You make your own way to Cairns and collect your hire car - for your own arrangements and cost.
You then head north to the Ecolodge, a 90 minute drive from Cairns to the Daintree on one of Australia’s most spectacular drives. Departing Cairns on the Captain Cook Highway along a stunning coastal drive passing Port Douglas, Mossman and Daintree Village. The Ecolodge is nestled on the southern banks of the impressive Daintree River. A ferry crossing is not required to get here.
On arrival staff will greet you and assist you to your room(s). The remainder of the day is at your leisure.
For more information on the lodge visit: https://wetu.com/iBrochure/en/Home/10589_59745/daintree_ecolodge
Hire car - please make sure you arrange a 4WD/SUV or similar vehicle that can take you off the bitumen highway as this will allow you to experience more remote areas in the north.
Today you travel to the Daintree Rainforest for a full day of private touring. Your day may run similar to the below.
Daintree, an area of ancient tropical rainforest spanning 120,000 hectares, making it the largest portion of tropical rainforest in Australia. Enjoy an interpretive walk through the longest and most luscious nature trail in the National Park. An unrivalled opportunity to witness the complex ecosystems in this World Heritage Area, finished off with a swim in the freshwater gorge.
At the Daintree Tea House, lunch has an exotic theme. The outside dining area is beautiful and exclusive, with views of the surrounding rainforest and continuous sounds of birds and nature.
After lunch you travel to the Daintree River for your Wildlife Cruise. The surroundings are full of opportunities to observe and photograph some of the most primitive forms of animal and plant life in the world. Your cruise operator has the only solar electric vessel on the Daintree River. The clean, green, quiet machine greatly benefits your wildlife spotting privileges. Most days great bird life and crocodile activity is experienced.
You return to your accommodation in the late afternoon.
Please make sure you wear comfortable walking shoes and bring your swimmers and a towel. You may also like to bring insect repellent, a hat, sunscreen and an umbrella/rain poncho.
No activities have been planned for today. We suggest you consider either of the following activities (at additional cost and subject to availability).
River Drift Snorkel: This morning you make your way to Port Douglas for the 9.00 am River Drift Snorkel tour - shared basis with a maximum of 12 guests.
Within an ancient rainforest you drift slowly downstream with the current in the most beautiful, crystal clear rainforest river. Watch fish dart in and around the river stones and keep your eyes out for the occasional turtle.
This family friendly tour is the ultimate way to enjoy the rainforest on a hot summer’s day. A great introduction to snorkelling before heading out to the reefs. Small children (and adults) can journey down the river on large river sleds.
All wetsuits and snorkelling gear are provided and an experienced instructor accompanies you on this unique journey. Please be aware that this tour may not operate if river levels are too high and your safety may be compromised.
The tour lasts around 3.5 hours, including return transfers from Port Douglas.
Hike Devil's Thumb - This challenging trek is for the very active and takes around 10-12 hours to complete.
Located in the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park, this challenging 10 km return-walk is steep, but offers a truly unique experience. As you make your way up the trail, walk through a variety of terrain ranging from lowland rainforest, to a coral fern-dotted clearing 1000 m up.
Scramble over boulders to reach the lookout of Devils Thumb; a large boulder overhanging the rainforest below. Enjoy sublime views across the main coast range, the coast line and Coral Sea to the east. The views and abundant bird life make the hard work worthwhile.
River Drift Snorkel: For safety reasons, some medical conditions, disabilities or impairments may exclude participants from the tour. Private touring can also be arranged - at additional cost.
Today you drive to Mungumby Lodge.
You can either take the coastal route via Cape Tribulation and Wujal Wujal (about 3.5 hours drive with some gravel road) or drive on the Mulligan Highway via Cooktown (about 4 hours drive on bitumen roads).
On arrival to Mungumby Lodge staff will greet you and brief you on the activities planned for your stay. This afternoon you have time to enjoy the lodge and explore your surrounds.
This morning is an early start of around 5.30 am.
Collect your boxed breakfast and packed lunch and drive to Bloomfield (around 40 minutes). Meet your private guide at the Bloomfield boat ramp and travel by boat along the coast while watching the sunrise across Weary Bay, to Cedar Bay.
Cedar Bay is a very special area of the Wet Tropics and has many stories to tell. Inaccessible by road, its remote, white sand beaches and calm, blue reef fringed waters are only be seen by walkers and those arriving by sea. Supplied with fresh water streams flowing from the upland rainforest, this out-of-the-way paradise is where the rainforest meets the reef. The landing is a beach landing in calm water.
