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Cultural & Aboriginal Tours

Looking for cultural and Aboriginal tours from Cairns? Far North Queensland is home to some of Australia’s richest Indigenous cultural experiences, on the reef, in the rainforest and in the outback, these tours are led by or developed in partnership with Traditional Owners.

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Rainforestation Nature Park Credit Anna Rita Evans

This Kuranda Day Tour includes the Kuranda Scenic Train and Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.  The award-winning Rainforestation Nature Park. Ride an amphibious WWII Army Duck through the rainforest, meet Aussie wildlife at the Koala and Wildlife Park, the Pamagirri Aboriginal experience  and Aussie BBQ lunch plus hotel transfers.

Please read inclusions & itinerary for changes during Skyrail upgrade 20th July – 26 October 2026

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Adult $306.00 | Child 4-14yrs $162.00 | Family 2A+2C $814.50 | $67.00 Gold Class per person

7:30 am
5:30 pm
Special Deal
Dreamtime Dive and Snorkel cultural reef tour
25% off Intro or Certified Diving for travel to 30th June MUST BE BOOKED DIRECT by 31st May 2026 Phone 07 40283567

Adult from $255| Child $160 4-14yrs  Family 2A+2C $670
Seasonal dates and prices apply
Departs daily 9.00am – 5.00pm

Step back into the Great Barrier Reef’s Dreamtime with Indigenous Sea Rangers  as they recount the Dreamtime stories of the local people and help you gain a deeper cultural understanding of the diverse ecosystems that make up the Great Barrier Reef. Enjoy up to 5 hours of fun with unlimited snorkelling with 2 Reef locations  in air-conditioned lounges and a licensed bar.

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Adult from $255.00 | Child $160.00 4-14yrs | Family 2A+2C $670.00 2A+2C

9:00 am
5:00 pm
Chillagoe outback cave tour limestone formations Queensland

Adult $239|Child 4-16 yrs $179|
Family 2A+2C $750
Departs 7am – 6pm

Join this exclusive small-group 4WD tour that travels inland to Chillagoe, North Queensland’s Outback. Enjoy morning tea at Skybury Coffee Plantation in Mareeba, spot kangaroos, emus, wildlife galore! Drive past diverse dry tropical farmlands. Pass through historic mining ghost towns and small outback communities. Visit the local Aboriginal Rock Art and Balancing Rock. Explore the famous Chillagoe Caves  and see the once-booming Chillagoe smelter ruins, enjoy an Outback Aussie lunch in a 100-year-old pub.

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Adult $239.00 | Child 4-16 yrs $179.00 | Family 2A+2C $750.00

7:00 am
6:00 pm

Adult $265 Children not catered for.
Departs Port Douglas Wed, Thur, Fri & Sat

7 Delicious stops including tastings of liqueurs, wine, beer, spirits, cheeses, coffee, chocolate, tropical fruits, nuts, Crocodile, Kangaroo, Red Claw with Tree Kangaroo & Platypus spotting. Breakfast, Morning tea, gourmet lunch, afternoon tea and all tastings included.

 

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Adult $265.00 18yrs +

8:00 am
5:00 pm
Kuku Yalanji cultural habitat experience in Tropical North Queensland

Adult $399|Child 4-14 yrs $299
Family 2A+2C $1374

Departs Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Saturday – Includes Mossman Gorge
Experience a meaningful connection to Aboriginal Culture as you are welcomed to the traditional lands of the Kuku Yalanji people in Tropical North Queensland

Experience Traditional Aboriginal Fishing
Discover the time-honoured fishing and gathering techniques of the Kuku Yalanji people as you explore the picturesque Cooya Beach alongside a knowledgeable member of the Kubirri Warra clan.

Aboriginal Art & Culture
Unleash your creativity in an art class led by acclaimed Aboriginal artist Brian ‘Binna’ Swindley at the renowned Janbal Gallery. Immerse yourself in the vibrant world of Indigenous artistry.

