Your accredited guide will take you on a scenic tour of Kuranda the quaint village nestled amongst the Rainforest. Arriving at Barron Gorge National Park we stop to enjoy a rainforest walk. Your guide will share the cultural history, flora and fauna and wildlife of this area as you walk through the tropical rainforest canopy walk to view from both platforms the spectacular Barron Falls.
Leaving the Rainforest for the savannah we drive through Mareeba township and stop for morning tea and first tastings at Skybury Coffee and Papaya Plantation. Enjoy fresh scones with papaya jam and cream, Skybury coffee and a selection of papaya and lime. Opportunity to wonder through the retail outlet to purchase produce and watch a virtual tour on the plantation.
A venture out to Granite Gorge for the opportunity of wildlife encounters as your experienced guide will take you on a short trek for the opportunity to encounter rare unadorned wallabies endemic to Granite Gorge. Observe and learn about these adorable wallabies in their natural environment, admire the vast landscapes of surrounding views, the array of birdlife and lizards on this fascinating exploration.
Arriving at Mt Uncle for tastings of award winning premium spirits and liquors. Your host will welcome you and introduce the range of liquors and spirits giving a choice of experiencing 4 tastings. Learn the history of the distillery, explore the landscaped gardens and see some of their farm animals.
Continuing west of the Tablelands passing the rich agriculture lands your guide will share the geology of history and knowledge of this magnificent region. Arriving at Gallos Dairyland, one of the last few operating Dairy Farms in Far North Queensland. We stop for lunch and enjoy tastings of gourmet cheeses and chocolates produced directly from the farm.
While visiting the Curtain Fig National Park you will be fascinated to learn of the history of this fascinating Curtain Fig Tree. Estimated to be over 500 years old there is a elevated board walk that takes you around the tree to view every angle. It has areal roots stemming 15 m to the forest floor. It is a popular habitat for many birds and wildlife.
We visit Bromfield Swamp viewing platform a historic site where troops where stationed in WW2. This extinct volcanic crater is a nationally important wetland for its paleoenvironmental studies for vegetation and climate changes over millennia and as a wintering roost for numbers of Australia's two species of Crane.
On our way to Millaa Millaa Falls we drive through the scenic landscape of country surrounded by mountain ranges and lush green paddocks and through the historic town of Malanda. Passing Queensland's largest timber pub, the oldest operational picture theatre while learning the rich history and culture of this town.
Viewing this stunning waterfall you may wish to enjoy a swim and photo under the falls. One of Australia's most photographed waterfall for its cascading water falling into a plunge pool surrounded by lush rainforest.
A popular volcanic lake for its fresh clear water for swimming, lush rainforest surrounding, birdlife and wildlife. We stop here for afternoon tea with the chance for a swim or walk along the board walk to spot some birdlife or wildlife.
Stopping at Lake Barrine the larges volcanic crater lake in the area. It sits approximately 730m above sea level and the lakes depth is 65m. Surrounded by dense rainforest home to an array of birdlife and wildlife, we walk a short distance along the board walk to view the twin bull Kauri Pines. Taking in the beautiful afternoon sun across the lake is the perfect end to a perfect day!
Long day but saw, tasted and experienced a lot. Entertaining and informative guide (Chris) and we saw different landscapes, huge variety of agriculture - very interesting to see. Foods were interesting and tasty, although we'd had enough by the end. Most impressed by small production and tasting in a very nice house; then shop. Worth doing.
I know how hard it is to decide on which tour to pick. This is the one you need to choose. It’s a small group tour, and by the end of it you truly feel like you’ve gained a friend in the host. Simon was fantastic and deeply passionate about what he does. Whenever we are back in Cairns, I will definitely be seeking out tours operated by Simon and his company.
It was a great tour. We covered many places of interest in the Tablelands. The tour guide was very informative and made you feel comfortable. The day flowed beautifully and would recommend to everyone to see and experience seeing these places. Great Job to the tour guide. I would do this tour again.
The tour covered a wide area with lots of variety. The people at the coffee plantation and the distillery were so welcoming and friendly. Needed longer at both places. Both interesting stops. Natural features of the tour included highlights such as the curtain fig tree, the swamp and kauri trees. Unfortunately the waterfall was closed. Some great views from different lookouts. Overall a good tour.
