Top Cairns & the Tropical North Helicopter Tours

Enjoy unforgettable views of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef as you fly over the UNESCO-listed natural wonder in a helicopter. Experience the magnitude of the vast reef as you float overhead, spotting landmarks like Green Island and Upolo Cay and swooping low enough to see coral clusters and schools of tropical fish and rays. The tour departs from Marina Point at 2 Pier Point Rd in Cairns City.

Enjoy the most scenic 30 minutes of your life on this helicopter ride over the Great Barrier Reef. Fly over Green Island and see its unique forest canopy—it’s actually part of the reef, not an island—and see Mount Yarrabah and False Cape on your way. Spot marine life like rays and sharks from above as you travel to Arlington Reef, then enjoy unbeatable views of the Queensland coastline and the Great Dividing Range on your way back to Cairns.

Experience the awe-inspiring Great Barrier Reef with Great Adventures. From our spacious Outer Reef platform, discover vibrant coral and marine life. Swimmers and non-swimmers alike can snorkel or dive, explore the reef from the underwater observatory or air-conditioned semi-submersible, or enjoy a breathtaking 10-minute scenic helicopter flight.Enjoy morning tea, afternoon tea, and a delicious hot & cold buffet lunch. Optional activities like scuba diving and the exclusive Scuba-Doo underwater scooter are available for an additional fee. Enhance your visit with a 2-hour stop at Green Island before the Reef Pontoon. Explore the rainforest, relax on sandy beaches, and snorkel in crystal-clear waters—all gear is provided.

Enjoy the best of both worlds on this exhilarating 45-minute helicopter flight, crossing both land and sea. Swoop over the lush rainforest and thundering waterfalls of the Barron Gorge, then admire the vast reefs and aquamarine waters of the UNESCO-listed Great Barrier Reef including Arlington Reef.

Get amazing views over the city of Cairns with this 10 minute scenic helicopter flight. Take in the Marlin Marina, Trinity Inlet, Admiralty Island and the cityscape itself, while also admiring the Great Dividing Range in the background, and the marvelous Coral Sea to the east. In-flight commentary will help you understand and appreciate this special part of Australia.

Go snorkeling or scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef on a full-day cruise from Cairns. Relax on board your 80-foot (25-meter) luxury catamaran as your captain sails to two exclusive locations on the Great Barrier Reef. Choose to snorkel or dive, with full instruction provided by guides, and see an array of colorful fish, sea turtles, and corals. Your tour includes morning and afternoon tea, and a buffet lunch, with additional beverages available for purchase.

Discover the Outer Great Barrier Reef in comfort aboard our large, purpose-built stable catamaran. With just 60 guests onboard, enjoy a relaxed half-day snorkel experience featuring easy access to the water, hot freshwater showers, premium equipment, and expert marine guides to help you make the most of your time on the reef.

See snapping crocs in action on this half-day tour to Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures. Departing from Cairns or Palm Cove, explore the five different zones of this eco-park and working crocodile farm, including a narrated boat tour through a coastal lagoon. Stroll along elevated boardwalks to observe cassowaries, turtles, lizards, and koalas, and admire the mighty stars of the attraction at the thrilling Crocodile Attack Show.

This tour combines the best elements of the reef and rainforest. Starting with the reef we fly to Green Island and then explore the local reefs, including the beautiful Vlasoff Sand Cay. We then track to Palm Cove and climb up to 2,500 feet as we glide over the Great Dividing Range on our way to Kuranda - the village in the rainforest. We then track down the Barron Gorge, home of the immense Barron Falls, before tracking back to Cairns Airport with stunning panoramic views of the surrounding area.

Ensure a memorable experience on the Outer Great Barrier Reef on this full-day cruise aboard a catamaran. Head for Michaelmas Cay and Hastings Outer Reef and plunge into the underwater world of the Great Barrier Reef. Snorkel among its rich marine life or include an introductory or certified dive (additional cost). Includes a buffet lunch and morning and afternoon tea on board, all snorkeling gear, and wetsuits or stinger suits.

Immerse yourself in the natural wonders and Aboriginal heritage of Australia's Tropical North Queensland on this full-day tour from Cairns. First, head to the Mossman Gorge to take part in a traditional smoke ceremony with the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people. Then, enjoy lunch in the Daintree Village. After lunch, join a wildlife cruise on the Daintree River where you might see a crocodile, and learn about the fragile ecosystem of this impressive, serpent-like river system. Finally, head to Thornton’s Beach, where the rainforest meets the reef.

Indulge yourself and your loved ones with a private helicopter tour that takes you out to a secluded island on the Great Barrier Reef. Admire the reef from above during your scenic helicopter, then experience its natural beauty up close after your pilot gently lands on the gorgeous and remote Vlasoff Cay and provides everything you need—including a picnic basket with sparkling wine, and nibbles—for a luxurious beach retreat.

