9 Day Cape York 4WD Adventure to the Tip
Red Dirt and River Crossings on a Cape York 4WD Tour
Here's one for the more adventurous. Sid Fogg's Australia has partnered with Heritage 4WD Tours of Cairns, who have been guiding travellers through Far North Queensland since 1989, to take us all the way to the tip of Australia in their purpose-built 4WD coaches.
If you can climb the steep steps into the back of the 4WD, you can conquer the rest of the tour. We'll stand on the rocky headland at the very top of Cape York with the Torres Strait stretching out in front of us, tour Thursday Island, swim at Fruit Bat Falls, cross crocodile infested rivers by 4WD and spend an evening on a cattle station veranda, all with your Sid Fogg's guide alongside you from your front door and back again.
Your journey begins with a door-to-door pick-up from home across Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast, with our coach taking you to Sydney Airport for flights north to Cairns and on to Horn Island and Thursday Island. We then spend seven days travelling the Cape in Heritage's Isuzu off-road 4WD, with forward-facing reclining seats, footrests, panoramic windows and an on-board toilet. Every flight, transfer and night's stay is arranged for you, from the Old Musgrave Telegraph Station through to the rainforest of Cape Tribulation.
Tour Details:
9-Day Tour | 30 September – 8 October 2027
Twin Share: From $6,950 per person
Single Traveller: From $8,125
Deposit: $600 per person by 30 January 2027
Balance Due: 1 July 2027
Group size: limited to 20 travellers. Only 4 single rooms
Minimum numbers: 15 travellers for the tour to depart
Pick-ups: door-to-door across Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast
Terms & Conditions: Read the full Terms & Conditions here
Important Tour Information
Cancellation: cancellations must be received in writing or by email, with fees based on the notice given before departure:
More than 90 days before departure: loss of deposit
90 to 60 days before departure: 50% of the total tour cost
59 to 31 days before departure: 75% of the total tour cost
30 days or less before departure: 100% of the total tour cost
Tour terms: this tour is operated with Heritage 4WD Tours and their terms and conditions also apply, so please contact our office for the full terms before you book
Luggage: one soft bag per person of up to 10 kg, as suitcases and hard cases are not suited to travel in the 4WD
Porter service: not available during the 4WD section of the tour, so each traveller carries their own bag to and from their room at each overnight stop
Photo ID: required for all flights
Fitness: moderate, with steep steps into the 4WD and walking over rocky, uneven ground. Not suitable if you have walking restrictions
Dietary requirements: please advise at least four weeks before departure
Medical conditions: please let us know at the time of booking, and fill any prescriptions before you leave home
Travel Insurance: strongly recommended, as the remoteness of Cape York means a medical emergency may need an evacuation flight
Mobile coverage: available in Weipa, Coen and Cooktown, and limited at Seisia and on Thursday Island
Bookings by enquiry
Is This Tour for You?
Remember this is Far North Queensland, one of the most remote parts of Australia, and the tour is built for travellers who are steady on their feet. You'll climb steep steps into the 4WD several times a day, walk over rocky, uneven ground to reach the Tip, the falls and the beaches, and carry your own soft bag of up to 10 kg to and from your room each night, as there are no porters on the 4WD section of the tour.
Rooms range from comfortable hotels and motels to simple station rooms and relocatable buildings, some with shared facilities.
If you use a walker, wheelchair or mobility scooter, this tour isn't suitable, and our team would be glad to help you find one of our other tours that is. If you're unsure, call us on (02) 4928 1088 and we'll talk you through what to expect before you book.
Your 9-Day Itinerary
Day 1
Thursday 30 September: Home to Cairns
Your adventure begins at your front door this morning, where our coach collects you for the transfer to Sydney Airport, with your Sid Fogg's guide travelling with you from the start. Settle back for a light lunch on our direct Qantas flight north, then step out into the tropical warmth of Cairns, with time to settle into the Cairns Pacific Hotel before dinner together.
Accommodation: 1 night at the Cairns Pacific Hotel
Meals Included: Lunch, Dinner
Day 2
Friday 1 October: Cairns to Thursday Island and Cape York
After breakfast we fly north with QantasLink to Horn Island, then cross by ferry to Thursday Island in the Torres Strait. A local guide shows you the island by bus, from the Torres Strait Historical Museum and the Japanese Pearl Divers Memorial to the hilltop outlook at Green Hill Fort, sharing stories of the pearl luggers that once crowded the harbour.
After your bus tour you'll have time in town to buy lunch (own expense) and roam the small village at your own pace. This afternoon the ferry carries us across to the mainland, where our Heritage guide is waiting to drive us to Cape York Peninsula Lodge at Bamaga, our base for the next two nights.
