Our Cape York Travel Guide

Let us take you on a scenic trip of a lifetime to The Tip, where you will experience all that Australia has to offer. Rainforests, picturesque camping locations, four-wheel driving, tropical waters, outback adventures and more!

The Cape York Peninsula runs along the coast of Tropical North Queensland Australia’s north-east coast. The peninsula stretches from Cairns through Port Douglas and Cooktown all the way to The Tip which is Australia’s northernmost point. 

Guided tours allow you to see all the sites and provide valuable information that is not available on a self-guided tour. A Cape York tour offers a unique way to see some of North Queensland’s most beautiful landscapes, rich history, and cultural sites. National parks like the Jardine River National Park, Lakefield (Rinyiru), and Iron Range (Kutini-Payamu), are rich in native fauna and flora.

Our tours to Cape York take you on a four-wheel drive experience from Cairns to Cape York, the northernmost tip of Australia, also known as Pajinka by the local indigenous peoples.

Best time to visit

The Northern half of Australia experiences a Wet and Dry season – the Wet is experienced from November to April and the Dry lasts from May to October. During the Wet season Cape York is mostly inaccessible with rainfall causing flooding and poor road conditions.

The best time to visit Cape York is during the Dry season. During this time the national parks are reopened, and roads are accessible. In the first half of the Dry season maximum temperatures reach 30°C and increase towards the end of the season.

Best ways to visit

We offer a variety of tours and are sure to have the best fit for you. We offer tours on a specially equipped four-wheel drive vehicle that seats up to 26 passengers for a guided group experience. If you are looking for a more personal experience, we offer guided tours that are conducted on four-wheel drive vehicles that seat 6-8 passengers. You can even choose to travel in style on board a luxury 5-star Mercedes Benz Coach.

We offer tours that include helicopter flights over the tip of Cape York to enjoy a bird’s eye view. You can also enjoy various cruises included in our tours.

You may also like to do a self-drive journey in your own time with your own itinerary. We offer 4WD vehicle hire with or without camping gear. We have a variety of vehicles to suit your passenger size and budget to take you all the way to The Tip of Australia. An advantage of driving the trip yourself, is that you can stop and spend time at sites whenever you please.

How long should I spend in Cape York?

The shortest tour we offer to The Tip is 9 days and the longest is 15 days. The longer trip is best for those seeking an all-in experience. This trip is perfect for those wanting to experience all that Cape York has to offer in one go. The smaller tours are also very popular and take guests to the must-see locations that Cape York Tours have to offer.

Accommodation options

You can choose from a range of tours with accommodation to suit you. We have camping tours for those seeking an outdoor adventure, where guests will stay in tents with all camping equipment provided on the tours. If camping is not for you, we offer tours that accommodate guests in motels and resorts along the way as well as luxury glamping experiences.

What to pack

The 4WD touring vehicles have limited capacity and therefore each passenger is limited to one soft bag or suitcase weighing no more than 16kg, with dimensions of no more than 66cm x 35cm x 32cm.

Clothing and footwear should be casual, comfortable and suited to tropical conditions. Swimwear is a must, and a change of warmer clothes in case of a change in weather conditions.

Footwear should be suitable for walking and some form of fast drying water shoes would prove useful.

Personal items such as sunscreen, insect repellant and toiletries. Most guests also bring a camera with spare batteries to capture the beautiful sights.

Things to consider

It is HIGHLY recommended that passengers take out travel insurance. For your protection, it is essential to purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes (without limitation) coverage for the full cost of your holiday package. Ask our team for a no-obligation quote.

You should consider taking extra basic food supplies especially if you are not joining a tour as there is food available along the way, but choices are limited.

Phone service and medical assistance is also limited and should be considered.

Most importantly be croc wise! You will be visiting areas that crocodiles are known to frequent.

Must see & do

There are many things to do on the Cape York Peninsula:

• Daintree Rainforest – Australia’s largest rainforest
• Cape Tribulation – Where the Daintree meets the Great Barrier Reef
• Weipa – Largest town on the Peninsula
• The Tip – The northernmost point of Australia

Find out about these sights and more in our Top things to do on the Cape York Peninsula blog