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Such a fantastic trip with great guide who was extremely knowledgeable. Saw 220 species of birds plus various marsupials and other mammals in the 10 days of the trip. Accommodation was basic but adequate on the trip. We added on some other places to the trip and Naturetrek sorted everything out for us fantastically... We even had a phone call from the local agent to ask if everything was OK.
A.G. South Yorkshire, Oct 18
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Birding in Queensland
Tour Code: AUS01Tropical Queensland is Australia’s ultimate wildlife destination. Spring runs from September to November and is one of the best times to visit! This 13-day holiday focuses on the rich birdlife and unusual nocturnal mammals of Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands, Daintree National Park and the Great Barrier Reef.
13 days
from
£7,595 (Inc flights)
£7,595 (Inc flights)
Land only price
from
£6,595
£6,595
Highlights
Tour Itinerary and Reports
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Summary
Tropical Queensland is Australia’s ultimate wildlife destination. Beginning in Cairns, we’ll enjoy the wealth of waterbirds in the mangrove-lined bay then take a boat trip out to Green Island and Michaelmas Cay on the Great Barrier Reef to enjoy corals, colourful fish and birdlife. Inland, we’ll explore the Atherton Tablelands, looking for endemic birds in the rainforest around the beautiful crater lakes of Barrine and Eacham, and spotlight for rarely seen mammals. We’ll explore the magnificent Daintree Rainforest on foot and by boat looking for birds such as Great-billed Heron and Papuan Frogmouth.
- Wompoo Fruit Dove, Atherton Scrubwren, Chowchilla & Victoria's Riflebird
- Visit the Great Barrier Reef
- Sooty, Bridled, Black-naped, Crested & Lesser Crested Terns
- Brown Boobies, Great & Lesser Frigatebirds, plus Common Noddy at Michaelmas Cay
- Duck-billed Platypus, tree-kangaroos, possums, pademelons & gliders
- Southern Cassowary possible at Daintree & Azure Kingfisher
- Stay in small, locally owned lodges
- Butterflies include Ulysses & Australia’s largest endemic species, Cairns Birdwing
- Led by a popular & expert Australian naturalist tour leader
Grading
Gentle birdwatching walks at most sites; all easy and optional.About the region
Our tour begins with an exploration of Trinity Inlet (near Cairns) and its mangrove-lined shores. Within the same region we also visit Michaelmas Cay, a National Park renowned as a nesting site for terns and noddies.
The Atherton Tableland is an area of upland dairy farming country broken by pockets of high altitude rainforest, deep volcanic lakes and wetlands. After three nights there, we move on to the Daintree area, including a visit to Cape Tribulation. The primeval forest here occupies only a tiny fraction of Australia, yet is home to a disproportionately high percentage of native mammals, birds and butterflies.
The tour ‘in a nutshell’
A 13-day holiday focusing on the rich bird life and unusual nocturnal mammals of Cairns, the Atherton Tablelands, Daintree National Park and the Great Barrier Reef.
What birds might I see?
The Michaelmas Cay area holds large numbers of breeding and resting seabirds. We’ll look for ground-nesting Sooty Terns, as well as Bridled, Black-naped, Crested and Lesser Crested Terns, plus smaller numbers of visiting Brown Boobies, Great and even Lesser Frigatebirds and the Common Noddy. The cay also attracts a variety of migrant waders.
As we travel north towards the Atherton Tableland, common species include Rainbow and Scaly-breasted Lorikeets, Emerald Doves and the elusive Wompoo Pigeon. Other possibilities include Little Shrike Thrush, Black Butcherbird, Large-billed Scrubwren, Victoria's Riflebird (one of Australia's birds-of-paradise), Lovely Fairy Wren, Macleay’s Honeyeater and Spotted Catbird.
At Daintree we’ll search for elusive species such as the Great-billed Heron, Papuan Frogmouth and Little Kingfisher, as well as many resident species such as the Darter, Little Pied Cormorant, Large-billed Gerygone, and Azure Kingfisher. A walk at the Jindalba section of the Daintree National Park offers a good opportunity of seeing the Southern Cassowary, providing there is a good quantity of fruit on the ground.
Anything else?
A chance to see some of the region’s unusual mammals including Musky Rat Kangaroo, Platypus, possums, pademelons and, with luck, Lumholtz’s Tree-Kangaroo.
We’ll enjoy a wonderful variety of flora, and the region has some truly beautiful butterflies such as the brilliant blue Ulysses and the Cairns Birdwing – Australia’s largest endemic butterfly species.
Outline Itinerary
Day 1/2
Depart London / in flight
Day 3
Cairns
Day 4
Michaelmas Cay
Day 5/7
Atherton Tableland
Day 8/9
Julatten
Day 10/11
Daintree National Park
Day 12
Depart Cairns
Day 13
Arrive London
What's Included?
- Flights
- Accommodation: All accommodation in a variety of comfortable hotels, lodges and chalets, all rooms with private facilities.
- Food: All included (except first lunch and dinner in Cairns)
Reviews
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Carol is one of the best leaders we have had. Most energetic and full of bird knowledge. I especially loved the places we stopped - the complete opposite of the 'costa del anywhere' rooms you get in the big hotels.
