Overnight Experiences Cairns City

Cairns to Darwin via Lost City & Gulf Savannah Way Tours - Walk in the stunning Undara Lava Tubes, swim at Lawn Hill NP (2 nights), tour Riversleigh Fossils site, Burke & Wills last camp, Normanton, Karumba (sunset cruise), Hells Gate, Borroloola, Lost City
8 days Accommodated or Camping or a combination available- select when booking

Gulf Savannah Tours include Lost City, Lawn Hill, Riversleigh Fossils / Dinosaurs tour, Undara Lava Tubes


Cairns to Darwin (Westbound) itinerary shown below. This tour has 2 nights at Lawn Hill / Adel’s Grove and includes Riversleigh Dinosaurs / Fossils sites tour.

Day 1 – Gulf Savannah Way Tours – Depart Cairns for the picturesque drive to the Atherton tablelands to tour through the Undara Lava Tubes. The Undara Lava Tubes were formed some 190,000 years ago when a major volcano erupted, its molten lava flowing down a dry river bed. As the top layer quickly cooled and crusted, the fiery magma below continued to flow through the tubes taking it further and further from the volcano. The Undara tubes are the world’s longest lava flow . The word Undara means ‘a long way’ in Aboriginal language. One of the lava flows from Undara extends over 160 kilometres (or 100 miles). This makes it one of the longest lava flows from a single volcano on our planet in modern geological time. The original tube formed by the flow extended for approximately 100 kilometres, and several sections are accessible. After our 2 hour tour and tasty lunch, we pass by Mt Surprise (where Savannahlander train overnights) to Georgetown for overnight LD
Day 2 – Travel via Georgetown and the multi award winning, Terrestrial – the Ted Elliott Mineral Collection, the largest minerals collection in the world. We follow the Gulflander Railway line via the Gulf Development Road through Croydon which in goldrush days had 7000 people and 122 pubs . On to Normanton, and view the old Burns Philp store , and the 1870 railway history from the goldrush days, plus the hot artesian bore. Arriving Karumba on the edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria , we enjoy a sunset river cruise . Karumba is the base of the gulf Barramundi and prawning industry and home to many salt water crocodiles. Overnight Karumba BL – Dinner at own expense in local restaurant – great fresh fish and prawns here and very reasonable price !

Days 3 & 4 – Today we surely see flocks of Brolgas on our way to Burke and Wills last camp 119 near Burketown. Travelling westward and parallel to the coastline of the Gulf of Carpentaria in this spectacular savannah country, we cross numerous rivers including the Leichardt River, named after Ludwig Leichardt who walked this country in 1845. We check out the Leichardt Falls before travelling across the “Plains of Promise” named when H M Brig Beagle (the famous ship which had carried Charles Darwin on his voyage) visited here in 1841. Enjoy a break in the frontier town of Burketown , named after Burke of the Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860 who reached the gulf near here in February 1861. Burketown was established in 1865 to service new pastoral holdings established in the region.We arrive at Lawn Hill National Park , (now Boodjamulla National Park) Adel’s Grove (2 nights), and walk, canoe or swim in the beautiful lagoon with waterfalls. Visit the amazing Riversleigh Dinosaur Fossil Field. Overnight Adels Grove BLD
Day 5. We travel by the large Aboriginal community of Doomadgee, then Hells gate where police were stationed to provide escorts for settlers to the escarpments of Hell’s Gate , beyond which the Aboriginals were considered fierce. Hells Gate is the routes most western settlement in Queensland and now is a popular stopover with a grassy oasis and refreshments, nearby Aboriginal rock art and caves . We travel via Westmoreland (uranium deposits) and enter the Northern Territory, passing the Redbank (copper) Mine and arrive at Borroloola for overnight. BLD


