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A hand-crafted, six-night expedition through North Queensland outback— from rugged Mount Mulligan to the World Heritage Daintree Rainforest
Limited to strictly eight participants.
A six-night expedition in style, this voyage takes guests off the beaten path to some of North Queensland’s most iconic destinations—historic Mount Mulligan and the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Fully hosted by world-class guides whose passion for the region is interconnected with their roots, guests will have access to their encyclopaedic knowledge for full immersion into Queensland’s most striking landscapes.
This is an adventure for those seeking exploration with authentic cultural engagement. You’ll stay at accommodation that showcases Queensland’s dynamic environmental diversity—from rugged, eucalyptus dotted outback lodges to serene rainforest retreats nestled within some of the oldest botanical life in the world. Experience nature’s splendour across the Great Dividing Range, and venture to remote locales that most travellers will never experience. Combining the historic and natural with the contemporary and constructed, all led by passionate hosts, this is an unforgettable expedition into Australia’s Tropical North.
Your Personalised Odyssey
With your own family or friends
Designed with intimacy in mind and perfect for families or groups of friends, you’ll tour exclusively with seven of your nearest and dearest. Choosing your own group and travelling with familiar faces enables you to enjoy your journey from the very first moment.
In your own space
There’s no cattle class here. All locations, experiences, and transfers* are completely private. Privileged access and intimate experiences ensure your absolute safety and privacy, while still remaining authentic.
In your own time
Each day is adapted to your needs—forget scheduled departure times and by-the-numbers sightseeing. Spontaneity is welcomed, and your personal whims, wishes, and desires are shaped by your guide into truly one-of-a-kind experiences wherever you are.
With genuine characters
Meet hand-picked locals whose very roots are intertwined with the region. You’ll take a seat at the table with families whose passions span several generations, and a range of characters who will welcome you into their everyday lives with genuine enthusiasm.
With your own personal guide/s
Your personal guide is there to elevate your experience without intrusion from arrival to departure. Both in tune with the surrounding environment and your own needs, they’ll freely share their knowledge of and passion for each area to enhance your journey.
With luxury standard
We know the finest experiences. We’ve hand-picked the best available accommodation, and teamed it with the best local cuisine and beverages in each region to elevate every single moment.
*See Terms & Conditions.
Cate Harley
Your Guide & Host
Introducing Cate Harley: distinguished travel professional, history aficionado, heritage conservator, and previous owner of the Tyrconnell Gold Mine on Mount Mulligan Station.
Cathy Wharton
Your Guide & Host
Introducing Cathy Wharton: Founder of North West Safaris, guiding extraordinaire, passionate conservationist, and North Queensland local.
Mount Mulligan Lodge
Nestled in the shadow of its namesake, Mount Mulligan Lodge is a luxurious and intimate retreat sitting on a sprawling 28,000-hectare property. Located 150 kilometres north-west of Cairns, Mount Mulligan Lodge melts effortlessly into the rugged outback ecology. Early morning sunlight spreads across eucalyptus savannah at the base of this impressive sandstone mountain, and by night a dark canvas of stars untouched by light pollution blankets the Lodge.
Accommodating just sixteen exclusive guests of all ages, Mount Mulligan Lodge’s eight spacious eco-luxury retreats nestle into the Heritage-listed landscape, ensuring privacy and comfort. Mount Mulligan Lodge offers a wide range of activities from ATV riding around the station, barramundi fishing and paddle-boarding upon the eucalyptus-fringed weir, guided touring around the area, stargazing and much more, making this lodge perfect for those adventurous at heart and seeking a sustainable luxury experience.
Daintree Ecolodge
Daintree Ecolodge is folded into ancient rainforest, nestled upon the southern banks of the Daintree River. This sustainable and uplifting destination offers eco-friendly bayans (treehouses) looking over a rainforest canopy of Bull Kauri trees, and a lagoon strewn with lily pads. The lodge boasts a private waterfall and swimming hole, while modern facilities include a bar, restaurant, and dining area overlooking the lagoon where you’ll enjoy delicious meals created with locally grown produce. A multitude of stunning, quiet areas immersed in lush tropical rainforest make this destination the perfect place to unwind in sustainable and uplifting comfort.
Situated high in the rainforest canopy with premium views overlooking the lagoon and Julaymba Restaurant, your Lagoon Bayan accommodation ensures a relaxing rainforest escape and the perfect base from which to explore the region. Daintree Ecolodge is ideally situated between two of nature’s finest displays, where lush tropical rainforest meets white sand beaches and fringing coral reefs, making it the perfect place to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature.
Price is based on a minimum of 8 paying passengers, based on double occupancy and is valid for travel until 31 March 2021.
Minimum 8 passengers – $7,995.00 per person
The above costs are dependent on availability at the time of booking. Blackout dates and seasonal surcharges may apply and costs are subject to change.
Please consult your Travel Designer to check on full terms and conditions and availability.
*Terms and conditions apply.
- 7 day/6 night tour hosted throughout
- Transfer by private vehicle from Cairns to Mt. Mulligan
- 3 nights at Mt. Mulligan Lodge in an Outback Room including all meals and selected beverages
- Enjoy included activities such as guided tours of the goldfields, the historic Mount Mulligan coal mine and abandoned township, ATV adventures discovering the beauty of the region, wildlife spotting, guided nature walks, barramundi fishing in the weir and the chance to experience the day-to-day operations of a working cattle station (select dates apply).
