Cooktown Tours

Looking for Cooktown tours from Cairns? Cairns Discovery Tours offers small-group 4WD adventures to one of Far North Queensland’s most historically significant destinations — with the expertise of a local who has been making this journey for over 35 years. Travel north along the legendary Bloomfield Track through the ancient Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation coast, return journey inland via the sealed Mulligan Highway through the Outback. Choose a One Day Cooktown 4WD Tour for a packed day of highlights, or settle in with an immersive three day small-group guided.

Discover Cooktown on this exclusive one day tour for a 4WD adventure taking in some of Australia’s most amazing scenery and natural beauty. This is Cooktown’s only one-day tour option and sells out quickly, book early to secure your spot

On your Cooktown Day Tour, you will travel in a purpose-built 4WD, air-conditioned coach, catering specifically to small groups of 16 passengers. Cross the Daintree River, traverse the 4wd Bloomfield Track and return along the Mulligan Highway, the Outback of Far North Queensland

$399 per person -May – October 2026
Depart Cairns Mon, Wed & Friday – 6.30am
Palm Cove – Cnr Viviers Rd & Captain Cook Highway at 7.00am
Port Douglas IGA Bus Stop Captain Cook Highway at 7.45am

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1 Day Cooktown Tour 4WD Drive Adventure

$399.00 From Cairns, Palm Cove and Port Douglas

6:30 am

7:30 pm

Explore Cooktown, Daintree Rainforest and the Outback of Far North Queensland on this fully inclusive 3 day Adventure. Small group of 2-11 passengers in air-conditioned comfort.

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3 Day Cooktown Cape Tribulation Atherton Tablelands

Adult $2125.00 Twin Share | Adult Single room $2370.00 | Aust Pensioner Twin share $2015.00 | Aust Pensioner Single room $2345.00 | Child $1755.00 Share with Adult

7:00 am

5:00 pm

Sunday departures -selective dates 28th June – 18th October 2026

Experience the very best of the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Daintree National Park, the excitement of the 4WD-only Bloomfield Track and the unspoilt beauty and incredible cultural heritage of historic Cooktown. Enjoy a small group for two nights in Cooktown, Daintree River Cruise, Lions Den historic pub, James Cook Museum, Cooktown Botanic Gardens and much more.

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3 Day Cape Tribulation and Cooktown Wanderer

$1747.00 per person twin share | Child $1660.00 child 4-14yrs twin share | $2145.00 Solo Traveller

7:00 am

5:00 pm

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Why take a Cooktown Tour from Cairns?

In 1770, Lieutenant James Cook repaired the HMB Endeavour here after running aground on the Great Barrier Reef, making Cooktown the site of the first prolonged contact between Europeans and Aboriginal Australians. Today, visitors can take in sweeping views from Grassy Hill Lookout, stroll the heritage Botanic Gardens, visit the James Cook Museum, explore the Cooktown Cemetery and historic streetscapes, and relax on quiet tropical beaches. Aboriginal culture runs deep here, with rock art tours and Dreamtime stories shared by Traditional Owners that connect country and coastline in a way that is unique in Far North Queensland.

The road to Cooktown is part of the Adventure

Getting to Cooktown is an experience in itself. Our Cooktown tours from Cairns travel two iconic routes.

The first is the legendary 4WD-only Bloomfield Track, which winds through the heart of the Daintree Rainforest and along the Cape Tribulation coast. This unsealed route involves creek crossings, steep rainforest-clad ranges, and dramatic coastal vistas, and requires a purpose-built 4WD vehicle throughout. It is one of the most scenic and adventurous drives in all of Australia.

The second option is the sealed Mulligan Highway, through the Outback of Far North Queensland. Cattle country, striking boulders of Black Mountain National Park before descending into Cooktown. The 3 day tours travel one route northbound and return via the other, giving guests the best of both worlds.

Cooktown Tour options

Choose a 1-day Cooktown tour or 3-day Cooktown tour packages, all run as small-group experiences

The 1 Day Cooktown 4WD Tour from Cairns and Port Douglas. It travels the Bloomfield Track north through the Daintree and Cape Tribulation, crosses the Daintree River by ferry, and includes time in Cooktown before returning via the Mulligan Highway. This tour runs Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from May to October 2026, with a maximum of 16 passengers.