Day 6 . Borroloola is now a popular fishing destination. Population is around 800 (about 200 whitefellas and 600 Aboriginal), with Aborigines living in camps around the town. Borroloola has some very different Aboriginal cultures ie the Yanyuwa and Mara are ‘saltwater people’ from the nearby islands while the Kurdanji and Karawa people are ‘mainland people’. We visit Caranbirini Nature Reserve to walk amongst the Lost City through sandstone towers overlooking a billabong and across the escarpment country of the Gulf Region. Optional helicopter flight over the Lost City. The Lost City can this morning be explored by helicopter from base at the Heartbreak Hotel at Cape Crawford, with an amazing 15 or optional 30 minute flight over these ancient sandstone pillars, formed when all this area was underwater Arrive Daly Waters famous pub for overnight. BLD
Day 7 – We take a short tour of the WWII airbase and aircraft hanger at Daly Waters – with a fascinating historic display of WWII equipment, aircraft images and life here at that time. Onwards for a swim at Mataranka Hot Springs and connect with the famous classic outback Australian story of “We of the Never Never” and Elsey’s homestead from the film. Onward via Katherine then Darwin for overnight BLD
Day 8 – A free day to celebrate your journey. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast and the many sights or activities Darwin has to offer. Options include a trip to Kakadu or Litchfield National Parks , or simply shop or relax in Darwin’s balmy climate. Tour ends after breakfast. Home Flights depart from Darwin or consider travelling with us to Alice Springs with options including Kakadu , Katherine Gorge (optional), Lost City & Devils Marbles. B
Day 8 - Optionally tour by Kakadu National Park for 1 or 2 nights from Katherine, or do Kakadu in a day or more from Darwin . Ask for details.


8 days Accommodated or Camping or a combination available- select when booking
BOOK HERE or Call 1300 763 188 or 0417 244 600

Cape York Thursday Island Tours, with Horn Island, Weipa, Daintree, Quinkan Rock Art, Cairns to Cairns Tour - 8 day tour Cairns returning to Cairns overland, including Laura Rock Art, Weipa, & Billys Landing, Thursday & Horn Island ferries & day tours, including Twin & Fruit Bat Falls (on Old Telegraph Track) and last night accommodated in Cairns. Includes Cooktown, Lakefield National Park, Daintree Rainforest. Join us to travel by luxury 4WD to the northern most tip of Australia at Cape York & Thursday Island & Horn Island cruise and island tours. Explore Quinkan Rock Art, then Cooktown, Weipa, Lakefield National Park & the Daintree Rainforests, Mossman Gorge, Bloomfield Falls.
Tour is all accommodated


Cape York Thursday Island Daintree Rock Art Cairns Tour details
Day 1 – Cape York Thursday Island Tours – Depart Cairns 730 am and travel through the rainforests and the Atherton Tablelands via picturesque Kuranda and Mareeba via the Palmer River area famous in the gold rush days , to the Laura Dance Festival site (time at festival available if dates match – biannual event). You can choose to spend the day here, or travel the short distance to the Quinkan Rock Art Reserve , and an afternoon tour of this amazing rock art site. Overnight Lotus Bird Lodge, Lakefield National Park BLD
