Australia · TOURS IN LAUNCESTON
Every trip has one free day too few. These 15 tours in Launceston justify the slot, priced and timed so you can decide in minutes and get back to the fun part.
Paddle Coles Bay into Freycinet National Park in a stable double kayak with a professional guide. Expect coaching, warm jackets, dry bags, local stories, and a midway stop with a hot drink and gourmet cookie. Morning, afternoon, and sunset departures are available, with weather-based route changes for safety.
“Great evening on the water to watch the sunset over the bay. Very relaxed paddle with expert instruction. Highly recommend.”
Set out from Coles Bay at 9:45 am for a 4.5-hour cruise along Freycinet National Park. Expect granite cliffs, white beaches, caves, wildlife sightings, local commentary, and an optional seasonal lunch. The boat returns to Jetty Road, with no hotel pickup included.
“What an awesome day! The tour was fantastic! The staff on the boat were simply wonderful and it’s well worth making the trip around Freycinet!”
Spend about 6.5 hours touring three or four Tamar Valley vineyards from Launceston with guide Terry. Taste cool-climate wines, hear local stories, enjoy a Tasmanian produce lunch, and let the operator handle the driving. Groups are capped at 11, with hotel or accommodation pickup and return included.
“A small group of people travelling together along with wonderful Terry as a chauffeur. It’s cosy, and cheerful.”
Spend 50 minutes aboard the Lady Launceston, an 1890s-style vessel, cruising from Kings Wharf and Seaport into Cataract Gorge. Your English-speaking skipper points out local history, folklore, cliffs, and river sights. The boat uses a quiet electric drive inside the gorge, giving you clear views and a calm ride. Meet at the Cruise Terminal Booking Office.
“Really informative, Captain Josh was great and it was a really fantastic cruise. Awesome way to see Cataract Gorge.”
Travel from Launceston to Cradle Mountain with guides such as Ben, David, Dale, or Steve. Visit Sheffield, walk through cool rainforest, see Dove Lake, Glacier Rock, and the Boatshed, and enjoy lunch and snacks. The day runs in all weather, so bring warm layers and waterproof gear.
“I can’t speak highly enough of this experience. Everything about is was well organised from the time we made the booking right through to the day itself. Communication was excellent and our driver Steve was knowledgeable, welcoming and very accommodating. The coach was comfortable and the stop along the way at Sheffield was interesting. Cradle Mountain itself and the surrounding national park was spectacular as we had beautiful warm weather and clear skies. These aren’t things within the control of the tour providers but definitely made the trip more enjoyable. The provided lunch and snacks were ample and tasty with plenty of time allowed to complete the simpler walks. The…”
Spend 270 minutes aboard Schouten Passage II, cruising from Coles Bay along Freycinet’s granite coast toward Wineglass Bay. Enjoy a Tasmanian-style Ploughman’s lunch, onboard commentary, viewing decks, and the chance to see dolphins, seals, penguins, whales, and seabirds. Skipper Noah and the crew are known for lively, attentive service.
“Great commentary, staff were terrific and scenery was outstanding.”
Spend 150 minutes cruising from Launceston into Cataract Gorge and north along the Tamar River. Your English-speaking skipper, including guides such as Callum and Jonno, provides local history, wildlife, and vineyard commentary. Tea, coffee, fruit, afternoon tea, wine, and beer tasting are included, with comfortable seating and wheelchair access.
“The cruise was very informative and the staff were excellent”
Meet at Devils@Cradle at 5:30 pm for a keeper-led evening walk through the sanctuary. Learn about Tasmanian Devils, spotted-tailed quolls, and Eastern Quolls, then watch feeding in enclosures lit with environmentally sensitive lighting. The tour lasts about 1 hour, with time to explore the sanctuary beforehand.
“A must do. The keepers were informative and very entertaining. We were advised to go early and see them before the feeding to see the difference and we are glad we did. They were amazing to watch. Would highly recommend.”
Join guides such as Terry or Gillian for a seven-hour Tamar Valley wine tour from Launceston. Visit several cellar doors, taste cool-climate wines, hear Tasmanian wine stories, and enjoy lunch with wine or a local produce platter. The small group is limited to 11, with hotel pickup and drop-off included.
“Terry was an excellent host. We enjoyed 4 wineries as part of the day. The pace was casual, while Terry kept us moving as required. We had a great lunch at Moores Hill with a great overview and sampling of their wines. The last winery, Hinton Bay was excellent. Beautiful wines, views, great hosts and a lovely Mediterranean style of tasting area. I highly recommend this tour.”
Travel from Launceston to Cradle Mountain with an English-speaking guide such as Rodney, Graeme, Damien or Arlene. Choose the moderate 6-kilometre Dove Lake circuit or the steeper Marion’s Lookout walk, then enjoy Sheffield murals, Pencil Pine Falls, possible wombat sightings and Tasmanian ice cream.
“Spectacular! Thank you to Graeme and co. A great day.”
At Devils@Cradle, explore the sanctuary on your own before joining a 90-minute evening feeding tour. An English-speaking keeper introduces Tasmanian devils, spotted-tail quolls, and eastern quolls, then feeds them while explaining their behavior, biology, and conservation. Guides such as Prue, Renee, and Kay have made this a warm, lively experience despite the cold mountain air.
“Must do activity if you are spending a night at cradle mountain. Myself and my family we had so much fun and learnt a lot about Tasmania devil and quolls Loved them and our guide was so good … I can see why the animals love her so much Thank you we had lot of fun”
Spend four hours aboard Tamar River Cruises from Launceston, passing Cataract Gorge, Tamar Island, vineyards, farms, and Batman Bridge. Captain Callum and other local guides provide live commentary as you enjoy morning tea, lunch, Tasmanian wine and beer tastings, cheese, fruit, and unlimited tea and coffee.
“We enjoyed it all. Very comfortable, and relaxed, not overcrowded and Captain/Guide very knowledgeable and informative. Other staff were great too!”
Spend 50 minutes cruising from Home Point Parade past Kings Wharf, Seaport, and Launceston’s riverfront before entering Cataract Gorge. Lady Launceston uses a quiet electric drive inside the gorge, giving you clear views of the cliffs. Live commentary comes from captains such as Josh, James, and Callum. The 11:30 am departure suits a short Launceston visit.
“The tour was excellent. Our tour guide was very friendly & informative pointing out all the area’s of interest”
Spend four hours aboard the Tamar Odyssey, cruising from Launceston toward Batman Bridge and into Cataract Gorge. Captain-led commentary covers local history, wildlife, vineyards, and rural life. Morning tea, buffet lunch, Tasmanian cheese, fruit, wine, beer, tea, and coffee are included. The boat is wheelchair accessible.
“We had a wonderful time, the Captain was full of information, the crew were very attentive to our needs and the lunch was delicious, muffins and fruit cake for morning tea, then a wine and beer tasting, followed by lunch which was an assortment of focaccias and subs, the fruit, cheeses and crackers.”
Spend about 5.5 hours walking through Freycinet National Park with a guide such as Andrew or Ali. See Wineglass Bay from its lookout, walk its white beach, enjoy morning tea and a picnic at Hazards Beach, then return by Aqua Taxi. The group is capped at eight, with a moderate fitness level required.
“A beautiful piece of the world - breathtaking views of both Hazard Beach and Wineglass Bay. The view of Wineglass Bay is worth the 892 step climb! Morning Tea and Lunch were lovely. Andrew did a fabulous job telling us about the area and Tasmania in general. A great day!”
Pick a coastline, a desert or a cellar door.
