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Tasmania
3 Hours
Photo: JJ Harrison · CC BY-SA 3.0
Campervan road trip · 7–14 days
Tasmania loop
Wild coast, alpine lakes and a food scene that punches way above its size.
HikingBeachesWildlifeFood & wineNational parks
- Trip length
- 7–14 days
- Distance
- ≈ 1,200 km
- Pick up
- Hobart
- Drop off
- Hobart
- Best time
- November–April for long, mild days; winter brings snow at Cradle
Live prices from the big campervan companies · book online in minutes.
The route
12 days, 8 stops
Tasmania is small enough to loop in a fortnight and wild enough to feel like a different country. Distances are short, roads are quiet and every overnight stop is different from the last: pink granite and white sand on the east coast, glacial lakes and wombats at Cradle Mountain, and old-growth rainforest out west. Pick up and drop off in Hobart, so there's no one-way fee.
Vans that suit this trip
Day by day
The plan, stop by stop
Paced for 12 days. Got less time? Merge two stops. Got more? Stay longer wherever you like it; it's your van. Drive times and distances are approximate, from road-routing data, without stops.
- 1
Day 1–2
Hobart & Bruny Island
Photo: Andrea Schaffer from Sydney, Australia · CC BY 2.0 Salamanca on a Saturday, MONA for the art that starts arguments, and the summit of kunanyi/Mt Wellington for the view. Take a day trip to Bruny Island for sea cliffs, beaches and seals.
- 2
Day 3
Port Arthur
1.5 hrs · 95 km
Photo: Rexness · CC BY-SA 2.0 Walk the convict ruins by day, then come back for the lantern-lit ghost tour. Stop on the way at the Tessellated Pavement and the Tasman Arch.
- 3
Day 4–5
Freycinet & Coles Bay
3 hrs · 210 km
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 Climb to the Wineglass Bay lookout, then go down to the beach itself; most people turn back at the lookout.
- 4
Day 6
Bay of Fires
2 hrs · 120 km
Photo: Shuttles12000 · CC BY-SA 4.0 Orange lichen on white granite, turquoise water and free beachfront camping. Ask anyone who's done the trip and this is the stop they'd stay longer at.
- 5
Day 7
Launceston
2.5 hrs · 170 km
Photo: Bob T · CC BY-SA 4.0 Swim at the Cataract Gorge basin, then head into the Tamar Valley for cool-climate wine and sparkling.
- 6
Day 8–9
Cradle Mountain
2 hrs · 150 km
Photo: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen · CC BY-SA 3.0 Walk the Dove Lake circuit under the mountain, then go out at dusk when the wombats come out to graze. If you've got the legs, climb Marions Lookout.
- 7
Day 10
Strahan
2 hrs · 150 km
Photo: Peter Shanks · CC BY-SA 4.0 A Gordon River cruise into the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers, then sunset on Ocean Beach, where the next landfall west is Argentina.
- 8
Day 11–12
Lake St Clair → Hobart
1.5 hrs · 130 km, then 2.5 hrs · 170 km to Hobart
Photo: Raki_Man · CC BY 3.0 Australia's deepest lake and the end of the Overland Track. Stretch your legs at Mt Field's Russell Falls on the way back, then return the van in Hobart.
Good to know
- Where to sleep
- Caravan and holiday parks with powered sites and showers, national park campgrounds, and low-cost sites listed in WikiCamps. Book ahead in school holidays.
- One-way fee
- None. You pick up and drop off in Hobart.
- Driver age
- Most operators need drivers aged 21+. A few take 18–20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge; tell us the youngest driver's age and we'll quote what fits.
- Recommended vans
- Best fits: the hi-top campervan and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll match the size.
Free and low-cost places to park up on this route, with the local rules: free camping in Tasmania.
- Hobart to Hobart means no one-way fee, which keeps Tasmania one of the cheapest van trips going.
- Buy a Holiday Pass for Parks & Wildlife; it covers every national park for up to 2 months.
- Roads are narrow and winding. Plan on 60–70 km/h averages, not highway speeds, and avoid driving at dusk when wildlife is out.
- Bringing a van from the mainland on the Spirit of Tasmania is possible, but picking one up in Hobart is usually cheaper.
Tours worth adding
Boats, reefs, islands and 4WD tracks. Add them to your quote and we'll fit them around your drive.
Tasmania loop campervan FAQs
Do I need a national parks pass in Tasmania? +
Yes. Every Tasmanian national park needs a pass. The Holiday Pass covers all of them for up to two months, which suits a road trip.
Should I bring a campervan across on the Spirit of Tasmania? +
You can, but picking up a van in Hobart is usually cheaper than paying the vehicle fare on the ferry, and a Hobart round trip has no one-way fee.
How many days do you need for a Tasmania loop in a campervan? +
Allow 7–14 days. This plan is paced for 12 days with 8 overnight bases. Short on time? Merge two stops. Got longer? Stay on wherever you like it.
Is there a one-way fee for a Tasmania loop? +
No. You pick up and drop off in Hobart, so there's no one-way fee.
How old do I need to be to hire a campervan? +
Most operators require drivers to be 21 or older. A few accept 18 to 20 year olds with a young-driver surcharge. Tell us the youngest driver's age in the quote form and we'll only quote vans you can drive.
Which campervan suits a Tasmania loop? +
The best fits are the hi-top campervan and the motorhome. Tell us how many of you are travelling and we'll quote the right size.
Ready to drive Tasmania loop?
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