10 Day Cape York & Thursday Island Accommodated

Itinerary Details

Day 1

(PD, Motel) We fly to Cairns where we are met by the coach and transferred to our motel. Note: Flights arriving after 6pm will have snack evening meal provided in the room.

Day 2

(CB, Motel) Travel along a spectacular coastline to the lush Daintree River, where we have a boat cruise then time for lunch at the resort town of Port Douglas. We return to Cairns for a free afternoon on the esplanade, with many cafés and restaurants, galleries, markets and stalls. It is a lovely coastal Queensland city. Note: Daintree cruise included.

Day 3

(CB, MD, Motel) We head up the Atherton Tablelands to Mareeba then begin up “The Cape” to Lakeland and Cooktown. In June 1770, the local Aboriginal Guugu Yimithirr tribe cautiously watched the crippled Endeavour limp up the coast seeking a safe harbour after sustaining serious damage south of Cooktown.

Day 4

(CB, PD, Motel) A full day in and around Cooktown including the Botanical Gardens and the James Cook Museum. Drive up Grassy Hill to the lighthouse lookout and wander the shores of the Endeavour River in the afternoon. Note: James Cook Museum entry included.

Day 5

(CB, PL, MD, Motel) An early start through the Barrons Range to the Peninsula Development Road. Morning tea at the Split Rock Art Site, this Country contains a large and dramatic body of prehistoric rock paintings. Through Laura and Musgrave to Coen the largest inland town on The Cape. Over the Archer River to Weipa.

Day 6

(CB, PD, Motel) Weipa began as a Presbyterian Mission to the Aboriginal people of the Cape and is now the largest settlement on the Cape due to a large bauxite deposit in the region now mined by Rio Tinto. We take an afternoon wildlife cruise exploring the Arafura Sea and Mission River. Note: Cruise included.

Day 7

(CB, PL, MD, Motel) Heading north again we visit Fruit Bat Falls for a swim at one of far north QLDs most iconic watering holes. As the northern most tip of the country gets closer the journey becomes increasingly stunning. We travel through the Heathlands Resource Reserve and cross the Jardine River on the vehicle ferry to Bamaga settled by people from Saibai Island in Torres Strait, after Saibai Island was devastated by abnormally high tides.

Day 8

(CB, PL, MD, Motel) Today is all about reaching the Cape. We take the final slow drive through thick forest to the Northern most point of Australia named by James Cook on 21 August 1770 in honour of Prince Edward, Duke of York and Albany. We drive as far as we can but then have to walk out over the rocks to the tip. From there it is 160km to New Guinea across the Torres Strait. We return to Bamaga to celebrate reaching this iconic Australian location.

Day 9

(CB, MD, Motel) From Bamaga we take the ferry to Thursday Island. TI is the administrative and commercial centre of the Torres Strait Islands set up in 1877. Since then TI has been a pearling centre and defence base during WWII. We tour the island including the WWII tunnels and emplacements. The afternoon is free before our final dinner. Note: Cruise to TI and TI Tour included.

Day 10

(CB) We take the ferry to Horn Island for a short flight to Cairns to transfer to our homebound flights.