From Cairns: Atherton Tablelands Wildlife & Waterfalls
Description
The Atherton Tablelands holds ancient rainforests, volcanic crater lakes, and wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. This is the best way to spend a full day in it. Departing Cairns, your small group heads into World Heritage-listed rainforest for a day of swimming, exploring, and wildlife watching. Slide down natural rock chutes at Josephine Falls, swim beneath Millaa Millaa Falls, cool off in volcanic Lake Eacham, and stand beneath the 500-year-old Cathedral Fig. Watch for platypus, cassowary, tree kangaroos, and turtles. Sightings are a regular part of the day. Your guide is local and genuinely passionate. They will point out wildlife you would walk straight past and adapt the pace to your group. Maximum 20 guests, so every stop gets proper time. Picnic lunch, entrance fees, national park permits, and return Cairns transfers included. Certified carbon-neutral. Fully accredited Queensland operator.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Meet the Barefoot Tours bus at Reef Fleet Terminal, Bus Bay #7, 1 Spence St, Cairns Marlin Marina. Look for the vibrant green or orange Barefoot Tours bus - arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
Your first stop is Babinda Boulders, known as nature's playground - a fast-flowing tropical creek set among huge granite boulders and lush Bellenden Ker rainforest. Take a refreshing swim in the natural rock pools or walk through the forest and hear the Aboriginal legends that surround this magical place.
One of the Tablelands' most loved swimming spots. The clear waters of Josephine Falls glide over smooth boulders into a natural pool with a rock slide that guests come back for again and again.
A scenic lunch stop in the heart of the Tablelands. Enjoy your included picnic lunch of sandwiches and fruit platter in a beautiful rainforest setting.
A panoramic vantage point over the rolling hills and lush farmland of the Atherton Tablelands. One of the best photo stops of the day.
One of the most photographed waterfalls in Australia, a single-drop curtain of water into a clear pool surrounded by protected rainforest. Time to swim, relax, and take photos at Cairns' most iconic waterfall.
Your guide takes you through the heart of the Tablelands, rolling hills, ancient rainforest, and local towns. Commentary throughout covers the region's natural history, geology, and wildlife. Watch for tree kangaroos along the way.
A swim in one of Australia's most beautiful volcanic crater lakes. Lake Eacham's crystal-clear waters are surrounded by ancient rainforest and are home to turtles and freshwater fish you can see clearly from the surface.
Marvel at one of Australia's most remarkable living structures, a 500-year-old strangler fig with roots that have grown to form a cathedral-like chamber in the forest.
The highlight wildlife stop of the day. Wander along the rainforest creek at dusk and watch for wild platypus in their natural habitat, one of the most elusive and iconic animals in Australia. Sightings are not guaranteed but are a regular feature of this tour.
Wet Tropics Wonder: Immerse yourself in the heart of one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth. The Wet Tropics World Heritage Area is a living museum of natural history, home to ancient flora and rare wildlife. (The Region we visit throughout the day, not an actual location)
Drop off back in Cairns CBD.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Meeting point: Reef Fleet Terminal, Bus Bay #7, 1 Spence St, Cairns Marlin Marina, Cairns CBD Meeting time: 7:30 AM Or, arrange pick up at your accommodation in Cairns city.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Meeting point: Reef Fleet Terminal, Bus Bay #7, 1 Spence St, Cairns Marlin Marina, Cairns CBD
- Look for the vibrant green or orange Barefoot Tours bus - arrive 15 minutes before departure
- What to bring: towel, swimwear, comfortable shoes or sandals, sunglasses, hat, camera
- Water can be provided and there are water stations available along the route
- Pack a jumper or light jacket in winter months - temperatures in the Tablelands are cooler than Cairns
- Wildlife sightings including platypus, cassowary, and tree kangaroos are common but not guaranteed
- Itinerary is flexible and may vary based on weather and road conditions on the day
- Minimum age 8 years
Reviews(896)
We had a great time with Dom. You can really see his love of nature, Cairns, and the Tablelands. It was a pleasure having him as our guide. We got to see so much. As a bonus, he also graciously took lots of great photos along the way and offered them free to the group. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip.
