Cape York - 2024
Uncover the hidden gems of Cape York with eXpedition10 on an adventure to one of Australia’s last wilderness areas. Discover incredible Aboriginal and early European history, stroll along secluded sandy beaches or maybe wet a line.
Take a refreshing swim in cool clear waters at Twin Falls and spot waterbirds in the extensive wetlands in some of The Cape’s many National Parks.
Complete your adventure by standing on the most northern tip of our huge continent.
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
- Daintree River Cruise
- Daintree Rainforest Walking Tour
- Bloomfield Track
- Wujal Wujal Falls
- Lions Den Hotel
- Cooktown Highlights
- Gold Fossicking in Palmerville
- Lockhart River Region
- Weipa Wildlife Cruise
- Eliot Falls
- Standing on the tip of Cape York
- Thursday Island Stay and tour
- In Their Steps tour Horn Island and more...
Cape York is somewhere everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
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Departing
01/06/2024
Duration
15 Days
Maximum Group Size
10
Physical Rating
Medium +
Uncover the hidden gems of Cape York with eXpedition10 on an adventure to one of Australia’s last wilderness areas.
Discover incredible Aboriginal and early European history, stroll along secluded sandy beaches or maybe wet a line. Take a refreshing swim in cool clear waters at Twin Falls and spot waterbirds in the extensive wetlands in some of The Cape’s many National Parks.
Complete your adventure by standing on the most northern tip of our huge continent.
Cape York is somewhere everyone should visit at least once in their lifetime.
ITINERARY (subject to updates)
DAY 1: Saturday, 1 June 2024
Cairns to Daintree Meals (D)
It’s finally here!! Your adventure to Cape York begins today by following the scenic coastal route from Cairns to the Daintree River where we board a discovery cruise spotting croc’s and all types of native creatures. Travel by ferry across the Daintree River to drive through majestic rainforests. Keep your eyes peeled for cassowary. Lunch (own cost) will be at Thornton Beach followed by a guided rainforest walk with local guide, Neil Hewit who has been living in the Daintree Rainforest for more than 30 years.
Accommodation Heritage Lodge in the Daintree
DAY 2: Sunday, 2 June 2024
Daintree to Cooktown Meals (BD)
Depart Heritage Lodge this morning travelling alongside palm lined beaches and through pristine rainforests, to Cape Tribulation. From Cape Tribulation, follow the Bloomfield Track, one of Australia’s most scenic and challenging drives. Some of the many highlights today will include Wujal Wujal Falls and the Lions Den Hotel. On arrival in Cooktown, discover its unique history and beauty when visiting Reconciliation Rocks and the Botanical Gardens.
Accommodation River of Gold Motel
DAY 3: Monday, 3 June 2024
Cooktown to Palmerville Station Meals (BLD)
From Cooktown the journey takes a western route to Lakeland where eXpedition10 has arranged an exclusive visit to a local property. Peter will show us around his cattle station and show a massive dam he created to provide irrigation to some of the districts banana farms. Continue to Palmer River prior to taking a detour into the north Queensland Palmer River gold mining region, home for the next two nights.
Accommodation Palmerville Station Prospectors Cabins
Day 4 Tuesday, 4 June 2024
Palmerville Prospecting Meals BLD
There is a modern day gold-rush happening right now in Palmerville. Hundreds of visitors come here armed with metal detectors and gold pans hopeful of unearthing a fortune in gold – and many do! Today is your turn to ‘hit the jackpot’, or at least have the best possible chance of doing so. We have arranged for professional prospectors to take you into the goldfields and show you how to use gold detectors and point you in the best direction to find gold. Good Luck! It could be quite hot today so it’s advisable to bring your waterbottles, wear a hat, light, loose fitting clothing and good walking shoes for the uneven ground.
Accommodation Palmerville Station Prospectors Cabins
Day 5 Wednesday, 5 June 2024
Palmerville to Fairview Station Meals BLD
Departing Palmerville gold camp, travel to Old Maytown ruins – a former bustling gold mining village beside the Palmer River, then travel to Palmerville Station where the new homestead is being built right beside one of the regions beautiful dams. We may even get to catch up with Adam and some of the station hands during our visit.Following our visit continue north through vast cattle stations prior to arriving at Fairview Station on the Peninsula Developmental Road, our accommodation for the night.
Accommodation Fairview Station
Day 6 Thursday, 6 June 2024
Fairview Station to Lockhart River Meals BLD
In Coen, as we pass by the local hotel you may wonder how the pub came by its unusual name. Just north of Archer River, take another detour from the PDR today, this time toward Lockhart River. The road conditions can be quite difficult at time but the destination is well worth the effort. On arrival in Lockhart, visit the Lockhart River Art Centre, home to the famous ‘Art Gang’. Artists from the Gang have received international recognition for their works. Many invited to travel throughout Australia and overseas to display them. Take a drive through the community then the beach where many boulders protruding from the sea make a wonderful backdrop for any photographer. Our hosts for the next two nights, Tim and his family will welcome us to their unique accommodation nestled in the Iron Range rainforest
Accommodation - Greenhoose, Lockhart Region
Day 7 Friday, 7 June 2024
Lockhart River Meals BL
Today is a day to explore the landscape, connect with nature and discover unique and endemic wildlife. The Lockhart district is truly a hidden gem, tucked away on the eastern side of Cape York. Take a drive to Portlands Road and take a stroll along Chilli Beach, a beautiful palm lined beach on the east coast. Back at Greenhoose there are several walking trails to enjoy the rainforest.This is the ideal place for bird-watchers and nature lovers.
