The 11 best tours and experiences in Cairns to book in 2022

The 11 best tours and experiences in Cairns to book in 2022

A useful travel resource with the best Cairns tours and experiences to book during your next trip to the tropical north!

Cairns is considered Australia's tropical adventure capital! There are so many epic adventures to be had up here, from exploring the wonder of the Great Barrier Reef to hiking the Daintree; the oldest surviving rainforest on earth.

In this guide I will outline the absolute best experiences and tours to book in Cairns so you can plan your visit to this incredible piece of Australia. I've listed the following Cairns tours based on my personal experiences during my time in Tropical North Queensland so you can form an unbiased opinion!

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The best Cairns tours in 2022

Guess what? Traveling is back in style and Cairns is one of the best places in the world for a tropical getaway!

I have divided this article into two sections. The first includes the 7 best organized day tours from Cairns and the second section includes 4 half-day activities.

However, before we get into the list of epic tours in Cairns, you might want to check out some of my other guides. Below are a few more lists that should prove helpful for your travels!

• Ultimativer Leitfaden: Aktivitäten in Cairns
• Unterkunft: Wo übernachten
• Beste Wanderungen: Vollständiger Wanderführer
• Beste Inseln: 8 beste Inseln
• Ehrfürchtige Wasserfälle: Cairns Wasserfall-Führer

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The best Cairns day tours and full day experiences

There are so many epic tours and Cairns experiences worth booking. In this section, I highlight the best day tours that cover full-day activities and highlights in Cairns.

There is a link to each tour using the same booking website I have used on each of my trips. In this way, I save you the hassle of price comparisons and guarantee you the best prices for your bookings.

1. Self-Guided Kuranda Day Tour from Cairns

This Kuranda day tour from Cairns combines two of the region's top attractions. the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and the Kuranda Scenic Rail.

This trip is a self-guided tour, meaning you can enjoy the rainforest and all the amazing things to do in Kuranda at your own pace. This Cairns tour includes:

• Skyrail-Ticket
• Scenic Rail-Ticket
• Abholung und Rücktransfer zu Ihrem Hotel

Book the best price online: Self-Guided Kuranda Day Trip, Scenic Rail & Skyrail

Read more: Skyrail Rainforest Cableway Experience

Alternatively, if you just want to take the Scenic Rail, you can book a discounted ticket worth $50 via Klook.
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2. Premium catamaran cruise to the Great Barrier Reef

Did you know that Cairns is considered the best place in Australia to visit the Great Barrier Reef? This is because it has the largest reef fleet terminal and is much closer to the outer reef than other parts of Queensland.

If you're looking for the best reef tour in Cairns for a full day of snorkeling, I've got you covered. This tour takes you to the reef in style aboard a luxury catamaran! Somehow this is also one of the cheapest reef tours in Cairns! No wonder it's so popular.

This trip visits two reefs and includes lunch, snacks, drinks, and all the snorkeling equipment you need.

Check the best price online: Great Barrier Reef Excursion
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See also: Trip to the Great Barrier Reef – Dive Master Blog Review

3. Day trip to Fitzroy Island

Fitzroy Island is one of the closest islands to Cairns and a day tour to Fitzroy is definitely something to add to your visit to Cairns.

The full-day adventure ticket includes the fastest catamaran ferry ticket that gets you to the island in just under 45 minutes! There are so many highlights on Fitzroy, one of my favorite tropical islands in Australia. Check out Nudie Beach, climb to the highest point on the island for sunset, and snorkel with turtles right off the beach!

You can also rent snorkeling equipment and book a glass bottom boat experience through the same company.

Book the best price online: Full-Day Fitzroy Island Adventure

Read more: Fitzroy Island Guide
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4. Daintree Day Tour from Cairns

The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest is the oldest surviving rainforest on earth. It is home to tropical plants and an abundance of wildlife found nowhere else on Earth!

A visit to the Daintree is a must when in Cairns. If you are short on time and looking for a Cairns tour to book for a full day adventure, I recommend traveling with Cairns Adventure Group.

This journey begins early in Cairns and takes visitors up to Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef. You'll also stop at Mossman Gorge, take a crocodile-watching trip down the Daintree River, and cool off in the freshwater swimming holes of Cape Tribulation.

