• Southern Cassowary Encounters: Private property access in the Daintree Rainforest/Kaba Kada increases the chance of encountering one of Australia’s most iconic and endangered birds in its natural rainforest habitat.
• Daintree River Wildlife Cruise: A private boat cruise along one of Australia’s most biodiverse river systems, with a 99% success rate for saltwater crocodile sightings alongside exceptional birdwatching and wildlife encounters.
• Platypus at Yungaburra: Spend unhurried time at the clear mountain streams of Yungaburra for some of the most reliable and accessible wild platypus encounters in Australia.
• Lumholtz Tree-Kangaroo: Search for one of Australia’s most elusive and rarely seen mammals in the protected rainforest of Malanda Conservation Park, guided by expert local knowledge.
• Nocturnal Spotlighting: Venture into the after-dark world of the Tablelands in search of leaf-tailed geckos, lesser sooty owls, Lemuroid possums, and a remarkable diversity of frogs and reptiles.
• Tolga Bat Hospital: Experience one of Australia’s most innovative wildlife conservation programs, with an intimate encounter with rescued bats and the dedicated community working to protect them.

What’s Included:

• Accommodation: 1 night at Heritage Lodge Daintree; 3 nights at Chambers Wildlife Lodge, Atherton Tableland
• Meals provided: 4 breakfasts, 5 lunches and 4 dinners
• Transport: A modern, comfortable, air-conditioned vehicle
• Guide: Experienced local, wildlife guide
• Included activities: Wildlife Cruise, Access to Tolga Bat Hospital & Wildlife and Raptor Care Queensland
• Other: National Park fees, permits and ferry crossings

What to bring:

• Good walking shoes
• Light, natural coloured clothing
• Large water bottle
• Day pack for carrying personal items
• Birding/Camera gear – Tripods, binoculars
• Wet weather gear (for expected rainy days)
• Swimming gear, towel and spare clothes

What’s not Included:

• Domestic or international flights and/or other transport to the starting point of the tour (Cairns/Gimuy)
• Pre-registration, late check-out or day use at hotels other than specified above
• Guide services other than specified
• Meals and beverages not specified in the itinerary
• Tips and gratuities

Enter the world’s oldest tropical rainforest as you head north from Cairns/Gimuy into the Daintree Rainforest/Kaba Kada, 120,000 hectares of ancient, UNESCO World Heritage-listed wilderness. Quiet nature trails and private property access offer exceptional opportunities to encounter endemic wildlife, with the southern cassowary a major target for the day. The hottest part of the afternoon is best spent cooling off in one of the many freshwater rainforest creeks before the day’s wildlife activity resumes at dusk. An evening nocturnal walk reveals the Daintree Rainforest’s/Kaba Kada remarkable after-dark world. Wildlife highlights include southern cassowary, Bennett’s tree kangaroo, Boyd’s forest dragon, striped possum, Papuan frogmouth, saltwater crocodile, azure kingfisher, white-lipped tree frog, Ulysses butterfly, and Australian scrub python. Overnight at Heritage Lodge, Daintree Rainforest/Kaba Kada.

Begin the day on a private boat cruise along the Daintree River, a peaceful and low-impact wildlife experience with a 99% success rate for saltwater crocodile sightings, alongside exceptional birdwatching and the chance to encounter snakes, frogs, and flying foxes in their natural riparian habitat. Wildlife highlights include great-billed heron, little and azure kingfisher, black-necked stork, white-bellied sea eagle, spectacled flying fox, and saltwater crocodile. After lunch, the journey heads inland through Julatten, where the landscape transitions from tropical rainforest to open savannah. The day closes at Granite Gorge Nature Park in the golden evening light, with the endemic Mareeba rock wallaby among the highlights alongside red-backed fairy-wrens, rainbow bee-eaters, and dollarbirds. Overnight at Chambers Wildlife Lodge, Atherton Tablelands.

The cool mountain streams of Yungaburra are the focus of the morning, where Australian platypus are reliably encountered in the clear water. You will have plenty of time here, ideal for patient observation and photography. After lunch, the ancient volcanic Crater Lakes of Lake Eacham/Yidyam and Lake Barrine/Barany offer the chance to spot red-legged pademelon, musky rat kangaroo, saw-shell turtle, and eastern water dragon in a remarkable geological setting formed over 10,000 years ago. The evening brings an optional nocturnal spotlighting session targeting Boyd’s forest dragon, leaf-tailed gecko, lesser sooty owl, Lemuroid possum, and a rich diversity of frogs and reptiles in the Tablelands’ most productive after-dark habitats. Overnight at Chambers Wildlife Lodge, Atherton Tablelands.

Two morning walks in the Malanda Falls Conservation Park/Tutamonlin offer some of the best opportunities in Australia to encounter the elusive Lumholtz tree-kangaroo in its protected rainforest habitat (a species so rarely seen that early European settlers considered it mythical). Green ringtail possum, Boyd’s forest dragon, eastern whipbird, and red-legged pademelon are also regularly encountered here. After lunch, the afternoon visits the remarkable Tolga Bat Hospital, one of Australia’s most innovative wildlife conservation experiences, where dedicated volunteers work to rescue and rehabilitate bats through hands-on care, education, and research. Overnight at Chambers Wildlife Lodge, Atherton Tablelands.

The final day opens at Hasties Swamp National Park, a large seasonal wetland renowned for its extraordinary birdlife (over 220 species recorded), with a large bird hide offering excellent waterbird viewing of magpie geese, brolga, sarus crane, spoonbills, jabiru, and diverse herons. After lunch in Malanda, Mount Hypipamee National Park delivers one of the Tablelands’ most stunning geological formations alongside further tree kangaroo encounters. The tour closes at the ancient Curtain Fig Tree, one of the most extraordinary living things in the Australian rainforest, its vast root system a testament to thousands of years of survival. Return to Cairns/Gimuy by approximately 4:30pm.

This tour begins in Cairns, where we travel straight to Heritage Lodge in the Daintree Rainforest.We recommend booking a night in Cairns before the tour begins,and can help you do this when booking your tour.

You will be picked up from your hotel early in the morning on day 1.

This tour is suited to a moderate level of fitness. Days involve walking on a variety of surfaces including rainforest trails, uneven terrain, and nature park paths. The pace is relaxed and wildlife-focused, with ample time for observation and photography at each location. Evening spotlighting sessions are optional for those who prefer an earlier night. Comfortable enclosed walking shoes suitable for uneven natural surfaces are essential. Please contact us prior to booking if you have any specific mobility concerns.

In the Daintree and Cape Tribulation, the southern cassowary is a major target species, alongside Bennett’s tree kangaroo, Boyd’s forest dragon, saltwater crocodile, striped possum, azure kingfisher, Papuan frogmouth, and the spectacular Ulysses butterfly. The Daintree River cruise offers a 99% success rate for crocodile sightings, with great-billed heron, black-necked stork, and spectacled flying fox among the regular highlights. On the Atherton Tablelands, platypus are reliably encountered at Yungaburra’s mountain streams, while the Lumholtz tree kangaroo is sought in the rainforest reserves of Malanda. Nocturnal spotlighting sessions reveal leaf-tailed gecko, lesser sooty owl, Lemuroid possum, and a remarkable diversity of frogs and reptiles. Hasties Swamp supports over 220 bird species including brolga, sarus crane, jabiru, and royal spoonbill.

Yes, half twin shares are on a request basis and only offered if there is a suitable match of the same sex on tour. If no suitable match is available, a single supplement will apply. Please contact our team to discuss your options before booking.