Most reviewed
The day via Richmond
Coach from Hobart
- Length10.5 hours
- GroupUp to 13
- GuideEnglish, Italian
Group price check
Wineglass Bay tours compared, from coach days to kayaks
Wineglass Bay & Freycinet NP Full Day Tour from Hobart via Richmond Village
★ 4.8 · 551 opinions
The quick take
Wineglass Bay tours range from a 3-hour kayak paddle and a 4.5-hour cruise from Coles Bay to 10.5-hour coach days from Hobart and scenic flights over the peninsula.
Tour essentials
Compare all 4 options
Coach, cruise or kayak for your group
Choose your group size and compare the three ways to see the bay.
- Day via RichmondFrom Hobart · each person, from $122
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View - Our small-group dayFrom Hobart · each person, from $110
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View - Coles Bay cruise4.5 hours · each person, from $133
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View - Kayak paddle3 hours · each person, from $109
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View
Figures are GetYourGuide from-prices, translated at the ECB reference rate. The booking step shows what you pay exactly.
Wineglass Bay tours split into four ways of meeting the bay: from the lookout, from the sand, from the water or from the air. Here is what each type gives you, its length and its price.
Editorial team, freycinetnationalparktour.com · Updated November 8, 2026 · Quick read: 7 min
In brief
- Most reviewed dayA 10.5-hour Hobart day via Richmond with 551 ratings averaging 4.8.
- On the waterThe Coles Bay cruise takes 4.5 hours and anchors in the bay for lunch.1,2
- Under a paddleA 3-hour guided kayak tour with a stop at Honeymoon Bay.3
- From the airA 3-hour flight from Cambridge over the peninsula to Maria Island.
- Park passOn guided tours, park entry is the operator's responsibility.4
Four ways to meet the bay, and why it matters
Every one of the Wineglass Bay tours sold today shows you the same curve of white sand, but from very different places. A coach day puts you at the lookout in the saddle of the Hazards. A walking tour can take you down onto the beach. The cruise brings you into the bay from the Tasman Sea, and a flight shows the whole peninsula at once. Decide which view you want before you compare prices.
Where you start matters as much. Discover Tasmania measures the drive to Freycinet at 195 km, or 2hr 30min, from Hobart and 175 km, or 2hr, from Launceston.5 Coach days leave from both cities, while the cruise, the kayak tour and the water taxi all start in Coles Bay, so they suit you only if you sleep nearby or drive there.6,7
The cruise company states that it offers no transfers from Hobart, either for the cruise or for its water taxi.8 That single fact splits the market in two: visitors without a car usually choose a coach day, and visitors with a car or a night in Coles Bay pick from everything else. If you have both a car and a spare day, combine a morning on the water with an afternoon walk.
All the options
Every way to see the bay, one table
| Tour type | Starts in | Length | From | Cancel free |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day via Richmond | Hobart | 10.5 hours | $122 | 24 hours |
| Active day | Hobart | 1 day | $118 | 2 days |
| Active day | Launceston | 1 day | $123 | 2 days |
| Coles Bay cruise | Coles Bay | 4.5 hours | $133 | 24 hours |
| Walk and boat | Freycinet Lodge | 5.5 hours | $176 | 24 hours |
| Kayak paddle | Coles Bay | 3 hours | $109 | 24 hours |
| Scenic flight | Cambridge | 3 hours | $349 | 24 hours |
All figures are per-person from prices that move with the date; the booking page shows today's price.
Coach days from Hobart side by side
The most reviewed coach day from Hobart is a 10.5-hour trip via Richmond for no more than 13 people, with a live guide in English or Italian and 551 ratings averaging 4.8. It starts from $122 on Viator. Its itinerary lines include a 90-minute guided walk to the lookout, Honeymoon Bay, a clifftop walk at Cape Tourville, a winery stop and 30 minutes in Richmond.
The day we feature on this site follows a very similar loop for 10.5 hours, again limited to 13, and starts from $110 on GetYourGuide. A third option runs 10 hours with pickup and a live English guide, names Orford, Triabunna and Swansea on the way and adds a seafood stop at the Freycinet Marine Farm at your own cost; it starts from $119.
For walkers there is an active day: meet at 20 Davey Street at 7.25am, spend about 4 hours guided in the park, stop 30 minutes for food and wine at Devil's Corner, and be back around 6pm. Its listing describes the lookout as a 45 minute uphill walk, with a longer option down to the beach, and sets a minimum age of 8 years. It starts from $118 with free cancellation up to 2 days ahead.
How long each type takes
Hours per tour type
- Kayak paddle3
- Scenic flight3
- Coles Bay cruise4.5
- Walk and boat5.5
- Seafood-stop day10
- Day via Richmond10.5
Durations as each listing states them.