The learnings that I gained on this tour will sit with my soul for a very long time. Simon so generously teaches what he knows about the Atherton Tablelands area not just from an intellectual level but also from a deep spiritual level. He shares his deep knowledge and respect for the land, learned from living with and listening to Aboriginal communities. Gaining some understanding about the connection that Aboriginal nations in this area have with the magnificent trees such as the Cathedral figs within the rainforest was mind blowing. This tour helped me connect more with the deep teachings of this beautiful land and my culture. The diversity of this tour which Simon and Renee have created is truly remarkable and I cannot recommend it highly enough!!! Lynne from Wentworthville (Western Sydney) 🥰🌺☮️🌀
Booking at least one tour with Simon and Renae is an absolute must when in Cairns, and that is an understatement of the exceptional experience we had. Simon was immediately accommodating for my partner and I based on our preferences, and incredibly knowledgeable of wildlife (dare I say how lucky we got with two platypus sightings!). His passion is evident and infectious, and he ensured we were comfortable throughout the day. It was a blessing to have gone on such a side quest adventure through this company - cannot recommend it enough.
We enjoyed every minute of the trip. It was great to get to see sites and out guide was excellent.
We highly recommend Simon and the team at Tropic Tours! We went on the Taste of the Tablelands tour with Simon and enjoyed it so much that we immediately booked another tour later that same week to Paronella Park—and it was just as amazing. The Taste of the Tablelands tour was an unforgettable experience. From feeding wallabies and spotting kangaroos and native birds in the wild, to visiting the stunning crater lakes, every stop was incredible. Simon shared so much fascinating information about the wildlife, landscape, and cultural history of the region, which made the experience even more meaningful. Simon is knowledgeable, friendly, and passionate about what he does, and his enthusiasm made the entire day fun and engaging. Our trip to Australia would not have been the same without Simon. If you’re visiting the Cairns region, we can’t recommend Tropic Tours highly enough
We spent our 38th wedding anniversary on the tablelands tour. We had an amazing day. Went to stunning places and ate lots of beautiful food. Simon our tour guide was fun and knowledgeable. The Mareeba Rock wallabies we fed were very special. Great memories.
Everything about the day was excellent. The Day provided me with a wonderful understanding of the importance of the Atherton Tableland as a food bowl. And this was reinforced by the tasting experiences as a part of the day….Coffee at the Coffee Plantation, the excellent Pink Papaya for morning tea (as my substitute for glutinous scones), the fantastic Cheese Tasting at the Dairy and then an excellent gluten free sandwich, the spirit tasting at the Distillery and being able to discuss the produce and processes with the distiller, and then the yummy home cooked cake for afternoon tea. Thank You for a Memorable Day. John WORLDON
Taste of the Tablelands If you only have one day for the Tablelands do not go past this tour - combining rainforests, savannah, volcanic plains and lakes and food and coffee tastings. Simon and Renae are wonderful hosts full of hospitality and information. This tour was so full of variety and diversification is is difficult to find a highlight. What struck us was Simon's phenomenal knowledge of the landscape and environment and the welcome he received from all the venues we visited. This tour company is obviously held in very high reqard throughout the Cairns area. Tastings were well spaced, plenty of time allowed for each stop and lots humour and fun along the way. Granite Gorge was awesome, the opportunity to interact with the little Rock Wallabies without causing any distress or interference to them was amazing and the walk through the gorge itself was just awe inspiring. All in all one of the most enjoyable days we had in Cairns.
Simon and Carl of tropical tours definitely lived up to the company’s reputation. Our tour taste of the table lands was everything we could ask for. First I walk with a cane and found the van very easy to navigate. Simon and Carl were both very kind to make sure I could enjoy each stop. Next Simon is incredibly knowledgeable about the local geology, history and flora/fauna. He is happy to answer any questions. Not to be discounted is the wonderful food we enjoyed. Home baked cakes, wonderful coffee, spirits, cheese, chocolate and lunch were delicious. A special thank you to Skybury plantation who opened on a holiday and made us welcome. I highly recommend the coffee and the location is a beautiful setting. We had a wonderful day and learned so much. I cannot recommend this tour or company highly enough
We've done several tours with Tropic Tours now, and will always engage them when we're visiting Cairns in the future. Simon was our driver and tour guide, with Renae handling the admin and background for their small group tours. We've done Paronalla Park, A Taste of the Tablelands, Mossman Gorge & Daintree, & The Cassowary Coast, over two visits to Cairns. Simon keeps you entertained and informed the whole time, and all of the tours are very complex, and diverse. He has a vast array of knowledge on all the areas we visited, and managed to answer all the questions I had, including those that were completely off topic. We had a great experience with Tropic Tours, and the small group tour bus suited us down to the ground. We would highly recommend Tropic Tours for anyone wanting to do a small group tour.
