Welcome to Cairns! Or Gimuy, in the language of the Traditional Owners of the land on which Cairns is now located. This is the gateway to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef and the gorgeous Daintree Rainforest. Your adventure officially starts with a welcome meeting at 6 pm tonight at your hotel, where you’ll meet your trip leader and fellow travellers. If you arrive in Cairns with time to spare, why not check out the Cairns Botanical Gardens or simply wander the waterfront promenade, popping into a local bar. After the meeting, maybe head out with your group for a dinner.
Today, you’ll take the Daintree ferry to the UNESCO World Heritage area of Cape Tribulation, which sits within the ancient Daintree Rainforest. When you arrive, head out on a short nature walk and immerse yourself in the sounds and smells of the forest, keeping your eye out for local birdlife. Daintree is over 135 million years old, making it the oldest rainforest in the world! Stop at a lookout and enjoy the beach scenery, then hop into your 4WD truck for a drive along the iconic Bloomfield Track – also known as the Coast Road, this track takes you from the cape through the forest’s many creeks. After, carry on to Rossville for the night, overlooked by Kalkajaka (Black Mountain).
Fuel up on breakfast this morning, then meet with your local Aboriginal guide. Attend a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, then take a bush food and medicine walk as your guide tells you stories about the land. You’ll learn more about Country and boomerang throwing as your guide shares some handmade artefacts. Soak up your opportunity to connect with the land. Later, head to Cooktown, stopping at the Cooktown History Centre along the way. Here, learn about the significance of Cooktown and what role it played in Aboriginal history. Return to Rossville for another night.
After breakfast, make tracks for Rinyurru Lakefield National Park. Your first stop is Isabella Falls. Then, step back in time at the Old Laura Homestead, which dates back to 1879, and immerse yourself in one of the park's most historically significant periods. Then, head to Red Lily Lagoon to spot the waterbirds and pink lotus-lilies that carpet the lagoon. After a short walk, you’ll carry on to another peaceful lagoon, where a hundred-year-old mango tree marks the site of a historic family homestead. Have lunch on the North Kennedy River, then visit the termite mounts and grasslands of Nifold Plains. Arrive at Musgrave Roadhouse in the late afternoon – a typical Outback Roadhouse on the eastern side of the Cape York peninsula – where you’ll spend the night.
Depart the roadhouse in the morning and head to Coen – a rural town on the eastern side of the Cape York peninsula. From here, you’ll continue north to Kutini-Payamu (Iron Range) National Park – the largest area of lowland tropical rainforest in Australia – through Cape York’s wilderness. Stop at Mount Tozer viewpoint and take a short walk for views of the mountain that rises in the distance. Continue to your accommodation and settle in for the next two nights.
Start your day with a spot of bird watching in the rain forest – if you’re lucky, you may spot the elusive palm cockatoo, red-bellied pitta and yellow-billed kingfisher. Next, visit Chilli Beach – a long, sweeping beach, popular for fishing and birdwatching. Chill out under the swaying palms and take in the remote beach landscape. Continue to the small coastal community of Portland Roads. This remote tropical outpost is a historical site framed by mangroves and famous for its small local cafe. If it’s open, maybe sit down for a coffee and a snack. Next up is Lockhart River Arts Indigenous Corporation – established in 1995, the artists of Lockhart River Art Centre have been recognised for many years as ‘The Art Gang’. Return to your accommodation for another night in the Iron Range.
Make tracks for Weipa, where you’ll visit the Western Cape Cultural Centre. Learn about the history and culture of the region of Weipa and its surrounding communities. This centre plays an important role in preserving traditional language within the region through informative displays and artworks. Next, you’ll hop on a boat cruise to see Cape York from the water – look out for saltwater crocodiles and the numerous bird species that live in these waterways and mangroves and learn about the local culture and wildlife habitats.
Today is a long travel day on rugged gravel roads, heading north towards the tip. You’ll stop along the way at Wenlock River – the location of the Moreton Telegraph Station, which was part of the Cape York Telegraph line, completed in 1887. Carry on to Kennedy’s Lost Camp to learn about Edmund Besley Court Kennedy J. P. – an Australian explorer in the mid-19th-century, known for his knowledge of (and untimely end in) Cape York. You’ll then visit Fruit Bat Falls, which sits within Apudthama National Park. These lush falls are a beautiful spot for a nature walk and a swim. After, carry on to the Jardine River ferry for the journey to Bamaga – home to the most northerly mainland community in Queensland. You’ll spend the next three nights here.
Today, you’ll drive to the northernmost point of mainland of Australia – Pajinka, better known as Cape York. Once you cross this mighty spot off your bucket list, carry on to Somerset Beach and Fly Point for a beach visit and some photos, trying to spot the resident turtles. Then, carry on to the plane wreckage from World War II – located throughout Cape York, there are now plane wreckages where there were functioning Allied air bases during the war. These are a reminder of how close the fight really was to Australian shores. End the day with a visit to the remote community of Injinoo (also known as Cowal Creek or Small River) then make your way back to Bamaga for the night.
This morning, you’ll take the ferry to Thursday Island – an archipelago of about 274 small islands in the Torres Strait, known as ‘TI’. This gorgeous archipelago is rich in Indigenous culture, history and natural beauty, and when you arrive, you’ll have a cultural activity with a local Torres Strait Islander guide. Learn more about the culture of the Torres Strait Islander people on a guided walk along Bayo Beach, surrounded by swaying palms. After some time for lunch, jump back on the ferry back to Bamaga where your adventure comes to an end.