Accommodation: 2 nights at Cape York Peninsula Lodge, Bamaga (ensuite rooms)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3
Saturday 2 October: Standing at the Tip
After breakfast, the 4WD carries us north from Bamaga to the end of the track, and from there you walk out across the rocks of the headland to the Tip, for a photo at the sign so many travellers make the journey to see. Road conditions permitting, we then visit Somerset, the government outpost established in 1864 and once home to the Jardine family, before lunch on palm-fringed Anchorage Beach overlooking the Albany Passage.
The afternoon ends with a walk along the sand and a relaxed return to the lodge for dinner.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 4
Sunday 3 October: Fruit Bat Falls and Bramwell Station
Heading south, we cross the Jardine River and stop for lunch at Fruit Bat Falls in Apudthama National Park, where the spring-fed water of Eliot Creek spills into a plunge pool below the falls. Bring your bathers for a swim, or follow the boardwalk along the creek and find a shady spot to relax.
The afternoon takes us along part of the Old Telegraph Track to Bramwell Station, a former working cattle station where the evening is spent around the restaurant and bar on the bush veranda. Bramwell has 12 ensuite rooms, and once these are allocated the rest of the group stays in simple station rooms with a shared amenities block nearby. If you'll be in a room with shared facilities, we'll let you know when you book.
Accommodation: 1 night at Bramwell Station
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 5
Monday 4 October: Bramwell Station to Weipa
Today's run south takes in the changing landscapes of the Cape, crossing the Wenlock River on the way to Weipa and the shores of the Gulf of Carpentaria. We arrive into Weipa early, the only township we see on this stretch of the Cape, with time to buy lunch in town (own expense) before checking in to our motel.
This afternoon you board the Weipa Wildlife and Eco River Cruise for around an hour and a half on the harbour and the Embley River, with local commentary on the area's culture and history as you look out for birds and animals along the banks.
Accommodation: 1 night in Weipa (ensuite rooms)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6
Tuesday 5 October: Weipa to Musgrave
We continue south to the picturesque Archer River, then on to Coen, a historic frontier gold town and a welcome stop on the long road through the Cape. By afternoon we reach the Old Musgrave Telegraph Station, once a link on the telegraph line north, where you can settle in for the night with dinner at its own bar and restaurant.
Accommodation: 1 night at Old Musgrave Telegraph Station (ensuite rooms)
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7
Wednesday 6 October: Lakefield National Park to Cooktown
We set out early this morning, heading east towards Princess Charlotte Bay and, road conditions permitting, into Rinyirru (Lakefield) National Park, the second largest national park in Queensland. Keep your binoculars handy, as the lagoons and billabongs draw magpie geese and other waterbirds in great numbers, and the river systems are home to both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles.
From here we travel on to Cooktown, the old gold port on the Endeavour River, for a visit to Captain Cook's Landing. Tonight you can relax at the Sovereign Resort Hotel, with its pool, bar and restaurant.
Accommodation: 1 night at Sovereign Resort Hotel, Cooktown
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 8
Thursday 7 October: Cooktown to Cape Tribulation and Cairns
Our last day in the 4WD heads south past the granite boulders of Black Mountain and the historic Lions Den Hotel. Road conditions permitting, the Bloomfield Track then winds through the World Heritage listed rainforest of Daintree National Park to Cape Tribulation, where you can stand on the beach and watch the rainforest run down to the water's edge, with the reef just offshore.
A scenic drive along the Marlin Coast brings us back into Cairns. Tonight we share dinner together on our final evening, with a week of stories to swap.
Accommodation: 1 night at the Cairns Pacific Hotel
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 9
Friday 8 October: Cairns to Home
After breakfast and check-out, the morning is yours to browse the Cairns shopping district and pick up a final souvenir before our early afternoon flight to Sydney, with lunch today at your own expense. Our coach is waiting in Sydney to drop you home, bringing your Cape York adventure to a close.
Meals Included: Breakfast
What's Included:
Door-to-door home pick-up and drop-off across Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast
Return Qantas economy flights between Sydney and Cairns
QantasLink flight from Cairns to Horn Island
Ferry transfers to Thursday Island and across to the mainland
7 days touring in Heritage's purpose-built off-road 4WD with panoramic windows and an on-board toilet
Sid Fogg's guide for the whole tour
8 nights' accommodation in Cairns, Bamaga, Bramwell Station, Weipa, Musgrave and Cooktown
Guided bus tour of Thursday Island
Weipa Wildlife and Eco River Cruise
8 Breakfasts, 6 Lunches, 8 Dinners
All sightseeing and entry fees as per itinerary
This tour requires a minimum of 15 travellers to depart.
Tour Highlights:
Standing at the Tip: Walk out across the headland to the northernmost point of the Australian mainland.
