Cairns & the Tropical North

Atherton Tablelands, Waterfalls and Rainforest Tour from Cairns

Cairns & the Tropical North, Australia
Full Day Tour from Cairns Atherton Tablelands and Waterfalls

From $100.23

Select Date and Travelers

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

  • 10 to 12 hours
  • Pickup offered
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Immerse yourself in Northern Queensland’s waterfalls, rainforests, and other natural wonders on this full-day tour from Cairns. Admire the untouched scenery and stop to swim in the famous Millaa Millaa, and Josephine Falls. In between, visit Babinda Boulders and Mount Hypipamee, watch for wildlife such as tree-kangaroos and platypus, and admire a tropical sunset at Lake Eacham. National Park admission, lunch, refreshments, and hotel pickup and drop-off included.
  • Full-day Atherton Tablelands and waterfalls trip from Cairns
  • Experience North Queensland's tropical rainforests, falls, and beauty spots
  • Swim in the crystal cascades of the Josephine and Millaa Millaa Falls
  • See the Babinda Boulders, Hypipamee Crater, and watch the sunset at Lake Eacham
  • Look for wildlife like cassowary, platypus, and tree-kangaroos
  • Includes pub lunch, morning and afternoon tea, and refreshments
  • National Park entrance fees, air-conditioned bus transport, and hotel pickup and drop-off included

What's Included

  • Lunch
  • Local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • All Fees and Taxes
  • Tea and coffee
  • Drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Pickup points

Select a pickup point

Start time

07:30 AM

Pickup details

Please contact us for an accurate pickup time. Approximate pickup times - Palm Cove 06.45 Trinity Beach 07.00 Cairns City 07.20 - 07.50 South Cairns 08.15 Please be at your pickup location 5 minutes prior to pickup time and allow upto 10 minutes after pickup time - we will be with you as promptly as possible. If you cannot find a suitable pickup location please contact us.

What To Expect

Depart your central Cairns or Northern Beaches hotel by air-conditioned bus and venture into rural North Queensland. Composed of highlands, tropical rainforests, and waterfalls, this pristine region is renowned for its beauty and ancient culture.

Visit the Babinda Boulders, a tropical creek lined with huge boulders, and hear about the aboriginal legends that surround this magical-looking place. Then head to your first swim spot, Josephine Falls, and slide down the natural rock slide.

Continue to the Atherton Tablelands and swim in the Millaa Millaa Falls. Bordered by protected rainforest, this 59-foot (18-meter) single-drop waterfall has featured in several TV ads.

After a country-style lunch at Australia’s largest timber pub, continue to Mt. Hypipamee Crater, a pipe-shaped, 278-foot (85-meter) deep crater. Take a bushland walk to admire the crater lake, watch for wildlife like possum and emu-like cassowarys, and stop to bathe in the idyllic Dinner Falls.

After visiting a creek to search for platypus, enjoy another swim and a sunset stop at Lake Eacham, famous for its turtles.

Finally, return to Cairns, perhaps playing the provided games on your bus before your trip ends at the original starting point.

Waterfall Wanderers

11 hours Admission Ticket Included

Babinda Boulders

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Josephine Falls

1 hour Admission Ticket Included

Millaa Millaa Falls

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Malanda

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Free

Curtain Fig National Park

15 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Lake Eacham Crater Lakes National Park

45 minutesAdmission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Minimum age 2. Child rates apply between ages 2 - 11. Infants under 2 must sit on parents lap, lunch is not provided for infants.
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
  • Most travelers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 27 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveler Photos

See more
Featured review
Jinny_K
Amazing tour in luscious tropical rainforests with activities! We enjoyed beautiful Eacham lake. Marvelous Malandar fall,stunning curtain fig tree. We loved swimming at Malala Mallaa fall. We felt empowered by tiered Josephine Falls. The walking track and boulders are beautiful. The highlight of this tour was the water slide. It definitely make me feel 25, despite my age of 65. We all loved our tour guide Jordon. He was very knowledgeable, attentive and helpful. Thank you , Jordon, you are the best!

