TASMANIA TEMPTATIONS - Fly FREE*, Cruise & Stay 2026 Cruise Line Aurora Expeditions Ship Greg Mortimer Package Departs 02 Dec 2026 Other Dates
Package Duration 10 Nights Embark Ship Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Disembark Ship Hobart, Tasmania, Australia Enquire Fly FREE*, cruise and stay on this beautiful Tasmanian circumnavigation cruise in December 2026
Fly cruise & stay from
AU $ 13,270Per person
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Revel in the opportunity to tread some of Tasmania’s greatest coastal tracks while you circumnavigate this island state by sea. Land on remote pristine beaches; trek through coastal heath, buttongrass moorlands, lush temperate rainforests and tall eucalypt woodlands; and drink in the stunning vistas from towering dolerite peaks. Discover far-flung archipelagos and explore islands whose only permanent inhabitants include Bennett’s wallabies, wombats, potoroos, possums and pademelons. Cruise the wild, storm-swept coastlines and sheltered, shimmering bays. Experience a variety of trekking treasures on Bruny, Flinders and Maria Islands. Delight in the raucousness of fur seal colonies and the majesty of soaring shy albatross or gannets in the skies. Create and collate a treasured suite of memories – on foot or by sea – with extraordinary adventures on offer each day.Highlights:- Head off the ‘mother ship’ each day for a range of adventures and explorations, that may include hiking options, wildlife watching, Zodiac cruises, or kayaking.- Access some of the best (and least-known) walks in Tasmania, including those on Bruny, Flinders and Maria Island.- At the remote Maatsuyker Islands, spy the most southerly lighthouse in Australia, and the scores of seabirds that call them home.- On Maria Island – nicknamed Tasmania’s “Noah’s Ark” – enjoy an abundance of native wildlife, keeping an eye out for all but one of Tassie’s 12 endemic bird species.- Learn about Tasmania’s long human history, fascinating geology, and unique biota from our onboard experts.- Learn how the waters of Tasmania fit into the vast and unique ecosystem known as the ‘Great Southern Reef’ – part of a “Hope Spot” designated by Sylvia Earle’s Mission Blue team.Day 1 HobartHaving made your way to Hobart, you will be met by a representative of Aurora Expeditions and transferred to our group hotel. Upon arrival at your included hotel, please visit the Aurora Expeditions hospitality desk to collect your luggage cabin tags and to speak with our ground operations team, who may have information to share with you about pre-embarkation or to provide you with information about where to dine, withdraw cash or purchase last minute items from a local pharmacy or supermarket. The remainder of your time is at leisure. All meals today are at your own expense. Accommodation: Hobart Hotel.Day 2 HobartThis morning, your luggage will be collected from the hotel and transferred directly to the port for sanitisation, clearance and delivered to your cabin ahead of your arrival on board. Please ensure that your luggage is fitted with cabin tags clearly labelled with your name and cabin number. Any valuables or personal items should be kept on you throughout the day. After breakfast, check-out and bring your luggage to the foyer. Please place any items required today in your hand luggage as your main bag will be placed in the bays of the coach. Enjoy an afternoon tour before the drive returns you to Hobart to board the Douglas Mawson in the late afternoon.Settle into your cabin before attending important safety briefings and enjoy the thrill of departure as Aurora Expeditions ‘throw the lines’ and set sail. This evening, get to know your fellow expeditioners and the friendly Expedition Team and crew at the Welcome Dinner to celebrate the start of a thrilling adventure. Day 3 Bruny Island & Recherche BayFrom the comfort of your floating base camp, make your first forays to the picturesque bays at South Bruny Island. Enjoy picturesque coastal walks through flowering heathlands and eucalypt forests, a more leisurely stroll on long stretches of pristine sand, or a more active tramp up the headland for sweeping views of Cloudy Bay and beyond to the Southern Ranges. Later, as you sail southwards, keep an eye out on for views of Cape Bruny’s historic lighthouse.At the extreme south-eastern corner of Tasmania, the idyll of Recherche Bay offered French explorer, Bruni D’Entrecasteaux, refuge, replenishment, and scientific discovery. Learn more about his exploits, including the well-documented, amicable encounters and mutual observation between the expedition members and the indigenous Lylequonny people. Hopefully enjoy a hike towards the extreme southern tip of Tasmania or towards Fishers Point past the impressive bronze whale sculpture that commemorates the area’s early whaling history. Having rounded South East Cape, experience untamed wilderness of the south coast.Days 4 Maatsuyker Island Group, At seaFrom the comfort of the ‘mother ship’, enjoy a ship cruise at the Maatsuyker Island Group. Spy Australia’s most southerly lighthouse at Maatsuyker Island, and delight in the majesty of soaring shy albatross in the skies above Mewstone Island before setting sail up Tassie’s wild west coast.Day 5 Hunter Island GroupOften described as a ‘coastal wonderland’, the impressive sea-cliffs, pristine beaches and sand dunes, sheltered lagoons and tidal inlets of the remote Hunter Island group provide an exciting backdrop to your adventures. The islands were named after John Hunter (Governor of the Colony of New South Wales) by Flinders on the first recorded circumnavigation of Tasmania in 1798; although the islands show evidence of over 23,000 years of continuous occupation by local Aboriginal people. The islands are a major breeding ground for a range of birds, including a number of