Port Douglas and Tropical North Queensland
Independent Tour
An hour north of Cairns, Port Douglas is one of the leading holiday resorts in Australia. This is the home of Four Mile Beach, an immense strip of soft white sand backed by tropical forest and lapped by sparkling azure blue waters. A laid back resort with a bustling marina, shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants, it’s an ideal holiday location and a great starting point for snorkelling and diving trips to the Great Barrier Reef. The incredible World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef are on the doorstep, with Mossman Gorge just a few minutes’ drive away. This is where you’ll find the rainforest meets the sea and beach, providing Robinson Crusoe like solitude just minutes out of town.
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Your Itinerary
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Day 1
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Day 2-11
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Day 12
Day 1 : Arrive Cairns
On arrival in Cairns take your included transfer to port Douglas for a 10-night stay.
Hotel: Freestyle Port Douglas.
Day 2-11 : At Leisure in Port Douglas
Time to relax in tropical paradise. There’s so much to see and do in this part of North Queensland that you can be as active or relaxed as you wish. Enjoy some solitude, relax and soak up the sun on Four Mile beach, lounge by the pool or head off into the rainforest. Visit the Wildlife Habitat and take breakfast with the birds or swim with a salty (crocodile!); explore the shops and boutiques, bars and restaurants along Macrossan Street or visit the Sunday market for some great Aussie gifts. To ensure that you see and experience what we think are the “must see and do” activities we’ve included some experiences.
Day 2-11 : Included Experiences:
The Great Barrier Reef can be seen from space and stretches hundreds of miles down the Queensland coast. Port Douglas is the main point of access to the reef in the north of Queensland and arguably has the best snorkelling and diving on the entire reef. Depending on your preference levels for snorkelling we offer a choice of four different cruises:
Outer Reef Cruise
Sail to a floating platform above the outer Barrier Reef and explore the underwater wonderland of brightly coloured coral gardens and tropical fish at Agincourt Reef. You’ll enjoy an included buffet lunch, viewing platforms and swimming over the coral in a controlled environment. Your air-conditioned catamaran offers a comfortable ride with morning and afternoon tea and snorkelling gear included.
Barrier Island Cruise
Imagine lazing on a white sandy beach lapped by azure blue waters teaming with multi coloured fish swimming over bright coral gardens; you can do that when you cruise to Low Isles from Port Douglas. You’ll enjoy a two hour cruise, included snorkelling and a buffet lunch on board the Wavedancer. Morning and afternoon tea and snorkelling gear included.
Three Reef Cruise
Avid snorkellers will enjoy the thrill of diving and snorkelling on the outer edge of the Great Barrier Reef. Explore three different stunning reef locations in style aboard Silversonic. Enjoy unlimited snorkelling from the back of your boat at the best sites based on tides and weather. For those who wish to dive there’s the option to pay for up to three dives; novices can pay for up to 2 dives. A buffet lunch is included as well as snorkelling gear and morning coffee and afternoon tea.
Two Reef Snorkelling Cruise
Enjoy the peace and serenity of the Great Barrier Reef with Calypso Snorkel, a dedicated snorkelling vessel. Float effortlessly over rich, colourful coral gardens teeming with life from the cute and playful clownfish to the graceful beauty of the green turtle. Giant clams, stingrays, maori wrasse, cods and colourful parrotfish, are just some of the hundreds of species you will encounter during your visit to Opal and Tongue Reefs
This 21-metre vessel offers comfortable day bed style seating, spacious decks and professional experienced crew ensuring a unique and personalised Great Barrier Reef experience for every guest. Snorkel gear, lunch and morning and afternoon tea are included.
Day 2-11 : Full Day Cape Tribulation and Daintree Wilderness Tour Excursion
Learn about the local wildlife, cruise on the Daintree River and explore world’s oldest Rainforest on the immersion with nature. First stop after being collected from your hotel will be at the award winning Wildlife Habitat. Get to know the local wildlife on an immersive guided experience with one of the knowledgeable Wildlife Keepers. You will get the chance to handfeed animals such as the elusive Cassowary which is notoriously hard to spot in the wild! Heading north through Mossman you’ll cross the Daintree River on the cable ferry and travel north to the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest where you will enjoy a dip in the pristine waters of Mason’s freshwater swimming hole. Explore the world’s oldest rainforest with a knowledgeable local guide. Learn about the fascinating flora and fauna that call the Daintree Rainforest home on a boardwalk tour. Visit Cape Tribulation Beach and see the only place in the world where two world heritage sites meet: the World Heritage listed Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef. After a big day of adventure, the perfect way to cool down and relax is with an exotic tasting experience at Daintree Ice Cream Company. Handmade on site with organically grown fruit it is easy to see why this ice cream has won multiple awards. Head to Alexandra Lookout for a photo opportunity while you enjoy beautiful views of the Daintree Rainforest and the Coral Sea. Board a Daintree River cruise and search for wildlife including wild Estuarine Crocodiles and birds in the unique mangrove ecosystem before heading back to Port Douglas. Lunch and morning tea are included.
Day 2-11 : Full Day Kuranda Excursion
Glide over the treetops of the rainforest on your way to the beautiful small town of Kuranda with its daily craft market, craft shops, boutiques and bars before a journey on the Kuranda Scenic railway back to the coast
Your day commences with a transfer from your hotel to Skyrail Rainforest Cableway for your journey to Kuranda. Be amazed as you glide over the canopy of pristine World Heritage Rainforest with stops at Barron Falls and Red Peak Stations allowing time to explore, including boardwalks and the CSIRO Interpretive Centre. Upon arrival in Kuranda, you will have free time to explore this fascinating village. The Heritage Markets operate 7 days a week and are full of colourful and interesting arts and crafts or you might also like to visit Birdworld, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Rainforestation Nature Park or Kuranda Koala Gardens. In the afternoon board the Kuranda Scenic Railway at Kuranda station - your pre allocated preferential seating enables you to avoid the lines. Wind through tunnels and over bridges on this magnificent journey, passing Stoney Creek and Barron Falls as you enjoy breathtaking views of the tropical rainforest and across the cane fields of Cairns. Upon arrival at Freshwater Station, you will be transferred to your hotel.
Day 12 : Departure
Take your included transfer to Cairns airport for your overnight flight to the UK.