Reviews

4.5
618 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
0
0
0
0
0
Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 618 reviews
Great day
Michaela_M, Apr 2024
Our tour guide Damian was excellent, he told us a lot of interesting facts, didn't pressure us and was all around great to be with. Thanks for a beautiful day at stunning waterfalls.
Response from Host, May 2024
Thank you so much for your fantastic review Michael! We're thrilled to hear that Damian provided such an enjoyable experience - we really do have the best crew! We'll be sure to pass along your kind words, and we look forward to welcoming you back for more adventures soon!
Atherton tablelands, waterfalls etc
ANNA_S, Apr 2024
All were fabulous and the tour guide demeanor and wealth of knowledge he shared was so appreciated and made the experience even more enjoyable
Response from Host, Apr 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Thank you Anna! I just love reading the reviews - almost always it is less about the destination, and more about the shared experience with our amazing Guides. Do what you love/ love what you do! Thank you for choosing us Anna, and we hope to see you again on the next adventure...
Amazing highly recommend
Faye_W, Apr 2024
We had an unbelievable day, swimming and jumping into amazing waterfalls and swimming spots. Our tour guide was lovely, very friendly and informative but didn’t talk too much like on some tours I have done and let you rest on the bus between stops. Great lunch stop and perfect amount of time in each swimming spot to really enjoy the stops.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for the lovely review Faye! We're thrilled to hear that you had such an amazing experience with us! It's fantastic to know that our tour guide struck the right balance of information & relaxation so you could savour the experience. Thanks for sharing your feedback, and we hope to welcome you back for more adventures soon! 🌟🏞️🚌
No stop for looking for platypus
Guillermo_C, Apr 2024
Liked very much the waterfalls and the lake, but the tour included looking for platypus and they didn't even tried to make that stop, and that's the reason why I booked this tour
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Waterfalls and the Lake during your tour. We sincerely apologise for any disappointment regarding the Platypus spotting portion of the tour. While we do offer opportunities to spot Platypus during our tours, sightings are never guaranteed due to the unpredictable nature of wildlife behaviour. Platypus are very elusive animals, and spotting one in the wild can be tricky... But that makes it all the more special when you do! For your particular Itinerary, we made the stop at Millaa Millaa where Platypus are often spotted. We appreciate your understanding and hope that despite this, you still had a memorable experience with us. Thank you for joining us, and we hope to see you again in the future.
Great day in the Atherton Tablelands
Nigel_K, Mar 2024
Great day, Clinton was a mine of information and managed us to visit all places, plus a few extras. Will recommend to others.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thanks for the glowing review Nigel! We're thrilled to hear that you had a great day on our tour with Clinton, and you even had some extra surprises along the way. I'll be sure to pass along your kind words. Your recommendation means a lot to us, and we truly appreciate your support. We look forward to seeing you again soon! 😊🌟
Serendipity
Hollee_H, Mar 2024
One of the best tours I have ever been on, it had the most beautiful scenery that just made me feel so ant peace while on the tour I met some amazing people especially the internationals! I got to learn about people and why they are here and on the excursion.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Love it Hollee! 🎉 Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us! We're thrilled to hear that our Tour left such a positive impression on you, and that you found the scenery to be beautiful and tranquil. Far North Queensland is such a special place. Creating meaningful connections and enjoying shared experiences is something we value greatly. We're delighted that you had such a memorable time with new friends, and we look forward to seeing you again soon! 😊
Swimming in the lake and...
Sandra_W, Mar 2024
Swimming in the lake and waterfalls. The water was too high to swim at The Boulders and after reading the warning, it wasn’t a deal breaker at all. Seeing the sugarcane growing and seeing the railroad crossings for the sugarcane trains was something I had never seen before. We grow sugar beets where I come from.
