Cradle Mountain

Excellent tour made even better by the minibus driver, Stan, who added a 'wealth of knowledge' to a very full day to Cradle Mountain. He was obviously very proud of his island and conveyed that love with a very informative chat all the way from Launceston to the National Park! We stopped along the way at Railton (town of wall topiary) and coffee and cake at Sheffield (town of wall murals) before heading into the spectacular scenery of Cradle Mountain. We had plenty of time at Dove Lake for lunch and a walk at the water's edge. It's a tour I won't forget in a hurry, absolutely wonderful! A visit to Waldheim, home of Gustav Weindorfer, pioneer and acknowledged founder of the park was 'a must', and we all felt priviledged to share this national treasure. I could have stayed longer but alas, it was soon time to leave. We still managed to stop-off on the way back to a cheese farm/shop at Elizabeth Town to sample the goodies of Ashgrove Diary. A memorable tour with lots of extras thrown in for good measure, highly recommended!

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

We had a great day. Our driver was very knowledgeable and you wouldn't want to be doing the driving on the winding road into the park. We had plenty of time to stretch the legs at Dove Lake ( which was quite beautiful). The Cheese Shop was a nice break on the way home.

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

A great day touring. Cradle Mountain was fabulous so too the scenery on the way. The coach driver was very familiar with the area and was very obliging and informative. Definitely a must see area!!!!!

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

Really nice place to go, I will visit this place again if I can.

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

Amazing day. Tour bus driver friendly and informative. Bus comfortable but little cramped.

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

A wonderful smorgasbord of good information and beautiful sights! Leigh is a brilliant and entertaining guide.

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

A gorgeous, unspoiled national treasure in Tasmania. We had wonderful hikes along the trails and boardwalks, with amazing animal life - birds, wallabies, and more! The hidden, still lakes and quiet setting were very relaxing. A gem that is definitely worth the long drive, stay at least three days.

The walk around Cradle Mountain is superb and the views are great! Tip pack a lunch and a nice bottle of wine, there are various spots and also some benches along the way to enjoy the scenery. The weather can change any minute so be prepared with sunscreen, a hat, a jumper and rain coat.

Cradle Mountain was on my "must do in my lifetime" list and having visited I have to say it merits a spot on that list.

Highly recommended - very well organised, beautiful place - a must go.

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

Tam was the best guide ever! She was very informative about plants and animals in the area and her enthusiastic passion for Cradle Mountain was evident. She was also a superb chef. The trip exceeded my expectations.

Doing what: 3-Day Cradle Mountain Walking Expedition from Launceston

This trip 'does exactly what is says on the tin'... and more, so read the product details carefully and what you read is what you get! If I were to sum up the 3 days in 3 words, I would say surprising, challenging and brilliant. Why surprising? I am an animal lover and so I was very happily surprised by how much wildlife we saw. I am talking about wild wombats, echidnas and wallabies that literally just went about their business (which was usually eating a tasty treat that they had found) and paid little or no attention to passers-by taking snapshot after snapshot of them. Why challenging? Do not underestimate the sections of the product details that states 'the last stage to the summit of Cradle Mountain is over rocky scree and is quite difficult'. Being fit would definitely be an advantage for this section, but the challenge for me at this part was not so much physical challenge as technical challenge. You will see the track disappear from in front of you and from there you have to negotiate and maneuver your way over boulders. There are pole markers in the rocks for you to follow, but really you make your way from one pole to the next wherever you can pick a way over the rocks. This is where I have to say having a guide for this walk was invaluable. Our guide was brilliant, calm and reassuring at all the right moments and helped us find our footing on the more 'tricky' parts, especially on the descent. And why brilliant? The landscape covered within the space of 3 days was so diverse, with wildlife and great food (cooked for you by your guide) thrown in as a bonus! We went from walking round Dove Lake with the ominous Cradle mountain looming in the background, to walking over open plains where you could see for miles, to strolling through rainforests and listening to the rush of waterfalls. Although I cannot honestly say I enjoyed the top section of the climb to the summit (I was 'freaking out' about keeping my footing so high up on difficult terrain!) I am still glad I did it. And since this part is optional I would have no hesitation in recommending this trip to friends and family who fancy a little taste of the outdoors with the home comforts of a cabin and a roaring fire to go back to each night. All in all, a fantastic break from the city which I would highly recommend!

Doing what: 3-Day Cradle Mountain Walking Expedition from Launceston

Fantastic experience. What a beautiful area to spend three days in. The scenery surpassed our expectations. The hike difficult in sections, but nothing to put you off (though you do need solid boots and rain gear). Guide was excellent, and the overall value here was tremendous. Highly recommended.

Doing what: 3-Day Cradle Mountain Walking Expedition from Launceston

Awesome views and a great day out.

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston

Great day out in the mountains never been to Tasmania before and to experience the waterfalls, Dove Lake on a fine day. Driver was knowable and went out of his way to point out interesting points along the way except somethings was missed- Cethana Dam and Enchanted Forest Walk viewing pencil pine, lush forest and a spectacular waterfall. This was disappointing was expecting more and to stop for both morning tea and lunch in the same place with limited choices of food?

Doing what: Cradle Mountain National Park Day Tour from Launceston