Long cut off from rest of the world, Tasmania is a special part of Australia – unique flaura and fauna, exciting hiking and birding and an up and coming food and wine scene. And the best way to explore Tasmania is on your own wheels. Cradle mountain and Freycinet National Park are the hiking hot-spots and offer some breathtaking vistas.

Freycinet National Park

Freycinet National Park, located on the east coast of Tasmania, is an absolute delight for outdoor enthusiasts – hidden coves, cliffhanger trails and some of world’s best beaches – all of this with a backdrop of sheer granite rising straight out of the sea. Best way to reach the park is on your own wheels, but from thereon you have to stretch your legs to make the most of the park. I am always looking for vantage points to photograph the surrounding landscape, and there is none better than Wineglass Bay Overlook.

Wineglass Bay Overlook – Tasmania’s best hike

The Wineglass Bay Overlook offers iconic views over the beautiful white sands of the bay. It’s an hour or so hike-cum-scramble up a steep saddle between Mt. Atmos and Mt. Mayson. Although the trail is not well marked, once you are at the trailhead you can’t miss it, since there is constant traffic. Note that this is not a beginner trail – prepare well with good hiking shoes, and no loose clothing. It gets very windy at the top! From the overlook, the wineglass beach area is a steep descent for another hour or so. Plan for 2-3 hours if you are just going to the overlook, and 6-7 hours if you are headed all the way down to the beach.

What else to do near Wineglass Bay?

• There are numerous trails in the park, a climb up to Mt. Atmos being one of the other popular trails – they all start from the same car-park area.
• Go Kayaking along the beautiful coastline
• Try some Tasmanian wines at the Freycinet Lodge after a nice hike. It’s a great place to spend a night as well
• Visit Cole’s Bay
• Drive couple of hours north to the Bay of Fires to photograph some stunning orange hued rocks and boulders by the beach

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About Praveen Maloo

Praveen is currently based out of Seattle, United States. He loves coffee, conversations, micro-brews, and intimate jazz music scenes. When its not raining in Seattle, he can be seen enjoying the beautiful outdoors of the Pacific North-West.

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