G.R. Cheshire -
Now that we're back in the UK again I'd just like to say a big big thank you for the arrangements that you made for us everything went very smoothly. The holiday more than fulfilled our expectations and we both want to go back again one day, once again many thanks
Anon.
Dates & Prices
2025
Departures
Availability
Cost
Sun 12th Oct – Fri 24th Oct
SPACES
£7,595
Flights:
Most Naturetrek tours include flight costs ex-UK. If flights are not included, we indicate that here.
Flights are included in the tour cost
Regional Departures:
On certain tours it is possible to depart from a regional airport (rather than London). If a regional departure is possible, we indicate that here.
Regional Departures are available. Call 01962733051
Land only cost:
The "Land Only" cost is the tour price you will pay if you choose to arrange your own flights/transport.
£6,595
Single Room Supplement:
Single Room Supplement.
£695
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Our bargain birdwatching tours suit keen birders who want an active, fast-paced birding holiday with a dedicated focus on searching for birds rather than on looking at the area’s other wildlife or cultural highlights.
We offer a wide selection of long-haul holidays to many destinations in South America, Africa, Asia, Australia and elsewhere.
What can I expect?
- An expert English-speaking local ornithologist leader
- Outstanding value for money
- Dawn-to-dusk birding with limited time for rest, relaxation and outside interests
- Enviable bird lists
- Focused searches for endemics and regional specialities
Who are these tours best suited to?
- Keen & active birders – whether expert or making their first visit to a country or continent
- People looking for an action-packed bird-focused tour
Where can I go?
Naturetrek's selection of birdwatching holidays includes many South and Central American countries including Bolivia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela and Panama.
In Africa our selection includes Malawi, Ethiopia and South Africa, while in India and Nepal we offer a choice of 17 bargain birdwatching tours! Here are a few more choices:
- Endemics of Western Australia
- Argentina's Mar Chiquita
- Birds of Brazils Atlantic rainforest
- Colombia – home to the world’s richest avifauna
- Sri Lanka’s endemic birds
Our specialist recommends...
"I’d recommend our ‘Nepal’ holiday visiting Chitwan National Park and Koshi Tappu Reserve, and ‘India – Bharatpur & Chambal’ within Asia. Try ‘Ecuador – Cock-of-the-rock’ for a superb introduction to Andean birding, while, if you want a bit of luxury, the accommodation we use on our ‘Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park’ tour is top class.”
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
Paul Stanbury - Operations Manager
All Bargain birdwatching Tours
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The majority of our wildlife tours focus primarily on birds, allowing us to offer a huge choice of bird holidays. On most of our birdwatching tours we aim to see a wide variety of species, while taking time to enjoy other wildlife as well as cultural highlights and architecture.
Naturetrek Birdwatching Tours
We have one of the largest selections of professionally organised, small group birdwatching holidays around the world and all of our birdwatching tours are accompanied by at least one professional ornithologist leader with detailed knowledge of the area.
The majority of our bird tours have a relaxed, flexible approach which allows more time for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, leisure time and the region’s people, culture, history and architecture, while allowing the group to see a wide range of bird species.
Here is a small selection of our many bird holidays:
- Southern Morocco – an exploration of the birdlife in Morocco’s southern deserts, oases and mountains
- The Camargue in Spring – a short break to enjoy the spring birds of the Rhône Delta and Camargue wetland
- Wallcreepers & Cranes in Northern Spain – a 2-centre holiday focusing on Lammergeier, Wallcreepers, raptors, Cranes, bustards, sandgrouse and more!
- Madeira & Desertas Islands – A Seabird Extravaganza! – a short break focusing on special breeding seabirds, including a night on the remote Destertas Islands
- Peru – Macaws & Machu Picchu – searches for boobies, macaws and Inca Terns
- Spain & Morocco: Birding on Two Continents! – watch the spectacular spring bird migration from both sides of the Straits of Gibraltar
Our Bargain Birdwatching Selection
Our Bargain Bird Tours are intensive birdwatching holidays suitable for the serious birder. They are led by expert English-speaking local guides (and not accompanied from the UK by a tour leader). You can expect a higher-paced tour and to spend long hours in the field.
Our specialist recommends...
"Try Coto Doñana & Extremadura for an excellent introduction to Europe's wetland and steppe birds. I would recommend our bargain holiday, 'Nepal – A Birdwatching Tour' for those interested in Siberian rarities and Ibisbill, while Costa Rica offers a chance to search for arguably the world's most beautiful bird, the Resplendent Quetzal."
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
Byron Palacios - Tour Leader
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Why Naturetrek?
At Naturetrek we craft expertly-guided group and tailor-made wildlife holidays and cruises to all seven continents. On one of our holidays, you can be assured that our passionate team will enable you to experience and enjoy the best of the world's wildlife and natural spectacles in as comfortable and rewarding a manner as possible, caring as best we can for the environment in the process. We are proud to provide:
- The widest choice of wildlife holidays worldwide
- Tours managed and led by naturalists, for naturalists
- Outstanding value and exceptional customer service
Furthermore, as a Naturetrek client, our office team are always to on hand to help you – so if you have any queries about your holiday, whether before or after you have booked, we will be delighted to answer them on the phone. Please just give our team a call!
