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Cooktown Tours - 1 Day 4WD Tour
Destination: Cooktown Inland & Coastal Rainforest Routes
Duration: Full Day Tour
Departs: Cairns Wednesday & Saturday from April through to November
Returns: Cairns Wednesday & Saturday from April through to November
Duration: Full Day Tour
Departs: Cairns Wednesday & Saturday from April through to November
Returns: Cairns Wednesday & Saturday from April through to November
The TourEnjoy an informative and exciting day out exploring the Outback and World Heritage listed Rainforest by doing a Cooktown 4WD Tour.
Your day starts with an early morning pick up from Cairns, Cairns Northern Beaches or Port Douglas based accommodation in an air conditioned, purpose built 4WD vehicle with a small group limited to 15 passengers plus guide.
On departing from Cairns & Cairns Northern Beaches accommodation, head due North and take in magnificent views of the Coral Sea you head towards Port Douglas to pick up other passengers who may be joiing the tour. Continuing north from Port Douglas, it’s not long before you make your way across the mighty Daintree River and through the ancient Daintree Rainforest. If you're lucky, you might spot the elusive Cassowary!
There’s time for a fabulous beach walk right on the edge of the rainforest at Cape Tribulation Beach! As you depart Cape Tribulation, it’s time to tackle the iconic 4WD only Bloomfield Track as you make your way to the legendary Lion’s Den Hotel to stop for a drink and break.
Arrive into Cooktown and enjoy lunch at the historic Cooktown Hotel, better known these days as ‘The Top Pub’! Feeling refreshed after enjoying lunch, there’s time for a visit to one of Australia’s best regional museums, the James Cook Museum (entry included). The museum follows the story of Captain James Cook’s enforced seven week stay in Cooktown at the Endeavour River, during which the first meaningful contact between Europeans and Indigenous Australian took place, to the days of the Palmer River gold rush, as well as personal stories and historical artefacts from Cooktown’s early residents. The museum will be closed for renovations from the 10th of October 2019 to June 2020.
For guests travelling during this period, there’s a visit to the Cooktown Historic Centre in lieu of the James Cook Museum. Housed in the oldest building in Charlotte Street, the former post and telegraph office, this is your one stop spot for everything related to Cooktown history; the display showcases regional history through stories, photos, interactive displays, murals and oral histories of the Cooktown area. The Archive and Research facility has the largest collection of maps, photos and documents
Hop back onboard your vehicle and visit Cooktown’s Grassy Hill Lookout taking in stunning panoramic views from above with brilliant photo opportunities! This is where James Cook once stood, to search for a safe passage through the reef. It's a real highlight of the area and the views are simply breath taking!
Heading home via the inland, outback route, it is not long before you will find yourself stopping at the mysterious Black Mountains. Posing an eerie sight that stands in harsh contrast to the brush and eucalyptus trees around it. Looming over the surrounding green sea of trees is a colossal, blackened jumble of enormous boulders, some as big as houses. The absence of soil between the boulders and rocks create a maze of gaps and passages, which can be used to penetrate inside the mountain. These rocks can become extremely hot. The local indigenous people of the region have long shunned the mountain, calling it Kalkajaka, meaning ‘the place of the spear’, sometimes translated simply as the ‘Mountain of Death’! Though of course you will be viewing the area from the safety of a large viewing platform within the park.
Travelling further south, you’ll travel through the Palmer River Goldfields where we’ll stop for a leg stretch and more photo opportunities. The goldfields have a colourful history of the gold rush days which are still visible today. protected in Palmer Goldfield Resources Reserve. Today, only traces remain of buildings and the extensive alluvial mining that produced so much gold in the early days.
It’s now time to settle back and relax as you head home after enjoying an adventurous day in Cooktown. Your tour drops off in Port Douglas at 6.00pm, Cairns Northern Beaches at 6.30pm and Cairns City at 7.00pm.
Tour Highlights
Rates - Valid 01st of April 2023 to 30th of November 2023
Important Booking Notes: This tour offers seasonal departures and departs on the Wednesday (only) in the month of April and on Wednesday & Saturday each week from May through to November.
We can offer the day tour on alternate days / dates for group bookings and private charters - please email or call to enquire
2023 Departure Dates - 1 Day Cooktown 4WD Drive Tour
Your day starts with an early morning pick up from Cairns, Cairns Northern Beaches or Port Douglas based accommodation in an air conditioned, purpose built 4WD vehicle with a small group limited to 15 passengers plus guide.
On departing from Cairns & Cairns Northern Beaches accommodation, head due North and take in magnificent views of the Coral Sea you head towards Port Douglas to pick up other passengers who may be joiing the tour. Continuing north from Port Douglas, it’s not long before you make your way across the mighty Daintree River and through the ancient Daintree Rainforest. If you're lucky, you might spot the elusive Cassowary!
There’s time for a fabulous beach walk right on the edge of the rainforest at Cape Tribulation Beach! As you depart Cape Tribulation, it’s time to tackle the iconic 4WD only Bloomfield Track as you make your way to the legendary Lion’s Den Hotel to stop for a drink and break.