The 3 Day Cooktown, Cape Tribulation Tour is a fully immersive small-group journey with two nights in Cooktown, giving guests time to explore cultural and historical sites in depth, including the Daintree, Cape Tribulation, and the Atherton Tablelands.

What to expect on a Cooktown Tour

All Cooktown tours from Cairns are run in purpose-built 4WD vehicles suited to the conditions of the Bloomfield Track. Group sizes are kept small to ensure a personalised experience. Highlights across the different tours include the James Cook Museum, Grassy Hill Lookout, the Cooktown Botanic Gardens, the iconic Lion’s Den Hotel, Daintree River cruises, Cape Tribulation Beach, and the heritage streetscapes and galleries of Cooktown itself.

Choose a one-day Cooktown 4WD tour for an action-packed introduction, or take the three-day small-group Cooktown tour for two nights in town, time to explore at a slower pace, and the chance to experience Cooktown after the day-trippers have gone.

Have questions? Call (07) 4028 3567 for further information.

Here’s why thousands of customers trustCairns Discovery Tours.

🗓️ Flexible Cancellations

Enjoy peace of mind with our flexible booking policy. Most Cairns Tours can be cancelled up to 24 hours before departure with a full refund. (Helicopter tours are 48 hours) We make exploring Cairns stress free, so you can book with confidence.

💳 Book Now, Pay Later

Reserve your place on our popular Cairns day tours with Klarna’s Book Now, Pay Later option, or just give us a call or send us an email to secure your booking. We will be in touch to arrange payment 7 days before your departure. Perfect for planning your Cairns holiday without upfront costs.

🌴 Local Since 1995

For over 30 years, Cairns Discovery Tours has been proudly locally owned and operated. Established in 1995, we’ve shared the tropical beauty of Far North Queensland travellers from around the world. Based in Cairns, we offer authentic tour experiences backed by genuine local knowledge and long standing connections to the region.

👩‍🏫 Expert Local Guides

Our passionate Cairns tour guides are storytellers, historians, and nature enthusiasts. With deep local knowledge, they bring the Great Barrier Reef, Daintree Rainforest, and Cairns’ tropical heritage to life, ensuring an unforgettable and educational experience.

We had such a fun time on a half day tour of Fitzroy island with Cairns Discovery Tours! We managed to do an everything we wanted (Nudey beach, long snorkel and lunch) within the time period we had and we even got to swim with turtles 🐢 an unforgettable experience! This would not have been possible without the fantastic help of Maryanne who booked us in for the tour. She went above and beyond to help us find somewhere to leave our bags during our tour and we wouldn’t have been able to go without her help. We enjoyed the experience so much and we are very grateful to Maryanne for her help and her exceptional customer service! I would definitely recommend booking local for these kind of experiences because that kind of customer care just doesn’t come when you book through third party sites. 10/10 experience ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Highly recommended!

We went on a tour with Discovery Tours today, doing the Mossman Gorge, Daintree / Daintree River Cruise, finishing of visiting Cape Tribulation… Our driver was James, who was exceptional. Giving running commentary along the trip. Guiding his group of people through all the different areas. Thanks James, top job.

In June I came to Cairns on holiday from the UK. It was the biggest holiday I've ever taken and because my health limits what I can do took a lot of planning. Maryanne at Cairns Discovery Tours was brilliant. She helped me choose suitable trips, gave me additional information so I could be prepared, advised on the easiest way to get to the departure point for those trips that don't pick up from my accommodation, etc. I booked all my trips except one with Maryanne. Her knowledge of Cairns was invaluable to me. She spoke to me on Whatsapp to answer my questions (we had to arrange call in advance because of the time difference) and when it occurred to me quite close to departure date that I'd need a way of protecting my head and neck from the sun when snorkelling Maryanne got me a suitable headscarf and dropped it off at my accommodation ahead of my arrival. When a friend decided to join me on some of the trips Maryanne was really helpful to her as well. If I am able to come back to Cairns I'll book as much as I can with Maryanne and Cairns Discovery Tours. The service couldn't be bettered.

We have just done the 3 day/2 night Cooktown and Cape Tribulation Tour with 2 friends. An unbelievable experience due to our fantastic guide Steve, who had so much local knowledge on everywhere we visited, especially historical info on the Palmer River gold rush in the 1800s, and Daintree Rainforest botany. Steve was such a good raconteur with friendly personality, who went out of his way to make our trip so enjoyable. Accomodation at both Cooktown and Cape Tribulation was excellent, with amazing setting of the cabins at Cape Tribulation in the rainforest right by the beach. Everything advertised for the tour and more was an memorable experience. Thank you so much Steve!

