Atherton Tablelands Tour
Taste of the Tablelands
A full-day, small-group tour for 4 to 11 guests through Far North Queensland’s Food Bowl of the North. Coffee, premium spirits, cheese, chocolate, waterfalls and wildlife, all in one unhurried day.
Discover the Atherton Tablelands
Our Atherton Tablelands tour from Cairns is a full-day, small-group experience for 4 to 11 guests, taking you through a region of Far North Queensland famed for its waterfalls and exceptional local produce. You’ll hand-feed rare rock wallabies at Granite Gorge, taste single-origin coffee at Skybury (Australia’s oldest coffee plantation), swim beneath the falls at Millaa Millaa, and finish the day at Crater Lakes National Park.
Known as the Food Bowl of the North, the Atherton Tablelands’ rich volcanic soil and cooler high-altitude climate produce some of Australia’s finest coffee, chocolate, cheese and tropical fruit. Simon and Renae bring it all together into a thoughtfully paced day that never feels rushed.
What's included
- Hotel pick-up and return (Cairns city and Northern Beaches)
- Tastings at Skybury (coffee and papaya), Mt Uncle Distillery (premium spirits and liqueurs) and Gallo's Dairyland (gourmet cheese and handcrafted chocolate)
- Visits: Barron Falls Gorge canopy walk, Skybury Coffee & Papaya Plantation, Granite Gorge, Mt Uncle Distillery, Gallo's Dairyland, Curtain Fig National Park, Bromfield Swamp, Malanda, Millaa Millaa Falls, and Crater Lakes National Park
- Interpretive commentary on the region's geology, history, agriculture and wildlife with our expert local guide
- Sightseeing, swimming, nature walks, and photography
- Hand-feeding the Mareeba rock-wallabies at Granite Gorge
The Tour at a glance
Full day (approx. 10 hours)
Small group, 4 to 11 guests
Cairns Northern Beaches 7:15 am, Cairns 8 am
Cairns at approximately 6:00pm
Adult $289 · Child (4–12 years) $210
Easy: short walks on formed paths, optional swims
Hotel transfers, all tastings, all entries, expert local guide
Cancel up to 48 hours before for a full refund
Your day on the Atherton Tablelands
Ten stops, one full day through the Food Bowl of the North, here’s where we’ll take you.
Barron Falls Gorge canopy walk
A scenic stop above one of Queensland's most dramatic waterfalls, with a rainforest canopy walk and panoramic lookout over the gorge.
Skybury Coffee and Papaya Plantation
Morning tea and coffee tastings at Australia's oldest coffee plantation, with views across the Mareeba savannah.
Granite Gorge: hand-feed the rock wallabies
A close-up wildlife encounter with the rare Mareeba Unadorned Rock Wallaby, set among ancient granite boulder formations.
Mt Uncle Distillery
Tasting of award-winning gins, rums, vodkas and liqueurs distilled from local botanicals, set on a working banana plantation.
Tastings of Gourmet cheeses from Gallos cheese factory and fine handcrafted chocolates.
Enjoy a freshly prepared lunch with local produce and ingredients.
Curtain Fig Tree and Malanda
An ancient strangler fig and a drive through the historic dairy township of Malanda, with rich pioneer and indigenous history shared by your guide.
Bromfield Swamp
Panoramic views across a nationally significant volcanic wetland, a natural habitat and sight for migrating bird life, such as crane species.
Millaa Millaa Fall: swim stop
One of the most photographed waterfalls in Queensland, with an optional swim in the plunge pool below.
Crater Lakes National Park
Afternoon refreshments and nature walk at Lake Barrine National Park surrounded by lush rainforest and birdlife.
Return to Cairns (approx. 6:00pm)
Down the Gillies Range and back via Gordonvale, passing Walsh's Pyramid, so you experience two of the region's most scenic mountain roads in one day.
A full interpretive tour showcasing some of Atherton Tablelands’ finest produce and farms tasting a range of fine chocolates, cheeses, coffee, fruit, premium spirits and liqueurs. Enjoy the cooler climate of this scenic plateau of landscapes, mountain ranges, waterfalls and unique volcanic crater lakes. A fun-packed day with tastings, photography opportunities, bird watching, wildlife interactions and swimming in waterfalls and crater lakes.
The day begins by picking you up from your accommodation in Cairns or Northern Beaches; we begin our journey to Kuranda Village, taking a scenic route of the village to the rainforest canopy walk to view the spectacular Barron Falls Gorge. Leaving the Rainforest for the Savannah, we arrive at Skybury Plantation for morning tea and our first tasting of coffee and papaya. Enjoy fresh scones and a cup of Skybury coffee on the outside deck overlooking the savannah backdrop. Explore the venue and learn about the coffee roasting and papaya plantation, you may even want to purchase some coffee beans or other produce to take home.
Our next stop is Granite Gorge, the opportunity to hand feed the adorable rare Unadorned Rock Wallabies. Interact with native wildlife, explore the unique granite boulder formations and admire the stunning savannah views of the Mareeba landscapes.
We stop at Mt. Uncle Distillery, where you can taste Far North Queensland’s finest spirits and liqueurs. Learn about local ingredients in distilling botanical gins, rum, vodkas and liqueurs. Explore the grounds surrounded by fruit trees and marvel at the menagerie of farm animals.
Continuing our scenic drive into the Tablelands to the Upper Barron, we arrive at Gallo’s Dairyland, a fully operational dairy farm, a gourmet cheese factory, a cafe restaurant, and hand-crafted chocolates. During this hour, we enjoy the friendly hospitality of the staff serving a light lunch, a range of Gallo’s cheeses, and fine chocolates for tasting. Discover how cheese and chocolates are made and explore the retail outlet.