- On Day 4 enjoy a full day tour including lunch from Mt. Mulligan en route to the Daintree in 2 x 4WD’s
- 3 nights at Daintree Ecolodge in a Lagoon Bayan including breakfast daily
- 2 full days private touring exploring the Daintree with Northwest Safaris
- Private Daintree River Wildlife and Crocodile Cruise
- Private lunch and tour at Botanical Ark hosted by the owners, Alan and Susan Carle
- Private full day tour of the Daintree with our guide and Aboriginal Elder Mooks, including lunch
- Dinner daily including selected beverages
- Private Transfer from Daintree Ecolodge to Cairns
- Fully hosted by professional guide
- Flights to and from Cairns
- Telephone calls
- All items of a personal nature
- Travel insurance
- Gratuities
- The tour will depart on a Sunday and finish with an airport transfer on the Saturday.
Gallery
Itinerary
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This morning at Cairns Airport, you’ll meet your guide who will be with you throughout your journey. Sit back and relax in your 4WD vehicle to begin the 150-kilometre voyage north-west of Cairns through morphing landscapes, from dense rainforest to open savannah as you head further into the outback. You’ll be greeted upon arrival by the soaring 18-kilometre Mount Mulligan escarpment, which will be the striking backdrop for your three nights at the Lodge.
You’ll be given time upon arrival to immerse yourself to the stunning environment and settle into your Outback Room. In the evening, you'll develop a taste for the dinner and drinks prepared on-site with seasonal, home-grown produce, while a canvas of brilliant starlight settles over you.
For the next two days, you’ll enjoy a daily curated Mount Mulligan experience. According to weather and personal preference, the Lodge has a diverse range of activities on offer, including guided tours of the abandoned coal mining township and historic Tyrconnell Gold Mine, wildlife spotting and outdoor adventures such as hikes around the southern face of Mount Mulligan, barramundi fishing in the weir, paddle-boarding, stargazing with a telescope, and exploring the station and beyond via personal ATV. With much more on offer, there are activities to suit everyone.
Both days are fully catered, with a flavoursome and everchanging menu incorporating home-grown produce and bush tucker. You can enjoy a gourmet picnic hamper for lunch, while each dinner is paired with selected beverages from the Lodge's cellar door, showcasing both local and internationally-acclaimed wines.
Transfer from Mount Mulligan to Daintree.
Say farewell to Mount Mulligan—today you’ll embark on an overland expedition up to the Daintree by 4WD. The ironbark and bloodwood landscapes will slowly fade as you pass through agricultural towns towards the Great Dividing Range. Balancing on the precipice of Queensland's rainfall divide, you'll emerge from open outback to descend into dense and lush green tropics. Today's journey will take you through three distinct environments in rapid succession, and truly showcase Australia’s immense environmental diversity.
Stop for lunch along the way at a local producer such as Skybury, where you may taste their spectacular homegrown coffee beans and papayas, and further explore the region's Gold Rush history with a visit to early explorer Mulligan’s grave at Mount Molloy. Upon arrival at Daintree Ecolodge in the late afternoon, you’ll settle in with dinner and drinks amidst the rainforest.
Your day begins with a scenic drive to the oldest continuously growing rainforest on earth—the World Heritage-protected Daintree. Led by Cathy, you’ll cruise silently through rainforest rivers on an informative and comfortable electric boat cruise that enables you to get up close and personal without harming the habitat. Keep your eye out for waterbirds, endemic frogs and snakes, and formidable saltwater crocodiles—from hatchlings to enormous dominant males.
In the late morning, you'll enjoy a visit to the world’s greatest collection of tropical ethno-botanical plants: The Botanical Ark. Nurtured for over 25 years by the Dr. Dolittle of rainforest fruits, Alan Carle and his wife Susan, this unique garden uncovers the link between plants and peoples with true conservationist and environmentalist ethos, revealing the everyday usage of over 3,000 species of tropical plants. Enjoy a home-cooked lunch featuring some of their own produce, and on the way back to your accommodation, enjoy spectacular views of where ancient rainforest and fringing reefs collide.
Today's journey will take you further into the World Heritage-listed Daintree Rainforest. Drive through cane fields, cross the Daintree River by cable ferry and head up to the Alexandra Ranges. You will see places of spectacular beauty, rugged mountains, deep gorges, and crystal-clear rivers and waterfalls.
Say yundu yalada (hello) to Aboriginal Elder Mooks of the Kuku Yalanji people. Alongside Cathy, he’ll guide you around the Daintree for the day, beginning with a traditional Welcome to Country before a full day of cultural education. Mooks’ knowledge of the area is profound, with incredible wisdom in both tracking and healing passed down through generations. You’ll traverse his ancestral land under his guidance, learn about bush tucker, and share some of his ancestral Aboriginal Dreamtime stories. A spectacular local produce lunch will be served deep in the forest.
Your journey will conclude with a special barbecue dinner amongst rainforest scenery, before your private transfer back to Cairns the following morning.
