Cairns North Trip Overview
This tour showcases the northern outback of Queensland.
A unique bus tour with a splash of a river cruise and the rattle of a train journey
We discover amazing larva formations, sunsets, historic villages and ancient rainforests.
We unwind in the tranquillity North Queensland has to offer
We explore gorges, wetlands and marvel at natures most amazing creations.
Enjoy the comforts of a medium size boutique bus and small passengers numbers and a tour guide with a yarn of his own.
Additional Info
Duration: 9 days
Starts: Cairns North, Australia
Trip Category: Day Trips & Excursions >> Rail Tours
Explore Cairns North Promoted Experiences
What to Expect When Visiting Cairns North, Queensland, Australia
This tour showcases the northern outback of Queensland.
A unique bus tour with a splash of a river cruise and the rattle of a train journey
We discover amazing larva formations, sunsets, historic villages and ancient rainforests.
We unwind in the tranquillity North Queensland has to offer
We explore gorges, wetlands and marvel at natures most amazing creations.
Enjoy the comforts of a medium size boutique bus and small passengers numbers and a tour guide with a yarn of his own.
Itinerary
This is a typical itinerary for this product
Stop At: Cairns, Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland
Day 1 – Let the journey begin
Welcome to North Queensland. Make your way to central cairns to your accommodation.
Take some time to explore this world class destination.
Overnight in Central Cairns, Queens Court.
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Kuranda Scenic Railway, Kuranda QLD 4881, Australia
Day 2 – Cairns – Kuranda Scenic Railway – Historic Herberton – Atherton Tablelands
Your waking up in North Queensland, Lets not miss a minute of this.
Experience one of the most spectacular rail journeys in Australia.
This famous railway winds its way on a 2 hour journey to Kuranda travels through tropical rainforests and Barron Gorge.
Your coach will meet you where we will all board for the town of Herberton.
Prepare to be wowed as you step back in time to an era that has been long forgotten.
Here we will visit the Herberton Historic Village. A remarkable collection of over 60 buildings which is reputedly the largest collection of Australiana in Queensland. Its buildings include an old school, a coach and livery stable, a miner’s hut, a slab hut dating from 1870, a bank, a presbytery, a telephone exchange, a pub and many more.
Late afternoon take a stroll along the creek and you might be lucky to spot a platypus.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight in the Atherton Tablelands
Duration: 1 day
Stop At: Atherton, Atherton, Queensland
Day 3 – Atherton Tablelands – Einasleigh – Cobbold Gorge
Today we arise nice and early and head further inland.
Passing through the picturesque country side until we reach Einasleigh where we might be inclined to take a dip after lunch in the Copperfield Gorge which is the remnants of an ancient lava flow.
We continue on west where we will discover an outback oasis, Cobbold Gorge.
Breakfast lunch and dinner
Overnight in Cobbold Gorge Village
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Cobbold Gorge Tours, Forsayth QLD 4871, Australia
Day 4 – Cobbold Gorge – Normanton
Wake to an oasis in the outback far north Queensland.
There’s no better way to grasp the uniqueness of the narrow gorge with its majestic 30-metre sheer walls, from the bottom of the water to the top of the escarpment, than to get up-close-and-personal with it. A guided tour takes us up the gorge exploring the ancient geological land, farms and our savannah wonderland. You may even spot one of the large population of resident freshwater crocodiles.
For the more adventurous, take a stroll up to the glass bridge, spanning a 13-metre gap and a 19-metre drop into cool spring fed water below
An award winning outback experience. How can this be any more perfect!!!!
Form here further west we go. Passing through Georgetown. Croydon and, what appears to be, endless lands until we reach Normanton.
Take the afternoon to explore, have a beer at the Purple pub and a photo with ‘Kyrs’ a spectacular 8.63m crocodile.
Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight at Normanton
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Burke and Wills Camp 119, Burketown Normanton Rd, Normanton, Queensland 4890 Australia
Day 5 – Normanton – Burke and Wills Camp – The Gulf of Carpentaria
We are nearly there, the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Burke and Wills Camp 119
This is truly historic site being the final camp of the ill fated Melbourne to Gulf exploration. This was the northernmost camp, number 119, established on 11 February 1861 near Bynoe Creek.
From here we travel to Mutton Hole wetlands conservation park. The largest continuous estuarine wetland aggregation of its type in Northern Queensland and maybe spot a crocodile.
This afternoon we will find ourselves in Karumba, exotic tropical fishing port on the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Karumba is a fishing destination and industrial port on the banks of the Norman River where, each winter, anglers from all over Australia arrive to try their luck in the fish-rich waters of the Gulf. Once it was nothing more than a small, sleepy outback town
Meals – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight at Kurumba Lodge
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Ferryman River Cruises Karumba, 54 Yappar St, Karumba QLD 4891, Australia
Day 6 – Karumba – River Cruise – Barramundi Discovery
Buses, trains and now a boat.
The Ferryman River Cruises
Karumba’s number one in River and Gulf Cruises Explore the mangrove lined waterway of the Norman river with the Ferryman. The wildlife adventures include Bird watching, Croc spotting and unforgettable Sunsets over the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Barramundi Discovery Centre & Hatchery Karumba
This interactive and state of the art Interpretive Centre provides the history, stories, lifecycle and habits of these sought-after fish. Discover the wetlands and mangroves and learn about the incredible birdlife and stunning southern Gulf flora.
Enjoy an evening of sunset drinks and nibbles as the sunsets over the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Meals – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight again at Kurumba Lodge, located on the banks of the river.
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Outback Queensland, Outback Queensland, Queensland
Day 7 – The Savannah Way – Undara Lava Caves
Today you will take another short break from the coach and venture by rail. We travel an hour SE to Normanton to meet up with the Gulflander, a legend in the outback.
The Gulflander, also known as the ‘Tin Hare’, only carries a small number of passengers.
Enjoy morning tea enroute as the onboard Savannah Guides keep you entertained with trivia, species identification, amusing stories and colourful characters.
After our historic rail journey we will join the comforts of the airconditioned coach once again and let our minds wonder back 190,000 years ago to the volcanic days of the east coast of Australia at the Undara Lava Caves.
Considered some of the largest and longest lava tubes on the planet, the Undara lava tubes, located in Undara Volcanic National Park in North Queensland, have led to the formation of some spectacular underground caves.
Meals – Breakfast, lunch and dinner
Overnight at Undara
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Undarra Lava Tubes, Undara Volcanic National Park, Queensland Australia
Day 8 – Undara Lava Caves – Cairns
Awaken your taste buds with our famous Bush Breakfast at the Ringers’ Camp. Brewed billy tea and a delicious selection of hot and cold food. Toast your own bread over the camp fire.
The Undara experience delivers the essence of the Australia Outback from natural landscapes of rolling savannah plains and ancient lava tubes where we will take the Archway Explorer Lava Tube Tour.
An excellent concentrated visit to the lava tubes, plus other interesting environmental, geological and historical features pointed out and explained by your Savannah Guide throughout the trip to and from the tubes. Visits up to 3-sections of lava tubes. Easy fitness level with boardwalks and steps.
From here we will travel through the Atherton Tablelands, with its Rainforest, spectacular water- falls and peaceful lakes as well as a heritage listed 500-year-old Curtain Fig before arriving back into Cairns.
Meals – Breakfast, lunch and Dinner
Overnight at Queens Court in Cairns
Duration: 8 hours
Stop At: Cairns, Cairns, Cairns Region, Queensland
All great adventures must come to an end but the memories will last forever.
After breakfast explore cairns some more before making your way to the airport or train station.
Meals – Breakfast
Duration: 1 day