How Many Days Should You Spend in Tasmania (and What Budget Do You Need)?

By Ørjan Wremertravels3 months ago ( 1 )

Planning a trip to Tasmania can feel overwhelming. One of the most common questions travelers ask is: “How many days should I spend in Tasmania, and what budget do I need?”

After our own road trip, we’d say:

At least 7 days for a quick overview.

14 days (2 weeks) for a great introduction.

21 days (3 weeks) if you want to explore at a slower pace and cover more ground.

We spent 16 days in Tasmania, which was enough to see many highlights but not everything. We skipped places like the famous Port Arthur Historic Site and didn’t have as much time as we wanted on Bruny Island, Queenstown, and the West Coast.

If you want to get a real feel for the island, two weeks is ideal. But if you can manage three weeks, that’s even better.

Best Time to Visit Tasmania

We visited from late February to early March, which is early autumn in Tasmania. This is a fantastic time to go:

Daytime temperatures were around 20–25°C (perfect for hiking and exploring). We had very little rain during our trip. It’s shoulder season, which means fresh local produce at markets, fewer crowds, and slightly lower accommodation demand compared to peak summer.

Tasmania Accommodation Budget

We budgeted around 225 AUD per night for accommodation. With that budget, we stayed in a mix of:

Hotels, Motels and Bed & Breakfasts.

It was easy to stay within budget since Tasmania offers options for every traveler—from budget stays to boutique lodges.

We booked most of our stays on Booking.com, starting with a rough itinerary before the trip. We adjusted along the way depending on the weather and our pace of travel.

👉 Tip: If you prefer flexibility, book cancellable accommodation in advance for popular spots like Cradle Mountain and Freycinet National Park.

Tasmania Food Budget

We set aside 150 AUD per day for food, and that was plenty.

Here’s how we kept costs reasonable:

On day one, we bought an esky (cooler box) and stocked it with bread, fruit, Nutella, snacks, and drinks. Buying large packs of water saved us a lot compared to single bottles. Eating out for all three meals daily would push us over budget, so we often had picnic breakfasts and lunches and saved sit-down meals for dinner.

Tasmania has a strong farm-to-table food culture, so even simple meals with fresh produce were a highlight.

Getting Around Tasmania

The best way to explore Tasmania is with your own transport. Public transport is limited, and many natural attractions are only accessible by car.

We considered a campervan but ended up renting an SUV with hotel stays. Here’s what it cost us:

80 AUD per day for car hire (SUV) 1.80–2.00 AUD per litre for petrol (more expensive in rural areas).

Rental insurance in Tasmania is expensive, but we strongly recommend taking full insurance. Some roads are narrow, winding, and full of wildlife crossings—so better safe than sorry. Read more about our road experience here.

We rented from Bargain Car Rentals and had a good experience.