Cape York Helicopter Safaris

Description

You’ve not been on a safari until you’ve been on a Cape York Helicopters safari!
Cape York Helicopters is owned and operated by Dennis ‘Brazaka’ Wallace and his wife, Yvonne. Brazaka moved to Tropical North Queensland nearly 40 years ago and has been exploring the Cape York region ever since.
In 1989 the couple began their helicopter operation with a view to creating unique itineraries – on the ground and in the air – to help guests experience less accessible country. Today, they’ll help you explore amazing rainforest, sand dunes, beaches as well as wildlife such as crocodiles, dugongs and stingrays; scenic flights will also give you a taste for some the beautiful but remote islands in the Great Barrier Reef.
Whatever your passions, Cape York Helicopters can tailor an unforgettable journey.

Location: Tropical North Queensland

The Tropical North is bounded by the World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park in the north, the quaint cane-field villages in the south and the magnificent Coral Sea coastline abutting the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park to the east.
The region is home to Queensland’s two highest peaks – Mt Bartle Frere (1622m) and Mt Bellenden Ker (1593m) – and is rich with diverse scenery including mountains, beaches, tidal wetlands, freshwater lakes, mudflats, mangrove swamps, bays, rivers, estuaries, and rich coastal plains are the dominant features of this tropical environment.
Cairns is a thriving town (one of the fastest-growing in Australia) and a popular holiday destination. Nearby Port Douglas is one of Australia’s most fashionable resort destinations with five-star restaurants, art galleries and designer boutiques. It’s located at the end of a peninsula, benefitting from tranquil waters and famous Four Mile Beach.
The Great Barrier, the world’s largest reef system comprising nearly 3,000 individual reefs and 900 islands – it is also the planet’s biggest single living structure, formed by billions of tiny organisms known as coral polyps. It stretches for over 2,600km, covering approximately 350,000 square kilometres.
A large part of the reef is protected by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which helps to limit the impact of human use.

Suitable/best for

Couples
Families
Small Groups
Solo Travellers

Individual tour description

Extended multiple-day safaris can be tailored to suit your time restrictions, group size and interests. Below is a popular one-day itinerary departing from Port Douglas…

SUGGESTED 1 DAY HELI TOUR
Your full day tour begins at 8am, with an incredible helicopter flight north to Hope Vale, following spectacular coastline between rainforest and Great Barrier Reef.
On arrival, you’re met by Guurrbi Tours and driven to the outskirts of Hope Vale for the Rainbow Serpent Tour with Nugal-warra elder, Willie Gordon. Willie is passionate about his Aboriginal culture, much of his knowledge entrusted to him by his father. As a small boy Willie would accompany him on hunting trips, learning about the land, its bush tucker, bush medicines and stories. Today, Willie’s Aboriginal tours are recognised as amongst the best in Australia.
On the Rainbow Serpent Tour, Willie takes you through a dramatic landscape to six rock art sites, including the Rainbow Serpent Cave and an ancestral Birth Site where his father and grandfather were born. Here he explains the stories and meanings behind the art, giving you a unique insight into Aboriginal philosophy and spirituality. Along the way you’ll learn some of the traditional techniques of the Nugal-warra, which have ensured their survival for thousands of years.
From Hope Vale, transfer via helicopter to Cooktown for a leisurely lunch on the banks of the Endeavour River. Lunch is at Cooktown’s only licensed restaurant on the waterfront, Restaurant 1770, where you can enjoy freshly prepared meals with a strong focus on the local produce of the area, and delicious homemade desserts.
After lunch, you’re met by a local guide for a two-hour Historical Town Tour of Cooktown – once the second-largest town and port in Queensland. Hear about how Captain Cook and his crew came to spend seven seeks here in 1770 after the Endeavour ran aground on surrounding reefs.
Return to the awaiting helicopter for the final highlight of the day, a meandering flight back to Port Douglas, returning to your accommodation late in the afternoon.