Gulf Savannah Wanderer

Trip Type: Guided Holiday
Australia | 9 Days

NZD 5,435.00 /Person

This Cairns tour transports you back in time – in more ways than one. Over the course of a week’s looping journey, there are villages that remind y...

Gulf Savannah Wanderer

This Cairns tour transports you back in time – in more ways than one. Over the course of a week’s looping journey, there are villages that remind you what life was like in the Queensland outback in early colonial times. Trains that nod to yesteryear. Monuments that speak of pioneering explorers. And natural wonders that wind back the clock millennia: steel yourself for epic Undara Lava Tubes tour and a visit to Cobbold Gorge.       *Please note, this tour is operated by a third-party*   

Cairns - Malanda

Your journey begins on a high – literally – as you depart Cairns and weave north into the Atherton Tableland. There are lakes, record-breaking pines and Historic Village Herberton, a recreated tin mining town replete with shops and a pub.

Accommodation:

Malanda Lodge Motel

Locations Visited:
  • Cairns

Malanda - Georgetown

All aboard the 1960s Savannahlander train as it tracks towards Einasleigh in the Wet Tropics. Order a cold one at the pub or visit Copperfield Gorge before the ‘silver bullet’ chugs toward Georgetown.

Accommodation:

Latara Motel

Locations Visited:
  • Malanda

Georgetown - Karumba

The aquatic jewel of the Gulf Savannah, Croydon’s Lake Belmore is the region’s largest body of water. Karumba sits at the mouth of the Norman River on the Gulf of Carpentaria; it's a twitcher's delight, as you’ll discover on a sunset cruise.

Accommodation:

Karumba Lodge

Locations Visited:
  • Georgetown

Karumba

The Gulf of Carpentaria is a rare example of a shallow sea on top of a continent. It’s a unique marine ecosystem that fosters all manner of fish, as you’ll learn at the Les Wilson Barramundi Discovery Centre & Hatchery. Feeling thirsty? Enjoy happy hour at Point Sunset.

Accommodation:

Karumba Lodge

Locations Visited:
  • Karumba

Karumba - Normanton

Explorers Burke and Wills came through this part of Queensland while surveying the gulf. Campsite 119 was their most northerly post. They didn’t make it to Mutton Hole Wetlands Regional Park, but you will, with time for croc- and bird-watching.

Accommodation:

Gulfland Motel

Locations Visited:
  • Karumba

Normanton - Cobbold Gorge

When the journey matters just as much as the destination, jump aboard the historic Gulflander train. As locals like to say, “it travels from nowhere to nowhere”. But it sure is fun.

Accommodation:

Cobbold Gorge Cabins

Locations Visited:
  • Cobbold Gorge

Cobbold Gorge

This ancient geological landform is distinguished by its narrow, striated sandstone formations and humbling 10-metre cliffs. Cruising here, the only sounds you’ll hear are the wind and wildlife.

Accommodation:

Cobbold Gorge Cabins

Locations Visited:
  • Cobbold Gorge

Cobbold Gorge - Undara

Sleep in – we’re in no rush today. Forsayth for lunch, then campfire entertainment before retiring to your accommodation in antique railway carriages.

Accommodation:

Undara Lava Lodge

Locations Visited:
  • Cobbold Gorge

Undara - Farewell from Cairns

The Undara Lava Tubes were carved by the world’s longest lava flow from a single volcano. Huge caves have formed along the tubes, creating a surreal underground world. Time to say see-you-later to the Savannah.

Locations Visited:
  • Undara
  • Highly experienced Travel Director/Driver Accomodation National Park entrance fees
  • Take a trip back in time at your leisure exploring Croydon’s Historic Precinct, circa 1800s, and the Historic Village Herberton, replete with 50 restored period buildings.
  • One of Australia’s great rail journeys, the Savannahlander traverses the Wet Tropics region of the Kuranda Range. The 1960’s ‘silver bullet’ cuts a striking form en route to Forsayth.
  • Feel your spirit soar gazing at the striated sandstone cliffs of Cobbold Gorge, an ancient geological landform carved by rivers more than 10,000 years ago.
  • Highly experienced Travel Director/Driver Accomodation National Park entrance fees
  • Comfortable walking shoes Sunglasses, sunscreen and hat Water bottle Warm layers in cooler months Camera
  • Flights to and from the start/end of your trip are not included in the trip price. Day prior – flights to arrive anytime into Cairns AirportDay 9 – We recommend that guests fly out the day after the tour returns to Cairns, as it may be delayed getting back into Cairns. This holiday is operated by Heritage Tours.
  • High level of fitness required If you have any mobility issues or over 80 years of age, it is a requirement to complete the "Fit to Travel & Mobility Questionnaire" and return these to Heritage Tours. A doctor’s clearance may be required before booking can be confirmed.

Departure

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Destination Details
Australia | 9 Days
Trip Location
Trip Starts:
Cairns, Australia
Trip Finishes:
Cairns, Australia
Countries Visited:
Australia

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