This is an amazing Tour. Simon and JJ gave us the time of our life! With great sight seeing and some of the most beautiful places, coffee and coffee tasting, cheese tasting, a beautiful lunch at a dairy, CHOCOLATES and afternoon tea! We even visited a distillery for spirts and tasting local gins and rums. Does it get any better?? This was a small group tour with just 8 of us. It made it almost one on one and we gained a lot of knowledge of the area. If you have a day to spend relaxing, eating and taking photos of incredible venues, you have to take this tour.
This is a long day with fantastic food & spirits stops. This tour includes everything we expected and more. Simon & JJ are very knowledgeable, professional & entertaining. This is one of the best tour we have booked in a long time. We enjoyed all of the nature walks. The table lands has so much to offer. Totally different than Cairns. The diversity of the different parks and waterfalls are amazing. We would definitely book a tour with them again when we are back in Cairns. Everything was top quality. If you want to experience a terrific day this one is for you!
I had no idea there was so much more to do from Cairns than the Barrier Reef! This tour should be on everybody’s bucket list when in Cairns. The guides had incredible depth of knowledge of the history, flora, fauna, geology, and super places to get a taste of local food and drink. I already want to do this again when I get back to Cairns again!
Excellent full-day tour with Simon and trainee, JJ. Both were extremely informative, personable, and professional. And the cake provided by Renee was fabulous! 🇺🇸
Small group tour to 10 spots outside of Cairns Saw waterfalls, craters, rainforest and wallabies! Simon was a great host!
We have been to Cairns many times before and embarked on many day tours. This tour by Tropic Tours and hosted by Simon was a wonderful experience. I totally recommend this tour for the first time traveller to Cairns. Not only do you get to taste some amazing food and spirits, you get an overall impression of what this area has to offer. From amazing coffee to hand feeding wallabies, from cheese tasting to visiting picture perfect falls and beautiful landscapes. Simon was extremely knowledgeable, a great communicator and happy to assist if needed. All in all a great experience, we would not hesitate to use this company again. Thank you Simon for a lovely day.
We spent the day today with Simon on the Taste of the Tablelands tour. This tour definitely delivers! Between the beautiful sights (waterfalls, volcanic lakes, fig apron tree & beautiful scenic views), yummy food and drinks (coffee,scones, fresh mango, cheese platter, lunch choice - I had quiche & liquor tasting) and holding snakes and lizards & my favorite- feeding a wallaby- it was a full, fun and informative day! We had beautiful weather and were even given the option of swimming under the falls. We are very inquisitive people and Simon was very knowledgeable and answered all of our questions. The van is comfy and the whole day was very enjoyable and low stress. I highly recommend this tour and this tour company!
This experience, named "Taste of the Tablelands," was not merely a taste, but a FEAST for the senses. Yes, you will get a flavor of local produce, but also get to know the expansive vistas, natural beauty, history, geology, and ecology of this unique and diverse region. Our guide, Simon (who runs the outfit as a husband-wife team), brought us along a well-paced journey which perfectly balanced local foods and spirits, all the "bucket list" must-see stops, and hidden gems off the beaten path. The itinerary was more than generous, yet did not feel rushed at all, thanks largely to Simon's encyclopedic knowledge and expert narration, more comparable to a passionate ambassador than a tour guide. Over the course of the day, we traveled the full north-south extent of the Tablelands, through dry savannah, productive farmland, extinct volcanoes, and several kinds of rainforest, from sea level to over 1000 meters then back again. Choose this tour for both its breadth and its depth -- why settle for less when you can have it all?