Rock Art Walk – Explore some of the Quinkan Aboriginal Rock Art at the Split Rock art site or the Quinkan rock art at Jowalbinna in Queensland’s premier rock art sites The areas include – Giant Wallaroo – “The Cycle of Birth and Death”: Spectacular landscapes and paintings on a walk into Pine Tree Creek valley and up to the opposite escarpment wall. The Brady Creek Escarpment – “Many Clans, Many Totems”: Includes Death Adder, Honeymoon Cave, Red Lady, Garfish Sorcery and Tent Shelter rock art sites, near refreshing Brady Creek. Emu Dreaming – “The Emu Ancestor enters the Land”: An accessible site featuring ancient abstract engravings and occupation evidence. Yam Dreaming – “The Archaeologists’ Choice”: A fascinating archaeological dig site on fertility ceremonial grounds, involving a challenging walk and climb into the site (available for exclusive touring only).
Day 2 – Depart up the Peninsular Development Road for the Old Telegraph Track (OTT) heading for Cape York . We travel via the Hann River Roadhouse , and check out the Musgrave Telegraph Station . Musgrave was first built as an overland telegraph station in 1887, along with Palmerville, Fairview, Coen, Mein, Moreton, McDonnell and Paterson. It was named after Sir Anthony Musgrave (1828 – 1888) who was Governor of Queensland from 1883 to 1888. These stations were repeater stations, with great banks of batteries and a generator to boost the power in the telegraph line. Beyond the township of Coen we pass the old Quarantine Station , and begin to pass a number of exciting creek crossings. We pass through the Mungkan Kandju National Park, a large wilderness park that stretches from the McIlwraith Range foothills, between the Archer and Coen rivers, and consists of open eucalypt woodlands, melaleuca swamps and various rainforest types. The Wik Mungkan, Kaanju and Ayapathu Aboriginal peoples, the Traditional Owners of the park, welcome you to their land and ask that you respect their culture and country during your visit. We take a break at the Archer River Roadhouse, and cross the Piccaninny Plains and Savannah country to arrive in Weipa for a tour of the massive bauxite mine operated by Rio Tinto. Weipa is the largest town on Cape York Peninsula, and has approx 3000 people supporting the mining and export of bauxite and cattle. Nearby is Duyfken Point, where Dutch explorer Willem Janszoon recorded the Australian coast in 1606, 164 years prior to James Cook. BLD Overnight Weipa
Day 3 – Depart Weipa to the OTT, crossing the Wenlock River. After a stop at the Moreton Telegraph Station , we turn off the OTT to the Bamaga Rd and enter the Jardine National Park and the Heathlands . Be entranced by the unusual change in the landscape. The Heathlands is a vast area of 2 metre high wet anddry heath vegetation which live side by side and is home to an abundanceof wildlife. Enjoy a break at Eliot Falls before we cross the notorious Jardine River. We pass through the administrative centre for the region, Bamaga to Siesia , the “Gateway to the Torres Strait” . Today we also travel on to the farthest northern point of Australia to stand on Australia’s northern most tip at Cape York , view the numerous islands of the Torres Strait , and the meeting place of the Arafura and Coral Seas . Overnight Punsand Bay Resort, Barmaga, Cape York BLD

