Billy Tea Safaris 2 Day Rainforest and Outback

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A 2 day package from Cairns combining a full day Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation tour with a full day Outback and Chillagoe tour, in small personalised groups with a local eco-accredited guide. The two days do not need to be consecutive.

Days

2 days (need not be consecutive)

Group size

Small group, 2 to 20

Start / finish

Cairns / Cairns

Return

See itinerary for details

Accommodation

None included — two separate day tours from Cairns

Transport

Custom-built air-conditioned 4WD with a local driver guide; Daintree River ferry and cruise

Meals

Lunch both days, morning tea both days, Daintree ice cream; alcohol not included

Route

Map of Billy Tea Safaris 2 Day Rainforest and Outback

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Included experiences

Daintree River — 1 hour cruise
Daintree Rainforest — guided boardwalk and freshwater swim
Cape Tribulation — beach walk and lookout
Chillagoe Caves — guided cave tour
Chillagoe — smelter ruins, Balancing Rock and Aboriginal rock art
Granite Gorge — wallabies
Skybury Coffee Plantation, Mareeba — morning tea

Billy Tea Safaris 2 Day Rainforest and Outback

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Itinerary

Map

DAY 1: DAINTREE RAINFOREST AND CAPE TRIBULATION

Pick-up is early from your Cairns accommodation in a small air-conditioned 4WD, then north along the Captain Cook Highway, which hugs the coast between rainforest and the sea. On the Daintree River you board a one-hour cruise with morning tea, looking along the mangrove banks for saltwater crocodiles, which can grow past five metres here, and for kingfishers and herons. Then a cable ferry carries the 4WD across the river into the Daintree, part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area listed in 1988, a rainforest far older than the Amazon. Your guide, a local naturalist, knows the plants, the animals and the area's Aboriginal culture.

DAY 1 CONTINUED: BOARDWALK, SWIM AND CAPE TRIBULATION

Your guide walks you along a rainforest boardwalk, pointing out fan palms, strangler figs and, with luck, a cassowary, a bird that stands taller than most people. After lunch there's a freshwater swim in a clear rainforest creek. At Cape Tribulation, named by James Cook in 1770 after his ship struck the reef offshore, you walk the beach where the rainforest runs right down to the sand, and take in the view from the lookout. On the way home the ice cream is on the tour: the Daintree's own, made from tropical fruit grown on the farm. Your guide adjusts the order to weather and roads.

DAY 2: CAIRNS TO THE TABLELAND

The second tour doesn't have to be the next day. Your guide collects you early and climbs the McAllister Range onto the Atherton Tableland, watching for emus, wedge-tailed eagles, squatter pigeons, kangaroos and frilled-neck lizards along the way. Morning tea is coffee or tea and a snack at Skybury Coffee Plantation near Mareeba, a town on the tableland's dry western side where tobacco farms gave way to coffee, mangoes and avocados. Then the road heads west into the outback, through old mining towns and small communities, while your guide tells the stories of the region's wildlife, history and Aboriginal culture.

DAY 2 CONTINUED: CHILLAGOE AND GRANITE GORGE

Chillagoe sits about three hours inland, in country of termite mounds and limestone towers. A local ranger takes you into the caves of Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park, carved by water through limestone that began as a coral reef some 400 million years ago, and you can spot fossils in the rock. The Chillagoe Smelter Ruins are what's left of works that processed copper, lead and silver from 1901 until 1943. You see Aboriginal rock art and hear local Dreamtime stories, stop at Balancing Rock for photos, and have lunch at a 100-year-old outback pub. Last stop is Granite Gorge, where Mareeba rock-wallabies come close among the boulders.

Map

Good to know

Meeting point: Pick-up from Cairns accommodation. Guests staying on Cairns' southside make their own way to the operator's office.
Dietary needs: Special diets can be catered for if notified before travel.
Please note: Itineraries may change, and some places may not be reached, due to weather, road conditions or closures, or passenger safety.

What to bring

Change of clothes and swimwear for the rainforest day
Water bottle
Insect repellent
Hat
Sunscreen
Closed in shoes

What is included

Return transfers from Cairns on both days
Local driver guide
1 hour Daintree River cruise with light morning tea
Guided rainforest boardwalk tour
Daintree River ferry crossing
Lunch on both days (special diets catered for)
Daintree ice cream
Morning tea at Skybury Coffee Plantation
Chillagoe Caves guided tour

Not included

Alcoholic drinks
Northern Beaches and Port Douglas transfers — extra cost per person, booked with the operator before travel
Pick-up from Cairns southside accommodation — make your own way to the operator's office

FAQ

Preparing for the trip

Do I need travel insurance?

Insurance is important in protecting visitors from loss or damange of goods, medical problems, cancelation by passengers or other casualties. Its highly recommended. Some tours on this website require you to have travel insurance. If you are Australian then it is not necessary.

Where can I get more information about this trip?

