Totem Pole and Candlestick sea stacks at Cape Hauy
Totem Pole and Candlestick sea stacks at Cape Hauy
1/2

Three Capes Self-Guided Walk

4 days / 3 nights

|

Stand above the Totem Pole at Cape Hauy, walk the clifftops of Cape Raoul, then sail under Cape Pillar: three capes from one room in Port Arthur.

Starting Point

Hobart

Finish Point

Hobart

Fitness Level

3/5

Technical Level

2/5

Season

From January to December

Accommodation Level

Comfort

Tour Type

Center-Based

Daily Distance

6 – 11 mi

Daily Elevation

1640 – 3281 ft

Highlights

  • Stand above the Totem Pole and the Candlestick at the tip of Cape Hauy
  • Walk out along the clifftops of Cape Raoul above a fur seal colony
  • Follow the wild Tasman Coastal Trail from Waterfall Bay to Fortescue Bay
  • See Cape Pillar and Tasman Island from the water on a three-hour cruise
  • Explore the convict ruins of the Port Arthur Historic Site, entry included
  • Keep the same Port Arthur room for three nights, with a driver at every trailhead
PricePrice on request
Send an inquiry
Anja Travel Agent
Book a call

What’s included in the price?

Accommodation levelComfort

Self-contained studios and villas in Port Arthur, all with a private bathroom, booked as one base for the three nights. Breakfast is not part of the room rate; Port Arthur's restaurants and general store are a short walk away.

These are examples of the type and standard you can expect. Actual properties may vary depending on availability.

What to bring to the tour

  • Hiking shoes/boots
  • 25 to 45-liter backpack
  • Base layer
  • Sports T-shirts
  • Hiking shorts
  • Hiking water-repellent pants
  • Waterproof jacket
  • Midlayer
  • Sports socks and underwear
  • Leisurewear for evenings
  • Down jacket
  • Gloves
  • Shade hat/cap
  • Warm headwear
  • Sunscreen
  • Sunglasses
  • Headlamp
  • Hiking poles
  • ID card or passport
  • Snacks
  • Cash
  • Water bottles or hydration pack
  • Sleeping liner
  • Toiletries
  • Toilet paper
  • Small first aid kit

The Tasman Peninsula ends in the highest sea cliffs in Australia, dark dolerite broken into columns and stacks. This walk takes you to all three of its capes: Cape Hauy and Cape Raoul on foot, Cape Pillar from a boat at the foot of its cliffs.

It is not the Three Capes Track. That is Parks Tasmania's four-day hut walk, with shared bunk rooms on the trail. Here you sleep in the same Port Arthur room for three nights, and a driver takes you to a different trailhead each morning, including Cape Raoul, which the hut walk does not reach.

Two of the three walking days are long. Cape Raoul is about 14 km, the coastal trail about 17 km, on steep and sometimes rough ground with unfenced cliff edges. There is no water on any of the tracks. The distances on this page are approximate, taken from Parks Tasmania and our own route files.

Port Arthur gives the walk its evenings. Its convict ruins sit on a green slope above the harbour, a short walk from your room, and the restaurants are close by.

The walks are open all year. October to April brings the longest days; winter is cold and often clear, and whales pass along the coast.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. The Three Capes Track is Parks Tasmania's 48 km hut walk, where walkers sleep in shared bunk rooms in public cabins. This tour keeps you in one private room in Port Arthur and walks the best day walks on the same peninsula: Cape Hauy, where the hut walk ends, Cape Raoul, which it does not visit, and the coastal trail to Fortescue Bay. You see Cape Pillar from the sea.

Fitness 3 of 5, technical 2 of 5. Cape Hauy is short but has steep stone steps both ways; Cape Raoul and the coastal trail take 5 to 8 hours each on steep, rough ground. If one long day is enough, take the Mount Brown walk on day 3.

No. Your parks pass is included, and the day walks need nothing else.

None. Carry 2 litres of water each and your lunch every day.

The cruise runs only when the sea is safe, and the operator decides on the morning. If it is cancelled, you can walk to Mount Brown and Crescent Bay or spend longer at the Historic Site, and we refund the cruise as the operator's terms allow.

Arrive in Hobart the day before: the bus leaves at 7:45 am. On the last day it reaches Hobart around 6:30 pm, so book your flight home for the next day.

Patchy on the tracks. In an emergency call 000, which uses any network, and sign the walker registration book at each trailhead. We recommend a personal locator beacon on the two long days.

October to April, for long days and warmer weather. The walks stay open in winter, which is cold but often clear. The Cape Hauy track closes 5–18 April 2027 for maintenance, so we do not run the tour in those two weeks.

HASSLE-FREE

We handle itineraries, accommodations, and anything else you prefer not to deal with, so you can enjoy a carefree hike.

BOOK WITH CONFIDENCE

We are a financially protected company, fully bonded and insured, keeping your money safe and allowing you to travel with confidence.

TRIED & TESTED ADVENTURES

We chose these walks for the scenery, then made sure each has a roof every night and needs no hire car.

HELP ON THE WALK

Plans changed, or something not as booked? Ring the support number in your guidebook. For police, fire or ambulance, call 000, even without credit.

Price on request