This seven day adventure takes you through the Upper and Middle sections of the Franklin River, deep in the heart of Tasmania's Wilderness World Heritage Area. Our journey includes a day 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. From its headwaters in the alpine lakes of the Cheyne Range until its confluence with the Gordon River some 130 km later, the Franklin River flows through a wilderness national park. You will see no dams, buildings or cars; in fact there is no permanent human habitation in its catchment. The banks are lined by temperate rainforest punctuated by rock formations and small beaches, while the air is some of the cleanest in the world. Unpredictable river levels mean that our trips 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.

Day 1 - We depart at 7am from the Astor Hotel. We follow the Derwent River then climb into the central highlands, passing Lake Saint Clair before descending to the Collingwood River, a tributary of the Franklin. Here your guides will load the rafts and give a safety briefing. The day is spent mastering the rafts and enjoying the easy rapids leading down to our evening’s camp at the junction with the Franklin River. A short climb can take us to Donaghy's Hill for panoramic views down the Franklin River and across to Frenchman’s Cap.

Day 2 - An early start sees us traversing the first of the Franklin's gorges, Aesthesia Ravine. After tackling the Log Jam and Nasty Notch portages, we rocket through the rapids of Descension Gorge before arriving at the beautiful 'Irenabyss' or chasm of peace, our base for the next two nights.

Day 3 - Today we will scale Frenchman’s Cap. In fine weather we'll have views that encompass the entire south west World Heritage Area, including the rapids of the Franklin River sparkling below. If the weather is poor or you choose not to climb the Cap, there are a number of lower level walks nearby that offer a different perspective of the river.

Day 4 - Today it’s straight back into the action. Dozens of rapids, interspersed with quiet reaches, lead us past Mount Fincham, the Jericho Walls and the Crankle, onto our campsite at the base of the Engineer Range. Here we relax under a canopy of towering Sassafras and Myrtle trees or take the plunge and go for a swim.

Day 5 - A spectacular day that brings us to the awesome Great Ravine, one of Tasmania’s deepest gorges. First we'll tackle the Side Slip rapid before coming to the Churn. Teamwork and tenacity will be required to portage at least part of this huge obstruction in the river. Soon after we'll arrive at our camp for a well earned rest on the banks of Serenity Sound deep in the Ravine.

Day 6 - We'll use all of our well practised rafting skills to negotiate the Coruscades, one of the longest rapids on the river. A short float takes us through to our next portage at Thunderush, then it's on to the last obstacle, the Cauldron. Our expert guides will ensure that we pass these awesome rapids safely and efficiently. Our final camp at Rafters Basin is a great place to relax after the achievements of the day.

Day 7 - Today we head into Propsting Gorge and arrive at the Mount McCall Track. After a climb of 350 metres up a steep track we'll four wheel drive to Queenstown then bus to Hobart. This is a guide only and may alter with river levels.

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