Cradle Mountain National Park - Full-Day Tour

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake offer superb natural beauty and this area is Tasmania’s most iconic World Heritage must-see destination. With around 5 hours of time to spend in the National Park we leave our walking itinerary flexible to suit our guests and the weather conditions on the day. As Tasmania’s premier day walking location, there is a wide variety of trails to choose from and we offer the opportunity to hike and explore the abundant trails, wildlife, and nature on this action-packed active day tour.

After departing Launceston, on our way to Cradle Mountain, 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 before we continue onwards into the mountains.

Arriving at 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 with a series of short walks to Rainforest City and Pencil Pine Falls.

We then begin our longer walk from Dove Lake. Here you can choose your preferred main walk for the day. There is the iconic Dove Lake Circuit, which is 6 kilometres, classified as easy and usually takes around 2-3 hours at a leisurely pace. 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 kilometres but is classified as medium difficulty, with some steep sections supported with chains. This walk is well rewarded with amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding World Heritage wilderness area from the top of the lookout.

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 and sample some local tasty products at the award-winning Ashgrove Cheese Factory.

We return to Launceston after a huge yet unforgettable Cradle Mountain day. Cradle Mountain is the backdrop for a truly memorable and not to be missed Tasmanian experience.

“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.

Cradle Mountain and Dove Lake offer superb natural beauty, wildlife and Tasmania’s premier day walking opportunities on this tour day designed for the Active traveler.

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, on our way to Cradle Mountain, 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 before we continue onwards into the mountains.

Arriving at the Cradle Mountain National Park, we prepare for the walking opportunities ahead of us. We begin with a series of short walks to Rainforest City and Pencil Pine Falls.

We then begin our longer walk from Dove Lake. Here you can choose your preferred main walk for the day. There is the iconic Dove Lake Circuit, which is 6 kilometres, classified as easy and usually takes around 2-3 hours at a leisurely pace. 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 kilometres but is classified as medium difficulty, with some steep sections supported with chains. This walk is well rewarded with amazing 360 degree views of the surrounding World Heritage wilderness area from the top of the lookout.

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 and sample some local tasty products at the award-winning Ashgrove Cheese Factory.

We return to Launceston after a huge yet unforgettable Cradle Mountain day.

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 grade 6km’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’ an outdoor art gallery with murals painted across the town showing the history of the area.

• Taste a variety of local cheeses or reward yourself with a local ice-cream at Ashgrove Cheese Factory

Important Information

Please note you will need to carry your lunch, drinks and clothing with you in your day pack when hiking. You may bring your lunch with you or we will stop to give you an opportunity to purchase a bakery style takeaway lunch on the day.