Float above the canopy on the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway and return on the Kuranda Scenic Railway—at additional cost, bookable on tour. Step off at lookouts to feel mist from Barron Falls and gaze across layered rainforest ranges.

Along this corridor, heritage-listed engineering and tales of railway workers bring the landscape to life. Markets, galleries and street musicians in Kuranda add colour to a relaxed sky-to-rail loop.

Discover the islands as you step aboard a converted racing yacht, sails filling as you sail the Whitsunday Islands. Help the crew trim lines, try steering the helm, and slip into sheltered coves to snorkel fringing reefs alive with parrotfish, angelfish and shimmering coral gardens.

Between swims, savour fresh meals served on deck and watch the sky blush during a sunset at anchor. With small-group camaraderie and experienced skippers, this voyage blends performance sailing with unhurried tropical time beneath the southern stars.

• 3 Lunch (L)
• 4 Dinner (D)
• 5 Breakfast (B)

• Sydney: A modular trip means fellow travellers will join and leave at various locations. There’ll be some goodbyes, sure, but there’ll also be plenty of hellos with new like-minded travellers.
• Sydney: Contiki acknowledges the Traditional and Torres Strait Island owners of the land, sea and waters of the spectacular Australian continent. Dual-naming reflects that, as we explore this remarkable land, we recognise and respect Indigenous custodianship of a unique, ancient culture and country.
• Gimuy (Cairns): It’s best to wait at least 24 hours after your last dive before flying.
• Yunbenun (Magnetic Island): During your 2-night stay in Magnetic Island, you’ll stay in multi-share rooms with the same sex even (if you’ve booked single or twin room for the trip duration). But if you’d like some privacy, you can request a paid upgrade to a single or twin room, but the confirmation would depend on availability.Please note that this is a modular trip. That means you’ll be joining a trip that started 1 week earlier – if you wish to do the full version, please refer to the Ultimate Australia trip.
• Airlie Beach: Pretty darn epic, if you ask us. It’s a converted racing yacht that sleeps up to 20 people with all the basic amenities. It’s snazzy – perfect if you’re all about fun adventures out on the sea. 

• Whitsunday Islands: Set sail from Airlie Beach for two nights of pure Whitsundays magic. Think snorkelling, hiking, and sunset vibes (with a top crew and experienced skipper leading the way). All decked out with delish food – brekkie, lunch, dinner, and dessert – plus all the snorkelling equipment you’ll need.
• Whitsunday Islands: Float around the reefs, marvel at rainbow-coloured fish, then chill out on deck (and secretly hope no one brought a ukulele). 
• Whitsunday Islands: Visit the World’s Best Beach!! Seeing Whitehaven Beach is like seeing a little piece of heaven. With 15 of your new best friends! #lifegoals 
• Whitsunday Islands: Step aboard a converted racing yacht – where your friendly captain trusts you enough to let you try steering it. 
• Whitsunday Islands: The Great Barrier Reef is home to nearly 9,000 species of sea creatures. This means it’ll impress even the saltiest ‘sea dogs’.
• Townsville: Catch a boat from the mainland to Magnetic Island.
• Magnetic Island: Pack some comfy shoes and climb up to Hawking’s Point for sundown. Yoga poses for Insta: optional. 
• Magnetic Island: Go koala-spotting, see WWII fortifications, or just have a beer in the sun. There’s something for everyone on this trail. 
• Magnetic Island: Mingle with Magnetic Island’s resident Rock Wallabies at dusk. Just watch these cheeky little guys don’t steal your wallet! 
• Magnetic Island: Catch a boat from Magnetic Island to the mainland. Wave goodbye to your new BFF Reggie the Koala and promise you’ll write. 
• Townsville: Things heat up as the landscape gets even more tropical. Soak up the scenery on this train trip from Townsville to Cairns. 
• Cairns: Eat like a local with this chef-guided bush food tutorial and dinner (thankfully, not a witchetty grub in sight!)
• Daintree Rainforest: Check out the oldest rainforest in the world, home to frogs, butterflies, bats and more.
• Daintree Rainforest: Tour the world’s oldest rainforest with an expert. Sir David Attenborough called Daintree: ‘the most extraordinary place on earth’. 
• Daintree Rainforest: Learn how ancient ‘Dreamtime’ stories were shared through art. Then unleash your inner Banksy and create a masterpiece at the Janbal Gallery. 

