Cairns To Karumba Across Cape York Bike Ride

Tour Unavailable:

This tour is no longer on our regular schedule, however, it is still offered as a private tour. Please Contact Us so we can help find dates that suit you.

BOOKING FEE

$500.00 incl. GST per person

Daily Overview

  • Day 1: Cairns to Yungaburra - 46km
  • Day 2: Yungaburra to Ravenshoe - 70km
  • Day 3: Ravenshoe towards Mt Surprise - 80km approx
  • Day 4: Mt Surprise via the Savannah Way - 88km approx
  • Day 5: Undara Volcanic National Park
  • Day 6: Mt Surprise to Georgetown - 94km
  • Day 7: Georgetown to Croydon – between 75 and 110km
  • Day 8: Croydon
  • Day 9: Croydon to Normanton - Gulflander Train
  • Day 10: Normanton to Karumba Point - 69km

Your 10-day Cairns to Karumba bike ride awaits

For a bucket-list cycling adventure you’ll never forget, don’t miss the chance to cycle across Australia’s iconic Cape York.

Perfect for those looking to escape the winter chill, this journey through Tropical North Queensland makes for an envy-inspiring Australian cycling holiday; one filled with diverse landscapes, intriguing wildlife, clean fresh air and endless blue skies.

From Cairns and the beautiful tropical coast, through wet and dry rainforest, across the savannah and over winding rivers, this cycle tour offers diverse and incomparable experiences at every turn.

Just think how satisfied you’ll feel after crossing the northern most tip of Australia. Each leg is carefully planned to be achievable for the average cyclist, and with small groups, delicious food and wine, comfy beds and a focus on safety, you’ll be in good hands with Mulga Bicycle Tours

This 10-day Cairns to Karumba bike ride is a slightly different variation of the 11-day Cairns to Karumba across Cape York bicycle tour

Read what Bike South Australia'sCycle! magazine wrote about this tour ...

What is included:

  • Accommodation in 3 or 4 star properties
  • All meals (except lunch and dinner on Day 8 in Croydon)
  • End of tour dinner
  • Guided tour of Undara Lava Tubes and Kalkani Crater
  • Gulflander train trip from Croydon to Normanton
  • Hot/cold drinks and snacks from the support vehicle
  • Daily photos to capture your memories
  • Support vehicles provided every day - ride as much or as little as you please
  • Custom built support trailer for careful and safe carriage of your bike and luggage
  • Luggage transfer between your accommodation
  • UHF radio link between yourself and the support vehicle
  • Mechanical assistance and support (limited spares)
  • Tour guides - the owners of Mulga Bicycle Tours are with you every day


Payment Methods:

Payments can be made via Visa, MasterCard or electronic funds transfer.

Highlights:

Cross Cape York and journey through stunning landscapes, from tropical rainforest to savannah grasslands. Tour the Undara Lava Tubes. Take a trip on the heritage-listed ‘Gulflander’. Cycle into Karumba and watch the sunset over the Gulf of Carpentaria

Start/finish locations:

Cairns, Qld; Karumba, Qld

Tour Grade:

Days 1 and 2: Grade 3 – (Includes long hill climbs with steady gradient)
Day 3 to tour conclusion: Grade 2

Find out how we grade our tours

Total distance:

550km cycling, plus 152km Gulflander train trip

Daily distances:

Average 70km.
Ranges from 46km to 94km per day with 3 non-riding days

Weather:

Use these links from the Bureau of Meteorology to gain an understanding of the weather at this time of the year.

Day 1 - Cairns
Day 2 - Atherton
Day 6 - Georgetown
Day 9 - Normanton

Bike Hire:

If you do not wish to bring your own bike, you can hire a standard pedal bike from us for $550 or an E-bike (limited numbers) for $900. Please select your desired "Bike Hire" option when completing the booking form. For more information on our hire bikes click here.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Answers to our most commonly asked questions can be found here - Multi day tours - FAQ

Included:

Accommodation; all meals except lunch and dinner on Day 8 (Croydon); continental breakfast on Day 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 & 10, cooked breakfast on other days; drinks and snacks from the tour support vehicle, tour guides, daily maps and itineraries; use of support vehicles as required; morning tour of the Undara Lava Tubes, Gulflander train trip from Croydon to Normanton

Excluded:

All drinks at dinner and alcoholic drinks at lunch; alcoholic drinks, food, beverages, and other personal items you purchase; room service and mini bar charges; telephone calls made from the telephone provided in your accommodation (see note on credit card pre-authorisation in Important Information); laundry costs; parts required to repair your personal bicycle and repairs to your personal bicycle undertaken by Mulga Bicycle Tours or in a third party’s bicycle shop.

Transfers:

Guests are responsible for transfers to and from the tour.

Transfer options from Karumba to Cairns are listed under Karumba Point in the itinerary.

Bike Boxes:

Due to limited space we are unable to carry bike boxes of any kind. If you are bringing your own bike please ensure that you have arrangements in place with your pre or post tour accommodation provider for the bike boxes storage whilst you are on tour.

Optional Extra

Return Transfer to Cairns with Mulga Bicycle Tours

Includes an extra night in Karumba (accommodation and breakfast), two-day drive to Cairns with overnight stop in Mt Surprise with dinner and breakfast. Departs Karumba on Sunday (day 12) arriving in Cairns on Monday between 5 and 6 pm. Cost: $354.50 per person twin share; $505.00 single. Select "Stay an extra day with transfer back to Cairns" when booking.