I was delighted with the Kuranda tour arranged by this company. The timings worked excellently and it was an eminently well organised tour. The train trip up to Kuranda was great fun and fascinating. Personally, I was particularly interested in the engineering. We had an hour in Kuranda Village, which was enough for me, although I expect some people would have liked to have seen the village and visited the butterfly world, which I think would have been tight. Rainforestation was great, plenty of activity of a variety of natures. I could not throw a boomerang to save my life, but it was fun to try. Then the bus down to Cairns was efficient and friendly, with a superb guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cooktown worth visiting on a trip to Cairns?

Absolutely — Cooktown offers something most Cairns visitors never see: genuine remote Far North Queensland, deep history, Aboriginal culture, and landscapes that shift dramatically from rainforest to river country to rugged headlands. It is well off the typical reef-and-rainforest circuit and rewards travellers who want more than the highlights.

How do you get from Cairns to Cooktown?

You can travel from Cairns to Cooktown by road, 4WD tour or scenic flight, depending on the tour option and season. Guided tours are a popular choice because they can include stops through the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation and the Bloomfield Track, with local commentary along the way.

What's the difference between a 1-day and a 3-day Cooktown tour from Cairns?

A 1-day tour is a fast-paced 4WD adventure (departing 6.30am and returning 7.30pm) that traverses the Bloomfield Track through the Daintree, crosses the Daintree River, and gives you time to explore Cooktown before returning via the Mulligan Highway a full and rewarding day for those with limited time. The 3-day tours are small-group immersive journeys that allow you to spend nights in Cooktown, explore at a relaxed pace, visit key cultural and historical sites in depth, and include the Daintree, Cape Tribulation, and Atherton Tablelands along the way.

Is the Bloomfield Track suitable for all vehicles?

The Bloomfield Track requires a high clearance 4WD vehicle and is not recommended for conventional vehicles, Campervans, or Caravans. Tour departures use purpose-built 4WD vehicles with experienced guides who know the road conditions year round.

How far is Cooktown from Cairns?

Cooktown is approximately 330 kilometres north of Cairns via the inland Mulligan Highway (around 4 hours driving), or roughly 240 kilometres via the coastal Bloomfield Track route — but the Bloomfield Track takes longer due to road conditions, making both routes a similar total travel time.

Can you visit the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation on the way to Cooktown?

Yes, tours travelling via the Bloomfield Track pass through the heart of the Daintree Rainforest and along the Cape Tribulation coast, making it possible to experience World Heritage rainforest, beach stops, and creek crossings all in the same journey. The 3-day tours provide more time to explore Cape Tribulation Beach and Thornton Beach, while the 1-day tour passes through as part of the route north.

What is the best time of year to visit Cooktown?

The dry season — May through November — is the best time to visit Cooktown from Cairns. Roads are at their most reliable, weather is clear and comfortable, and the Bloomfield Track is accessible. During the wet season (November to April), the Bloomfield Track can become impassable, and some tours operate via the inland Mulligan Highway only.

For questions about bookings, cancellations, group travel and accessibility, visit our Cairns Tours FAQ page.

Cooktown Tours

Here’s why thousands of customers trustCairns Discovery Tours.

🗓️ Flexible Cancellations

💳 Book Now, Pay Later

🌴 Local Since 1995

👩‍🏫 Expert Local Guides

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Cooktown worth visiting on a trip to Cairns?

How do you get from Cairns to Cooktown?

What's the difference between a 1-day and a 3-day Cooktown tour from Cairns?

Is the Bloomfield Track suitable for all vehicles?

How far is Cooktown from Cairns?

Can you visit the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation on the way to Cooktown?

What is the best time of year to visit Cooktown?

Related Reading

James Cook Museum Cooktown: history, artifacts & visitor guide

Cooktown tour: 1 day or 3 day – which is right for you?

Black Mountain Cooktown QLD: a geological wonder explained

Grassy Hill Lookout Cooktown: views, history & what to expect

Bloomfield Track 4WD guide: what to expect

Things to do in Cooktown – a guide to the top attractions