European giant Globus launched their highly-acclaimed new multi-day Australian tours in October last year. Karryon founder Matt Leedham hopped onboard their inaugural 9-day ‘Rugged Tasmania’ itinerary for a trip around Australia’s island state and a hearty taste of Tassie’s good stuff.
Starting and finishing in Hobart, ‘Rugged Tasmania’ is Globus’ 1200 kilometre clockwise Tassie journey of discovery that features a curated, diverse mix of nature, food and wine experiences into nine enriching days around Australia’s island state.
Some of the numerous trip highlights include overnight stays in Hobart, Strahan, Peppers Cradle Mountain Lodge, Freycinet Lodge in Freycinet National Park, as well as top-class experiences, including oyster quaffing on Bruny Island, a luxe Gordon River Cruise in Strahan, wine tasting at Josef Chromy vineyard in Launceston and a spectacular cruise to Wineglass Bay.
On day six of the trip, I join my fellow 22 travellers for lunch at Cataract Gorge, a stunning, peaceful spot just five minutes out of Launceston that claims the world’s longest single-span chairlift.
After an invigorating walk, and with a blaze of Autumnal colour as the backdrop, it seems the perfect place to ‘Come down for air’ as the Tasmania Tourism campaign suggests, to start my own relaxing journey.
Back on the bus, Tour Director and Tassie local Robyn keeps everyone entertained in their comfy seats by sharing snippets of local history as we make our way towards our next stop, Josef Chromy vineyard in the Tamar Valley.
Czech born Josef ‘Joe’ Chromy’s story is a Tassie legend. Fleeing his war-torn Czech village in 1950 as a penniless 19-year-old after 11 years of Nazi and Soviet occupation, he arrived in Australia 40 years ago and built a successful meat business before investing in wine in 1993.
After owning and developing some of Tasmania’s leading wineries, including Jansz, Heemskerk and Tamar Ridge, Joe launched Josef Chromy Wines in 2007, aged 76.
Since then, Josef Chromy Wines has amassed a remarkable 14 trophies and 170 medals, making it one of the most successful launches in the history of the Tasmanian Wine Industry. That’s some legacy, and Joe isn’t done yet.
We sample six delicious wines during the guided tasting session, including the Chardonnay, the signature tipple which won the world best award in 2011 and now sells for $220 a bottle while hearing more about Josef’s remarkable story and unique winemaking process.
Feeling a little giddy post tasting, we set off for Freycinet Lodge in World Heritage-listed Freycinet national park at sunset, pushing along the snaking road, while Rod, our proud ‘Hobartian’ driver, pips the horn every couple of minutes to shoo giant Kangaroos off the road ahead. “yeah, there’s gonna be quite a few more yet,” he laughs.
Arriving at the multi-award winning Eco Lodge, we’re welcomed by the magnificent sound of wind-whipped Coles Bay and a warming, delicious dinner inside, followed by a few glasses of Tassie Pinot or two in front of the roaring fire. My King-sized bed is one of the comfiest I’ve slept in on my travels, and it’s a treat to drift off to sleep in my cosy cabin as the wind howls outside.
Not wanting to miss a single moment, I’m up for sunrise to marvel at the stunning oceanfront Lodge and the famed pink granite Hazards Range glinting in the early light.
A couple of Sea eagles float by in the crisp air. I catch my breath before excitedly hopping into a small Cessna for a 30-minute spectacular scenic flight over Wineglass Bay and the uninhabited Peninsula that’s full of impossibly white sandy beaches. And all this before 9 am.
Then it’s back to the warm lodge and a hearty breakfast before setting sail for Wineglass Bay with Pennicott Wilderness Journeys for a four and a half hour cruise on their 150 seat catamaran, the Schouten Passage II.
After seeing the landscape from above on my scenic flight, there’s now hidden caves, blowholes and waterfalls to explore at sea level as the sun appears to scorch the granite rock, which makes up 90% of the peninsular.