Day 4 – At 8 am depart by fast cat ferry for the 1 hour 10 min ride to Thursday Island , passing Friday and seeing Wednesday Islands enroute. Thursday Island is known as Waiben, meaning ‘no water or place of no water’. In 1877, TI was an administrative centre for the Torres Strait Islands established by the Queensland Government. In the early days over 1000 Japanese pearl divers were operating here. In 1880, Thursday Island acted as a defence post for Australia and old canons remain on the Island. On TI, a 1 hour island tour is included, highlighting local history and landmarks, then free time to enjoy the Torres Strait Islander cultural centre, and pearl, souvenir or window shopping. After lunch, (own cost) the return ferry departs at 2:30 from Engineers Wharf, arriving approximately 3:40. Enjoy free time this afternoon till dinner. Optionally, from Thursday Island your can join the Horn Island tour which visits WWII sites including a WWII museum . This tour also meets the last & only return ferry, and does not give time to look around Thursday Island. If you choose, you can overnight here and join us early next morning (additional cost) BD Overnight Punsand Bay Resort, Barmaga, Cape York
Day 5 – Heading south we visit the WWII aircraft wrecks of Bamaga, and skirt the Jardine River National Park , take the Jardine River crossing then a rest stop at Fruit Bat Falls . We visit the beach at Captain Billy’s Landing located on the east coast, and arrive Moreton Telegraph Station for a few yarns, a great meal and overnight. BLD
Day 6 – Today we explore Lakefield National Park . The park is home to threatened species including the red goshawk, Lakeland Downs mouse and spectacled hare-wallaby . Hann and Kalpowar crossings are two of the many significant Aboriginal cultural sites found in the area. Barramundi abound here if you are feeling adventurous, and many waterbirds inhabit Low Lake. Enjoy this rich nature and great waterholes for swimming. Arrive Cooktown late afternoon for overnight. BLD
Day 7 – Cooktown to Cairns via the Bloomfield Track & Daintree Rainforests. The Daintree Rainforest encompasses an area of approximately 1,200 square kilometres, from the Daintree River north to Cooktown and west to the Great Divide, representing the single largest block of tropical rainforest in Australia. The area protected under World Heritage listing covers an area of approximately 12,000 square kilometres, stretching from Townsville to Cooktown 75 per cent of which is tropical rainforest, an area equivalent to about the size of Sydney. We explore and discover the magic of rainforests on our Daintree Rainforest Discovery centre walk.
Cooktown was first established for the goldfields on the Palmer River in 1872, although its also famous for when Captain Cook repaired his ship, The Endeavour , after hitting coral on the Great Barrier Reef. We check out some key local landmarks, including the Vera Scarth-Johnson Gallery, whose artwork consists of illustrations of the flowering plants from the region, the Grassy Hill Lighthouse which is home to the Cooktown lighthouse, built in England and shipped to Cooktown in 1885, the sun dial which is actually a ‘Global Positioning Monument’ and Captain Cook’s Grassy Hill Monument. Also, the James Cook Museum, including canon and the anchor from from Cooks ship, the HM Barque Endeavour and Chinese, Pastoral, Mining, and Indigenous artefacts.
We depart Cooktown via the coastal road (4WD only) and witness Black Mountain National Park, home to mysterious Aboriginal legends. We visit the heritage-listed Lions Den Hotel built in 1875, then spectacular Bloomfield Falls at the Bloomfield River crossing. This track was the site of many protests and the Daintree Blockade in 1983. The Bloomfield track takes us to Cape Tribulation and on to the ferry to cross the Daintree River . Time permitting, we travel through Mossman and visit Mossman Gorge , and a side trip via Port Douglas. Overnight Cairns. BLD
Day 8 – Tour ends in Cairns after breakfast for flights home or join us to travel from Cairns to Darwin via the Lost City, Undara Lava Tubes and Savannah Way Tour
Undara Lava Tubes – Volcano Valley – Volcanic lava over 300,000 years, has created a remarkable tunnel system that lies beneath the rich grasslands of Undara. See them on the Lost City, Undara Lava Tubes and Savannah Way Tour If travelling to Cairns join Spirit Safaris to meet this tour from Alice Springs, explore the Plenty Highway on the edge of the Simpson Desert, the Min Min experience in Boulia, the mighty Diamantina River and the Dinosaur Trail as we travel on to Cloncurry (Qantas birthplace) Undara Lava Tubes & Cairns. If travelling from or to Darwin, explore the Lost City, Lawn Hill, Adel’s Grove, Cobbold Gorge, Dally Waters, Mataranka Hot Springs ( and “We of the Never Never” homestead) & Katherine. Optionally Kakadu via Cooinda (with Yellow Waters Cruise) to Darwin. (meets Darwin to Broome tour departure) Cape York, Thursday Island, Weipa, Daintree Rainforest, Quinkan Rock Art from Cairns 4WD Tour
8 Day Cape York Thursday Island Daintree Rock Art Cairns Tour from Cairns to Cairns 8 day tour Cairns returning to Cairns overland, including Laura Rock Art, Weipa, & Billys Landing, Thursday & Horn Island ferries & day tours, including Twin & Fruit Bat Falls (on Old Telegraph Track ) and last night accommodation in Cairns. Includes all meals, entry & park fees, professional guide, ferry to & from Thursday Island, luxury 4WD transport. Prices are per person (couple or twin share) and all accommodated