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Gordonvale to Yungaburra - Cycling Distance 46km

Today we leave Cairns behind and head west, up the iconic ‘Gillies’ climb that will take you to the Atherton Tablelands, famous for its gorgeous crater lakes, orchards, and tea and coffee plantations.

Gillies’ smooth bitumen winds through dense, ancient rainforest for 17 kilometres, but maintains a steady gradient and provides plenty of stunning views before emerging on the plateau. Yungaburra is a quaint old dairy town with lovely shops to browse and plenty of great places for coffee.

Accommodation

Day 2: Yungaburra to Ravenshoe - Cycling Distance 70km

This day is possibly the most challenging on the tour, with a tough climb over the range between Atherton and Herberton, prior to a well-deserved lunch stop and the chance to explore this historic mining village.

The road then winds through the rich pasture and orchards of the Tablelands (including a few hills!) before we arrive at Ravenshoe, Queensland’s highest town at 920 metres elevation.

Accommodation

  • Kool Moon Motel

Day 3: Ravenshoe towards Mt Surprise - Cycling Distance approx 80km

While we will be returning to Ravenshoe tonight, we’ll complete about half of the journey towards Mt Surprise today, then return to where we left off tomorrow. You’ll cycle past Innot Hot Springs, where water was once hauled by mule to Townsville for bottling and export to Europe, and Mt Garnet on the edge of the Tablelands.

Accommodation

  • Kool Moon Motel

Day 4: Mt Surprise via the Savannah Way - Cycling Distance approx 80km

Mt Surprise via the Savannah Way – approximately 80km

We’ll return to where we left off yesterday, on the Savannah Way. One of Australia’s best-known and most popular outback drives, the road links Cairns to Broome and crosses 15 National Parks and five World Heritage areas.

Today we’ll ride through the heart of cattle country, the sprawling savannah grasslands that support Queensland’s vital grazing industry. Here the bush opens up into fascinating patterns of red earth, rolling grasslands, and with those famous wide blue skies as our welcome cycling companion.

Accommodation

Day 5: Undara Volcanic National Park - Cycling Free Day

Today we’ll take a break from the bike and tour the Undara Volcanic National Park. We’ll walk around the rim of the Kalkani Crater, learn all about the area’s volcanic history and visit the famous Undara Lava Tubes. We’ll then return to the historic rail town of Mount Surprise for lunch and a free afternoon.

Accommodation

Day 6: Mt Surprise to Georgetown - Cycling Distance 94km

Today we’ll experience the spectacular scenery of the Newcastle Range, with its red earth, sparse gums, ancient hills and abundant birdlife, and enjoy the sensation of having it all to ourselves.

We’ll stop regularly under shady trees before arriving at the peaceful Etheridge River and the adjacent village of Georgetown. If time permits, we’ll explore one of Georgetown’s most fascinating attractions, the Ted Elliot Mineral Collection.

Accommodation

Day 7: Georgetown towards Croydon

There are 150 kilometres between Georgetown and Croydon, and we’ll be planning to cycle between 75km and 110km before uplifting the group in the support vehicles around 3:30pm to complete the journey into Croydon.

You’ll enjoy outback views, incredible birdlife, and that glorious blue sky. We’ll aim to cycle at least as far as the Gilbert River, about 75 kilometres, whose flow can vary from a tiny trickling stream in the dry season, to a vast raging torrent in the wet.

Accommodation

Day 8: Croydon - Cycling Free Day

Today we will take a break from cycling and explore the Croydon Heritage Precinct.

Croydon has preserved its incredible mining heritage and the area is overflowing with fascinating artefacts from the gold rush days, including the steam machinery that once powered the mines.

Accommodation

Day 9: Croydon to Normanton on the Gulflander Train (152km)

Otherwise known as the ‘Tin Hare’, the Gulflander is a heritage-listed rail line and one of the world’s ‘must-do’ rail trips.

Part transport, part tourism experience, the 152km trip takes just over five hours, with the train driver delivering fascinating commentary along the way. Our support vehicles will then meet you in Normanton for lunch at one of the iconic local pubs.

Accommodation

Day 10: Normanton to Karumba Point - Cycling Distance 69km

The final leg of our tour takes us from Normanton to Karumba. At our morning tea stop at Walker Creek you might start to notice the smell of salt air as we near the coast and the conclusion of the cycle tour.

Crossing through open grasslands (Brolga habitat) for the last 30km, we’ll finish with an undulating run into Karumba Point. Karumba Point is known for its unforgettable sunsets, which can be suitably admired from our superb beach front accommodation.

Accommodation

Karumba Point

Today your tour ends at checkout.

There are a few options for your return to Cairns:

If you choose to return to Cairns with Mulga Bicycle Tours you can use the extra day in Karumba to explore and enjoy the many local attractions, such as the 3.5km walking track from Karumba Point into Karumba, the 'Croc and Crab' tour, bird-watching and fishing tours, all of which take in gorgeous natural surrounds and make the most of Karumba’s unique Gulf environment.

If guests are unable to transport bikes back to Cairns via Rex or Trans North, Mulga can return bikes to Cairns via their two-day service. The bike transfer fee is $45.00 per bike.


For the perfect mid-winter escape, and an unforgettable experience to boot, what better adventure than to cross Cape York by bike. Book your spot on this tour now.

Accommodation