Starting in Launceston or crossing the island
From the north, an active day leaves the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Launceston at 7.20am and returns around 6.00pm, with the lookout described as a 45-60 minute uphill walk. It is the Wineglass Bay day tour to choose if you are based in Launceston, and it starts from $123. The minimum age is 8 years, and free cancellation runs up to 2 days in advance.
If you are moving between the cities anyway, a one-way active day runs 10.5 hours from Launceston to Hobart via Wineglass Bay, meeting at the same Launceston hotel at 7.20am. It starts from $151. That turns a transfer day into a sightseeing day and saves you a separate bus ticket south, which matters on an island with no regular passenger trains.16
Longer trips fold the bay into a loop of the island. A 2-day overnight tour visits Cradle Mountain on the first day and gives up to 4 hours at Freycinet on the second. A 5-day small-group tour from Hobart crosses to the west coast, Cradle Mountain and the Bay of Fires before ending at Freycinet. If you are still choosing between those regions, our Freycinet against Cradle Mountain guide sets them side by side.
Which tour suits you
Find your way to the bay
Match your situation to a line and see which tour type answers it.
If I have no car and stay in Hobart
A coach day
Pickup is included from Hobart, with 2.5 hours in the park.
If I want to see the bay from the water
The Coles Bay cruise
It cruises 4.5 hours and stops for lunch at anchor in the bay.1,2
If I want sand between my toes, not stairs
The water taxi
A boat to Hazards Beach, then a gentle 2 km walk to the bay.11
If I want to paddle with my kids
The kayak paddle
Double kayaks are provided; children under 7 cannot join.14
If I want the whole peninsula in one view
A scenic flight
It crosses the peninsula and lands on Maria Island.
Three different bays
Lookout, water or paddle
From the water
The Coles Bay cruise
Lunch at anchor
- Length4.5 hours
- DepartsColes Bay
- CancelFree up to 24 hours
Closest to the granite
The kayak paddle
Below the Hazards
- Length3 hours
- StartsMuirs Beach
- Minimum age7 years
On the water: the cruise and the water taxi
The classic boat trip is the Wineglass Bay cruise from Coles Bay, a 4.5-hour loop around the peninsula that the operator runs daily except Christmas Day.1,6 It rounds the southern tip, passes beaches reachable only by water or a full day bushwalk, and lunch is served at anchor in Wineglass Bay.23,2 On Viator it carries 1030 ratings and starts from $133; the adults-only Sky Lounge version on GetYourGuide starts from $228.
The water taxi is the quicker, cheaper alternative. Freycinet Aqua Express runs a 30-minute ride along Great Oyster Bay to Hazards Beach, and from there a gentle 2 km walk on the Isthmus Track reaches Wineglass Bay in about 30 minutes.10,11 The operator lists AUD 80 one way and AUD 130 return for adults.24 On GetYourGuide the same service starts from $91.
There is also a guided day that joins the two: a 5.5-hour walk and boat trip from Freycinet Lodge for a group of up to 8, with morning tea on Wineglass Bay beach, a picnic on Hazards Beach and the water taxi back. It runs once 4 guests have booked and starts from $176. For a single day on foot and on the water with almost no planning, it is hard to beat.
If you have a car
A double day: water in the morning, lookout later
9:15am
Water taxi leaves Coles Bay
The first boat of the day leaves the Coles Bay Boat Ramp.9,7
After the crossing
Hazards Beach landing
A 30-minute ride along Great Oyster Bay.10
30 minutes on foot
Isthmus Track to the bay
A gentle 2 km walk to Wineglass Bay.11
Afternoon
Lookout from the beach side
Climb from the beach to the saddle and the platforms.12
Late afternoon
Car park and Coles Bay
Down to the walking tracks car park, which has toilets; plan the ride back to Coles Bay.13
Kayaking below the Hazards
A kayak gives the slowest and closest view of the granite. Discover Tasmania describes a 3-hour guided kayak tour that paddles below the Hazards and stops ashore at Honeymoon Bay.3 The Freycinet Paddle also visits the Fisheries and the old Quarry.25 Its operator says the tour leaves Coles Bay, is family friendly with double kayaks and warm jackets provided, and runs year-round with half-day and sunrise options.14
On GetYourGuide the paddle lasts 3 hours from Muirs Beach in Coles Bay and starts from $109. Its listing names a refreshment break with tea, coffee and hot chocolate, and says children under 7 cannot join while adult prices apply from 16 years. Double kayaks make it manageable for first-timers, since two people share the work and the steering.
