The meals are plentiful, with exceptionally good food, sometimes 3 course meals in restaurants sometimes around the camp fire, always fantastic – we spoil you completely. 21 days, 20 nights, 3 rest days, includes accommodation 4 nights camping 16 nights, with more accommodation packages available - Includes tea breaks & snacks, 20 breakfasts, 17 lunches, 17 dinners.
Tour Itinerary:
Day 1: Arrive Cairns, one of the fastest growing cities in Australia. An exciting cosmopolitan place with tourists from everywhere, looking for fun. Enjoy yourself with a swim in the pool, share a drink with the riders and get ready for the trip. Overnight in tropical type motel.
Day 2: Mossman 90km. Early start and gradual climb to Kuranda, then watch out for the Cassowary birds as you weave through the bush tracks of the Black Mountain Reserve and down to Mossman.
Day 3: Cape Tribulation 50km. The Gorge is worth an early morn swim before sugar plantations give way to coastline cruising and Daintree National Park. The ferry will introduce you to another world at Cape Tribulation, where you stay in the tropical forest by the beach.
Day 4: Bloomfield 40km. Sunlight through the forest canopy shows you the ups and downs of this eerie coastline heaven. Explore the water falls and rivers, and keep a sharp eye for nature’s surprises and the undulating terrain in this steam atmosphere.
Day 5: Cooktown 64km. Through the Cedar Bay National Park, the reality of jungle makes you marvel at nature. The Lions Den Pub will fill your belly and your mind with artifacts and thoughts of what has happened here in the days gone by, before a leisurely ride to Captain Cook’s landing point along the coast and a swim in the azure blue water.
Day 6: Cooktown Rest Day. Explore this out of the way little town with history happening on every corner. The beaches, port, hills, light house & museum make you reminisce about pioneers of 200 years. An interesting group walk along cliff tops, to a special beach and a swim is yours if you wish.
Day 7: Bend NP 87km. Enjoy the bitumen, cos after the oasis at Endeavour Falls, the dust and bumps are your constant friend. Lunch with your feet dangling in crystal clear water spoils you in this rugged outback country, before our campsite overlooking the lagoon.
Day 8: Camp Kalpowar NP 54km. Lakefield National Park is a haven for waterbirds, and “Old Laura” shows you how hard the early settlers toughed it out. The long grass and swamps keep your mind alert and the variety of wildlife and plants will amaze you.
Day 9: Crossing NP 50km. The Normandy River sets the scene before crossing dry floodplains, littered with Australian native Leichhardt tree, gums and the like, interspersed with giant ant hills and invaded at night with little red flying foxes. This swimming area is as good as the best.
Day 10: Camp Musgrave 80km. Another early morn swim, tackle the corrugations and enjoy the last of Lakefield. Your body is now used to this way of life, the k’s slip by with your interest in tackling the overland telegraph line.
Day 11: Coen 103km. A night at this classic Queensland stilted pub, decorated with photos of floods, drought, fire & famine, before you tackle your own nightmare or dream on the long road to the tip, where you are sure to rock'n'roll.
Day 12: Archer River 65km. This little gold mining town is the last supplies. Undulations, creeks, Mungkan Kaanju National Park, kangaroos, emus, Brahman cattle, lizards and lots of tropical birds will watch your progress as you toil with your friends to the very top of Australia.
Day 13: Moreton Telegraph St 124km. The Archer River is big, and today is your biggest day’s ride. Ignore the turn off to Weipa, the aluminum bauxite mining town in Albatross Bay. We are heading for Moreton Telegraph Station on the mighty Wenlock River.
Day 14: Moreton Telegraph St Rest Day. Well earned rest day, swim the waterhole, chase a pig, ride a trail, look for crocs, do some washing, play footy, cricket or just chill out. This friendly homestead on the Overland Telegraph Line, is still the centre for “goss in the gulf”.
Day 15: Dulhunty River 38km. This telegraph line, studded with forlorn looking poles, takes us past Bramwell, the bar in the bush, then the real 4WD sandy track of the outback. Deep creeks, will have you pedaling furiously before lifting your legs and rolling to a stop in the middle, or finding granny and grunting to the other side. A cuppa watching the others get wet, will whet your need for more.
Day 16: Eliot Falls 53km. What a life! Lovely waterfalls, swimming holes, 4WD vehicles struggling where cyclists saunter, mud baths waiting to remove those wrinkles. The days are easy, the weather is warm, the friendships likewise. Fruit Bat Falls & Eliot Falls are playgrounds along this famous Overland Telegraph Line.
Day 17: Jardine River 60km. We leave the 4WD track and enter the aboriginal reserve of Mapoon. The road cuts through massive trees and forest before you are stopped once again this time by the mighty Jardine. We camp by the river before crossing by ferry in the morning.
Day 18: Seisia 54km. The race is on. Everyone wants to get to the top. The corrugated sandy road takes us to Bamaga, Australia’s most colourful and culturally diverse town. Lunch and linger before an easy ride to the coast.
Day 19: Seisia 70km. Everyone is anxious to reach their goal. Backtracks take us through stunning coastline before entering dense tropical jungle and an area marking the end of vehicular traffic. We walk and ride the last couple of ks to a precious point on the very Tip of Australia, Cape York (Pajinka) where we celebrate with champers and lunch and return to a massive celebratory dinner.
Day 20: Seisia Rest Day. A well earned rest day, your choice to visit Thursday Island with it’s history and museums, fish on the pier or hire a boat and catch the big ones, or simply laze back on the beach and relive your recreation ride.
Day 21: Extra Cairns. Today the first group fly out to Cairns in the morn, while the others explore town. The afternoon flight takes the last ones to Cairns, then transferred to the Rainbow Inn, where we reunite for a big night.
Day 22: Extra Cairns. Everyone relaxes doing the touristy things of shopping, cruising the Great Barrier Reef, riding the Sky Rail or whatever. The bikes and luggage arrive late in the afternoon. Congratulations, you’ve ridden from Cairns to Cape York, the dream of most mountain bike riders.
Day 23: Fly Home. Head for Home or stay and enjoy more of Cairns.
You will Need:
* A well maintained bicycle
* A spare tube
* Light coloured, comfortable clothing
* Some training!
* Some spending money
* A positive attitude
Notes:
Airfare is not included in the tour price.
Price Includes:
- Full back up support, mechanic, luggage transport
- Includes taxi then flight from Cape York to Cairns, to enjoy the views from a different angle
- Includes all National Parks permits
- Includes all the fun and adventure you could imagine
Price Excludes:
- Mountain bike
- Airfare to & from Cairns
- Accommodation 20th & 21st June in Cairns
- Optional ferry to Thursday Island
Standard: $5,250 4 nights accommodation, 16 nights camping
Deluxe: $6,500 13 nights accommodation, 7 nights camping
Single Supp: $7,500 12 nights accommodation, 8 nights camping
$150 deposit secures your place
Also see tour packages in:
Australia and Oceania
Australia
Bicycle Touring
Ecotourism
Email it to a friend:
Click here to email this vacation to a friend
|
