6 Day Tasmanian Devil Encounter Private

Day 1: Launceston, Hawley Beach & Narawntapu

This morning is at leisure. Meet your local guide at noon in the lobby of your accommodation or airport and start your Tasmania adventure with a scenic drive to Hawley Beach or The Tamar Wetlands. We will try to spot as much wildlife as possible and your guide will introduce you to the local fauna and flora.

Accommodation: The Verge Launceston

Day 2: Cradle Mountain National Park

After breakfast, continue to the internationally acclaimed, UNESCO World Heritage Cradle Mountain Wilderness. Travel through lush rolling farm pasture before reaching the alpine bush of the Cradle Valley.

Begin to unwind to the harmonic sounds found only in this true wilderness. Along the way you may see birdlife species such as Forest Ravens, Currawongs and Wedge-tailed Eagles. In late afternoon, visit Devils@Cradle Wildlife Sanctuary to gain insights about the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial and witness a feeding of this unique species.

Accommodation: Cradle Mountain Hotel

Day 3: Cradle Mountain National Park

On a clear day the rugged grandeur of Cradle mountain is reflected in the tranquil waters of Dove Lake, or you may experience the drama of its craggy peaks through swirling mist. This morning’s activity is a bush walk in the National Park on the Dove Lake Circuit (2.5 hrs), where you will immerse yourself in the beauty of this majestic setting (weather dependant).

Learn about native flora and fauna along the way with highlights including the ballroom forest and lakeside beaches. Enjoy an interpreted bush walk through the National Park among Tasmanian rainforest and the native Pandani, the tallest heath plant in the world.

Accommodation: Cradle Mountain Hotel

Day 4: Mole Creek & Mountain Valley Wilderness

Depart from Cradle Valley and travel to Mole Creek Karst National Park, for a tour of Marakoopa Caves. Explore this miraculous underground world with its glow worms, large caverns, rim pools and underground streams.

Continue in the Leven Canyon region and to Mountain Valley Wilderness. Mountain Valley is a sanctuary for wildlife. This lost valley is home to many species of birds from tiny wrens to the Tasmanian sub species of the Wedge-tailed Eagle, Masked Owl and the white morph of the Grey Goshawk. Eleven of the twelve Tasmanian endemic birds inhabit the reserve making it ideal for bird watching at any time of the year.

Accommodation: Mountain Valley Wilderness, Loongana (Fauna Cabin)

Day 5: Mountain Valley & Tasmanian Arboretum

Start your day with a visit to the Tasmanian Arboretum. A large conservation land with an abundance of wildlife. You may have the chance to see the elusive platypus and many other species. After lunch, visit the Leven Canyon regional reserve. Leven Canyon feels like a world away.

High-elevation alpine vegetation, fresh mountain air, well-maintained tracks and informational displays that educate you on Tasmania's wild flora and fauna await in this regional reserve. And it's a great way to experience an entirely different landscape from the north coast. As darkness descends You will be visited at your door by wallabies (Pademelon), brushtail possums including Tasmanian Devils and Quolls both on the threatened species list.

Accommodation: Mountain Valley Wilderness, Loongana (Fauna Cabin)

Day 6: Mountain Valley to Launceston or Hobart

This morning, leave the leave the Mountain Valley area and travel back into civilization. The tour ends either in Launceston at around 1 pm or in Hobart at around 3 pm.

Tour details

Group Size: Maximum of 12 guests
Pick-up and Drop Off Point: Pick-up from Launceston Transit Centre, Drop off in Hobart or Launceston
Pick-up and Drop-off Time: 12pm on day one, Day 6 finishes at approximately 3pm.
Languages: Fully guided German, French, Spanish, Portuguese private touring throughout Tasmania.
Inclusions: 6 days of private touring with a local guide, transport in a well-appointed vehicle, 5 x nights' accommodation, 5 x breakfast, 5 x lunch, 2 x dinner, Marakoopa Caves entry, Devils@ Cradle Sunset Experience tour or Joy Encounter, donation to the Tasmanian Arboretum and all National Parks passes.

How you'll be making a positive impact

Citizen Science with Premier Travel Tasmania

Premier Travel Tasmania contributes observations of flora & fauna via iNaturalist, the world’s leading global social biodiversity network. This platform allows our team to create research-quality citizen science data that enables a more detailed picture of our national biodiversity, and assists bodies such as the CSIRO, ecologists and other decision makers to deliver better outcomes for the environment and our species.

Our guides record observations with iNaturalist Australia by using the iNaturalist app on mobile phones or desktop computers. An observation records an encounter with an individual organism at a particular time and location on Kangaroo Island. We require photos to be attached to observations for them to become research grade and added to the Atlas of Living Australia.

This is where you can greatly assist us in capturing images out in the field! Although we make broader observations that we think are valuable to the local scientific community, we have identified the following species to track when we are exploring Tasmania by vehicle or on foot.

Key species we're looking out for include:

• Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle
• Eastern Quoll
• Spotted-tailed Quoll
• Tasmanian Devil
• Platypus
• Common Wombat (mange-effected)
• Forty-spotted Pardalote
• Swift Parrot
• Hooded Plover

Red-filtered Flashlights for our Nocturnal Beauties

White torches or spotlights can significantly disturb our marsupials, due to the greater sensitivity of their pupils to light compared with humans. Premier Travel Tasmania use and share with guests the importance of using red-filtered spotlights.

Although spotlighting is a fantastic means of revealing some of Australia’s most endearing creatures, white torches or spotlights can significantly disturb our marsupials, due to the greater sensitivity of their pupils to light compared with humans. High-powered spotlights effect the ability for pupils to function properly for extended periods of time, leaving them blinded temporarily.

For this reason, we share with guests the importance of using red-filtered spotlights along with prohibiting flash photography. 

Wildlife Rescue Training in Tasmania

All guides at Premier Travel Tasmania undertake Wildlife Rescue Training, given the high incidence of road collisions with native wildlife across Tasmania. Bonorong Wildlife Rescue provides training for guides covering wildlife rescue and transport procedures, to provide the best chance to save injured or orphaned wildlife that may be spotted when out touring on Tasmanian roads.

Premier Travel Tasmania is also a founding partner of Friends of Bonorong, assisting in fundraising for the immediate care of wildlife in need and the ongoing protection of Tasmanian species. Guests travelling on shared wildlife departures contribute to this effort, with a portion of the tour cost going towards the Bonorong medical facility and education of guests with a behind the scenes night tour of their facility.

Developing Partnerships To Meet Sustainability Goals

Premier Travel Tasmania has developed partnerships with key environmental organisations in Tasmania, including Tasmania Parks & Wildlife Service, Friends of Bonorong, Wombat Rescue Tasmania, Devils@Cradle and Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Program. Friends of Bonorong, Devils@Cradle and Orange-bellied Parrot Recovery Program are all supported financially via touring experiences provided by Premier Travel Tasmania.