The kayak does not reach Wineglass Bay itself, which lies on the ocean side of the peninsula. Think of it as the best way to see the Hazards rise straight out of the water, with a beach stop in the middle, and pair it with the lookout walk on the same day if you want the famous view as well. A morning paddle and an afternoon climb fit comfortably into one long summer day.
Video
A travel guide to Freycinet National Park
Bucket List Travellers on YouTube · Tap play to load the video; not before.
From the water, sailing, eco-cruising and kayaking offer remarkable views of otherwise hard-to-access beaches and the Hazards.
Before you book
A checklist for any Freycinet tour
Check the start3
Check the terms3
- Active days need 2 days notice to cancel free
- Kayak tour minimum age 7, our featured day 8
- The Sky Lounge cruise is adults only19
Scenic flights over the peninsula
For the shape of the whole place, nothing matches the air. A scenic flight from Cambridge near Hobart crosses the Freycinet Peninsula and Wineglass Bay, lands on Maria Island for about 1.5 hours with a lunch box, and returns within 3 hours. It starts from $349. Its listing says passenger weights must be given at booking and the flight depends on the weather.
Note the small print on that flight: its listing says a National Park Pass is required and is not included in the price. Buy the pass online before you fly. Closer to the park, Freycinet Air runs helicopter sightseeing tours over the Freycinet Peninsula from its base at Friendly Beaches.26 A short helicopter loop suits anyone already staying in Coles Bay.
Flights are weather-dependent everywhere in Tasmania, so book them for the start of your stay, never the final morning. If the cloud sits low over the Hazards, a re-booked flight a day later is worth far more than a gray one today. Ask about the weather call when you book, keep your plans loose for the following morning, and save the coach day or the cruise for a cloudier date.
Passes, cancellations and the small print
Park entry works differently by tour type. On a guided day the pass is not your problem: the parks service obliges commercial operators to cover entry for their guests.4 The water taxi is a transport service, and its operator says organizing a Parks Pass is the guest's responsibility.18 The flight listing, as above, excludes the pass too.
Cancellation windows vary more than prices. Most of the listings here allow free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, but the active days from Hobart and Launceston ask for 2 days and the 5-day tour for 14 days. Booked directly with the cruise operator, a cancellation inside 24 hours can cost 100%.27
Finally, check the age rules. The Hobart coach day we feature is not suitable for children under 8, the active days set a minimum of 8, the kayak tour cannot take children under 7, and the cruise's Sky Lounge is for adults only.19 The main-deck Vista Lounge sets no age or height limits at all.28 Families with toddlers should look at the cruise or the water taxi first.
FAQ
Fast answers to common questions.
Which is the best of the Wineglass Bay tours?
Which Freycinet tours leave from Hobart?
Several coach days.
Day trips from Hobart run 10 to 10.5 hours with pickup and a live guide.
Can I visit Wineglass Bay from Launceston in a day?
Yes, on an active day.
The active day leaves Launceston at 7.20am and is back around 6.00pm.
Does the Wineglass Bay cruise leave from Hobart?
No, from Coles Bay.
The operator runs no bus transfers from Hobart for its cruise.8
Is the kayak tour suitable for beginners?
Yes, in double kayaks.
The operator calls it family friendly, with double kayaks and warm jackets provided.14
Do guided tours include the park entry fee?
Guided tours, yes.
Licensed operators have to cover entry for every guest they take into a national park.4
How do I reach the beach without the big climb?
Are any Wineglass Bay trips adults only?
The Sky Lounge cruise.
The upper-deck Sky Lounge on the cruise is for adults 18 years and over.19
Sources
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Wineglass Bay Cruises ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Wineglass Bay Cruises listing ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Freycinet National Park ↩
- Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (parks.tas.gov.au) · Park pass frequently asked questions ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Freycinet National Park ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Wineglass Bay Cruises ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Freycinet Aqua Express ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · FAQ ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Freycinet Aqua Express ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Freycinet Aqua Express ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Freycinet Aqua Express ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Freycinet National Park ↩
- Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (parks.tas.gov.au) · Freycinet National Park ↩
- Freycinet Adventures (operator official site) · Freycinet Adventures ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Coles Bay
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Getting around Tasmania ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · FAQ ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Freycinet Aqua Express ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Wineglass Bay Cruises listing ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Wineglass Bay Cruises ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · Climate and weather ↩
- Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service (parks.tas.gov.au) · Freycinet National Park ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Wineglass Bay Cruises ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Freycinet Aqua Express ↩
- Discover Tasmania (Tourism Tasmania) · The Freycinet Paddle listing ↩
- Freycinet Air (operator official site) · Freycinet Air ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Wineglass Bay Cruises ↩
- Pennicott Wilderness Journeys (operator official site) · Wineglass Bay Cruises ↩