If you find that this tour page doesn't answer all your questions, then please get in contact with us! Our passionate team are always available to answer any queries you may have.

What immunisations do I need?

For the latest information on immunisations, we strongly recommend you or contact the Travellers Medical and Vaccination Centre (www.traveldoctor.com.au) to discuss health requirements for your trip. They will advise you about appropriate inoculations.

Do I need to take any medical supplies?

It is not necessary to bring any medical supplies other than any personal items you may require. Each tour carries a first aid box, and the tour guides are all certified in First Aid.

Will I be able to use my mobile whilst on tour?

You can use your mobile while touring in Australia or New Zealand, but coverage may be limited in remote areas. For best connectivity, consider purchasing a local SIM card or an international roaming plan.

How fit do I need to be?

These tours are designed to be fun, informative and active, and can be enjoyed by anyone with a moderate degree of fitness and agility. Travellers should be comfortable with hiking or walking up to 5km each day.

What should I pack?

Depending on where in Australia or New Zealand you decide to visit, your luggage will vary. For exact information please visit the "What to bring" section of each tour page.

Private tours and families

Is it possible to travel in a private group?

If you are looking for a private tour based on one of these trips, please contact us directly and we may be able to help. Over the years we have worked with families, groups of friends, schools, clubs and charities to put together the perfect trip.

Booking the trip

Do I have to book this tour online?

Definitely not. Our website is designed to make is easy and convenient for you to schedule your tour. However we understand sometimes its nice to talk to someone directly. So by all means give us a call and we can organise your trip over the phone.

If I book more than one tour can I get a discount?

Absolutely! If you are booking multiple tours then we may be able to offer you a discount. Send us an email at info@lostinaustralia.org and let us know what you thinking of doing and we can put together a price for you.Also, be sure to look out for monthly specials on tours. We often have some great bargains.

Does the tour price include flights?

No. Tour prices do not include any travel arrangements other than for the duration of the tour itself. If you need assistance with booking flights or buses our travel team and certainly help - Just ask!

How far in advance do I need to book my tour?

As a rule of thumb, try to book at least 2 weeks prior to departure, this will usually get you a seat on the date you want. That being said, we cannot guarantee that spaces will be available at the time of your booking so, if you can, book as soon as possible. Bookings can still be made right up until the departure date of the tour if seats are available. If you know when you'd like to travel, please contact us and we will let you know if you need to book soon or if you have time.

How do I know when a tour is available?

You can check the departure dates of tours by using our calendar on the top right hand corner of the tour page. This will tell you what days the tour departs. For availability of seats please contact us directly at info@lostinaustralia.org or call us.

If I make a deposit only, when will I need to pay the balance?

Balance on tours need to be paid at least 30 days prior to departure. Failure to do so could result is the cancellation of your seat with a fee charged. If you need more time to clear your balance then let us know ASAP and arrangements can be made.

Who travels with us

Is it ok to travel alone on one of these tours?

Plenty of travellers book these tours on their own. Solo travellers are very much welcomed and encouraged. During your outback adventure you'll meet new and interesting people and forge relationships that last a lifetime.Solo travellers will usually share a room with a travelling companion of the same sex, but even if you do get your own room you won't be charged extra. On camping tours there are generally enough tents available that you can have your own if you choose to.For more information please contact us directly.

Cost and Fees

Do I need to tip the guide?

If you had an amazing time on tour and wish to tip your guide, that is completely up to you. Tipping is not customary in Australia and is not at all expected.

Will I need additional money?

Travellers are advised to bring some cash, as ATMs and banks can be few and far between in the remote parts of the trip. It is handy to have some extra cash, as the tour does stop by local shops and cafes.

Are there any hidden fees I need to know about?

Our tour prices are completely transparent. There are no additional fees involved that are not included in the overall tour price shown. If you wish to do optional activities such as helicopter rides or wildlife safaris, then an extra cost may be needed. However, this will always be made clear at the time of your booking.

What does Paid Locally mean?

Some tours require you to pay national park fees directly, in cash, to the tour guide on the morning of departure. Rest assured this will be subtracted from the tour price when reserving your tour.

Whilst on tour

Can I book extra accommodation for the start and end of the tour?

We know our country inside and out and would be happy to give you good recommodations. Please contact us for recommendations.

Where do I meet the tour?

For pick-up times and locations, please check the "Start/Finish" section directly under the itinerary, which lists every pick-up point and its time.There is a lot of information there to help you plan your flights and arrival.Please review it carefully, as pick-ups can vary from tour to tour.

Reviews

5.0

Based on 1 review

Verified from

Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.

How we collect and publish reviews

Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.

Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.

Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.

(5/5)

I did both the Daintree and Cape Tribulation day and the Chillagoe Caves and Outback day. AJ guided my Daintree day and is the best guide I've had in Australia, a walking encyclopaedia who went above and beyond so I saw the area authentically and learned so much.

aleksandra kostic Verified· Travelled 6th September 2026

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