Make the most of your time in Tropical North Queensland with this all-in-one day trip through the Atherton Tablelands. Take in natural beauty and cultural insight in one comprehensive experience. Start beneath the ancient Cathedral Fig Tree, where a guide reveals the rainforest’s deep spiritual and ecological roots. Take a dip in the waters of Lake Eacham, enjoy a hearty pub lunch made with local ingredients, and visit two of the region’s most scenic waterfalls—Millaa Millaa and Josephine Falls. Along the way, spot native wildlife such as tree-kangaroos, and end your journey at the Babinda Boulders.

Experience one of the wonders of the natural world up close and personal on this snorkeling and diving cruise on the Great Barrier Reef. Climb aboard a superyacht in Cairns and set sail to two different outer reef locations. Explore the colorful world underneath the water, and snorkel or dive for a closer look. A delicious barbecue lunch and light refreshments are included.

Explore the Great Barrier Reef and a lush island rain forest on this catamaran tour to Green Island from Cairns. Create your own perfect day on this protected coral cay with a variety of activities including snorkeling, scuba diving, Seawalking, nature walks, and tours on a glass-bottom boat. Upgrade to include a delicious buffet lunch on board the catamaran and/or a ride in a semi-submarine. It’s a fantastic way to discover the underwater wonders of the world’s most famous reef.

Venture off-the-beaten-track and explore the UNESCO-listed wilderness of Australia’s tropical north on this full-day tour from Cairns. Journey along the Captain Cook Highway; take a guided hike through the Mossman Gorge and cool off with a dip in the Mossman River. After lunch (included), look out for crocodiles on a scenic cruise down the Daintree River, then continue to Cape Tribulation to trek through the Daintree Rainforest and enjoy magnificent views over the Great Barrier Reef. This small-group tour is limited to 14 people for a personalized experience.

A truly VIP experience, discover one of the great natural wonders of the world with a roundtrip helicopter scenic flight and a day at the Reef Cruises’ pontoon! Snorkel, Scuba Dive, visit the Underwater Observatory, witness the lively fish feeding demonstration, or learn more about this intricate ecosystem on an informative Glass Bottom Boat or Semi-Submersible tour. Pontoon facilities include ample undercover seating, fresh water rinse showers, changing rooms, and a spacious sundeck with lounges. This family-friendly day ticks all the boxes and also includes the only theme park-style waterslide at the reef – the popular Sunslide!

Experience the Great Barrier Reef from above and below with Sunlover’s unique Moore Reef helicopter experiences. Choose to fly out to the reef, fly back to Cairns, fly both ways, or add a scenic helicopter flight at the pontoon. Combined with time on our spacious Outer Reef pontoon, guests can snorkel vibrant coral gardens, discover incredible marine life or simply relax surrounded by one of the world’s most spectacular natural wonders. Theres even a waterslide, and a great array of included activities such as a glass bottom boat, semi submersible and buffet lunch.

The Daintree's highlights are spread across rainforest, river, and coast, which is a lot to link up on a self-drive day from Cairns. Take a guided walk through the ancient forest at Mossman Gorge, watch for crocodiles on a Daintree River cruise, and walk the sand at Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the beach. A tropical lunch and a stop at the Daintree Ice Cream Company round out the day, with hotel pickup included.

The Reef Spectucular does exactly what the title says - provides you with one hour of total reef paradise! We leave no stone (or coral) unturned as we explore two vast clusters of reefs. Rays, turtles and sharks are commonly seen on these flights. There is no better way to experience the vastness and beauty of the Great Barrier Reef.

Get truly impressive views over the rainforests of North Queensland with this 30 minute scenic helicopter flight, departing Cairns. Take in amazing views of many of the unique sights of the area, including the Great Dividing Range, Kuranda Scenic Railway, Barron Gorge, Great Barrier Reef and much more. In-flight commentary allows you to deepen your appreciation of this beautiful corner of Australia.

Our 20-minute Cairns rainforest scenic tour provides a ‘taste’ of this incredible World Heritage-listed natural region. Cairns sits on a floodplain to the south of the mouth of the mighty Barron River. The Barron river flows 65 kilometres across fertile volcanic soils of the Atherton Tablelands and then journeys through the quaint village of Kuranda before cascading down the 850 ft high Barron Falls and out into the Coral Sea. The Barron Gorge is an impressive natural feature carved out of the Great Dividing Range and the Falls at its head are intimidating to behold when in full flight during the tropical wet season. This scenic helicopter flight tracks up through the Barron Gorge up to and over the Barron Falls, passing the over the world-famous Skyrail Rainforest Cableway where it spans the river and around the village of Kuranda before turning for the coast and descending over the lush eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range with panoramic views over Cairns and out to the Reef.

This 60-minute reef scenic helicopter flight is also known as the "pilots favourite". It takes in all the sights from every single one of our shorter duration flights and delivers them in a package that cannot be matched. Sweeping city views, rolling lush rainforest, tableland scenery, waterfalls, islands, reef and sand cays - this flight packs it all in.