Cairns to Karumba across Cape York

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: $382.50 per person twin share; $566.00 single. Select "Stay an extra day with transfer back to Cairns" when booking.

Tour Itinerary

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.

Note: As the highway leading out of Cairns is getting busier each year, we will start our ride from Gordonvale - a rural centre on the outskirts of the Cairns metropolitan area. Transport from our meeting point in Cairns will be provided.

Accommodation

• Eden House Retreat

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

While we will be returning to Ravenshoe tonight, we’ll complete about half of the journey towards Undara 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.

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.

As the road to Undara descends off the Tablelands, you’ll see where this famous road gets its name. Touring into savannah country today, the bush opens into patterns of red earth, rolling grassland and wide blue skies.

Tonight we’ll rest our heads in restored turn-of-the-century railway carriages nestled in the bush at Undara Experience.

This morning We’ll learn all about the area’s volcanic history on a tour of the famous Undara Lava Tubes. After an early lunch, we’ll ride through the heart of cattle country, the sprawling savannah grasslands that support Queensland’s vital grazing industry.

While cattle may populate the earth, there’s a high chance we’ll see plenty of native birdlife in the skies as the Georgetown-Mount Garnet Road skirts alongside the Elizabeth and Whitewater Creeks.

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

• Latara Motel

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

• Ensuite cabins at Croydon Caravan Park

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

• Ensuite cabins at Croydon Caravan Park

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.

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

• Gone Fishin' Holiday Units

Today your tour ends at checkout.

There are a few options for your return 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 accommodation, dinner and breakfast. Departs Karumba on Sunday, Day 12, arriving Cairns on Monday between 5 and 6 pm. Cost: $382.50 per person twin share; $566.00 single. Select "Stay an extra day with transfer back to Cairns" when booking.
• Trans North Bus & Coach Service has coach services from Karumba to Cairns. Please check their website for current timetables.

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, sightseeing, 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.