Response from Host, Mar 2024
What an adventure Sandra! Sounds like you made the most of your time exploring the beautiful surroundings when you weren't soaking up the Waterfalls 🏞️🌿 Discovering new sights like sugarcane fields and cane train crossings —there's always something special about experiencing the unique aspects of different places. Here's to many more unforgettable experiences and new discoveries! 🌟🚂
We enjoyed seeing the...
alisa_r, Mar 2024
We enjoyed seeing the waterfalls and lakes and swimming in all of them. All different and beautiful!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Swimming at a scenic Waterfall fed by rains falling on Queensland's highest peak, Bartle Frere - what a moment! Thank you for sharing the day with us Alisa, we can't wait to see you again for more adventures! 🌊😊
Great tour!
Zoe_H, Mar 2024
The tour guide was amazing! He seemed really enthusiastic and to be enjoying this much as us! The places we visited were beautiful too. Pickup and drop off went very smooth and we were on time. Value for money was pretty decent, the van was nice and airconditioned en lunch was pretty good. However I do think it could be a bit cheaper as I don’t think we had to pay any admission tickets. Overall it was a great day!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Yay Zoe! Absolutely delighted to hear that you had an amazing day with us! 😊 Our Guides truly are the best, and live and breathe fun! So glad you got to experience the stunning Tablelands, one of my favourites here in Far North Queensland! Although there aren't any ticket booths, all the necessary permit fees are incorporated into the total tour price, enabling us to guide you to these remarkable destinations. Thank you for choosing us, we cant wait to welcome you back on board soon! :)
Great tour to experience!
Michaela_S, Mar 2024
I would like to recommend this tour to anybody who's looking for a day trip out of Cairns. There are many natural spots to see and many opportunities to cool down. We enjoyed lake Eachem where we had around one hour stop. Altough we were unable to swim in Josephine Falls due to recent heavy rain there were other opportunities to swim in Millaa Millaa Falls and in Babinda Boulders. I think that free time given at the spots is adequate and takes into consideration distance between each spot that you visit during the day. We were also very lucky to have Oscar as our tour guide as he is very knowledgeable and always has interesting stories to share and you will definitely just don't spend a day on a tour but you'll return with many interesting facts as well! If we ever come back to Cairns we will definitely book another tour!
Response from Host, Mar 2024
Michael! What a glowing review - thank you! :) We couldn't agree more about Oscar. We really do have the best crew, and we're delighted that his knowledge and interesting stories added to your overall experience. It's about the journey, and the destination! I'll be sure to let him know you've passed along such kind words. Safe travels, and we look forward to taking you out on another epic adventure next time you are in Cairns!
Waterfalls!
STEPHEN_S, Mar 2024
We had a great time. Waterfalls and scenery are amazing. Our guide offered great commentary during our rides as well as on our walks. Hats off to Lizzy.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Love it Stephen! I'll be sure to pass along your kind words to Lizzy. Thank you for choosing us for your adventure, and we hope to see you again soon! 😊🌟
Higy recommend Tour
braveandblended, Feb 2024
Oscar is the best your guide! Highly recommend this tour. Beautiful waterfalls and learned alot during the tour
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thank you for your 5 star review!
Great views and swimming.
Loretta_S, Feb 2024
Enjoyed all the swimming options and beautiful views. Waterfalls were great and swimming hole was fun
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Cheers for the review Loretta. Glad you had a fun time with us!
Atherton Tablelands
Rohini_P, Feb 2024
An absolutely amazing and awesome tour for those travelers that love nature and swimming. Great for first time travelers to Cairns as well. This one is a must do
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thank you for your feedback Rohini!
Wonderful
megan_m, Feb 2024
10/10 day! Lizzie was absolutely amazing and everything we saw was stunning, only wish we could’ve stayed at each place longer, but wouldn’t have skipped anything. Totally worth it!
