Far North Escapes Private 1 Day Cooktown Tour from Cairns or Port Douglas - 2 people

Map View Full Details Reviews

A private full-day tour from Cairns or Port Douglas to historic Cooktown, through the UNESCO World Heritage Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation, where the Great Barrier Reef meets the rainforest. Your guide gives commentary from a local perspective, from Captain Cook's first encounters through to the Gold Rush.

Days

Full day, about 11.5 hours

Age

All ages

Group size

Private

Start / finish

Cairns / Cairns

Return

See itinerary for details

Transport

Private luxury 4WD, including the Bloomfield Track

Meals

Lunch at the Lions Den Hotel and snacks

Route

Map of Far North Escapes Private 1 Day Cooktown Tour from Cairns or Port Douglas - 2 people

View map

Included experiences

Marrdja Boardwalk — rainforest walk
Cape Tribulation Beach
Bloomfield Track — 4WD drive and Emmagen Creek crossing
Wujal Wujal — Bloomfield Falls and the Bana Yirriji art centre
Lions Den Hotel — lunch
Cooktown — Botanic Gardens and Grassy Hill
James Cook Museum

Far North Escapes Private 1 Day Cooktown Tour from Cairns or Port Douglas - 2 people

Pictures / Videos

Itinerary

Map

EARLY MORNING: CAIRNS TO THE DAINTREE

It's a long day, so your private 4WD collects you early from Cairns, the Northern Beaches or Port Douglas. From Cairns the Great Barrier Reef Drive hugs the Coral Sea, and your guide pulls in at Rex Lookout, where hang-gliders launch off the cliff above the beach. Past Mossman the cane fields give way to forest, and at the Daintree River a cable ferry carries you across, as no bridge crosses the river. North of it you're in the Wet Tropics, World Heritage-listed in 1988 for one of the oldest rainforests on earth.

MORNING: THE DAINTREE AND CAPE TRIBULATION

From Alexandra Lookout you see the mouth of the Daintree River and Snapper Island out on the reef. The Marrdja Boardwalk is a flat 1.2 km loop through fan palms, with signs that walk you through the stages of plant evolution, and a platform over Noah Creek where crocodiles sometimes lie. The Daintree Ice Cream Company makes its flavours from fruit grown in its own orchard, so try one you've never heard of. At Cape Tribulation the forest meets the sand. Cook named the cape in 1770, the day before the Endeavour struck the reef offshore.

LATE MORNING: THE BLOOMFIELD TRACK TO WUJAL WUJAL

North of Cape Tribulation the bitumen ends. You pass a fig tree around 500 years old, then the 4WD splashes across Emmagen Creek and onto the Bloomfield Track, about 30 km of steep, rough road. In 1983 protesters buried themselves in the roadway to stop it being cut, and the fight helped win World Heritage listing for the forest five years later. The track drops to Wujal Wujal, a Kuku Yalanji community on the Bloomfield River, and a 400 m walk takes you to the foot of Bloomfield Falls, where the river pours over a granite ledge into a wide pool.

MIDDAY: BLACK MOUNTAIN AND THE LIONS DEN

The rainforest thins to dry country as you near Kalkajaka (Black Mountain), a vast pile of granite boulders darkened by lichen and algae. To its traditional owners it is a sacred place of spirits and old battles, with its own rainbow serpent, and it is home to a frog, a skink and a gecko found nowhere else. Lunch and a cold drink are at the Lions Den Hotel at Helenvale, a tin miners' pub opened in 1875, where generations of travellers have signed the walls and ceiling.

AFTERNOON: COOKTOWN

Cooktown is where the Endeavour was beached for almost seven weeks of repairs in 1770, and where Joseph Banks first wrote down the Guugu Yimithirr word that became "kangaroo". The Cooktown Botanic Gardens date from 1878 and are a good place to spot crimson finches. From the top of Grassy Hill, which Cook climbed to look for a way back out through the reef, you see the whole town, the Endeavour River and the sea. If time allows, the James Cook Museum, in an old convent, holds an anchor and a cannon from the Endeavour.

LATE AFTERNOON: HOME BY THE MULLIGAN HIGHWAY

Rather than retrace the track, you head home inland on the Mulligan Highway, named after James Venture Mulligan, the prospector whose 1873 find on the Palmer River started one of Queensland's biggest gold rushes. The road runs south through open woodland and cattle country, then down the range to the coast, and you're dropped back at your accommodation in the evening.

Map

Good to know

Meeting point: Pick-up from Cairns, the Northern Beaches or Port Douglas; where you start changes the itinerary.
Fitness: Relaxed. The Marrdja Boardwalk is wheelchair accessible; Bloomfield Falls is a short 400 m walk.
Suits: All ages, including young families, couples and seniors.

What to bring

Closed-toe shoes or sneakers
Day pack
Sun hat and sunglasses
Swimwear
Phone

What is included

Private pick-up in a luxury 4WD from Cairns, the Northern Beaches or Port Douglas
Experienced naturalist guide
Guided walks
Lunch and snacks as per the itinerary
All national park fees and permits

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)

Gerd was an amazing, knowledgeable guide and the nine-hour trip up to Cooktown was a pure delight. Being private, it was tailored to our needs and interests.

Th W Verified· Travelled 29th July 2026

Read original ↗