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.  It’s very important that you attend the welcome meeting as we will be collecting insurance details and next of kin information at this time. If you are going to be late, please let your travel agent or hotel reception know. Ask reception or look for a note in the lobby for more information on where the meeting will take place.

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, and maybe join your group for dinner at The Lion Den Hotel. After some pub food, spend the night stargazing at your campsite, overlooked by the Kalkajaka (Black Mountain). Your total travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours.

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. Then stop at the Cooktown Museum and learn about the significance of Cooktown and what role it played in Aboriginal history. Next make tracks for Rinyurru Lakefield National Park. When you arrive, 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 your overnight stay in Lakefield National Park or campsite near Laura, depending on season. Your travel time today will be approximately 3 hours. Lakefield National Park is located in a basin that drains very slowly after the wet season. Access depends on whether roads are passable, and the official opening times each year can be as late as the end of July. On this trip you’ll visit and stay overnight at Lakefield National Park as soon as it opens after the wet season. If the park is still closed on your departure date, you’ll travel north on the main Peninsula Development Road and camp near Laura. Please note that the facilities within the national park are good, but quite basic, with cold showers and drop toilet blocks available.

After breakfast, 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. Pass through Coen – a rural town on the eastern side of the Cape York peninsula – then continue to the roadhouse at Archer River where you’ll spend the night at camp. Your total travel time today will be approximately 8 hours. As per the previous day, if Lakefield National Park is still closed due to water levels you will continue your journey north from Laura via the Peninsula Development Road instead.

This morning, 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. Next, head to Chilli Beach – a long, sweeping beach, popular for fishing and birdwatching. Chill out under the swaying palms and take in the remote beach landscape, then head to your campsite. Your travel time today will be approximately 5 hours. Your campsite tonight has a shared, non-flush toilet but no showers.

Maybe rise early this morning and go bird watching in the surrounding rain forest – if you’re lucky, you may spot the elusive palm cockatoo, red-bellied pitta and yellow-billed kingfisher. Your first stop today is 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’. You’ll visit here before heading to your campground on the Wenlock River – you'll be staying at Moreton Telegraph Station for the next two nights, which was part of the Cape York Telegraph line, completed in 1887. Your total travel time today will be approximately 5.5 hours. Please note that Lockart River Arts Centre has variable opening times, and it may or not may not be open on the day we are passing through the area.

This morning, you’ll drive to the Western Cape Cultural Centre. Here, you’ll 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. After, 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. After, visit Lake Patricia and head out on a short walk with your leader around the area. Tonight, you’ll have dinner back at your campground on the river and spend another night under the stars. Your total travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. The eco-cruise activity and the structure of the day will be tide dependent.

This morning, continue north and head to beautiful Fruit Bat Falls, which sits within Apudthama National Park. These lush, bushy falls are a beautiful spot for a nature walk and a swim. After, carry on to the Jardine River ferry for the short journey to the remote community of Injinoo (also known as Cowal Creek or Small River) and then on to Seisia – home to the most northerly mainland community in Queensland and a gorgeous spot with a beach, still waters and palm trees. You’ll spend the next two nights in the local caravan park at Loyalty Beach and have dinner with your group at the site. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours.

Today, you’ll take an excursion to the northernmost point of the mainland of Australia – Pajinka, also known as Cape York. It’s a short but very scenic walk to ‘The Tip’, and you will be able to see some of the islands of the Torres Strait from here. Once you cross this mighty spot off your bucket list, carry on exploring the area. Depending on road conditions visit Somerset Beach or Fly Point for a beach visit and some photos, trying to spot the resident turtles. Time and weather permitting, there is also the option to head over to Albany Island, traditionally known as Pabaju, a hidden gem just off the coast. Then, search for plane wreckage from World War II – located throughout Cape York near former Allied air bases. These are a reminder of how close the fight really was to Australian shores. Later take some time to wander through the town of Bamaga and stock up on snacks before making your way back to your campsite at Seisia for the night. Your travel time today will be approximately 4 hours. Please note that the walk from the parking area to the actual cape is a short 800m walk, however passes over rocks and the final descent to the cape is very steep.

This morning, you’ll take the ferry to Thursday Island for a cultural activity with a local Torres Strait Islander guide. When you arrive, learn more about the culture of the Torres Strait Islander people on a guided walk along Bayo Beach. In the early afternoon, jump back aboard the ferry to Seisia where your trip will come to an end in the afternoon. Your travel time today will be approximately 2.5 hours. The ferry ride can be quite choppy – if you’re prone to seasickness, make sure to have some seasickness tablets with you. The Department of Agriculture restricts certain items from Thursday Island to mainland Australia. It will be your responsibility to check that the items you’re carrying are not prohibited. Your trip comes to an end upon arrival back at our campsite in Seisia. There are two options for departure from Cape York: You can either remain on Thursday Island and catch a local ferry across to the airport on Horn Island (additional cost) from where there are daily flights with Qantas back to Cairns. We recommend you book a flight for after 3pm to make the most of your time on Thursday Island. Alternatively, you can return with your leader back to Seisia. Nearby Bamaga also has an airport, from where there are afternoon flights with Skytrans heading back to Cairns. Please note that flights are not included in the trip price and you will have to book them well ahead of time. Once booked, please make sure you let us know the flight details. Please carefully read the finishing point instructions in the Essential Trip Information document for detailed information.