Outdoors advocate, search and rescue leader, award-winning travel writer and navigation expert Caro Ryan will partner with Tasmanian Expeditions for a small group hosted departure, Introduction to Navigation with Caro Ryan, Flinders Island Edition, from April 12 – 17, 2026.
Caro Ryan, founder of the hiking website LotsaFreshAir.com, author of How to Navigate – the art of traditional map & compass navigation in an Australian context, and host of the Rescued podcast, brings her signature blend of deep technical knowledge, field-tested experience and infectious enthusiasm for wild places to this specially curated experience.
The itinerary integrates Caro’s navigation course; combining dedicated ‘classroom’ sessions at Tasmanian Expeditions’ exclusive Eco-Comfort Camp with hands-on application throughout the award-winning Flinders Island Walking Adventure – In Comfort, recently named the 13th Great Walk of Australia.
“Flinders Island is the perfect outdoor classroom,” Caro Ryan said. “We’ll walk an already incredible itinerary, and along the way I’ll help demystify map and compass navigation so people can step off the well-formed track with confidence and make wise decisions in the bush.”
This special departure, strictly limited to 11 guests, is designed for bushwalkers, hikers and explorers with little or no experience in traditional navigation who are eager to build skills without sacrificing a rich walking holiday.
Across the journey, guests will:
- Follow the established Flinders Island route, taking in rugged granite peaks, rolling green pastures and sparkling coastal vistas
- Learn essential outdoor skills through Caro’s Introduction to Navigation course, delivered in short, practical sessions on and off the track
- Build confidence in interpreting topographic maps, using a compass, route planning, route finding and making sound decisions in changing conditions
- Gain the foundations of off-track and on-track navigation, finishing the trip with solid intermediate-level navigation skills
- Experience the mesmerising blend of scenery, wildlife and history that makes Flinders Island the jewel in Tasmania’s island-walking crown
Rather than reducing walking time, Caro’s teaching is integrated into the natural rhythm of each day, turning every viewpoint, ridgeline and saddle into an opportunity to learn and practice.
Guests will still enjoy all the hallmark highlights that have made the Flinders Island walk a Tasmanian Expeditions favourite, including:
- The chance to summit the dramatic granite peaks of Mt Killiecrankie and Mt Strzelecki (756m), the island’s highest point, for spectacular 360-degree views
- Time to wander windswept beaches, swim in crystal clear waters, and photograph endless picture-perfect vistas
- Opportunities to spot unique Australian wildlife and birdlife throughout the island’s diverse habitats
- Visits to Wybalenna and the Flinders Island Museum, gaining insight into the island’s Aboriginal and European history
Each evening, walkers return to Tasmanian Expeditions’ exclusive, beachside Eco-Comfort Camp, a low-impact base that doesn’t compromise on comfort. Guests stay in large, custom sleeping pods with beds, comfortable mattresses and clear, see-through roofs, allowing them to fall asleep beneath a canopy of stars and wake fully immersed in the island environment.
As Tasmania’s first dedicated walking tour operator and a proud member of the Great Walks of Australia collection, Tasmanian Expeditions has been leading travellers on world-class Tasmanian adventures for decades. On this hosted departure, guests benefit from:
- The combined expertise of Tasmanian Expeditions’ local guides and Caro Ryan’s navigation mastery
- Exclusive use of the Flinders Island Eco-Comfort Camp
- Small group sizes to maximise learning, safety and connection
- All meals, transfers, scenic flights and park fees included
- Solo travellers upgraded to a single tent at no extra cost
Phil Wyndham, General Manager of Tasmanian Expeditions, says;
“Caro’s reputation as one of Australia’s leading navigation educators speaks for itself. This departure gives travellers the chance to walk our much-loved Flinders Island itinerary while gaining practical skills and confidence that will stay with them long after they’ve left the island.
Introduction to Navigation with Caro Ryan: Flinders Island edition is available for one departure only, from April 12 – 17, 2026, priced from AUD $4295 pp. With scenic return flights from Launceston to Flinders Island included, this special departure is only a short hop from mainland Tasmania yet feels a world away. Book early to avoid disappointment.