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Great review Megan! Lizzie absolutely enjoys showing you the region and trys to stay as long as possible but there is so much to see! Glad you enjoyed!
I would NOT do this again!!! A refund would be nice!!!.
David_T, Feb 2024
The guide, Lizzie was great. We were not told that the cyclone in December had washed away roads and we would have to retrack the tour instead of doing a loop. This added more driving time. We probably were driving 6 plus hours and seeing thing for not quite 3 hours, and that included the 35 minute lunch!!!!! Several, 4 stops to get in cold water for 10-20 minutes each. Then wet bodies back on a small bus for another hour or so! Lizzie, the guide was fun and tried to make the best of a bad tour.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thank you for your feedback David. This does happen in our region every so often but doesn't stop us from showing you the beautiful tour on the day. I would think that cold water would be amazing to find while we are in the tropics and would be refreshing for you. Wet bodies are all part of the tour, pending towels of course :) I am glad Lizzie was there to guide you through this wonderful tour. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in our region.
Amazing day
Marcel_A, Feb 2024
Amazing day with great energy and knowledgable tour guides! Lunch could def be better for such a long day of adventures, but grateful for some cookie breaks from tour guides. Josephine Falls was the highlight. Great adventures for the price!
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thanks Marcel! We always strive to make the day as energetic as possible and glad you were able to enjoy it with us. :)
Great Day
Craig_F, Feb 2024
We really enjoyed seeing the actual countryside in addition to the waterfalls and lake. The natural beauty of the area was on display! And we really enjoyed our guide, Lizzie, she was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor!
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Cheers Craig! Lizze is awesome at her job and glad you got to enjoy the day with her.
My FAVORITE booking of my trip!
Teak_H, Jan 2024
This was one of my favorite bookings of my trip to Australia for several reasons. Whilst doing research for my trip, I knew from travel guides and reviews that I wanted to see Josephine Falls, Babinda Boulders, and Millaa Millaa falls, which is exactly what you get to see on this tour. I really wish we had more time than 1 hour at the Babinda Boulders to swim longer, but I know that's my personal preference and it's already quite a long day as it is. I also say this with great bias because I got to see a platypus for the first (and possibly only) time in my life, which has been an absolute dream of mine for years. Our tour guide, Orion, said that he's only seen 2 platypuses out of 70 trips he's done, so it felt extra special and serendipitous, and it will be a moment I will never forget. We also got to swim in the BEAUTIFUL Lake Eachem, which is a gorgeous blue-green lake with magnificent clarity. It's perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, kayaking, or the like. It is clearly a local favorite. There are also picnic tables there if you want to have a group picnic or gathering. CAUTION! If you get motion sick, BRING SOMETHING FOR MOTION SICKNESS, as you drive along Australia's windiest road, called the Gillies Range Road. Can't recommend this excursion enough.
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Thanks for sharing your feedback, great to hear you enjoyed the tour so much and that's awesome you even spotted a platypus! 😃
average
Emma_A, Jan 2024
The scenery was stunning and the swim spots amazing but the driving ve between places was very long with no commentary along the way about what we were passing which we would have expected . The pub for lunch was a strange choice unfortunately my meal was inedible however my husbands lasagne was average , Trip needs some tweaking
Response from Host, Feb 2024
Good to hear you enjoyed the stunning scenery and swimming spots on the tour Emma, but we're disappointed you weren't given commentary and you didn't enjoy lunch. Thank you for sharing your feedback so we can address these points.
...

Compare Similar Experiences

1 / 3
Current
No Photo
Atherton Tablelands, Waterfalls and Rainforest Tour from Cairns

616

12 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$100.23
No Photo
Atherton Tablelands Rain Forest by Night from Cairns

352

8 hours 30 minutes
Free Cancellation
From
$147.99
No Photo
Atherton Tablelands Waterfall Adventure from Cairns

829

10 to 11 hours
Free Cancellation
From
$110.32

Explore Similar Things to Do