7 Days - 6 Nights Cairns to the Top End Tropical Gulf Explorer

Tour Details

Operator

Australian Wilderness Tours / Discovery Tours

Destination

Atherton Tablelands

Departs From

Cairns, Darwin, Atherton Tablelands, Undara Lava Tubes, Croydon, Lake Eacham and Yungaburra

Tour Description

Highlights:
- Atherton Tablelands
- Lake Eacham
- Yungaburra
- Malanda
- Milla Milla Falls
- Mt Garnet
- Undarra
- Mt Surprise
- Georgetown
- Croydon
- Karumba
- Normanton
- Leichardt River
- Burketown
- Savannah Way
- Gregory Downs
- Lawn Hill National Park
- Indari Falls
- Domadgee
- Hells Gate
- Borroloola
- Limmen National Park
- Southern Lost City
- Roper River
- We of the Never Never
- Mataranka Springs
- Katherine
- Palmerston
- Darwin

Day 1

Pick up from your accommodation.

Departing Cairns we head up the Gillies Range stopping at the Cathedral fig, Gillies lookout and arriving on the Atherton Tablelands.

After Lake Eacham for morning tea we pass through Historic Yungaburra & Malanda, before arriving at the famous Millaa Millaa Falls.

Driving now through the scenic dairy country to Ravenshoe we stop for lunch at the Millstream falls and head west through Mt Garnett and onto Undarra for a Spectacular guided tour through these awe inspiring lava tubes.

Overnight: Undarra Lava Lodge, Undarra.

Day 2

Today we travel across the outback past Mount Surprise and into Georgetown for morning tea.

After the chance to view the interesting mineral museum we keep heading west to Corydon and enjoy lunch out at Lake Belmore.

Croydon is the destination for the Historic Gulflander Rail Motor which runs between here and Normanton, our next destination.

We take an afternoon tour out to Karumba on the Gulf of Carpentaria, famous for its fishing and industry ports for cattle and zinc mining.

Back to Normanton saying hello to Kris the 28 foot long crocodile and into the Purple pub for maybe a beer or two.

Overnight: Purple Pub Hotel, Normanton.

Day 3

After a morning look around the old Train station, we keep heading west through the huge cattle stations of the Gulf & cross the Leichardt River into Burketown.

See this tiny battlers town and take a drive out onto the vast emptiness of the salt flats.

We detour now off the main Savannah Way down into Gregory downs for lunch by the river before turning past the Century zinc mine and arrive at Adels Grove.

We relax by the lily covered river for the afternoon and spend the next 2 nights at this friendly oasis.

Overnight: Adels Grove, Lawn Hill

Day 4

After a late breakfast today we drive 5 minutes to Lawn Hill National Park and have the option of either hiring a canoe to paddle up past the cliffs of Lawn Hill George to Indarri falls, bush-walking one of the many tracks around the National park, or a mixture of both.

In your own time we return to Adels Grove for lunch and once again relax by the shaded river with maybe a drink or book in hand.

There is also a morning option of a guided tour to the World Heritage Riversleigh fossil fields (own expense).

Overnight: Adels grove, Lawn Hill

Day 5

Leaving Adels Grove we proceed north up through the gates and rivers of Lawn Hill station.

Back onto the Main Savannah way route, we Bypass Domadgee and cross through Hells gate.

This eerie rock formation used to be furthest accompanied point for travellers heading to the wild territory.

Not far on we leave QLD and into the Northern Territory we go.

Appreciate the vast outback as we stop for lunch somewhere in the unknown and head for our overnight stay in the small mining and fishing township of Borroloola.

Overnight: Borroloola Hotel, Borroloola

Day 6

Enjoy 10 minutes of sealed road before leaving the bitumen again and entering Limmen National Park.

Here we visit the phenomenal rock formations of the Southern Lost City.

Cross the Limmen Bite, Cox and Towns rivers and other numerous wet and dry riverbeds before coming up along the Roper with its temporary fishing campsites.

Continue through to the old Roper Bar police station and lock up and look at the Roper River once more where the only crossing was found at the "Bar".

Once again we turn back west and follow the narrow road until we finally reach the famous Stuart Highway and Elsey National Park.

Look around the "We Of The Never Never" Elsey homestead and rejuvenate yourself at the thermal rock-pools of Mataranka.

This is where we spend our final evening.

Overnight: Mataranka Homestead, Mataranka

Day 7

Our final day consists of heading into the warmer tropical region of the Territory as we pass through Katherine and veer into Edith falls for a quick swim and look around this giant plungepool.

On we go into Pine creek with a view over the old gold mine, original tin shed bakery and the troubled North South railway.

Again up the Stuart highway we pass Adelaide River and its war cemetery before continuing past Palmerston and into Darwin to conclude our memorable journey.