Tour The Wilderness Of Tasmania

A short hop from the mainland is well worth the journey to discover the wilderness of Tasmania. Breathtakingly beautiful, if you’re looking for adventure in its purest form, this is where you’ll find it.

Lucky enough to show visitors just what this island has to offer, we spoke to Andrew West, owner of Under Down Under, about touring Tasmania.

Why should visitors to Australia make the hop over to Tasmania?

Tasmania is fast becoming the environmental tourism capital of the world, remaining one of the few places on the planet you can visit vast areas of wilderness in its untouched, natural state. With an abundance of breath-taking scenery, Tasmania offers a large variety of different landscapes, environments and eco-systems to explore plus some great wildlife. Whether you are hoping to visit some of the best beaches in the world, climb dramatic alpine ranges, explore dense rainforest and old-growth forests, Tasmania can accommodate and quite often, visitors will find themselves to be the only people present in an area at any one time. Even the largest cities of Hobart have a small-town, friendly feel about them, not to mention the renowned local produce available around the island.

What kind of landscapes, activities and experiences can visitors expect?

Tasmania tends to offer an experience that is quirky and very genuine. This is evident in the vast array of quality small businesses around the state, offering interesting and unique services, experiences and produce. Visitors to the state can expect a lot of outdoor activities, encounter a lot of history and a lot of unique fresh food experiences. They can expect to enjoy the raw, wild scenery without the need to line-up or wait among crowds of people to see it. Tasmania is vast – with mountains, beaches and large bodies of water and wild places.

Where’s your favourite place to take people to in Tasmania?

It’s hard to name one spot – there are so many fabulous places including the iconic Wineglass Bay and the Bay of Fires on the east coast and the wild rivers of the west coast, but I’ve always loved showing people Cradle Mountain National Park. The area is simply amazing, with fantastic short walks, spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife. Cradle Mountain is a must-see place.

What would you say is the most surprising thing about Tasmania?

Probably just how much there is to see and do, and how large the island is! Even though the population of Tasmania is only just over 500,000, the island land mass is roughly the same size as Austria or Ireland. Along the larger coastlines, sometimes you can walk an entire stretch of beach without seeing another human. Not only is there a lot of wilderness to explore, but there is an abundance of art, culture, history, food and wine to enjoy, award-winning distilleries and breweries to test and some of the best fishing waters in the world.

Where’s the best photography spot?

There are honestly too many to mention, but one of the greatest views has got to be from the summit of Mt Wellington, 30 minutes from Hobart CBD.

Are there any secret places in Tasmania that you would recommend?

The best part of our tours are some of the secret places we know and share. We always try to include a little extra to our itinerary depending on the season. Whether it’s finding the freshest produce at the farm gate or maybe a platypus playing in a river, there’s plenty of hidden secrets to find on the journey. One of my favourite “less travelled” places is the Pieman River. We go there on our tour and each time I visit, I always wonder if I will see a Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger – supposedly extinct, probably is but we can always live in hope) emerge from the dense surroundings.

What wildlife are you more likely to find on Tasmania?

The wildlife in Tasmania is special with some unique species along with Tasmania’s versions of some well-known Australian favourites. Fortunately, as we have vast areas of wilderness, you are far more likely to come across these species in their natural habitat. Of course, you can also see the infamous Tasmanian Devil – thankfully still around in the wild, as well as up close in the wildlife sanctuaries around the state. Commonly spotted along our journeys are Wallabies, Wombats, Eagles, Platypus, Quolls, Possums, Echidnas, Wedge Tail Eagles, Little Penguins, Dolphins and Devils.

What is the one must-do activity or must-visit place that visitors should tick off?

Take on the Mt Wellington Descent – a 2.5- hour mountain bike ride from the summit of Mt Wellington down to Hobart’s waterfront! Or for those who are not inclined to balance a bicycle, take a look at the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA). Even if art is not your normal thing, this place is amazing.

Book your Under Down Under tour of Tasmania with Adventure Tours Australia. Visit them at www.adventuretours.com.au, or give them a call on 1300 654 606.