The scenery was amazing, we went to so many beautiful places we wouldn’t have even known about without Simon! He and his partner went out of their way to accommodate us after only booking the afternoon before. The food was delicious, as were the drinks, and we were never driving for too long or moving along too quickly. We all agreed it was one of the most memorable days of our trip so far, up against the reef and a wedding!
Amazing day out with Simon. Wide variety of food and nature spots complimented by knowledgeable commentary and a good chat the whole day through. Would definitely try tropic tours again and recommend this day
Explore and immerse yourself into an unforgettable experience with Simon. He will guide you deep into country, offering from his heart as a local, insights into ecological awareness to our rainforests, wildlife, and some incredible dreamtime stories visiting places of spiritual significance. Simon is an excellent steward of FNQ experiences, which will awaken your senses to a world unseen in the Taste of Tablelands tour. When I return for my next holiday, I'll definitely be booking into the other tours with him. Thank you, Simon & Renae, Mum & I had a sensational day out with you and our small group. Cheers, Marie & Bernadette
The trip was wonderful. Simon was a great guide and we saw parts of the Atherton Tablelands we had never been to before. The morning and afternoon teas were great. The lunch at Gallo's was very nice and the tastings of the cheeses and chocolates are a bonus. The absolute outstanding experience of the day was feeding the little rock wallabies at the Granite Gorge Nature Park.
Great day, full of history, wildlife and beautiful sites. Simon was a great guide and definitely made the day magical. This is so much better than the large group tour as he provides so much information and his personal love of nature, history, and animals truly shows and makes it that much more special.
Our tour guide, Simon, was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, helpful, and efficient. We covered about 350 km and stopped at 10 places at least in this one day trip. We saw numerous communities, waterfalls, lakes, fascinating animals, plants, and outcrops of rock, and tasted native coffees, hard liquors, cheeses, and had lunch: it was a thorough review of the tablelands.
We were picked up at our accommodation by Simon and after picking up a few others we were off on one of the most enjoyable and informative days we have experienced. Our guide/driver took us to so many areas in this expansive area from tropical rainforests to Savannah areas within the vast tableland area. Geological, agricultural and historical locations were visited and the produce of the area sampled many times. It is a long day but time flew and we feel much more knowledgeable about so many topics. Unique animals could be fed in the wild, special wine/spirits tasted and foods eaten. Ample opportunity to take photos of such exciting spots. Simon and his wife, Renae have a small but very specialised business that offers a wonderful experience.
This tour was amazing, showcasing the diversity of the Tablelands. It included sampling food and drinks from a local boutique distillery, a dairy and a coffee and papaya producer. All were delicious. We interacted with local wildlife in their natural environment and experienced how diverse the environment is. This included visiting gorgeous waterfalls, lakes, giant strangler figs and driving through the Savannah and rainforest. Our guide Simon knew so much about the area and was fun to travel with on this personalised small group tour. It really was a taste of all the aspects of the Tablelands and I highly recommend it.
Awesome tour! Simon was a very knowledgeable tour guide! Enjoyed the drive and scenery and the visits to the lakes, distillery, waterfalls, an all round great experience! We would recommend this to everyone!! PS: The homemade tea goodies were fantastic! Thanks
Simon was an amazing guide and host for a fabulous day tour of the wet tropic region of northern Queensland. He picked us up at 7:30 am at our AirBNB 20 minutes north of Cairns and dropped us back off at the door just before 6:00pm. In between we covered more than 350 kilometers of the most diverse landscape we've ever visited. We had 10 stops including two different types of tropical rainforests, two amazing waterfalls, three really cool volcanic craters, two visits to incredible "wow" trees, and a visit to granite gorge where we got to handle snakes and exotic birds and attempt to hand feed rare (and super cute) rock wallabies. There had been an epic thunderstorm the evening before our tour and the rock wallabies were traumatized by the storm and not eating while we were there. Hopefully they recover. We did get to see them from close enough to pet them but we tried to be respectful and give them their space. The storm had also closed roads at multiple points on the tour route so Simon had to do the tour in reverse (and he didn't miss a beat). The only causality of the storm was the coffee plantation we were supposed to visit was closed because their power was out. Instead Simon brought us to a creamery for delicious hand scooped ice cream. I thoroughly enjoyed the spirit tasting at Mt. Uncle Distillery and recommend the Australian Brushfire gin which had a gorgeously smokey aroma and a shockingly silky smooth finish. My wife like the Ooray plum Gin. Australians are pretty strict about underage drinking so while we had our spirit tasting Simon took our three kids to see the animals at the farm and collect peacock feathers. Simon was a kind, patient, and fascinating guide throughout the day as he gave us information on History, Geology, Biology, Indigenous culture and Myth, Australian sports and north Queensland tourist recommendations. He was great with us and with our three kids (ages 11, 8, and 4). There were a total of seven of us on the tour and the van had four empty seats so the tour is always a small group and very personal. We highly recommend it to anyone visiting Cairns.