Thursday Island: Discover the pearling history of the Torres Strait on a guided bus tour, with time to roam the village.
Fruit Bat Falls: Swim in the spring-fed pools of Eliot Creek before a picnic lunch by the water.
Bramwell Station: Spend an evening on the bush veranda of a former working cattle station.
Weipa River Cruise: Watch for wildlife along the Embley River on a cruise included in your tour price.
Old Musgrave Telegraph Station: Stay the night at a historic stop on the old telegraph line south of Coen.
Lakefield National Park: Look out for crocodiles and waterbirds across the wetlands of one of Queensland's largest national parks.
Cooktown: Visit Captain Cook's Landing in the old gold port on the Endeavour River.
Bloomfield Track and Cape Tribulation: Travel through World Heritage rainforest to the beach where the Daintree meets the reef.
Your Cape York 4WD Tour Questions Answered
How fit do I need to be for this Cape York tour?
A moderate level of fitness is needed. Boarding the 4WD means climbing a set of steep steps, several stops are reached on foot over rocky and uneven ground, and during the 4WD section each traveller carries their own bag to and from their room at each overnight stop. The tour isn't suitable if you use a walker, wheelchair or mobility scooter, and our team is happy to talk it through with you on (02) 4928 1088.
What luggage can I bring?
Each traveller can bring one soft bag of up to 10 kg, such as a small duffle or overnight bag, as suitcases and hard cases are not suited to travel in the 4WD. Photo ID is required for all flights, and laundry facilities along the way at Seisia, Weipa and Cooktown mean four or five changes of clothes is plenty.
What is included in the tour price?
The price includes door-to-door pick-ups, return Qantas flights between Sydney and Cairns, the QantasLink flight to Horn Island, ferry transfers, seven days in Heritage's off-road 4WD and a Sid Fogg's guide for the whole tour. It also covers eight nights' accommodation, 8 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 8 dinners, the Thursday Island bus tour, the Weipa Wildlife and Eco River Cruise and all entry fees as per the itinerary. Lunch on Days 2, 5 and 9 is at your own expense, as are drinks, laundry and souvenirs.
What is the accommodation like?
Most nights are in motel or hotel style rooms with ensuite, including the Cairns Pacific Hotel for both Cairns nights, Cape York Peninsula Lodge at Bamaga, Weipa, the Old Musgrave Telegraph Station and the Sovereign Resort Hotel in Cooktown, which has a pool, bar and restaurant. Bramwell Station has 12 ensuite rooms, and once these are allocated, simple rooms with a shared amenities block close by are used. If you'll be in one of these rooms, we'll let you know when you book.
What is the weather like in Cape York in September and October?
The tour runs at the end of the dry season, when rain on the Cape is usually light, although showers are always possible. Days are warm, so a hat, sunscreen, bathers and insect repellent are worth packing, along with a light jacket for cooler mornings.
Are drinks included?
Water is available on board the 4WD at all times, and other drinks are at your own expense. Nearly all overnight stops are licensed premises, and alcohol restrictions apply in some Cape York communities, so the Queensland Government's information line on 1300 789 000 is the best place for any questions about them.
Will my phone work on the tour?
Mobile coverage and wifi are available in Weipa, Coen and Cooktown, and limited at Seisia and on Thursday Island. Electricity is available every night, so phones and cameras can be recharged along the way.
Can special dietary requirements be catered for?
Please let us know about any medical or dietary requirements at least four weeks before departure. Venues on the Cape are remote, so requirements are best kept to medical needs or dedicated choices such as vegetarian, and our team can confirm what is possible before you book.
What happens if road conditions change?
Visits to Somerset, Lakefield National Park and the Bloomfield Track all depend on road conditions on the day. Heritage may adjust the itinerary if weather or other circumstances outside their control require it, always with the aim of keeping the journey as close to the plan as possible.
How do I book, and when are payments due?
Bookings are by enquiry, so call Sid Fogg's on (02) 4928 1088 or email info@sidfoggs.com.au. A $600 per person deposit is due by 30 January 2027 and the balance by 1 July 2027. Cancelling more than 90 days before departure means the loss of your deposit, with fees of 50%, 75% and then 100% of the tour cost closer to departure. Heritage Tours' terms also apply, so please ask our office for the full terms before you book. The group is limited to 20 travellers with four single rooms, and a minimum of 15 travellers is needed for the tour to depart.
Where are pick-ups from?
Sid Fogg's collects you from your door across Newcastle, the Hunter and the Central Coast and takes you by coach to Sydney Airport, then brings you home again at the end of the tour.
Terms & Conditions
Before booking your multi-day tour, please review the key terms regarding payments, cancellations, and responsibilities.
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