Cradle Mountain National Park active day tour

Cradle Mountain National Park is an area of iconic scenery with a wide variety of walking trails to choose from in this stunning World Heritage listed area.  With around 5 hours to spend in the National Park we leave our walking itinerary flexible to suit our guests and the weather conditions on the day.

After departing Launceston we enjoy a short stop in Sheffield – The Town of Murals.  Sheffield is a small and quirky rural village, in the foothills of the mountains.  Sheffield is Tasmania’s own outdoor art gallery, featuring over 100 paintings on the walls of buildings across the town.  The artwork depicts the history of the Cradle Mountain region, and is a great taster of what is to come, before we continue onwards into the mountains.

Arriving into the Cradle Mountain National Park, we prepare for the walking opportunities ahead of us.  We aim for around 4 – 5 hours in the National Park, to really make the most of the trails.  We begin our adventures with one of Tasmania's Great Short Walks, which gives us the perfect introduction to the area the Enchanted Walk trail. An easy 20 minute circuit following Pencil Pine Creek.

Our main hike for today's tour, begins from Dove Lake with 2 walking options available.  Here you can choose your preferred main walk.  There is the iconic Dove Lake Circuit which is a 6 kilometer track, classified as easy-moderate walk, and usually takes 2-3 hours.  This is one of the premier walks in Tasmania, the track undulates around Dove Lake and traverses beneath Cradle Mountain. All the magnificent flora can be viewed on this walk, with buttongrass, myrtle, sassafras, fagus and King Billy Pine along the way, along with epic views of Cradle Mountain.

For the more active and avid hiker, we offer the chance to climb to the loftier heights of Marion’s Lookout.  This is around 4 kilometers but is classified as a medium grade hike, with some steep sections.  Marions Lookout sits at 1200m, and provides breathtaking 360 degree views of the surrounding World Heritage wilderness area.

We stop along the way for a lunch break, enjoy a rest by a quiet stream, watch the famous and friendly Cradle wombats in their natural habitat, or take the time to photograph the  landscapes.  Learn some of the local history as we visit Weindorfer’s Chalet and see the ancient King Billy Pines on Weindorfer’s Forest Walk.

On our return to Launceston, we stop to refresh and refuel at the delicious Van Dieman's Land Ice Creamery and Christmas Hills Raspberry Farm.

We return into Launceston around 6.00pm after a huge yet unforgettable Cradle Mountain day.  

“This must be a National Park for the people for all time. It is magnificent, and people must know about it and enjoy it." 
So declared Gustav Weindorfer from the summit of Cradle Mountain in 1910. 

Highlights

• Explore Cradle Mountain National Park & World Heritage Area (4 - 5 hours)

• Stand on the shore of the spectacular setting of Dove Lake

• Enjoy some short introductory walks and interpretation to the area

• Walk along the “Rainforest City” & “Pencil Pine Falls” tracks

• Take on the Dove Lake circuit walk (easy-moderate grade 6 km’s 2-3 hours) 

• OR, take on the harder walk to the lofty views of Marion’s Lookout (medium grade 3-4 hours)

• Explore the historic Weindorfers Chalet 

• Walk amongst the ancient King Billy Pines on Weindorfers Forest Walk

• Visit Sheffield the ‘Town of Murals’ with over 30 murals painted across the town showing the history of the area.

• Enjoy a delicious break, after a big day out, at Van Diemans Land Ice Creamery & Christmans Hills Raspberry Farm Cafe.

Inclusions

• National Parks entrance fees

• Friendly and knowledgable tour guides

• Informative tours and guided walks

• Small group limit of 20 people

• Pick up and drop off from selected hotels

Exclusions

• Meals, Snacks, Drinks

Every tour includes a food stop, usually somewhere simple yet tasty (Bakery style takeaway purchases, sandwhiches,rolls,wraps) where you can grab take away food, drinks and snacks for the day.  Lunch will be a rest stop in the National Park along your walk.  If you've got special dietary requirtements, consider bringing your own.

What to bring/wear

• A day pack
• Refillable water bottle
• Closed, sturdy shoes for walking (runners, sneakers, hiking boots)
• Sensible clothes for outdoor conditions (warm layers are a great idea)
• A waterproof jacket, just in case
• A sunhat and beanie
• Sense of adventure!
  
  

IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT CRADLE MOUNTAIN

Cradle Mountain is an Alpine area, Dove Lake is 1000m above sea level.  The weather at Cradle Mountain is very changeable year round and you need to be prepared for any weather, regardless of the time of year.  We recommend packing and dressing with layers of clothing, including beanies and gloves. It is not uncommon to experience snow and icy winds in summer.  During our winter months - June, July, August the tracks can get very wet from rain, snow and snow melt.  We recommend a spare pair of shoes/slides/sandals and fresh socks to keep your feet warm on the drive home!

Special considerations 

Our tours are active and visit National Parks and wild areas that involve some walking. We focus on the great short walks of Tasmania.  Although most of the walks are classified as easy, a suitable level of general health & fitness and physical abilities is essential.  All tour participants will be participating in outdoor, active activities and therefore subject to the outdoor weather conditions of the day.

We educate all guests on Minimal Impact Bushwalking and the Leave No Trace policy before entering our National Parks. We provide accurate interpretation and keep wildlife disturbance to a minimum by viewing from appropriate distances and informing our guests how to view wildlife with patience and respect. Activities are always confined to tracks and boardwalks to minimise negative impacts.