Call 1300 763 188 or email any questions info@spiritsafaris.com

Gulf Savannah Tours Darwin to Cairns via Lost City 14 days - via Ngukurr / Roper Bar , Pungalina – Seven Emu Sanctuary , Cape Crawford, Lost City , (optional heli flight) Caranbirini Nature Reserve , Lorella Springs Wilderness Park, Hells Gate , Borroloola, Riversleigh Megafauna Fossil Fields , Lawn Hill National Park , (now Boodjamulla National Park), Cruise Lawn Hill Gorge, Adel’s Grove (2 nights), Bourke & Wills Last Camp 119, Normanton, Gulflander & Savannah Lander Railways, Karumba, Gulf Carpentaria sunset cruise, Cobbold Gorge and gorge cruise , Undarra Lava Tubes to Cairns.

CAMPING OR ACCOMMODATED OR COMBINATION - SELECT ACCOMMODATION AS EXTRAS WHEN BOOKING


Gulf Savannah Way Darwin to Cairns tour 14 days …

Day 1 – Meet us in Darwin and join your fellow travellers at 6 pm for an introduction and drinks at our hotel. Enjoy a delicious meal together getting to know your crew and travelling companions.
Day 2 – Depart Darwin 8am via Stuart Highway to Pine Creek (gold and railway history – and great coffee and cakes at the Railway Cafe) then Katherine, NTs 3rd largest town. On to Mataranka for the Elsey’s history of “We of the Never Never” fame. We then depart the highway for Roper Bar and Ngukurr community for overnight BLD
Day 3 – Today we take a helicopter flight to visit the “Ruined City”, a vast sandstone rock formation, with guidance from traditional owners sharing the significance of this special place – also known as Baroonja. Enjoy a look around Roper Bar on the banks of the Roper River and the border of Arnhem Land. Connect with the local indigenous culture and people, and the more recent steamboat history (supplying the building of the Overland Telegraph Line in the 1860s & 70s) and popular fishing destination. It was also a major cattle droving route from the grasslands to Queensland and southern markets and includes some of the Durack’s massive cattle drive to the Kimberley. After an informative boat cruise on the river, we enjoy another night at Ngukurr community BLD

Day 4 – Today we head to the Limmen National Park for a walk and optional swim at scenic Butterfly Falls – and a morning cuppa. Its then on to the “Southern Lost City” for a 4-6 km walk among these stunning giant columns of sandstone. Enjoy lunch here before heading further south to overnight at Lorella Springs Wilderness Park BLD
Day 5 – Lorella Springs is a huge 4,000-square kilometre (one-million acre) Outback Australia cattle station surrounded by the Limmen National Park, Aboriginal land, and many kilometres of pristine Northern Territory Gulf of Carpentaria coastline, rivers and waterways. It has numerous beautiful rock pools and thermal pools for swimming and we check out Flying Fox swamp and the latest popular spot, Nannys Pool. Enjoy a relaxing adventure day here with the birdlife before overnight. BLD
Day 6 – We continue south through the Limmen National Park to arrive at the township of Borroloola for supplies. At Borroloola we view the museum and history of this once wild frontier town, now a popular fishing destination. The population is around 800 (about 200 whites and 600 Aboriginal), with Aborigines living in camps around the town. Borroloola has some very different Aboriginal cultures ie the Yanyuwa and Mara are ‘saltwater people’ from the nearby islands while the Kurdanji and Karawa people are ‘mainland people’.The town is also the main support town for the McArthur River mine – one of the world’s largest zinc, lead and silver mines, situated about 70 kilometres southwest of Borroloola. We head toward the Gulf and visit King Ash Bay on the MacArthur River – a top spot to experience the atmosphere of the Gulf and a shady lunch place by the river. Time permitting and passengers keen, we visit the Lost City near Cape Crawford , (optional heli flight) and the Caranbirini Nature Reserve for more sandstone pillars.The Lost City can be explored by helicopter from base at the Heartbreak Hotel at Cape Crawford, with an amazing 15 or optional 30 minute flight over these ancient sandstone pillars, formed when all this area was underwater. Overnight at Boroloola BLD
Day 7 – We now head east to Pungalina-Seven Emu Station. Seven Emu Station has partnered with a neighbouring property to create the first private nature reserve in the Gulf of Carpentaria, called the Pungalina-Seven Emu Wildlife Sanctuary. In a landmark partnership between a not-for-profit conservation organisation and an Indigenous landholder, Frank Shadforth has subleased 110,000 hectares of Seven Emu – almost half the area of the pastoral lease – to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). The station’s cattle are kept out of this conservation zone.


Note that Seven Emu Sanctuary has limited access and may not
be available – alternative nearby will be substituted if unavailable.