Thanks so much for your lovely review! We’re absolutely stoked to hear you had such a great time exploring with Dom—he really does have a genuine passion for the Tablelands and it’s awesome that it shone through on your day. Sounds like you made the most of it and saw plenty along the way! We’re also glad you enjoyed the photos—Dom will be chuffed to hear that little extra made your experience even more memorable. Hope to welcome you back for another adventure in Cairns sometime soon!
1. Ten hour trip and the tour agency did not supply any water. Previously I have travelled with other tour agencies in Cairns and they all had water bottles on-board. I couldn't find any refill spots other than the lunch spot. 2. The tour guide, Trevor was fantastic. A great guy and very chatty. 3. Lunch was pathetic. 4. I won't travel with this agency again. 5. Tourists- passenger seatbelt is mandatory in the state of Queensland.
Thanks for sharing your feedback, we do appreciate you taking the time. All of our vehicles are fitted with seat belts, and they’re there to be used throughout the trip while travelling. Thanks again for joining us. Safe travels!
What a fantastic day with Tim and Andy! We saw an amazing number of beautiful places in a relaxed and incredibly informative way. We’ll be processing all the information we learned for weeks and we’re so grateful for the chance to see so much and learn so much about the rain forest, and the history and culture of the area. Thank you Andy, for being the best driver ever, and Tim for being so attentive and flexible! The bats were a true end of the day treat! It’s a must do when you’re in Cairns!
Thanks so much for the lovely review — we really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience! We’re thrilled you had such a fantastic day out. They’ll be absolutely chuffed to hear your kind words. We’re big believers in keeping things relaxed, informative and flexible, so it’s great to know that came through on the day. And how good are the bats at sunset! 🦇 Such a special way to wrap things up. Thanks again for joining us — we’re so glad you got to experience the rainforest, local history and culture in a meaningful way. If you’re ever back in Cairns, we’d love to have you out with us again!
The good stuff: The first swimming hole was very pleasant and everyone enjoyed the swim. The guide was pleasant and knew what she was doing. So why the one-Star review? We booked a full day tour to visit several waterfalls in the national park. The operator canceled our full day tour and substituted a half day tour that consisted of one lookout and two waterfall swimming holes. It is now four days since the tour and no refunds have been provided. I suspect they never notified Viator about the change in booking. Their communication regarding the cancellation was poor. They called my US phone number but I don’t have service in Australia. They could have messaged me on WhatsApp but they didn’t try that. They had my email (to sign a waiver), but never tried email. I found out about the cancellation when I used the Viator app to contact them when our pickup never arrived. The operator cancelled our full day tour because we were the only people who hadn’t already cancelled. So it was surprising that the half day tour only had two other people; apparently that one wasn’t cancelled even with only two people. The guide on the half day tour promised to send us the photos she took but we never received them.
Thank you for taking the time to leave this feedback. We’re genuinely sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate you also acknowledging the positive aspects of the tour and our guide. We apologise for the frustration caused by the change from a full-day to a half-day tour, as well as for the breakdown in communication around this. That’s certainly not the standard we aim to provide. We also understand how disappointing it would have been not to receive the promised photos and to still be waiting on a refund. We’d really like the opportunity to properly look into this and resolve it for you as soon as possible. Could you please let us know the date you took the tour and email us directly so we can follow this up with Viator and our team? Once we have those details, we’ll be able to address both the refund and the photos. Thank you again for bringing this to our attention, and we appreciate the chance to make things right.
Awesome experience. Our guide Ms Theresa was great. She took pictures of the group and shared at the end of the tour. The locations are beautiful
Thanks so much for the awesome review! 🙌 We’re stoked to hear you had a great experience and that Theresa looked after you so well — she’s a legend and loves capturing those special moments along the way 📸 So glad you enjoyed the beautiful locations too. Hope to see you back out on another adventure with us soon!
