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This Cairns Waterfalls day tour takes you to all the locals’ favourite places. Lake Eacham and Millaa Millaa Falls on the Tablelands, Josephine Falls and the Babinda Boulders on the coastal lowlands. All these places provide picture-perfect locations for swimming and enjoying the beautiful rainforest surrounds. Run by Cairns Adventure Group, this full day Cairns waterfalls tour also provides the opportunity to meet Traditional Owners and learn more about their culture and enduring connection to country. It’s a fully guided coach tour on an air conditioned bus that includes morning and afternoon tea, and lunch at the Top Rail restaurant and bistro at Malanda.
The tour includes return pick-ups from various Cairns City locations and a knowledgeable driver guide, who provides commentary throughout the day. There’s time for swimming, sliding down natural rockpools and soaking in the beauty and views of the Atherton Tablelands and Cairns’ Southern Rainforests.
Cairns Waterfalls Tour. Lake Eacham. Millaa Millaa Falls. Josephine Falls. Babinda Boulders. Cairns Adventure Group.
What We Love About This Cairns Waterfalls Day Tour – We love that this tour takes you to some of our favourite places. While the Daintree Rainforest is very well known, the Atherton Tablelands are not, and yet this destination showcases some of the best rainforest waterfalls and stunning crater lakes that we have. Then there is the Wooroonooran National Park, a part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage listed Rainforest, with towering mountains and rainforest rivers, also home to Josephine Falls and the Babinda Boulders. All stunning and made so easy with Cairns Adventure Group.
Get a free action camera rental when you book tours departing Cairns through us valued at over $750, we’ll lend you a GoPro camera to use for the duration of your tours. Numbers are limited and allocated on a first-come basis. Get in touch with us to claim this deal today.
Cairns Adventure Group (CAG) is a family-run, locally owned business dedicated to sharing the very best of Far North Queensland with visitors. They’re good friends of ours and share our passion for Cairns and everything this region has to offer. Their Cairns Waterfalls Day Tour is a big day on the bus, but with lots of scenic stops for swimming and exploring. They recently added a new element to the tour, providing the opportunity to meet Traditional Owners and learn more of their stories and enduring connection to country. This happens at the Cathedral Fig Tree, a 500 year old tree in the rainforest. This tour is suitable for people with reasonable mobility and swimming abilities. Infants are welcome to participate with parents (and are free if aged 2 years old or under), but it’s a big day on a bus for little people. Cairns pick-ups start from 7.30am and return to Cairns from 5.30pm onwards. Morning and afternoon tea and lunch are all included in the ticket price.
The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area protects the world’s oldest continually surviving tropical rainforest. It’s a large area, extending from Cooktown in the north to near Townsville in the south, and contains several national parks (including the Daintree Rainforest National Park). This tour visits two national parks on the Tablelands, the Crater Lakes National Park and the Danbulla National Park, as well as the Wooroonooran National Park which is south of Cairns. All offer different ways to explore and engage with the rainforest. Danbulla National Park is home to the Cathedral Fig Tree, an ancient rainforest giant that is 50m tall, over 500 years old and measures 72m across at its girth. Admire the tree from boardwalks and meet with Traditional Owners (more on this below).
This Cairns Waterfalls tour provides plenty of opportunity to explore the forest floor. While you are not technically on boardwalks, as most of these are paved walkways, there is interpretive signage and the CAG rainforest guide to provide you with additional information. You can wander around the Cathedral Fig Tree, and if swimming isn’t your thing, you can explore rainforest walks at Lake Eacham, Josephine Falls and the Babinda Boulders. Keep your eyes peeled for local wildlife, including the bright blue Ulysses Butterfly and tiny Boyd’s Forest Dragons, as well as green ants, lizards, frogs and wide array of birdlife.
The CAG Cairns Waterfalls day tour takes you to the prettiest waterfall in Queensland, the simply stunning Millaa Millaa Falls on the Tablelands. This 18m single drop waterfall is surrounded by lush rainforest and falls into a cool pool of clear water. An amazing photo opportunity. Another highlight is Josephine Falls in the Wooroonooran National Park, which has a natural rockslide into another cool pool of freshwater. Josephine Falls is fed from Josephine Creek, which starts high in the mountains on Queensland’s highest peak, Mount Bartle Frere. While the Babinda Boulders and Lake Eacham do not have waterfalls, they are stunning places to explore and swim in rainforest surroundings, which is what this tour is all about.
The impressive Cathedral Fig Tree, in the Danbulla National Park part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, provides the perfect place to meet Traditional Owners and learn more about their deep connection to the rainforest and enduring living culture. These are descendants of the Yidinji and Mbabaram peoples. They Welcome you To Country and share stories of life in the rainforest, including traditional hunting techniques and bush tucker. It’s an informal presentation delivered with authenticity and encouraging connection and understanding. You will also see historical pictures, spears and shields and a didgeridoo.
This Cairns Waterfalls day tour itinerary is based around the ‘usual’ Cairns Adventure Group itinerary. However, please note that exact times and order of activities can change pending weather and other circumstances. Tour pick-ups commence in Cairns from 7.30am and you return from 5.30pm. Travel is in an air conditioned bus and you will be travelling up some windy range roads, so if you suffer from motion sickness, we strongly suggest taking some preventative medication before setting out (and/or sitting to the front of the bus). The tour is fully guided and the ticket price covers morning and afternoon tea as well as lunch. Bring additional funds for cool drinks at the Top Rail restaurant and bistro at Malanda. There’s also the option to participate in a mechanical bull ride at the restaurant, which is additional cost.
