Day 1: Airlie Beach

Day 2: Airlie Beach

Day 3: Airlie Beach

Day 4: Airlie Beach to Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) via Townsville

Day 5: Yunbenun (Magnetic Island)

Day 6: Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) to Gimuy (Cairns) via Townsville

Day 7: Gimuy (Cairns)

Day 8: Gimuy (Cairns)

Day 9: Gimuy (Cairns)

This holiday package includes 3 nights pre-tour and 1 night post-tour accommodation too.

Day 1: Airlie Beach

Hello Airlie Beach! This tropical paradise is the perfect place to kick off our adventure. Our trip starts at Base Backpackers where we'll meet our fellow adventurers. 

Hostel: Base Backpackers (or similar)

Day 2: Airlie Beach

Is there anywhere in the world more beautiful than the Whitsundays? We think not. With 74 perfect islands at your fingertips, an open sea calling your name, today you'll get to explore one of the worlds most lusted-after holiday destinations with a day trip to the spotless Whitehaven Beach, including snorkelling. This is as close to heaven as you can find on planet earth.

Hostel: Base Backpackers (or similar)

Included Meals: Lunch

Included Experience: Day Trip to the Whitsundays. Grab your new buddies, snorkel round the reef, see ‘the world’s best beach’ and eat lunch on a boat. A proper ‘pinch yourself’ moment. 

Included Experience: Snorkel Australia’s Best Reefs. The Great Barrier Reef is home to nearly 9,000 species of sea creatures. This means it’ll impress even the saltiest ‘sea dogs’.

Day 3: Airlie Beach

We've got a free day in Airlie Beach today! This vibrant hub of the Whitsundays is ours to explore. We could get out onto the waters with an optional sea kayaking adventure, take to the sky with a Skydive over Australia's most beautiful drop zone or even a relaxing scenic flight over the Whitsunday islands including Whitehaven Beach and Heart Reef. For those looking for a more relaxed option, kick back on the beach sipping something sweet or explore the cute boutiques, bistros and alfresco restaurants that adorn the seafront. It's a hard life.

Hostel: Base Backpackers (or similar)

Optional Activity: Skydive from 8,500/15,000ft. Got skydiving on your bucket list? Wanna push yourself to the very limits? Take the plunge on a 8,500ft or 15,000ft skydive in Airlie Beach. Extra charge applies.

Optional Activity: Half Day Sea Kayaking. Get off land & into the water on a half day kayak adventure in Arlie Beach. Extra charge applies.

Optional Activity: Reef & Island Scenic Flight. Soar across the reefs and islands on a scenic flight. Extra charge applies.

Day 4: Airlie Beach to Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) via Townsville

Is there anything better than the Whitsundays? We think our next destination definitely comes close! We'll board a train this morning heading for Townsville. From here, we'll board the ferry to our next destination.

Magnetic Island is an apt name for this captivating isle, with its coastal walking trails and gum trees teeming with lazy koala bears. We'll have plenty of time to explore, partake in watersports in the bright turqouise waters or meet some of the local marsupials. But this evening, we'll enjoy some champagne and watch the sun set over the bay.

Hostel: Base Backpackers (or similar)

Included Meals: Dinner

Included Experience: Chug along the East Coast. Think you’ll catch some zzzzs on the train to Townsville? Think again. You won’t want to miss a moment. 

Included Experience: Catch a Local Ferry to Magnetic Island

Included Experience: Watch a Magnetic Island Sunset. Pack some comfy shoes and climb up to Hawking's Point for sundown. Yoga poses for Insta: optional. 

Day 5: Yunbenun (Magnetic Island)

We have a whole day on this paradise island - lucky us! We'll waste no time meeting the locals, with a chance to eat an unlimited chef-cooked breakfast with some Koalas at Selina Koala Village. Then we can check out some of the walking trails - such as the Forts Walk which offers up stunning views of the Palm Island Group as well as WWII fortifications, and the chance to see more koalas in the wild- or enjoy some free time at Horseshoe bay, taking a dip on the azure waters and relaxing on the beach. See Magnetic Island's resident Rock Wallabies at dusk before a free evening, where we can watch the sunset and check out some of the local bars.

Hostel: Base Backpackers (or similar)

Included Meals: Breakfast

Included Experience: Make Travel Matter® and Eat Breakfast with Koalas. Enjoy a chef-cooked breakfast at Selina Koala Village, where you’ll meet these furry little guys and learn what makes them tick. 

Included Experience: Hike Magnetic Island Fort Walk. Go koala-spotting, see WWII fortifications, or just have a beer in the sun. There’s something for everyone on this trail. 

Included Experience: Spot Rock Wallabies at Dusk. Mingle with Magnetic Island's resident Rock Wallabies at dusk. Just watch these cheeky little guys don’t steal your wallet! 

Day 6: Yunbenun (Magnetic Island) to Gimuy (Cairns) via Townsville

After breakfast this morning we'll say farewell to our koala friends and depart Magnetic Island on a ferry. But we'll never forget its singular beauty.

Back in Townsville we won't hang around too long, as we're hopping on a train headed to Cairns, where we'll arrive late afternoon after a gloriously scenic journey along Australia's East Coast.

Welcome to the city where rainforests meet reefs. In Cairns, we'll enjoy one of the most memorable meals you've ever experienced today with our interactive Bush Food MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® tutorial and dinner. An experienced chef will guide us through a history of Bush Food as you sample a variety of native spices and fruits, explaining their tastes, origins, and traditional uses before we enjoy our dinner, which features native game. It's an incredible cultural feast, and the perfect way to start our adventure in Cairns.