We had a wonderful full day exploring the Atherton Tablelands with Simon. He is an extremely knowledgeable and informative tour guide who obviously loves what he does and where he lives. He had to make some last minutes changes to the order of itinerary due to some weather but had plans ready to go “just in case”. Our transport was clean and comfortable, he provided some homemade goodies for morning tea and took us to a lovely place for lunch, cheese and chocolate tasting. Totally loved our day.
Simon is an excellent tour guide. Extremely knowledgeable in so many realms. He knows the history, geology, points of interest, flora and fauna, of everywhere he takes you. He is also respectful and knowledgeable of the indigenous community that inhabited the lands he tours. Simon and Renee have laid out a wonderful itinerary that literally has something for everyone. And more likely you will enjoy it all! I know we did! - Dave and Kirsten from Vermont, USA
Our guide was Simon ( co owner with his wife Renae). The tour covered a lot, in fact we covered 350km in the day. But we NEVER felt rushed and at the conclusion of the day it was hard to believe we had seen SO much and did not feel at all tired. Simon picked us up from our hotel. From there we rode in a very spacious Toyota van to Skybury coffee for coffee and (red) papaya tastings. Delicious. Next we travelled to Granite Gorge . Simon knew exactly where the rare rock wallabies would be - we hand feed them. This was a huge HIGHLIGHT for us. An amazing experience. Following this, a spirit tasting at Mt. Uncle Distillery- very unusual and spectacular tasting libations. Millaa Millaa Falls was beautiful and a must see. Another WOW moment was seeing the Curtain Fig Tree - the inspiration for James Cameron and the home tree of the natives in Avatar. Afternoon tea at Lake Eacham with homemade biscotti (Simon is also a chef). There were lots of other stops but these were our absolute favorites. The Taste of the Tablelands was BY FAR the best tour we took in Cairns ( and we participated in five tours). Simon was a wealth of knowledge and seemed to know just about everything there was to know about The Tablelands. Simon and this tour are a MUST DO while in the Cairns area.
The tour operator was Simon from Tropic Tours. We tasted different coffees and liquors. We had a wonderful lunch. We got to see and feed wallabies, swam in the rain forest and saw the waterfall. Tour was excellently paced.
A very relaxed guided tour across some of the rainforest and tablelands of QL. Simon is incredibly knowledgeable and will provide a tour to some beautiful sights including the curtain fig. The Barron falls and the Milee milee falls. He’ll take you coffee tasting, to a gin distillery. He’ll take you to a beautiful dairy farm where you try home produced cheeses and chocolates. And delicious lunch all made with home produced products. He’ll take you to hand feed wild rock Wallabies. It really was the most magical day. Finishing off at a beautiful lake drinking tea and made cakes. Simon is friendly and knowledgeable and he’ll try his best to provide the best day out. The tours only run with 2-11 people so you get a really nice relaxed personable experience.
Highly recommend Tropic Tours. Simon is an incredible tour guide with perfect knowledge and a massive love of what he does.
From booking to the end of the trip... super super super. Everything was well organized, friendly, informative, something very special... Simon and Renae are a great team and the end result (tour) is fantastic. Including homemade cake and tea/coffee/cocoa in the afternoon at the lovingly laid table. And the information is always relevant. When you get out of the car, Simon has his umbrella ready if you need it. He magically brought the sun to my face in the rainforest when it was raining. Simon, you are an excellent guide. Thank you both. 100% recommendation. I am a guide myself and can differentiate very well... and I am a critical tourist myself. You two are doing a wonderful job. I have already booked the next tour and am really looking forward to it. Best wishes
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