When we reach Wineglass Bay, the engine cuts off, and we moor to enjoy our tasty ploughman’s style lunch in silence. Everyone is quiet, but it’s not by design. It’s frankly one of those precious moments in life that travel gifts us to be savoured. I close my eyes: lapping waves, the sounds of trees rustling in the wind in the distance. It’s perfect.
On the way back, we stop to watch a family of fur seals that have scaled impossible heights to take a breather on the rocks while their mates play in the bay, heads bobbing around like swimmers in the surf as we eyeball each other.
Back on land, we take a brisk, blowy walk up to Cape Tourville Lighthouse, where it feels like you can catch a glimpse of New Zealand in the distance before heading back to Freycinet Lodge for our second and final evening. After another hearty dinner, all I see are content faces all around as my fellow explorers digest all that they’ve experienced on this beautiful day.
Come the morning; it’s time to bid farewell to Freycinet National Park and set off down the East Coast back to Hobart. Over the next three hours or so, we to take in one instaworthy view after another as we journey south, hugging the coastline and passing hills full of grazing sheep, small stone churches and boutique vineyards with cellar doors looking out over the Tasman Sea.
We get a glimpse of what convict life must have been like and what was forcibly achieved from the Tassie legacy they founded in the early 1800s. Small villages come and go, including Tour Director Robyn’s home town of Orford. Charming veggie gardens, stone shacks and log cabins. Cherry and walnut farms, vast estates, dry stone walls, jetty’s and harbours, old pubs and wool beanie-wearing locals.
As a relative newbie to coach touring, this is the beauty of having a local expert take care of all the driving and the useful info while you recline in your comfy leather seat and witness the ever-changing wonder outside. Two handy USB chargers in your console mean you can also keep your devices charged, ready for the next photo stop.
Soon we’re approaching Hobart and a glinting snow-capped Mount Wellington. As an optional extra, I choose to get dropped off at the Museum of Old and Modern Art (MONA). A simply extraordinary place, MONA is a creative utopia that has shaped the contemporary character of Tasmania in so many ways. It’s utterly brilliant and adds an entirely different thread to the fabric of my Tasmanian experience.
After checking into the swish new Crown Plaza Hobart, our final night is a celebratory farewell dinner together at family-owned Mures Upper Deck on the Hobart waterfront. Tucking into freshly caught seafood and, of course, sampling more Tassie wine, everyone I speak to in the group has had a grand time, with many staying on post-trip to explore yet more of Tasmania.
For me, it was time to head home after a fulfilling few days. I enjoyed this trip because of the mix of unique and different experiences and choices on offer, coupled with fantastic places to stay. And all at just the right pace.
As the name promises, ‘Rugged Tasmania’ perfectly sums up this Globus tour, but it’s not simply about the epic landscapes and natural icons. There’s something rugged about the Tasmanian spirit that leads to all manner of other awe-inspiring and surprising moments you’ll enjoy along the way on this trip.
Maybe it’s the climate, history, or the intrepid passion Tasmanians have for remixing the old with the new – whatever it is, being able to get out there and experience this glorious island state for yourself while someone else takes care of all the driving and the details is a beautiful thing.
Trip Notes: Globus’ 9-day Rugged Tasmania Tour departing 6 May and 20 May 2022 starts and finishes in Hobart and costs $4,573 per person based on twin-share and includes a discount of 10% when booked before September 30th.
Globus also features booking flexibility offers and safety policies on all their trips, including:
- 2021 Peace of Mind Travel Plan: A complimentary package attached to all 2021 bookings. The plan gives travellers the option to move their holiday to any 2021 or 2022 date, to any destination, with any brand, without incurring cancellation fees – as long as the booking is moved before the final payment date. And for as long as the COVID-19 pandemic is still affecting travel, all bookings for 2022 travel dates are also covered by the Peace of Mind Travel Plan, extending the ability to move travel dates through 2023.
- SafetyNet Booking Protection: For $95 per person for international bookings and $105 per person for Australia bookings, SafetyNet Protection offers guests the opportunity to cancel their holiday up to 30 days prior to their trip or amend their holiday up to 24 hours in advance of their tour departure, with no penalties.