Hostel: Gilligans (or similar)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner

Included Experience: Catch a Local Ferry to Townsville. Catch a boat from Magnetic Island to the mainland. Wave goodbye to your new BFF Reggie the Koala and promise you’ll write. 

Included Experience: Ride the Railway to Cairns. Things heat up as the landscape gets even more tropical. Soak up the scenery on this train trip from Townsville to Cairns. 

Included Experience: Make Travel Matter® and Dig into Quality ‘Bush Tucker’. Eat like a local with this chef-guided bush food tutorial and dinner (thankfully, not a witchetty grub in sight!)

Day 7: Gimuy (Cairns)

Rise and shine, our entire day today is an unforgettable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience, packed with history, heritage and natural beauty, as we enjoy a spectacular a day trip to the oldest tropical rainforest in the world: Daintree. With its ancient ferns and vibrant canopies, this place will take our breath away. There's a reason David Attenborough called it 'the most extraordinary place on earth.' As well as admiring the lush rainforest, we'll also meet the local Kuku Yalanji people and learn about their rich Aboriginal culture and history. We'll get the chance to view a smoking ceremony and take an art class with an Aboriginal artist. We'll also learn about ancient Dreamtime stories, local history and how these are shared through art. Then, we'll get to create our own unique souvenir to take home in the form of a canvas that tells our own stories. What a day; and we're not done yet. 

Hostel: Gilligans (or similar)

Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Included Experience: Discover Daintree Rainforest. Check out the oldest rainforest in the world, home to frogs, butterflies, bats and more.

Included Experience: Make Travel Matter® and Do Daintree with a Guide. Tour the world’s oldest rainforest with an expert. Sir David Attenborough called Daintree: ‘the most extraordinary place on earth’. 

Included Experience: Make Travel Matter® and Immerse yourself in Aboriginal Art. Learn how ancient ‘Dreamtime’ stories were shared through art. Then unleash your inner Banksy and create a masterpiece at the Janbal Gallery. 

Day 8: Gimuy (Cairns)

Today you'll have the option to board a catamaran out to the reef to snorkel or dive in the crystal waters and gaze at the colourful coral and even more vibrant marine life. Back on board, the expert marine crew will tell us all there is to know about this stunning, but vulnerable, natural miracle.

Hostel: Gilligans (or similar)

Included Meals: Breakfast

Optional activity: Great Barrier Reef Cruise. Make the most of a full day out to Australia’s most famous natural wonder on board a luxury catamaran. Have a go snorkelling, check out the colourful coral in a semi-submersible & listen to a marine biologist’s presentation. Lunch & snacks are included, so all you have to do is enjoy yourself. Extra cost applies.

Optional activity: Scuba Diving (In Addition to Outer Barrier Reef Cruise). Discover an incredible underwater world by scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef. You’ll be fully kitted out with all the gear & given a full run-through with our expert professional divers. There’s something for everyone, from first-timers through to more advanced divers. Basically, if you can swim, you’re in! (Subject to stringent medical requirements of course.) (Extra cost applies. Please note that dive rates and options will depend on the operator running the trip. Your Trip Manager will advise further at the beginning of your trip.)

Day 9: Gimuy (Cairns)

Our adventure ends this afternoon, but not before we have a chance to escape our comfort zones and try some of the adventurous activities that Cairns is famous for. Anyone for bungy jumping?

Included Meals: Breakfast

Optional activity: Jump Off the AJ Hackett Bungy Tower. Experience the sensation of free-falling when you jump from the world-famous AJ Hackett Bungy Tower. Otherwise, you can have a go on the Giant Jungle Swing & swing through the gorgeous rainforest at speeds of up to 100kph. (Extra cost applies. Please note that all prices are in local currency & will depend on your choice of a bungy, swing or both.)

Optional activity: Skyrail Experience (MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience). They call it scenic for a reason! Enjoy amazing views of the rainforest from the Skyrail. To get the lowdown on the different options available, just speak to your Trip Manager. (Extra cost applies. Please note that all prices are in local currency.)

Optional activity: Raging Thunder - Barron River Rafting. Row, row, row your boat not so gently down the Barron River...on this half a day White Water Rafting experience. Extra cost applies

Optional activity: Jump from 15,000ft in Cairns. Got skydiving on your bucket list? Love to push yourself to the limits? Take the plunge on a skydive in Cairns, where you'll enjoy incredible views of both the rainforest and the ocean. (Extra cost applies and may change based on the season/ day of the week of your visit.)

• Tour duration: 9 days
• Included Meals: 5 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
• Tour accommodation: 8 nights in Hostels
• Transport: Coach + Ferry + Train
• Group Size: Maximum 30 people
• Team: Expert Trip Manager 

Price per person is based on 2 adults sharing and includes:

• Return flights from Dublin
• 23kg checked baggage
• 3 nights pre-tour accommodation at the Nomads Hostel, Sydney
• Internal flight from Sydney to Prosperine
• 9-day North Queensland Adventure tour, including:
  • Meals: 5 Breakfasts, 2 Lunches, 2 Dinners
  • Accommodation: 8 nights in Hostels
  • Transport: Coach + Ferry + Train
  • Expert Trip Manager
• 1 night post-tour accommodation in Cairns

Not included:

• Meals not specified on itinerary

• Travel Insurance 
• Visa

Subject to availability. Terms & conditions apply. Price shown is based on departure Feb 19th for tour start Feb 24th 2024. Departures available throughout the year.

For more information please call us on 021 4277094 or 01 6965135, email info@shandontravel.ie, request a call back using the red button, or submit an enquiry through the form below.