Cairns Adventure Group commences its tour pick-ups from various Cairns city locations. Exact pick-up times are confirmed closer to travel time.
A quick pit stop at McDonalds at Gordonvale for a toilet break (no toilet access until Lake Eacham at around 11am), with the option to grab a coffee or cool drink for the road. Beverages additional cost to the tour. Then the bus commences its journey up the Gilles Highway, a long winding road that takes you from the sugarcane fields of the coastal lowlands to the rainforest and dairy farms of the Atherton Tablelands.
Arrive at the Cathedral Fig Tree and meet Traditional Owners for a Welcome to Country. Participate in a guided tour with Traditional Owners to learn more rainforest life and cultural practices, finishing with a presentation on bush tucker and hunting tools and techniques.
Time for swimming at the Lake Eacham Crater Lake. This beautiful location is surrounded by rainforest and there’s boardwalks if you don’t want to swim. Morning tea is served, tea, coffee and biscuits.
Lunch at the Top Rail restaurant and bistro at Malanda. You could choose between a vegetarian wrap, chicken Caesar wrap or BLT wrap, all of which came with chips. Dietry preferences can be accommodated, but should be advised at the time of booking. Option to purchase cold drinks and participate in a mechanical bull ride, all at additional cost to the tour.
Welcome to the wonderful Millaa Millaa Falls. This beautiful waterfall is surrounded by lush tropical rainforest and is picture-perfect. You can swim here (so bring your towels) – the water is cold – and relax on the grassy lawns in front of the falls.
Time to make your way back to the coast, this time taking the Palmerston Highway and Range Road. This is less windy than the Gilles Highway and there’s a stop at Crawford’s Lookout for scenic views into the rainforest valley below.
Josephine Falls is located in Wooroonooran National Park. Once the bus has parked, it’s a comfortable 1.2km return walk to the swimming location and natural waterslide. The pathway is sealed and you are walking in the rainforest, so are covered from the sun. There is the option to walk up to the lookout and time for swimming. Highly recommend the waterslide, just so much fun!
Babinda Boulders is the final stop on this Cairns waterfalls day tour and is another beautiful rainforest swimming spot. Should you choose not to swim, you can explore the rainforest pathways and go to a look out over the ‘Boulders’ section. Please note swimming it not allowed at the boulders itself at any time, due to the presence of dangerous currents and undertow. Your CAG Rainforest Guide also provides tea, coffee and biscuits. Once this stop is completed, it’s time to return to Cairns.
Cairns Adventure Group arrives back into Cairns and completes all drop-offs at the city locations.
It’s a full-day coach tour from Cairns that visits the region’s most beautiful rainforest swimming spots. You’ll explore Lake Eacham, Millaa Millaa Falls, Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders, with a visit to the Cathedral Fig Tree to meet Traditional Owners and learn about their culture. The tour includes morning and afternoon tea, lunch, and return transfers.
The route travels from Cairns up to the Atherton Tablelands and down through Wooroonooran National Park. Stops include the Cathedral Fig Tree, Lake Eacham, Malanda, Millaa Millaa Falls, Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders. Scenic stops such as Crawford’s Lookout are also included when time allows.
It’s a full-day tour, running approximately 10 hours. Pick-ups commence in Cairns from 7.30am, returning to the city around 5.30pm.
Additional drinks, snacks, or souvenirs purchased during stops, as well as optional activities such as the mechanical bull ride at Malanda.
The tour departs from Cairns with pick-ups at various city locations. It concludes with return drop-offs in Cairns around 5.30pm.
Yes, families are welcome. Children who enjoy swimming and exploring outdoors will get the most from this tour. Infants aged 2 years and under travel free, though it is a long day on the bus for younger kids.
Yes. Your Cairns Adventure Group guide provides commentary throughout the day. At the Cathedral Fig Tree, Traditional Owners lead a Welcome to Country and share stories about rainforest life and cultural traditions.
Yes, advance booking is recommended, particularly during weekends, school holidays and the busy dry season months. Seating is limited and tours often fill quickly.
Yes, you can bring water bottles and light snacks. Morning and afternoon tea, and lunch are included, but extra refreshments are available for purchase at selected stops.
Yes. Toilet stops are scheduled throughout the day at locations including Lake Eacham, Malanda, Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders. There are no toilets on the coach itself.
The tour operates in all weather conditions. Rain is part of the rainforest experience, but swimming may be adjusted if safety is affected by heavy rainfall. Your guide will advise on the day.
Moderate mobility is required. You must be able to board the bus via steps and walk short distances on uneven or wet ground. Some locations include stairs and natural terrain.
Bring a towel, swimwear, sunscreen, insect repellent, hat, comfortable shoes, camera, and a small day bag. If you suffer from motion sickness, take precautions before the drive up the range.
If you have any question regarding this tour, please do not hesitate to contact us, we can help you find the perfect tour for you, we understand it can be overwhelming trying to decide. Our advice and booking service is free.
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