National Geographic Traveler Interactive - 10.11 2019

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Getting there and around

Tasmania is easily accessible from the mainland, with

major Australian airlines flying direct to both Hobart

and Launceston from main Australian hubs. Tasmania

is also a great self-drwive destination.

When to go

The warmest months are December-February

(around 75F). Spring is bright but windy, and

fall offers crisp, sunny days with fewer crowds.

Short winters (June-August) can see temperatures

between 37F and 52F.

How to do it

Qantas Vacations offers the eight-day Wild Tasmania

Immersion tour with activities including kayaking,

hiking, and a trip to Maria Island. From $1,849 per

person, excluding flights. Airfares available upon

request. qantasvacations.com T: 866-914-4359

Essentials

Gone fishing

Tasmania’s first trout were introduced

in 1864, having been delivered from

Britain on the Norfolk ship. Today’s

bronze beauties are descended from

that original batch and are considered

to be the purest of the species in

the world. Stay at Currawong Lakes

and don your waders with instructor

Roger for a meditative session casting,

catching, and releasing fish while white-

bellied sea eagles soar above.

currawonglakes.com.au

All afloat

Founded by Robert Pennicott, the first

person to circumnavigate Australia in

a rubber dinghy, Pennicott Wilderness

Journeys offers a full-throttle adventure

around the Tasmanian coast. Wrap up

warm and take in sea caves, cliffside

waterfalls, walls of Jurassic dolerite

and freestanding sea stacks, all while

passing Australian fur seals and flocks

of giant albatross. Be sure to look

south; the next landmass is Antarctica.

pennicottjourneys.com.au

Wine and wombats

At the conservation-led Bangor

Vineyard Shed, a short drive from the

state capital of Hobart, visitors can drop

by for a twilight bus and walking tour

to spot wombats, one of Tasmania’s

most charismatic critters. After learning

about the area’s unique ecosystem,

guests will return to the restaurant

for dinner — washed down, of course,

with glasses of refreshing Tasmanian

Chardonnay and mid-bodied Pinot Noir.

bangorshed.com.au

Penguin parades

This far south, it’s no surprise that

penguins can be seen on Tasmanian

shores. The flightless birds make

landfall on the northwest coast, where

Bicheno Penguin Tours runs evening

excursions to a private rookery. Watch

as the creatures emerge from the sea

and make their way uphill to their nests.

Penguin numbers vary according to

the season, with September to March

being the best time to see them.

bichenopenguintours.com.au

Tasman Island and

Cape Pillar

To win an unforgettable adventure in

Tasmania with Qantas Vacations,

head to bit.ly/TasmaniaVacation19.

Subject to availability. T&Cs apply.

Entrants must be residents of USA

FOUR MORE NATURAL ESCAPES

To find out more, visit discovertasmania.com.au

PARTNER CONTENT FOR TOURISM TASMANIA