Daintree, Atherton Tablelands, Mossman Gorge & Dunk Island – 8 Days

This holiday starts in Cairns at 8.00am. The first of our tropical walks is the Barron Gorge National Park. From Glacier Rock, there are sweeping views of Trinity Inlet, the Coral Sea and the city of Cairns.

Travel the scenic coastal route to Mossman then across the Daintree River by ferry into the heart of the Daintree National Park. This is the first crocodile territory encountered during the tour, but it is also where the rainforest meets the reef. On the route to our rainforest retreat the distances are small, but the steep, rainforest-covered mountains and narrow roads reduce driving speeds, eventually averaging just 40 km/h. We’ll spend two nights in the heart of the rainforest in an area frequented by elusive cassowaries.

Walking: Easy to moderate / 12 km / 4 hrs

Meals: Walkers lunch and two course a la carte dinner at hotel restaurant

Accommodation: Ferntree Rainforest Hotel in ensuited rooms

Begin the day with an early morning walk looking for cassowaries. After breakfast, our Daintree walk starts out along a picturesque stretch of sandy beach. We’ll head inland along an elevated boardwalk through tidal mangroves and freshwater swamps where we often see kingfishers and catbirds. The track eventually emerges at a beach typical of a tropical hiking scene, overhung by the lush rainforest at Cape Tribulation – where rainforest meets reef. There’s time to have a relaxing walk along the beach. After lunch, we’ll board a small boat on a crocodile spotting cruise. After that we’ll stroll along a boardwalk through a fascinating environment. Then it’s back to our accommodation for the night. Azure Ulysses butterflies, platypus and cassowaries are just some of the fauna to look out for. On the Daintree walks we have been asked not to provide interpretation or guidance by the indigenous owners and only provide logistics.

Walking: Easy to moderate / 15 km / 5-6 hrs / easier option available

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at retreat, walkers lunch and 2 course a la carte dinner at hotel restaurant

Accommodation: Ferntree Rainforest Hotel in ensuited rooms

Back south of the Daintree River, our first walk for today is at beautiful Mossman Gorge. This rainforest circuit walk is accessed by a high suspension bridge over a fast flowing, turbulent river. The gorge teems with wildlife, especially birds. Next is a special treat – the Kuku-Yalanji Bush Tucker Walk with the traditional custodians. Here you can learn how the Aboriginal people prepared and used various rainforest plants for shelter, medicines and food. This walk is a very popular part of our trip. Finish up sharing tea and damper with locals from the nearby village. After lunch, we leave the Daintree behind and hike up the historic ‘Bump Track’, an old trail blazed by early settlers to move supplies from the coast onto the Atherton Tablelands. Home for the next two nights will be in the historic tablelands village of Yungaburra.

Walking: Easy to moderate / 12 km / 5 hrs / easier option available

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at retreat, picnic lunch and two course a la carte dinner at restaurant

Accommodation: Yungaburra Park Motel in rooms with ensuites

After an el fresco breakfast, we’ll enjoy a day of exploring the Atherton Tablelands and its stunning waterfalls. First stop is the curtain fig tree, a strangler fig that is one of the largest trees in Queensland and has a distinctive shawl of aerial roots. Next is Mt Hypipamee where we’ll hike to an unusual volcanic crater formed in the shape of a deep cylindrical hole. The Tablelands were formed after many volcanoes erupted. Some of these have filled with water and are now surrounded by rainforest and are home to numerous birds. Our final walk is a circuit walk right around the edge of one of these pristine crater lakes at Lake Barrine.

Walking: Easy to moderate / 13 km / 5 hrs / easier option available

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at local cafe, sit down lunch and a la carte dinner at restaurant

Accommodation: Yungaburra Park Motel in rooms with ensuites

Today, we start with the scenic Waterfalls Circuit drive where we’ll visit four waterfalls including picture-postcard Millaa Millaa Falls. There are waterfalls of all descriptions – gigantic, pretty, invigorating, serene and intimidating. Time to leave the tourists behind now and walk to Nandroya Falls walk in the Wooroonooran National Park. This delightful hike is our favourite and culminates in several waterfalls, cascading one after the other right beside the track. It makes a great picnic lunch stop. Then we’ll leave the Atherton Tablelands behind and head for Mission Beach on the coast. Finish the day with the short Licuala Walk and the hope of spotting a cassowary or two. Licualas are commonly known as fan palms and these spectacular palms tower overhead as the path meanders below.

Walking: Easy to moderate / 11 km / 4-5 hrs / easier option available

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at local cafe, walkers lunch and a two course dinner at restaurant

Accommodation: Castaways Resort Mission Beach in rooms with ensuites

The morning walk features more tropical walks in the form of picturesque beaches and rocky coves of the Kennedy Track as we head towards the remote Hull River. After a beachside picnic lunch and swim in the crystal-clear waters there will be a choice of afternoon walks – an easy beach stroll back to Mission Beach or a more challenging hike through rainforest to a high vantage point overlooking the region.

Walking: Moderate / 15 km / 4 hrs / 5 -6 hrs / easier option available

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at resort, walkers lunch and a two course dinner at local restaurant

Accommodation: Castaways Resort Mission Beach in rooms with ensuites

Travel to Dunk Island by boat and spend the day enjoying rainforest and beach walks. There will also be time to enjoy a swim at a delightful bay beach. A fitting finale.

Walking: Easy to Moderate / 9 km / 4 hrs / 3 -4 hrs / easier option is available

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at resort, walkers lunch and a two course dinner at resort restaurant

Accommodation: Castaways Resort Mission Beach in rooms with ensuites

Travel back to Cairns after breakfast, finishing around 11:30am.

Meals: Cooked breakfast prepared by chefs at resort