Arrive into Cooktown and enjoy lunch at the historic Cooktown Hotel, better known these days as ‘The Top Pub’! Feeling refreshed after enjoying lunch, there’s time for a visit to one of Australia’s best regional museums, the James Cook Museum (entry included). The museum follows the story of Captain James Cook’s enforced seven week stay in Cooktown at the Endeavour River, during which the first meaningful contact between Europeans and Indigenous Australian took place, to the days of the Palmer River gold rush, as well as personal stories and historical artefacts from Cooktown’s early residents. The museum will be closed for renovations from the 10th of October 2019 to June 2020.
For guests travelling during this period, there’s a visit to the Cooktown Historic Centre in lieu of the James Cook Museum. Housed in the oldest building in Charlotte Street, the former post and telegraph office, this is your one stop spot for everything related to Cooktown history; the display showcases regional history through stories, photos, interactive displays, murals and oral histories of the Cooktown area. The Archive and Research facility has the largest collection of maps, photos and documents
Hop back onboard your vehicle and visit Cooktown’s Grassy Hill Lookout taking in stunning panoramic views from above with brilliant photo opportunities! This is where James Cook once stood, to search for a safe passage through the reef. It's a real highlight of the area and the views are simply breath taking!
Heading home via the inland, outback route, it is not long before you will find yourself stopping at the mysterious Black Mountains. Posing an eerie sight that stands in harsh contrast to the brush and eucalyptus trees around it. Looming over the surrounding green sea of trees is a colossal, blackened jumble of enormous boulders, some as big as houses. The absence of soil between the boulders and rocks create a maze of gaps and passages, which can be used to penetrate inside the mountain. These rocks can become extremely hot. The local indigenous people of the region have long shunned the mountain, calling it Kalkajaka, meaning ‘the place of the spear’, sometimes translated simply as the ‘Mountain of Death’! Though of course you will be viewing the area from the safety of a large viewing platform within the park.
Travelling further south, you’ll travel through the Palmer River Goldfields where we’ll stop for a leg stretch and more photo opportunities. The goldfields have a colourful history of the gold rush days which are still visible today. protected in Palmer Goldfield Resources Reserve. Today, only traces remain of buildings and the extensive alluvial mining that produced so much gold in the early days.
It’s now time to settle back and relax as you head home after enjoying an adventurous day in Cooktown. Your tour drops off in Port Douglas at 6.00pm, Cairns Northern Beaches at 6.30pm and Cairns City at 7.00pm.
Tour Highlights
- Return transfers from Cairns City, Northern Beaches & Port Douglas accommodation
- Air-conditioned 4 WD Vehicle with small passenger numbers & informative local guide
- Travel along the panoramic Cook Highway with sublime views of uninhabited beaches & the Coral Sea
- Daintree River Crossing by Cable Ferry
- Stop at Cape Tribulation for a guided walk, famous for where ‘the rainforest meets the reef’
- Travel along the iconic World Heritage Listed Rainforest lined 4WD Bloomfield Track
- Encounter creek crossings, inclines, declines whilst taking in the stunning scenery along the way
- Visit the legendry Lion’s Den Hotel for a rest stop and cold drink
- Luch at the Historic Cooktown Hotel now known as the 'Top Pub' in Cooktown
- Enjoy a tour of the historic township of Cooktown along the mouth of the Endeavour River
- Stop at the Grassy Hill Lookout for photo opportunities with Mt Cook in the background
- Travel along the Inland Route with a stop and photo opportunity at the mysterious Black Mountains
- Travel through Lakeland Downs & Australia's richest alluvial gold fields at Palmer River
- Pass through Mt Carbine enjoying the lush tropical Rex Range & pretty villages of Julatten & Mossman
Rates - Valid 01st of April 2023 to 30th of November 2023
- Adult AU$395.00
- Child (aged 4 - 14 years of age) AU$369.00
- Family Package (2 Adults & 2 Children aged 4 -14 years of age) AU$1416.00
Important Booking Notes: This tour offers seasonal departures and departs on the Wednesday (only) in the month of April and on Wednesday & Saturday each week from May through to November.
We can offer the day tour on alternate days / dates for group bookings and private charters - please email or call to enquire
2023 Departure Dates - 1 Day Cooktown 4WD Drive Tour
- Wed 19th of April - 2023
- Wed 03rd, Wed 10th, Wed 17th, Wed 24th & Wed 31st of May - 2023
- Wed 07th, Wed 14th, Wed 21st, Sat 24th & Wed 28th of June - 2023
- Sat 01st, Wed 05th, Sat 08th, Wed 12th, Sat 15th, Wed 19th, Sat 22nd, Wed 26th & Sat 29th of July - 2023
- Wed 02nd, Sat 05th, Wed 09th, Sat 12th, Wed 16th, Wed 23rd & Wed 30th of August - 2023
- Wed 06th, Wed 13th, Wed 20th & Wed 27th of September - 2023
- Wed 04th, Wed 11th, Wed 18th & Wed 25th of October - 2023
- Wed 01st, Wed 08th, Wed 15th, Wed 22nd & Wed 29th of November - 2023
- Wear lightweight, loose, comfortable clothing with footwear suitable for walking
- Bring a day pack with sunblock, sunglasses & spending money for the purchase of drinks and souvenirs
- Bring your camera as there's a wealth of great photo opportunities