An isolated, intriguing land of craggy mountains, wild rivers and ancient rainforests, Tasmania’s west coast is one of Australia’s most remarkable wilderness areas.

Set deep within the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, this remote corner of the state offers challenging hiking, mountaineering and rafting adventures through landscapes of overwhelming beauty. For lovers of wild places, this should be high on your list.

Head to the majestic Franklin River, one of the world’s last great wild rivers, for a life-changing rafting expedition through the serene bends, exhilarating rapids and deep rainforest-clad gorges of one of Australia’s most spectacular wilderness areas.

Discover jagged mountain ranges, alpine lakes, button grass plains and stands of rare Huon Pine on the challenging Frenchmans Cap Trek, being one of the lucky few to attempt a summit of this iconic quartzite peak, rising impressively from the rugged landscape of the Franklin-Gordon Wild Rivers National Park.

Or tackle the classic Mount Anne Circuit, a tough trek that will have you ridge walking and rock-scrambling past boulders, tarns and tiny wildflowers, enjoying panoramic views over the South West Wilderness area before arriving at the dramatic sheer face of Mount Anne.

Join us as we explore Tasmania’s wildest reaches!

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Franklin River Rafting highlights

 

Why travel with us

Leaders in responsible travel

Responsible travel practice is at the heart of every program that we offer in Tasmania. When you book one of our trips you're supporting true sustainability in the protection of local communities, natural environments and wildlife.

Ultimate value

Our Tasmanian active adventures offer exceptional value for money incorporating as many inclusions as possible in every tour such as meals, transport, entrance fees and permits.

Responsible travel

 

Ecotourism certification

Many of the itineraries offered by Tasmanian Expeditions have achieved Ecotourism Certification at the ECO IV level. The ECO Certification Program is a world first and has been developed to address the need to identify genuine nature and ecotourism operators.

Our business commitment

The entire staff of Tasmanian Expeditions share a deep commitment to maintaining the integrity of the Tasmanian wilderness. We are dedicated to ensuring we adopt a responsible attitude to the areas we travel through. Our key aim is to maximise the positive benefits tourism can deliver whilst minimising the impact of any potentially damaging social, cultural or environmental consequences.

Reduction of weed infestations

we have worked with our parent company – World Expeditions - on several Franklin River Clean Up projects to remove noxious weeds so that it can remain one of the world’s great wilderness rivers. On other trips, guides are able to identify and safely remove weed incursions.

Removal of human waste

In locations such as the Franklin River, our environmental practices require that we remove all solid human waste. We have developed compact portable toilet and waste carrying solutions such as ‘the poo-tube’ so we can remove human waste. In other areas where bush toilets are allowed, our policies state toileting must be at least 50m from the nearest water source to protect the environment from pollution.

Accommodation

Riverside camping

On the Franklin River you will be camping as a group either in caves and rocky overhangs, or under dry, airy Tarpaulins.

Wilderness Camping

Guests on our Frenchmans Cap trek stay in wilderness campsites that use twin-share bushwalking tents. There are modern composting toilets located at Lake Vera and Lake Tahune camp.

Climate

Tasmania is located between Latitudes 40 and 43, with the islands temperature and weather moderated by the surrounding oceans. The cool temperate climate offers four distinct seasons which can interchange on any given day of the year. Summer in-land temperatures average 24 degrees with nights averaging a relatively cool 8 degrees. Rainfall in Tasmania is far higher than any mainland counterpart and averages 2700 millimeters on the west coast and central highlands.

Tasmania’s alpine regions can experience heavy rainfalls and temperatures below zero degrees in summer. For group safety and comfort, having adequate gear and equipment for the local conditions ensures accessibility to the wilderness is enjoyed. Tasmanian Expeditions has a specialist gear list available that details what clothing and equipment is required for each of our Tasmanian adventures.

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