At a glance

Duration
11 days
Cost
$3795
Arrival Airport
Launceston (LST)
Grade
river grade
Air Temp
20°C (68F)
Water Temp
15 °C (59F)
Camping
9 nights
Hotel
2 nights

Overview


This 10 day rafting adventure takes you the full navigable length of the Franklin River, deep in the heart of Tasmania’s Wilderness World Heritage Area. The Franklin was featured in Outside Magazine and named the ‘Best White-water Rafting Journey on Earth’ beating other notable rivers such as the Zambezi, Cotahuasi and Futaleufu in Chile. Our journey includes a day’s walk to the imposing Frenchman’s Cap, the monarch of the south west, as well as rafting through one of Tasmania’s most spectacular gorges. Accommodation both sides of the trip plus your airport transfers are included making the trip 12 days in total. Unpredictable river levels on the Franklin, mean our trip will always be an adventure — it is possible to encounter both very low levels and floods within days of each other. Whatever the level, rafts offer the best way to explore this unique wilderness. Join us for the trip of a lifetime.

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Destination Map


What you will be up to


1

Arrive in Launceston in the morning (before 11am) and self transfer to your Hotel to relax. At 1pm you’ll have a pre-departure meeting and a chance for the guides to check you’ve got the correct gear, and to get anything else that you need

Not Included: Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner

2

A gorgeous scenic drive to the river nice and early this morning. We set up the rafts and have a thorough safety and paddle briefing before camping at the junction of the Collingwood and Franklin Rivers.

Included: All meals

3

Today we will takcle the Log Jam, Nasty Notch, Descension Gorge and float calmly through the Irenaybyss and camp on the side of the river below the gorge.

Included: All meals

4

Today is a long and beautiful day of rafting, with some interesting paddling and numerous campsites along the river banks. The mood of the river depends completely on how much rain has fallen recently. Keep your eye out for the red flowers of climbing heath cascading down the surrounding rock faces. Tonight we enjoy another feast prepared by your guides, then turn in for a night under the open sky.

Included: All meals

5

There’s some challenging rafting through the Great Ravine in store today along with our first portage of the trip at the Churn! Tonight we’ll make our camp within the Great Ravine at Coruscades camp.

Included: All Meals

6

We paddle out of the Great Ravine through to the Rafters basin. A mixture of paddling and portaging today through rapids such as Coruscades, Thunderrush and the Mousehole. We camp for the night by Interlude Creek.

Included: All Meals

7

Depending on the weather today our destination is The Black Forest or Newlands Cascades. Life on the river is extremely dominated by the weather and your guides are adaptable, with a great plan B no matter what mother nature throws down at them… it’s all part of the adventure! Today we paddle through Propsting Gorge and some of the Franklin’s best rapids. After lunch we navigate the longest rapid on the river: Newlands Cascades. We’ll also visit Rock Island Bend. At the bottom of these rapids there is a long, large rock overhang which makes a cosy place to spend the night.

Included: All Meals

8

Greet the morning with a hot drink in hand, watching the sun creep down the sides of the valley towards our camp. Huon Pines and Leatherwood trees drape themselves elegantly along the banks of the river. Listen and look for the birds that flit amongst their branches. The paddling today is relatively straightforward, to Blackman’s Bend through the deep temperate rainforest of the lower river that was protected by the environmental protests of the early 1980s.

Included: All Meals

9

Today our adventure takes us past Double Fall, Big Fall, and Galleon Bluff, which is said to look similar to the sterns of several ships jutting out into the dark water. Shortly after we float under the impressive overhang of Verandah Cliffs. Today we will visit the Lost World and acknowledge passing the Kutikina Aboriginal Cave. Our camp tonight is at Sir John Falls on the Gordon River, about 5km downstream of the junction of the Gordon and Franklin. The small wharf in front of our campsite is the perfect place from which to have a swim in the Gordon River, and to look out for white bellied sea eagles, as your guides prepare the final evening meal.

Included: All Meals

10

This morning you are collected by Stormbreaker yacht and cruise down the length of the river before reaching Macquarie Harbour. Take the chance to kick back on the deck and enjoy the views over the broad expanse of the Gordon River. In Strahan we are met by our bus, which will transfer us back to Launceston. Arrival in Launceston may vary from late afternoon to late evening. We usually celebrate with a group farewell dinner this evening.

Included: Breakfast and Lunch

11

After breakfast at the hotel a self transfer back to the airport for your flight back home.

Included: Breakfast

Speak to a WBN Advisor


UK +44 1709 802 203

USA +1 303 261 8896

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Dates & Prices


DatesDuration
Thursday 22 February 2024 - Sunday 3 March 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 4 April 2024 - Sunday 14 April 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 18 April 2024 - Sunday 28 April 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 24 October 2024 - Sunday 3 November 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 7 November 2024 - Sunday 17 November 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 21 November 2024 - Sunday 1 December 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 5 December 2024 - Sunday 15 December 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 19 December 2024 - Sunday 29 December 202411 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 2 January 2025 - Sunday 12 January 202511 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 16 January 2025 - Sunday 26 January 202511 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 30 January 2025 - Sunday 9 February 202511 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 13 February 2025 - Sunday 23 February 202511 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 27 February 2025 - Sunday 9 March 202511 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 13 March 2025 - Sunday 23 March 202511 days£2995€3495$3795
Thursday 27 March 2025 - Sunday 6 April 202511 days£2995€3495$3795

Excellent options exist to fly to Australia from The UK, Europe and North America. You are required to be in Launceston (LST) (before 11am) on the first day stated below and you can choose a departure on the last day stated. Please note we are able to run charter trips by arrangement on other dates than are listed below.

PLEASE NOTE ALL OUR TRIPS INCLUDE A NIGHT IN LAUNCESTON IN A HOTEL BEFORE AND AFTER YOUR TRIPS WHICH IS INCLUDED IN THE TRIP PRICE.

We suggest getting flights to Sydney or Melbourne with Qantas, Singapore Airlines, United Airlines, American or Delta. We also recommend investigating flight options through Skyscanner if you are in the UK or Kayak if you are in North America. Connections can be made from Sydney or Melbourne to Hobart with Jet Star or Virgin Blue. If you require help with your flight connections or advice, please contact our office teams. Alternatively we have teamed up with GYT who can provide you with a competitive flight quote by filling out this form on the Water By Nature website.

In order to secure your place pay your deposit of USD$750. See our Terms & Conditions for full payment terms.

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What you should bring


We find most of our clients have in their posession already what is needed for a river journey. We have broken down here the items into what you’ll need on the river and in camp. An equipment list of what you will require for your adventure will be sent to you prior to your departure.

Download equipment file

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