Accommodation - Greenhoose, Lockhart Region
Day 8 Saturday, 8 June 2024
Lockhart River to Weipa Meals BD
Today’s journey will travel from the east coast to the west coast of the peninsula – from Lockhart River to Weipa. The first half of the journey will cover familiar territory from Lockhart River to the PDR which will then be our route into the bauxite mining village of Weipa. Bauxite is mined in the region surrounding Weipa then loaded on to ships and sent to Gladstone and China to be smelted into aluminium. Weipa is a well serviced town with a major grocery store, two hotels, motels and even mobile phone service.
Accommodation Albatross Resort
Day 9 Sunday, 9 June 2024
Weipa to Pennefather Beach Meals BL
This morning we will take a drive north of Weipa to Pennefather Beach to enjoy some 4X4 beach driving, beachcombing, fishing, relaxing! Enjoy the tranquillity of this beautiful place. It’s most definitely NOT a crowded beach. Following lunch, return to Weipa to our motel accommodation before boarding another wildlife/croc-spotting sunset cruise on the Embly River.
Accommodation - Albatross Resort
Day 10 Monday, 10 June 2024
Weipa to Bramwell Station Meals BLD
Before departing Weipa, take a tour of Weipa’s new Western Cape Cultural Centre.The Cultural Centre showcases the history of Weipa and its surrounding communities, playing an important role in preserving traditional language and culture from the region, through its informative displays and artwork. From Weipa, travel east through Batavia Downs to link with the Telegraph Road, then north, crossing the Wenlock River at Moreton Telegraph Station. From here on it is likely you may spot the Palm Cockatoo, also known as the goliath cockatoo or great black cockatoo, which is native to New Guinea, Aru Islands, and Cape York Peninsula. The further north our journey takes us you may notice the termite mounds growing taller – some much higher than the vehicle. Home for tonight will be Bramwell Station – an enjoyable stay complete with live entertainment.
Accommodation Bramwell Station
Day 11 Tuesday, 11 June 2024
Bramwell Station to Loyalty Beach Meals BLD
There are not too many safe places to swim on Cape York, however, Twin Falls and Eliot Falls are natural barriers to stop the nasties from getting through. We will call in to enjoy a swim in these refreshing waters.North of Eliot Falls is the once formidable barrier of the Jardine River. The old crossing has claimed many vehicles trying to reach the other bank. However, these days there is a cable ferry to take vehicles safely across. Its only a fairly short drive now before arriving at Loyalty Beach, near the top of Australia. Basic shopping is available at Bamaga and Seisia where a brief stop will be made prior to arriving at tonight’s accommodation.
Accommodation Loyalty Beach
Day 12 Wednesday, 12 June 2024
Loyalty Beach Meals BLD
During todays eXploring, visit Mutee Heads near the Jardine River mouth. Mutee Heads is nestled right beside a delightful little beach with stunning views to the islands beyond. There are also some Second World War relics, Saibai Islander graves, and a beautiful beach. Following our visit to Mutee Heads, visit some WWII plane wrecks that have been lying in the forest since the 1940’s. Then pay a visit to Bamaga and Seisia where basic shopping is available.
Accommodation Loyalty Beach
Day 13 Thursday, 13 June 2024
Loyalty Beach and the Tip Meals BLD
No trip to ‘The Tip’ would be complete without a visit to the famous Croc Tent. There are plenty of Cape York souvenirs available to prove travellers completed the journey. Continuing on, travel to the eastern side of Cape York to Somerset to admire views from Somerset Lookout. The time has now come to stand on the most northern point on mainland Australia. From the carpark we will climb over a rocky hill with amazing views of the north, east and west coastlines of Queensland. There probably aren’t too many places this can be achieved. There will be plenty of time once at the tip to take pictures or just sit and take in your achievement. This evening we will enjoy dinner while watching the sun set on Cape York.
Accommodation Loyalty Beach
Day 14 Friday, 14 June 2024
Loyalty Beach to Thursday Island Meals BD
Thursday Island, just a small island in Torres Strait – just 3.5 square kilometres, is the administrative centre of all the Australian islands between Cape York and New Guinea. Travel by ferry to Thursday Island today, approximately a one hour trip cruising by some of the many island in the region. On arrival, take a guided tour with Liberty. Liberty is quite a unique local character from the Torres Strait Islands. Visit famous indigenous artist Rosie Ware’s Gallery then enjoy some free time this afternoon to explore the islands shops and galleries and to get acquainted with the locals.
Accommodation - Grand Hotel, Thursday Island
Day 15 Saturday, 15 June 2024
Thursday Island to Horn Island and Cairns Meals BL
Board another ferry this morning bound for Horn Island to partake in a Heritage tour with Vanessa, a local historian. During the tour, Vanessa will explain how Horn Island became a significant northern outpost during the Pacific War with an airport and a base which over that time housed over 5000 men and women, including 830 men from the Torres Strait Light Infantry Battalion. The airfield was the target of eight air raids between 1942-43 suffering heavy damage. Following the tour, return to the village for lunch before being transferred to the airport for flights back to Cairns.
Inclusions
- Flight Horn Island to Cairns
- Accommodation
14 nights Motel/Hotel/Cabins
0 nights in eXpedition10 tents
- Meals
14 Breakfasts
11 Lunches
12 Dinners
Attractions listed except those stated optional
MAXIMUM GROUP SIZE - 10
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