Cedar Bay Bill was a tin miner, famous for accepting and befriending a utopian hippy community that attempted to flee society and build a Shangrila at Cedar Bay in the early 1970s. Whatever it was they believed in didn’t suit the government of the day, who sent select law enforcers to destroy the campsites and disband the community, an action that annoyed all but the most conservative citizens of the time. Bill retained his miners lease until his death in 1987, and the story of the commune has entered folkloric mythology. This has given the bay a special allure, and many walkers come specifically to pay homage to the site.
There are remnants of Cedar Bay Bill’s hut on the southern bank of Ashwell Creek near the crossing. The trail starts at the northern end of the beach amongst a grove of pandanus palms next to Cedar Bay Bill’s monument, which bears the epitaph “Strange to the world, he wore a bashful look – the sea and shore his study, nature his book”.
The first kilometre is straight and relatively easy, then a steep ascent is eased by a set of switchbacks carved into the hillside, another legacy of the mining era. It is difficult to imagine a horse climbing these steep inclines, let alone carrying a load. The track is marked with orange markers and after the first steep climb the walk is undulating traversing some of the most stunning untouched rainforest you will ever experience. (Detailed directions supplied)
- Cedar Bay to Black Snake Rocks 2.5 hours
- Black Snake Rocks to Slaty Creek 2.5 hours
- Slaty Creek to Home Rule campground 1¾ hours
Cedar Bay – Home Rule walk time 6-8 hours, 14 kilometres, strenuous.
It is recommended that you start early today to enjoy the wildlife, birds and arrive out at Laura on time.
Today you travel to a totally different geographical region along the secondary gold route to the Palmer Goldfields. Here the land is frequently parched dry; the eucalyptus trees become common; intermingled with termite mounds and sandstone escarpments into the Quinkan country.
Driving via Lakeland, you turn right onto the Peninsular Development Road, which takes you to the top of Australia. This newly sealed road is a treat to drive as it is very new, void of any traffic and offers views across open country. Watch for road trains. When you pass Crocodile Station the road climbs into the valley of the Quinkan - marked with stunning escarpments surrounding the Laura River which winds along the valley floor below. Steeped in history and thousands of years of Aboriginal occupation this once remote region has many stories to show and tell.
As you drive across the Laura River Bridge, arriving at Laura do not blink or you might miss it. The Quinkan Region Cultural Centre is located on the left hand side, a yellow building next to the camp ground.
9.30 am - Meet Lex Bloomfield, the manager of the centre, who will give you an introduction to the centre and your guide. From here you will travel with the centres 4x4 to the Quinkan Galleries for interpretation of stories etched into the rock escarpments over the past 40,000 years of Aboriginal occupation.
Quinkan Galleries Tour - Duration: - 3 hours. (May-Nov only)
These galleries are acknowledged as being the most highly regarded rock art in the region. This site is highly significant and sacred to the aboriginal people of the area. Hence, this is the premium tour and has a strict limit of only 150 people each year that has the privilege of viewing this magnificent and beautiful site. By far the recommended choice and contains 5 caves at this site.
Upon returning to Laura enjoy your picnic lunch down the road into the main street, take a picnic table in the park under the Mango Trees to the sound of the Black Cockatoos, Galas, Ravens and Lorikeets. Ensure you take a look in the General Store and Post Office as they don’t make them like this anymore.
Returning home drive via the same route, being sure to look out for the Australian Bustard or Black Cockatoos.
6.30 am - This morning is another early start. You will have a self-help breakfast before leaving for Cooktown airport.
8.00 am - Depart on light charter aircraft to Lizard Island over the reef.
Once landed at Lizard you walk through the low coastal scrub, emerging onto one of the most beautiful beaches and ocean views in the world. The colours of the water, the sand and the sky after walking through the greens and browns of the bush are really surprising and very beautiful. You walk along the beach to where a day camp will be set up. You spend the next 5 hours snorkelling, swimming, exploring, and hiking. You will enjoy a gourmet picnic lunch under the trees complete with good Australian wine.
The quality of the reef is second to none. The longer you spend in the water the more marine life you will see. You are also welcome to walk to any of the 23 beaches on the Island, take a hike up Cooks Look (the mountain in the middle of the Island 1178 feet high), walk up Chinaman’s Ridge for amazing photo opportunities or to the Blue Lagoon.
You return to Cooktown later in the day by charter plane and then on to Mungumby Lodge.
Today you return home.
You make your way back to Cairns, return your hire car and connect with your homeward flight.
END OF ARRANGEMENTS