Contiki

Explore Whitehaven Beach, where silica sands squeak underfoot and the sea shifts from pale mint to brilliant azure. Stroll the seven-kilometre arc, wade in warm shallows and pause for photos and reflection as the bay curves between forested headlands.

Climb to Hill Inlet Lookout for a panorama of turquoise swirls sculpted by the tides over luminous white sand. This protected Ngaro Sea Country embodies the purity and spaciousness that define the Whitsundays.

Seek out Rock Wallabies at dusk along the boulder fields of Geoffrey Bay on Magnetic Island (Yunbenun). Watch for twitching whiskers and soft hops between granite outcrops, keeping a respectful distance while you pause for photos and reflection as the light turns golden.

This gentle wildlife encounter reveals how these shy marsupials thrive on rugged headlands. Simple guidelines ensure responsible viewing so the colony remains healthy and wild—an intimate, low-impact meeting with Australia’s unique fauna.

Taste Australia’s wild larder during a chef-guided bush food tutorial and dinner. Sample native spices and fruits—from lemon myrtle to wattleseed—then see how these flavours elevate a seasonal menu featuring sustainably sourced native proteins.

Framed by stories of First Nations knowledge and Country, this interactive MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience connects ingredients to place and tradition. Expect aromatic rubs, bright citrus notes and roasted nutty tones as you explore a deeper, grounded expression of Australian cuisine.

Walk beneath fan palms and ancient figs in the Daintree Rainforest, a cool, green world alive with birdsong. Meet the Kuku Yalanji people for a smoking ceremony and guidance on how land, sea and sky are read and respected.

Hear Dreaming stories and create your own piece in a hands-on art workshop, painting symbols that carry meaning. Part of the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area, the Daintree entwines deep time, biodiversity and living culture.

Cruise by high-speed catamaran to vibrant coral sites—at additional cost, bookable on tour. Snorkel or dive the Great Barrier Reef with gear and stinger suits provided, drifting over vibrant coral gardens where neon fish school and giant clams rest in sandy pockets.

Between sessions, join a marine biologist briefing to learn how this living structure sustains thousands of species. Clear water, gentle swells and tropical light make for an energising, salt-sprayed day on the Coral Sea.

Glide along Trinity Inlet on a sunset boat cruise—at additional cost, bookable on tour. Settle in with a drink as mangrove-fringed waterways mirror the changing sky and mountain silhouettes fade to indigo, with seabirds wheeling toward their roosts.

Skippers share stories of harbour life and the tidal estuary that links reef and rainforest. Warm breezes and city lights create a tropical mood that unfolds gently on the water.

Chase an adrenaline rush in the tropics—choose a bungy jump, skydive over the reef and rainforest, or whitewater rafting on the Barron or Tully. All are at additional cost, bookable on tour, with professional guides, safety briefings and gear included.

From free-fall views to foaming rapids through gorge country, Cairns’ wild setting becomes your playground. Select one or combine a few for a high-octane finale to your Queensland adventure.

Trace the headlands of Horseshoe Bay by hire a sea kayak or paddleboard—at additional cost, bookable on tour. Glide across turquoise shallows where gentle chop meets granite curves, watching for sea turtles as you skim over seagrass meadows.

Warm water, easy local rentals and a sheltered bay make this a relaxed way to explore between swims and café stops. Paddle at your own pace and soak up the island’s salt-tanged serenity.