I had a very disappointing experience with this tour company when booking through viator. My original tour was cancelled due to “weather conditions,” even though the day was sunny with no rain or unsafe conditions. I was rebooked for another date, only to have that tour cancelled as well—this time due to low enrollment. After these repeated cancellations, the company did not provide the refund that was owed to me. I understand that weather and scheduling issues can happen, but cancelling multiple times for questionable reasons and then not honoring a refund is unacceptable. I would not recommend this company based on their lack of reliability and poor customer service.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re genuinely sorry to hear about your experience and appreciate the opportunity to respond. Safety is always our top priority, and tour cancellations due to weather are based on a combination of factors such as river conditions, forecasts, and operational safety assessments — not solely whether it is raining or sunny at the time. We understand how this can be frustrating, particularly when conditions appear fine from a guest’s perspective. We also regret the inconvenience caused by the subsequent cancellation due to minimum numbers not being met. While this is outlined in our booking terms, we recognise that multiple cancellations can understandably lead to disappointment. Regarding the refund, bookings made through Viator are processed directly by Viator in line with their policies, and refunds are issued by them rather than by us. That said, we take concerns like this very seriously and would be more than happy to review your booking and assist in following this up to ensure the matter is resolved correctly. Please feel free to contact us directly with your booking details so we can look into this further. We value all feedback and are committed to providing reliable, safe, and transparent experiences for our guests.
Jenna was amazing, insightful and super chill The whole day spent watching Milla Milla, Josephine and Eicham lake was fun , also the mighty curtain fig tree The whole drive was scenic with beautiful views. Definitely recommend the tour for one of the days one wants to plan away from the beach to try something different and in cairns
Thank you so much for the lovely review! We’re thrilled to hear you had such a great day out with Jenna — she’ll be stoked to know you enjoyed her insights and relaxed vibe 😊 Milla Milla Falls, Josephine Falls, Lake Eacham and the Curtain Fig Tree really are some of the Atherton Tablelands’ highlights, and we’re glad you enjoyed the scenic drive as much as the stops along the way. Thanks again for the recommendation, and we’d love to have you join us again next time you’re in Cairns for another adventure off the beaten track!
We would highly recommend this day trip! You get to see so much of Cairns in just one day! We got to swim in 3 different incredible locations - one with a “water slide,” one with a waterfall, and one with a gorgeous relaxing lake. Our tour guides were also AMAZING - Jenna and Sacha - shared so much knowledge and history and were really fun to spend the day with. We could not recommend this trip enough - such a fun day!
Thanks so much for the glowing review! 🌿 We’re absolutely stoked to hear you had such a great day exploring Cairns with us. Being able to swim at three very different and stunning locations all in one day is what makes this trip so special, and it’s great to know you enjoyed every stop along the way. Jenna and Sacha will be wrapped to hear your kind words — they love sharing their local knowledge, stories, and a few laughs along the journey, so we’re thrilled that came through. Thanks again for the strong recommendation. We’d love to welcome you back for another adventure next time you’re in Cairns! 😊
We were very disappointed with this company. Our tour was cancelled at the last minute due to insufficient bookings. They offered a replacement that was only half the time and a shorter itinerary of the original tour. When I requested refund, they advised that it might not be guaranteed because I booked it through Viator. Overall, it was frustrating experience, and I would advise others to be cautious when booking with this operator.
Hi there Alan, Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re really sorry to hear about your disappointing experience — it’s definitely not the level of service we aim to provide. Unfortunately, on rare occasions tours don’t meet the minimum numbers required to operate, and we understand how frustrating it can be when plans change at the last minute. We offered the alternative option to minimise disruption to your day, but we completely understand it wasn’t the full experience you originally booked. Regarding the refund, bookings made through Viator do need to be processed via their system, but your refund should still be honoured according to their policies. We’re always happy to help follow up from our end if needed. We truly appreciate your feedback, and we’ll be using it to improve how we communicate and manage situations like this in the future.
Our Tour guide Wolf manage to inspires us. her way of explaining things to us made the Trip an experience that we will all remember for a long time.
G’day! Thanks so much for your wonderful feedback. We’re thrilled to hear that Wolf made such a lasting impression and helped create a truly memorable experience for you and your group. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to her – she’ll be glad to know she inspired you all. Hope to see you on another adventure soon!
