A group of us (all used to creature comforts) are planning a trip to Tasmania next February. We are hoping to do the Overland Track with Cradle Mtn Huts outfitters, and also to do their Bay of Fires walk, which ends with two nights at the Bay of Fires Lodge. Comments? Alternative suggestions? What else (or instead) to fill out a three-week trip? Thanks!

This all sounds fantastic and I doubt you will be wanting in the creature comforts stakes as these places have everything you need. What else you do depends on how long this is going to take, what you and your friends are interested in and what things you wish to see. So let us know the answers and we will oblige - leastways others will oblige as I am leaving on holiday today myself.

I've just returned from Tasmania on a fam trip (business trip for travel) agents) and I'm soooo impressed with Tasmania. I toured both locations and had a lovely scone at Overland..wonderful operation for what you want to do.<BR><BR>Melodie

Diane,<BR>you might like to add Coles Bay and the Freycinet Peninsula to your list. That's where you can do the hike to Wineglass Bay - you may have seen photos of it, it's often in travel brochures, ads on TV etc.<BR>We stayed at a great place, I guess about 4 star but can't remember the name! Sorry. It was built in natural surroundings with boardwalks between the rooms and from the water you could hardly see the buildings. It wasn't in Coles Bay itself but not far from there.<BR>Kay

The place mentioned by Kay is "Freycinet Lodge" Telephone +613 6257 0101. A deluxe spa cabin will cost about $130US per night a standard cabin about $80US per night. It is situated in the National Park and there are some good short walks nearby.

Hello, everyone! I thought I'd checked the box for an e-mail alert to the first reply to my post---I'm still here, just thought no one else was! Trip has been pushed back to March, so I've got plenty of planning time I've reserved the Cradle Mtn Huts trek, plus their Bay of Fires trek (back to back). I've got Qantas business class seats on hold w/ AA miles, and the dates I've got will give me 5 days before these two treks. I'm thinking about 3 nights in the Freycinet area (one day to sea kayak, one to do the Wineglass Bay walk), then maybe 2 days/nights in the southwest??? Sounds beautiful, but remote---my Lonely Planet Tasmania guide doesn't really talk about anything in the way of accomodation but camping for Southwest National Park. I suppose we could do a hike in Mt. Field as a day trip from Hobart. Then we have another 5 nights (not counting the first night back from trek) at the end of the trip. I'm thinking of finishing up w/ a three-night stay somewhere on the Great Barrier Reef (this is our second trip to Oz, and we missed the GBR the first time). So, I could spend two more nights in Tasmania. Where??? "Sight-seeing" really isn't my thing---I'd rather be out in nature, but if there's really something I shouldn't miss...

You have chosen the best month (March) of the year for Tassie; beware Easter for the crowds but weather is ideal. Here are two more good long day walks for you - at Lake St Clair (2 hours past Mt Field on the Lyell Hiway) do the 7 hour circuit walk to the summit of Mt Rufus. it is one of the great Tassie walks - not hard, goes thru all sorts of fascinating terrain, and the view from the top is grand - all the SW peaks. <BR><BR>2)Do a big coastal walk in the new Tasman Peninsula NP. Cape Hauy is a good one, so is Cape QE2. Ask the rangers for a suggestion or look up the Tas Parks & Wildlife site for advice.

I was in Taz last year. You will love it. I would recommend a trip from Hobart up through the Freycinet peninsula. Hobart is a lovely city with the lively Salamanca Market. Port Arthur gives you a real sense of the convict history its hardships. Wine Glass Bay is truly lovely and the town of Bicheno has a penugin rookery. Such variety for an island the size of West Virginia! You will have a wonderful time. We're planning on Cradle Huts trip when we return on 2004, so please let us know how it was.

The Tas Parks and Wildlife site is great---I'm wishing I had a whole month to spend!<BR>How does this sound:<BR>Day 1 arrive Hobart, rent car, drive to Freycinet; spend 3 nights there.<BR>Day 4 return to Hobart; stay 2 nights there, with day 5 spent in Tasman NP.<BR>Day 6 (here's where I start to get overly ambitious...)drive from Hobart to Lake St. Clair or Mt. Field NP, dayhike, drive to Launceston (Cradle Mtn trek starts day 7).<BR>Day 6 probably has too much driving involved to be realistic. I don't want to spend all my time driving from place to place... Maybe instead we can walk in Tasman NP on the day we leave Freycinet, spend the night in Hobart, and drive out to Lake St. Clair and/or Mt. Field on day 5. Is there lodging available reasonably close to Lake St. Clair? Or maybe we should forget Lake St. Clair, and just relax a bit in Hobart and environs? Sounds like there are no really bad choices (except one that would have us in the car most of the day).

Don't pass up Lake St Clair. It is fringed by mountains, World heritage-listed and superb. There is a big and nice hotel at Derwent Bridge just a few kms from the park, or there are B&Bs in the area 50-75 kms distant along Lyell Hiway. Hobart is nice but you don't need heaps of time there - 2/3 total days will do. At Freycinet,get out and explroe not just the park but the surrounding area. Nice walk to the gorge at Douglas-Apsley NP about 30km drive away. Easy walk and great scenery.