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Featured Wildlife Journeys

  • Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo

  • Ulysses Butterfly

  • Southern Cassowary

  • Saltwater Crocodile

  • Boyd's Forest Dragon

FNQ Nature Tours

FAQ

How do I get to Cairns?

Regular scheduled flights operate into Cairns International Airport (CNS) all year round. Tours start in the Cairns city with pickups commencing around 0730. For guests accommodated in the Northern Beaches suburbs, the pickup time will be around 0800 and Port Douglas around 0830. For private tours we can also arrange Airport pickups and luggage storage.

Fourteen domestic and international airlines currently service Cairns airport including Qantas, Virgin Australia, Jetstar, Tigerair, Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Airlines, as well as small local airlines Skytrans, Alliance Airlines and Air North.

Direct flights arrive from Sydney (3 hours), Melbourne (3 hours, 20 mins), Brisbane (2 hours, 15 mins), Adelaide (3 hours), Perth and Darwin, plus a number of major regional centres. International destinations include Auckland, Port Moresby, Hong Kong, Tokyo and Singapore. 

What do I wear?

Comfortable clothes as you are in the tropics, our winter or ‘dry season’ can be slightly cool in the mornings, a light jacket may be handy. Natural light colours are recommended for wildlife spotting and staying cool in the warmer months. Hiking shoes are not necessary for our day tours. Flat comfortable shoes or sandals are okay for our day walks. All our tours have access to safe swimming areas and therefore a towel and spare clothes are great to have in a day pack.

Where do you pickup from?

Our day tours start in the Cairns city with pickups commencing around 0730. For guests accommodated in the Northern Beaches suburbs, the pickup time will be around 0800 and Port Douglas around 0830. For private tours we can also arrange Airport pickups and luggage storage.

What type of vehicle do you use?

Our touring vehicle is a modern and fully air-conditioned Four Wheel Drive with a total capacity of six. For adult passengers we cap our numbers at four. For families with children we may use all six seats quite comfortably. For larger group enquires we have access to a 13 seat Hi-ace commuter.

 Will we see Saltwater Crocodiles in the wild?

Saltwater Crocodiles are best spotted in the cooler months of the year (April-Oct). As the water temperature drops, Crocodiles spend more time bathing in the sun to warm their reptile bodies. This greatly improves the quality of our observations, however Saltwater Crocodiles breed during the summer months and therefore get quite active in the river. We see more Crocodiles swimming and sometimes fighting, rather than laying in the sun during (Nov-March)

In Queensland we do not feed or entice our wild animals including Crocodiles. It can be dangerous for humans and Crocodiles to form an association between boats and food. Quite favorably when we witness Crocodile activity it is without any intervention and that makes it fantastic! We have a 100% success rate with Croc spotting, during difficult weather,we may spend extra time on the cruise to fulfil our desires.

When do you cancel a tour and what is the group minimum?

In the Wet Tropics region during the Dec-April period we experience season wet weather. This can be a very rewarding time to visit and experience the ‘Rain’ forest. When Tropical Cyclones are approaching the FNQ coast we get ample warning and may cancel tours due to potential flooding and fallen trees blocking access to National Parks. For our standard day tours, we require a minimum of two passengers to travel. During the off-peak season, we may experience cancelations for an individual.