Secure your spot online: Daintree, Mossman Gorge & Cape Trib From Cairns
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Related: 7 Best Bookable Experiences in Cape Tribulation

5. Green Island Cairns Tour

Green Island is the second island worth visiting during your trip to Cairns. This is slightly shallower than Fitzroy Island, but has a wider reef. Boats depart daily from Cairns to Green Island and reach there in around 45 minutes.

Once you arrive, you can snorkel the reef, explore the interior of the rainforest island, or book an optional glass bottom boat tour!

Book the best price: Green Island Day Trip

Read more: Green Island, Cairns – 7 things to see and do
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6. Atherton Tablelands Waterfall Tour

Did you know that most of the epic waterfalls and hikes you would have seen pictures of are actually found in the Tablelands? This often neglected region near Cairns is, in my opinion, much better for raw adventure!

If you're looking for Cairns tours that include waterfalls and swimming spots like the iconic Josephine Falls and the Millaa Millaa Waterfall Circuit, then be sure to check out the link to this Atherton Tablelands tour from Cairns.

Read more: 25 great things to do in the Atherton Tablelands

Book the best price: Atherton Tablelands Trip from Cairns (Waterfalls)
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7: Day trip to the Frankland Islands

If I had to choose the absolute best Great Barrier Reef island day tour from Cairns, I would choose the Frankland Islands.

That's because this beautiful archipelago south of Cairns has by far the healthiest and most pristine coral reef of all the others. There is only one company offering tours to the Frankland Islands from Cairns and they have been doing so for 50 years!

This full-day island tour includes a bus transfer from Cairns to the Mulgrave River ferry. Here, visitors embark on a 30-minute scenic river cruise before heading through the Heads to the Frankland Islands. This day tour is all-inclusive, meaning: h. You'll get access to snorkel gear, kayaks, SUPs and receive morning tea, lunch and dinner!
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The best half-day tours from Cairns

Looking for epic tours in Cairns that you can squeeze into a morning or afternoon? In my opinion, these last experiences are a must and definitely worth a visit!

1. Scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns

The true wonder and scale of the Great Barrier Reef can only truly be appreciated from the sky! Luckily, there is a quick 30-minute scenic flight from Cairns that offers the opportunity to experience this global treasure on a quick morning or afternoon trip from Cairns!

If I'm honest, this was probably my favorite experience in Cairns and one that I would recommend to anyone visiting. The flights are surprisingly affordable and yet you would simply never regret this once-in-a-lifetime experience!

Book the best price: scenic flight over the Great Barrier Reef

Read about my experience: Flying to the Great Barrier Reef from Cairns
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2. Sunrise Hot Air Balloon Ride from Cairns

Another epic and unmissable experience you can book from Cairns is a sunrise hot air balloon ride! These excursions start nice and early and include hotel pickup to take you to the picturesque Tablelands in time for a sunrise!

Another epic must-do, this experience will have you back in Cairns by 10am!

Book the best price online: Hot Air Ballooning Cairns

Read about my trip: Hot Air Balloon Cairns
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3. Crocodile watching tour on the Daintree River

Cairns and the tropical north are home to the world's largest crocodile species; the saltwater crocodile!

These guys inhabit the waters around Cairns, meaning you need to be careful where you swim! They are usually quite difficult to spot! However, if you get the idea of ​​seeing a broad crocodile, the best place for it is the Daintree River.

The best crocodile tour in Cairns is operated by Solar Whisper, an electric boat tour that allows visitors to get closer to the crocodiles without disturbing them in their natural environment. Of course you have to drive up the Great Barrier Reef Drive to the Daintree River, but who's complaining about that?

Book: Solar Whisper Croc Tour ($30)

Review: (Review) Best Daintree Crocodile Trip
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4. Barron Gorge White Water Rafting (Half Day Tour)

The final half-day tour on this list of epic bookable experiences in Cairns is a whitewater rafting trip on the Barron River.

This tour is a 2-hour experience conducted by professional rafting guides. Barron Gorge is also one of the most scenic locations near Cairns, meaning this is always an unforgettable whitewater rafting experience!

Read more: Whitewater Rafting Cairns (Barron River)

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More Far North Queensland travel and adventure blogs

That concludes this guide to the best tours and experiences in Cairns worth booking! There were a few that missed out on the top 11, but that just goes to show how many epic adventures there are to be had in tropical north Queensland.

For more travel ideas or adventure inspiration for solo or independent travel, check out some of my many other guides to Cairns and the surrounding region below.

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