Explore The Rainforest, Reef & Outback

4 Day Reef, Rainforest and Outback Experience

Combine all of the three unique attractions of Tropical North Queensland with a Reef, Rainforest and Outback experience. Quality eco-tour and accommodation operators have combined to offer an exciting tour to the Daintree Rainforest & Cape Tribulation, the Great Barrier Reef and a taste of the Outback at Jabiru Safari Lodge. Departs daily.

• Day 1: Cape Tribulation Day tour with Billytea Bush Safaris. Visit Cape Tribulation, Alexandra Lookout. Cruise the Daintree River. Enjoy a tropical BBQ lunch in the rainforest. Swim in the crystal waters on Emmagen Creek. Overnight Hotel Cairns
• Day 2: Explore the Great Barrier Reef with Ocean Spirit. Explore Michaelmas Cay, a Bird Sanctuary. Spend over 5 hours on the reef. Enjoy a hot & cold Buffet lunch with prawns. Reef Interpretation and guided snorkel tour plus a bonus glass bottom boat tour. Overnight Hotel Cairns.
• Day 3: Jabiru Safari Lodge Tour "Outback with a touch of Class". Visit the Award winning Mareeba Wetlands. Join a guided nature cruise and enjoy a sunset wildlife safari, before a BBQ dinner on your deck. Overnight accommodation Jabiru Safari Lodge in a deluxe safari cabin.
• Day 4: Jabiru Safari Lodge Tour. Take an 'early birders' morning tour to Pandanus Lagoon Bird Hide. After lunch explore the reserve on foot or by canoe before relaxing on the deck of your safari tent. Overnight accommodation Jabiru Safari Lodge in a deluxe safari cabin.
• Day 5: Relax or take a morning walk around the lagoon. Lunch on the deck of the visitor centre overlooking Clancy's Lagoon before transfer back to Cairns.

Cost: From $1095.00 per person twin share Eco safari Tent.( Single Supplement $255). Click here for a detailed itinerary.

2 Day Outback Safari Experience and Hot Air Ballooning

Enjoy the delights of the Australian Outback on this self-drive Outback Safari Experience and Hot Air Ballooning package.

Enjoy a wildlife safari with an experienced guide sighting kangaroos, wallabies, emus and abundant birdlife. Go canoeing, bushwalking or bird watching at your own pace, then hop in a hot air balloon and take off and gently float over gum trees, gazing out as the Australian landscape stretches out as far as the eye can see.

Staying overnight at Jabiru Safari Lodge allows guests to fully appreciate the outback savanna environment and animals and birdlife.

• Day 1: Jabiru Safari Lodge. Visit the Award winning Mareeba Wetlands. Join a guided nature cruise and enjoy a sunset wildlife safari, before a BBQ dinner on your deck. Overnight accommodation Jabiru Safari Lodge in a safari cabin.
• Day 2: Up early to enjoy your balloon flight over the Mareeba area followed by a champagne breakfast.

Cost: From $325.00 per person adult twin share Eco safari Tent. Click here for a brochure.

4 Day Self Drive Experience

Showcasing the outstanding natural elements of the Cairns Highlands in Tropical North Queensland.

• Day 1: Depart from Cairns and make your way via the Gillies Highway to Rose Gums Wilderness Retreat. Highlights to experience include the Crater Lakes and the many small towns along the way. Overnight Rose Gums.
• Day 2: Exploring Cairns Highlands. Highlights include Mamu Canopy Walk, Millaa Millaa Falls. Overnight Rose Gums.
• Day 3: Exploring Cairns Highlands. Highlights include Mt Uncle Distillery, Australian Coffee Centre, Sunset Wildlife Safari. Overnight Jabiru Safari Lodge.
• Day 4: Mareeba Wetland and Jabiru Safari Lodge activities. Choose from a variety of tours and activities. Overnight Jabiru Safari Lodge.
• Day 5: Return to Cairns visiting the rainforest hamlet of Kuranda along the way.

Click here for a brochure.

Birding Tropical Australia

It is no wonder that so many birds call the Cairns/Tablelands regions home. With the variety of habitats such as mountain, coastal, riverine, mangrove, wetland, woodland, grassland, rainforest, rural and urban parkland, this area has the largest avifauna of any region in Australia. It is home to over 450 species of birds and 12 of these are local endemics:

Whatever time of year you decide to visit there will always be plenty of birds to see. October - April may be our hotter and wetter months, but it is the time when the migrant species arrive from Papua New Guinea including the beautiful Buff-breasted Paradise Kingfisher, Channelbilled Cuckoo and Eastern Koel.

During our cooler, drier, winter months (May-Sept) the Victoria's Riflebirds are displaying and winter breeders such as White-eared Monarch can be easier to see.

Recommended Birding tours and activities

• Trips on the Daintree River are good for riverine and mangrove species such as Great-billed Heron, Little Kingfisher and Shining Flycatcher.
• To supplement your birding there is also a whole host of other wildlife and environmental related activities available in the region. Go out for a day on the Reef with Ocean Spirit to visit the seabird breeding colony at Michaelmas Cay off Cairns where you can also snorkel, dive and go reef viewing.
• Del Richards offers a range of half and full day birdwatching tours from the Daintree River to Julatten and Mt Lewis.
• David 'Chook' Crawford is the resident Jabiru Safari Lodge Birding Guide and has been involved in leading birding tours throughout Cape York and the Atherton Tablelands for a number of years. He has built up a wealth of knowledge of the region's best bird locations and has developed great skills to locate and target even the most elusive species. He is available for private charter in the region.

For more information about birding in tropical Australia go to www.birdingtropicalsuatralia.com.au or download a brochure here.

Bookings & Enquiries

Please contact us for all bookings and enquiries.