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Adult $399.00 | Child 4-14 yrs $299.00 | Family 2A+2C $1374.00

River drift Daintree Tours

This unique Daintree Rainforest experience will have you discovering Mossman Gorge in depth. Start the day with a secret location to commence your ‘River drift’ tour,. Enjoy lunch and a traditional smoking ceremony ending the day with a 1.5 hour guided rainforest walk in the Gorge…..

 

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Adult $270.00 | Child $225.00 5 - 15 yrs | Family 2A+2C $910.00 2A+2C

8:30 am
4:30 pm

On the land

The Daintree Dreaming Aboriginal Cultural Tour spends a full day with the Kuku Yalanji people, including traditional fishing and an art class, while the Mossman Gorge Adventure pairs a river drift experience with a traditional smoking ceremony.

On the reef

The Dreamtime Snorkel & Dive tour is guided by Indigenous Sea Rangers, adding cultural storytelling to a day of reef snorkelling and diving.

Woven into other tours

Cultural experiences also appear inside some of our most popular tours, the Classic Kuranda Day Tour includes a stop at Rain forestation Nature Park and the Chillagoe 4WD tour passes Aboriginal rock art sites alongside its limestone caves.

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.

Janice Welsh
Janice Welsh
9 months ago
We arranged 3 day tours from Cairns with Cairns Discovery tours, one to Fitzroy Island, one to Green Island and one to Kuranda . From the initial telephone contact to the conclusion of the tours, Maryanne was so helpful and professional. Booking and payment was easy, follow up information meant we knew exactly where to meet and what we would expect to see and do, when and where to check in on the day . I can thoroughly recommend booking with Cairns Discovery Tours.
Meredith Graham
Meredith Graham
11 months ago
Cairns Discovery Tours were amazing. I had very specific requirements for booking tours, due to the group we were travelling with. They made the process so easy. Their recommendations were spot on and then they took care of all our bookings, including updating me on any "deals" that companies had. If you are travelling to Cairns, I would highly recommend contacting Cairns Discovery Tours to sort your holiday!
I had the pleasure of booking my recent trip through Cairns Discovery Tours in Cairns and I must say it was an outstanding experience from start to finish. From the very beginning, Maryanne and team were extremely easy to work with. Their communication was clear, prompt, and effective, which gave me confidence that everything was being handled smoothly. No matter how many questions we had, they responded with patience and helpful details. Since we were completely new to Cairns, their recommendations were invaluable. Another highlight was the deal they worked out for us. They managed to customize the itinerary in a way that was both budget-friendly and full of experiences. Overall, I highly recommend Cairns Discovery Tours to anyone planning a trip to Cairns. They are professional, knowledgeable, and genuinely care about making your journey memorable. I would definitely choose them again for my future travels. Thanks once again Maryanne and Taam!
Kim Ryan
Kim Ryan
9 months ago
Easy to book online and and contact if need be. Well organised would recommend using this company to book tours through.
Adrian Olsen
Adrian Olsen
11 months ago
Like to thank Mary Ann for organising our two trips had to get a partial refund on one of the trips due to weather which was an easy process. Would definitely book through Cairns Discovery Tours again
G
Greg Scher
1 year ago
Marianne set up great tours and was very responsive with any questions. Highly recommended,

Frequently Asked Questions

Some, like the Daintree Dreaming Aboriginal Cultural Tour, are run in direct partnership with Traditional Owners. Others incorporate cultural content and storytelling as part of a broader day tour – check the individual tour page for specifics.

Yes, the Dreamtime Snorkel & Dive tour combines Indigenous Sea Ranger-guided storytelling with reef snorkelling and diving.

Yes, it’s a family-friendly full day tour that includes traditional fishing and an art class.

A river drift experience through the gorge along with a traditional smoking ceremony.

The Outback Tasting Tour from Port Douglas runs around five hours and combines a cultural and outback setting with local produce tasting.