A colourful rainbow lorikeet perches on a branch covered in small pink flowers and red berries, with a lush green background—an enchanting sight often experienced during a tablelands birdwatching tour. | Aussie Loop
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Cairns to Tablelands Birdwatching Tour

from A$500
10 hours
Cairns
Not suitable for children
7 Day Cancellation Notice
This tour is a small group experience limited to six guests and is not recommended for children. After booking, the team will be in touch to confirm your target species and tailor the day's route.

A full day of birding from Cairns on the Atherton Tablelands with a small group and an expert local guide. Sit in the bird hide at Hasties Swamp, search Mount Hypipamee for Golden Bowerbirds and cassowaries, and walk the rainforest around Lake Barrine. Expect about 50 species on a typical day.

  • A colourful rainbow lorikeet perches on a branch covered in small pink flowers and red berries, with a lush green background—an enchanting sight often experienced during a tablelands birdwatching tour. | Aussie Loop
  • An older man with grey hair looks through binoculars outdoors, facing the sun, perhaps enjoying a birdwatching tour in the Tablelands near Cairns. Sunlight creates a lens flare in the lower part of the image.
  • A small brown bird with a ruffled tail perches on a barbed wire fence against a blurred green background. | Aussie Loop
  • A black-winged stilt with long pink legs stands in shallow water, lowering its bill to the surface, with a droplet falling from its bill and a soft green reflection in the background. | Aussie Loop
  • Four people walk down an earth path in a natural setting, carrying cameras and photography equipment. The scene suggests a wildlife or nature photography outing. Trees and grass line the path. | Aussie Loop
  • A colourful rainbow lorikeet perches on a branch covered in small pink flowers and red berries, with a lush green background—an enchanting sight often experienced during a tablelands birdwatching tour. | Aussie Loop
  • An older man with grey hair looks through binoculars outdoors, facing the sun, perhaps enjoying a birdwatching tour in the Tablelands near Cairns. Sunlight creates a lens flare in the lower part of the image.
  • A small brown bird with a ruffled tail perches on a barbed wire fence against a blurred green background. | Aussie Loop
  • A black-winged stilt with long pink legs stands in shallow water, lowering its bill to the surface, with a droplet falling from its bill and a soft green reflection in the background. | Aussie Loop
  • Four people walk down an earth path in a natural setting, carrying cameras and photography equipment. The scene suggests a wildlife or nature photography outing. Trees and grass line the path. | Aussie Loop

Quick read before you book.

  • About 50 species on a typical day, and 80 or more when conditions line up
  • Male Golden Bowerbirds and Southern Cassowaries at Mount Hypipamee
  • A bird hide over a wetland with more than 220 recorded species
  • Walks chosen to suit the day's target species
  • Every walk optional, with a shady chair if you would rather wait

What people say about this operator.

Google Reviews
4.9 Stars|41 reviews

What could be better?

Honestly, not much. Bring binoculars or a camera with a good zoom so you don't miss a thing.

Summarised by AI, verify on Google Business Profile before booking

Included in this tour.

  • Expert local birding guide
  • Air conditioned vehicle
  • Photography tuition
  • Local Wet Tropics bird list
  • Sunscreen and insect repellent
  • First aid kit and extra binoculars on board

Commonly asked questions.

Pickups start at 6:30am in Cairns, and the tour also collects from the Northern Beaches and Palm Cove. The day runs for about 10 hours.

A typical day records about 50 species, with more than 80 on good days, including waterbirds at Hasties Swamp and male Golden Bowerbirds and Southern Cassowaries at Mount Hypipamee. Our guide to eco tours in Australia has more ideas for nature focused travel.

Tours are not cancelled for rain. Umbrellas are provided and the itinerary is adjusted, though a tour may be cancelled if a tropical cyclone cuts access to the National Parks.

Cancel more than 7 days before departure at no charge. Between 7 days and 48 hours before, a 25% fee applies, and within 48 hours or for a no show the full price is kept.

No, this tour is not suitable for children.

There is more walking than on the team's standard tours, with walks from 30 minutes to two hours, but every walk is optional. The vehicles are not ramped and have a step to get in, so they are not suited to wheelchairs or guests with very limited mobility, and most stops do not have an accessible bathroom. Call the team before booking to talk through your needs.

Bring a hat, sunglasses, comfortable walking shoes, a water bottle, a day pack and your binoculars or camera. Light, natural coloured clothing helps you blend in, and there is more on why small groups suit wildlife days in our guide to small group tours in Australia.

More about this tour.

This is a full day built for people who travel with binoculars. Pickups start at 6:30am in Cairns, and with a small group on board you head up onto the Atherton Tablelands, part of the Wet Tropics, where more than 450 bird species have been recorded and 13 are found nowhere else.Hasties Swamp is a big seasonal wetland with a bird hide and more than 220 species on record, so it is the place to settle in for waterbirds. Mount Hypipamee National Park is where your guide goes looking for male Golden Bowerbirds and Southern Cassowaries, and around Lake Barrine and Yungaburra a choice of walks from 30 minutes to two hours is matched to the day's target species. A typical day turns up about 50 species, and good days have topped 80.Every walk is optional, so if you would rather sit one out, there is a picnic chair waiting in the shade. Photography tuition is part of the day, and when time allows you may also spot platypus, possums or tree kangaroos. For a broader look at the region's wildlife, the Atherton Tablelands Nature and Wildlife Tour runs with the same local team.Explore the itinerary, check availability for your dates, then book your seat before the small group fills.

Additional info.

  • Pickups start at 6:30am in Cairns, with Northern Beaches and Palm Cove pickups also available.
  • The day runs for about 10 hours.
  • This tour is not suitable for children.
  • Bring a hat, sunglasses, walking shoes, a water bottle and your own binoculars or camera.