The afternoon we traverse through the green-rich landscapes learning the natural beauty and wonders of the tablelands. We stop at the ancient old Curtain Fig Tree and the extinct volcanic Bromfield Crater, these areas offering fantastic photography and bird-watching opportunities. Travelling through the historic pioneer dairy town of Malanda, your guide will share some rich history and culture you see when passing the Malanda Falls Conservation Park, Queensland’s largest original timber pub and the majestic heritage listed picture theatre. Passing the Narada Tea Farm onto Lynches Crater, we go to the most photographed waterfall, the famous Millaa Millaa Falls. The views don’t get much better through the upper Tablelands, a backdrop of mountain ranges including Queensland’s highest mountain, Bartle Frere.
The magnificent Crater Lakes National Park is our last destination for the day, a unique experience to immerse in the tranquil surroundings of lush rainforests and an array of birdlife. Enjoy afternoon refreshments, a swim or a nature walk, and pursue your photographic interests, a perfect ending to the taste of the Tablelands.
Departing we drive down the Gillies Range back toward Gordonvale, passing Walsh’s Pyramid and arriving back in Cairns at approximately 6 pm.
Tour route from Cairns to the Atherton Tablelands
Our Atherton Tablelands day tour takes us up the Kuranda Range from Cairns, through the food and rainforest country of the Tablelands, Skybury, Mt Uncle Distillery, Gallo’s Dairyland, Millaa Millaa Falls and Crater Lakes, and back down the Gillies Range. Approximately 300 kilometres covered in a single, unhurried day.
What to bring
full-day outdoor tour
for waterfalls, plantations, rock wallabies and the views
formed paths, mostly flat, 1–2 km total walking
refillable, we’ll refill throughout the day
for Millaa Millaa Falls
Atherton Tablelands sit at altitude and the air is noticeably cooler than Cairns
A note on our sustainability practices
As an Ecotourism Australia accredited operator, we ask guests to avoid insect repellent and chemical sunscreens on tour, as these wash into the rainforest streams we swim in. Sun-safe clothing in neutral, lighter colours offers better protection and is cooler in the tropics.
Our commitment to protecting these environments extends beyond our tours through our financial support of the Mabi Reforestation Project, restoring critically endangered Mabi forest on the very Tablelands you’re touring today.
Why travel with Tropic Tours
We’re Simon and Renae, a family-run, locally owned tour operator in Cairns. Our day tours are small, unhurried, and built around what makes this region special: the place, the growers and artisans, and the passion behind the region’s finest produce.
Intimate group size of 4 to 11 guests
Never a coach. Always a conversation
Ecotourism Australia accredited
Plus member of QTIC (Queensland Tourism Industry Council) and ATEC (Australian Tourism Export Council).
2026 Best of Queensland Experience award
Recognised by Tourism and Events Queensland for consistency in tour delivery and customer service.
Mabi Reforestation Project partner
Financial partner restoring critically endangered Mabi forest on the very Tablelands you’re touring.
Fast booking
Secure online booking with instant email confirmation
Hear from our guests
Frequently asked questions about the Atherton Tablelands tour
How long is the drive from Cairns to the Atherton Tablelands?
The drive from Cairns to the Atherton Tablelands takes around 1 hour 15 minutes via the Gillies Range or 1 hour 30 minutes via the Kuranda Range. On our tour you don’t drive at all, we pick you up from your accommodation in Cairns or the Northern Beaches from 7:00am and return around 6:00pm. The full route takes you up the Kuranda Range and back down the Gillies Range, so you experience both of Far North Queensland’s most scenic mountain drives in a single day.
What food and produce do you taste on the tour?
You’ll taste single-origin Skybury coffee and papaya at Australia’s oldest coffee plantation, premium spirits and liqueurs at Mt Uncle Distillery, and a spread of gourmet cheese and handcrafted chocolate at Gallo’s Dairyland, where a light lunch is included. The Atherton Tablelands is known as the Food Bowl of the North, with rich volcanic soil and a cooler high-altitude climate that produces some of Australia’s finest coffee, dairy and tropical fruit.
Can we purchase directly from the producer?
Yes. We always recommend purchasing directly from the producer, as you are supporting their business directly and you know you are getting genuine products. This also aligns with our sustainable practices, supporting communities we visit.
What is the cancellation policy?
You can cancel up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund, no questions asked. We know plans change, especially for guests travelling from overseas or interstate. Within 48 hours, cancellations are non-refundable, but we’ll always work with you on rescheduling if there’s space on another tour date. The same policy applies if weather or safety forces us to cancel from our side, full refund or reschedule, your choice.
Can you hand-feed the rock wallabies on this tour?
Yes. Granite Gorge is one of the day’s biggest highlights. You’ll have the opportunity to hand-feed the Mareeba rock-wallaby, a species found only in a small pocket of Far North Queensland. Against a backdrop of striking granite boulder formations, it’s a relaxed, up-close wildlife experience that you simply won’t get on a large, crowded bus tour.
Is this an Atherton Tablelands food and wine tour?
Yes. The Taste of the Tablelands is built around the region’s food trail: coffee at Skybury, premium spirits and gin at Mt Uncle Distillery, gourmet cheese and chocolate at Gallo’s Dairyland with farm-gate stops, the Curtain Fig National Park and Crater Lakes between tastings. It’s a full sensory tour through the Food Bowl of the North, paced for tasting and conversation rather than racing between stops.
Can you swim on the Atherton Tablelands tour?
Yes. We stop at Millaa Millaa Falls, one of the most photographed waterfalls in Queensland, and you’re welcome to swim in the plunge pool below if conditions allow. Bring swimmers and a towel.