threatened species, including the orange-bellied and swift parrots, white-bellied sea eagle, shy albatross, Tasmanian wedge-tailed eagle and fairy prion.Days 6 Kent Island GroupMarvel at the mystique of the far-flung Kent Islands – often missed on conventional maps – and experience its rich natural and human history. This cluster of three main islands and four smaller islets comprise Tassie’s northernmost national park. Discover the bountiful, nutrient-rich waters created by the convergence of three major ocean currents, which help feed Australia’s largest fur seal colony. Scan the shorelines and skies for sooty oystercatchers, short-tailed shearwaters, petrels and prions; contemplate the looming granite lighthouse; and discover stories of sealers, sailors and shipwrecks in the original lightkeeper’s cottage (the oldest in Australia, and now museum) run by the islands’ only two inhabitants.Days 7 Flinders IslandFlinders Island – called Great Island until it was renamed in the early 1800s after explorer Matthew Flinders – is the largest of Tasmania’s islands and home to Strzelecki National Park. The island offers sapphire waters, untouched beaches, a rich variety of flora and fauna, rocky ridges and towering peaks as a backdrop to your hiking, or kayaking. Energetic hikers may like to scale the granitic beauties of the Strzelecki Peaks to experience spectacular vistas, while strollers might enjoy a shorter meander through shaded casuarina woodlands and coastal heath to secluded bays.Day 8 Freycinet PeninsulaThe striking scenery of Freycinet Peninsula tempts you for another day of discovery, whether you hike its towering pink granite peaks for a spectacular view, paddle its iridescent-blue waters, or beachcomb a pristine white beach peppered with orange lichen-covered boulders. The surrounding wilderness is also alive with flora and fauna. On your adventures, keep an eye out for white-breasted sea eagles soaring in the skies above, Bennett’s wallabies lazing under a she-oak, the local pod of bottle-nose dolphins, or perhaps one of the short-beaked echidnas that are sometimes seen foraging for ants in daylight hours. Weather permitting, you may also visit the nearby Schouten Island group, where gangs of fur seals can be seen vying for their favourite rocky resting place.Days 9 Maria IslandKnown as Tasmania’s ‘Noah’s Ark’, Maria Island is home to an abundance of native wildlife including Bennett’s wallabies, common wombats, and rufous-bellied pademelons; as well as conservation sanctuary to a number of introduced species including the Tasmanian devil. The island is also considered one of the best places for bird watching, with a variety that includes all but one of Tassie’s endemic bird species. In addition to its natural history, the island has a rich human history stretching back over 40,000 years. The Puthikwilayti people of the Oyster Bay tribe were original custodians of the land and surrounding waters, which was later visited by European explorers, and exploited by sealers and whalers. Convict settlements, failed commercial ventures, and an eventual National Park designation are also part of the island’s antiquities.Days 10 Port ArthurNestled amid English oaks and gardens, Port Arthur stands in stark contrast to the beauty of the Tasman Peninsula. Once a site of punishment, opportunity, and leisure, it now preserves Australia’s colonial history in stone and brick. Explore the ruins and restored buildings of the Port Arthur Historic Site. Back on board and as you set sail for Hobart, toast your adventures and celebrate with friends – both new and old – at our Captain’s Farewell Dinner.Day 11 Disembark in HobartIn Hobart, farewell the crew, expedition team and fellow travellers before your transfer to the airport.Itinerary subject to change due to pending regulatory and permitting approvals.
Package Summary: 10 nights Fly, Cruise & StayPackage Starts: 2 December 2026 - with flights to HobartCruise Starts: 3 December 2026 - from Hobart, TasmaniaCruise Ends: 12 December 2026 - into Hobart, TasmaniaPackage Ends: 12 December 2026 - with flights from Hobart________________HUGE SAVINGS!All prices per person in AUD from*Twin Aurora Stateroom - was $17,695 - your special price from $13,270*ppTwin Cat C Balcony - was $19,095 - your special price from $14,320*ppTwin Cat B Balcony - was $20,095 - your special price from $15,070*ppTwin Superior Balcony - was $23,595 - your special price from $17,695*ppSingle Balcony Stateroom Category C - your special price from $19,095*________________TASMANIA TEMPTATIONS Fly FREE*, Cruise & Stay package prices include:- FREE* return economy class airfare from Sydney, Melbourne or Adelaide to Hobart inc tax (surcharges available ex Perth and Brisbane on request)- One way airport to hotel transfer Hobart- 1 night`s hotel accommodation including breakfast, in Hobart- Transfer to the port on embarkation day including a visit Hobart`s sites prior to embarkation- 9 night adventure expedition cruise aboard the NEW Douglas Mawson ship round trip from Hobart circumnavigating Tasmania- Onboard accommodation during voyage, including daily cabin service. - All meals, snacks, tea and coffee during voyage. - Beer, house wine and soft drinks with dinner during cruise - Captain`s Farewell reception including four-course dinner, house cocktails, house beer and wine, non-alcoholic beverages. - All shore excursions and Zodiac cruises. - Educational lectures and guiding services provided by Expedition Team. - Complimentary access to onboard expedition doctor and medical clinic (initial consultation). - One 3-in-1 waterproof, polar expedition jacket. - Comprehensive pre-departure information. - Port surcharges, permits and landing fees. - Onboard Wi-Fi. (Please note the connection can be unreliable)- One way transfer from Hobart port to airport on disembarkation day
