We hope you enjoy your stay and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for any questions when planning your road trip.