The whole sanctuary comprises an unbroken stretch of 305,000 hectares from the sandstone uplands to the coastal waters of the Gulf. It protects a suite of habitats along an important ecological gradient in one of the highest-priority regions in Australia, as well as delivering significant socio-economic benefits for Indigenous communities.
We tour some of the highlights of this property including the in the stockmen’s camp sites overlooking the stunning Robinson River. These authentic rustic camps are made by stockmen as they have for most of their lives. With bough sheds for shelter, open fires and a “donkey” to heat your shower, your camp will be the real deal. From the cliff face – with a sweeping view of the Robinson valley, watch the bull sharks hunting schools of salmon … crocodiles swimming up and down on the hunt …and watch the eagles and jabirus flying below you! Seek out the secretive Purple-crowned Fairy Wrens, Azure Kingfishers and wading birds.
We travel east over several river crossings , passing the Redbank (copper) Mine via Westmoreland (uranium deposits) and enter Queensland at Hells Gate , where police were stationed to provide escorts for settlers to the escarpments of Hell’s Gate , beyond which the Aboriginals were considered fierce. Hells Gate is the routes most western settlement in Queensland and now is a popular stopover with a grassy oasis and refreshments, and nearby Aboriginal rock art and caves .Overnight Hells Gate BLD
Day 8 – We travel through forest and river crossings to the large Aboriginal community of Doomadgee, then south to Adel’s Grove for 2 nights. It was originally gazetted in 1904 as a Miners Homestead Lease. In 1920 Albert de Lestang took up the property as an experimental Botanical Garden (hence the name “Adel” arose from Albert’s initials). Albert planted many species of trees and shrubs and supplied the Botanical Gardens of the world with the seeds produced by his nursery. This is adjacent Lawn Hill National Park (now Boodjamulla National Park ) where we walk, canoe or swim in the beautiful lagoon and river with waterfalls.
Day 9 – Today we take a tour to visit the amazing Riversleigh Megafauna Fossil Fields and immerse in this unique landscape. Alternatively enjoy a relaxing day of walks and swims – your choice. Overnight Adels Grove BLD
Day 10 – Departing Adels Grove we travel via Gregory Downs to Burke & Wills last camp 119 , an historic site with a fascinating history and stories to tell. Enjoy a break in the frontier town of Burketown , named after Burke of the Burke and Wills Expedition of 1860 who reached the gulf near here in February 1861. Burketown was established in 1865 to service new pastoral holdings established in the region.
We reach the Leichardt River, named after Ludwig Leichardt who walked this country in 1845. We check out the Leichardt Falls then travel across the “Plains of Promise” named when H M Brig Beagle (the famous ship which had carried Charles Darwin on his voyage) visited here in 1841. On to Normanton, and view the old Burns Philp store, and the 1870 railway history from the goldrush days, plus the Purple Pub. Arriving Karumba on the edge of the Gulf of Carpentaria , we enjoy a sunset river cruise . Karumba was the base of the gulf Barramundi and prawning industry and home to many salt water crocodiles. Overnight Karumba BL – Dinner at own expense in local restaurant – great fresh fish and prawns here !
Day 11 – We follow the Gulflander Railway line via the Gulf Development Road through Croydon which in goldrush days had 7000 people and 122 pubs .Travel via Georgetown and the multi award winning, Terrestrial – the Ted Elliott Mineral Collection, the largest minerals collection in the world. Overnight Cobbold Gorge on Robin Hood Cattle station BLD
Day 12 – Cobbold Gorge is unique, hidden away within the rugged sandstone formations of North Queensland. This gorge is extremely narrow, closing to only two metres in places, with spectacular 30 metre cliffs on either side. The overall length of the gorge is about six kilometres and includes a series of water-holes and rock falls, with the the last 500 meters is accessible by flat bottom boat. Great walks, swimming and relaxing or optional canoeing. Overnight Cobbold Gorge on Robin Hood Cattle station. BLD
Day 13 – Undarra Lava Tubes tour. The Undara Lava Tubes were formed some 190,000 years ago when a major volcano erupted, its molten lava flowing down a dry river bed. As the top layer quickly cooled and crusted, the fiery magma below continued to flow through the tubes taking it further and further from the volcano. The Undara tubes are the world’s longest lava flow . The word Undara means ‘a long way’ in the Aboriginal language. One of the lava flows from Undara extends over 160 kilometres (or 100 miles). This makes it one of the longest lava flows from a single volcano on our planet in modern geological time. The original tube formed by the flow extended for approximately 100kilometres, and several sections are accessible. After our 2 hour tour and tasty lunch, we travel via the Atherton Tablelands to Cairns for a celebration dinner together at our Cairns Hotel. BLD

Day 14 – After a good nights sleep and an easy breakfast, we can transfer your to airport or other hotels if staying on in Cairns. Tour completes 10am. Or join our Cape York & Thursday Island Adventure

14 days Accommodated or Camping or combination available

CAMPING OR ACCOMMODATED OR COMBINATION - SELECT ACCOMMODATION AS EXTRAS WHEN BOOKING