Barefoot tours is a baby in the touring industry but has come out with a bang as the #1 tour company in Cairns for the past 3 years. This title was rightfully earned through the amazing all day tour. We spent the day discovering the beautiful rainforests and waterfalls that lye within the Atherton Tablelands in the Northeast region of Queensland, Australia.
You start off your day at 7 a.m. being picked up by a ridiculous, but awesome, looking orange bus. As the music is playing a man runs out and greets you with hugs and warm welcomes. There are one of two possible guides who will be greeting you that early in the morning, Captain Matty or his first mate Gilly. I had the honor of spending the day with Gilly.
At the beginning of the tour, poor Gilly had the challenge of dealing with Australia Day hangovers. Every person on the bus looked about two breaths away from death and was lucky they made it on the bus. Props to Gilly because in an hour he had the bus jamming to tunes and we were swimming in a volcanic crater enjoying a beautiful fruit breakfast.
After a rough start the rest of the day was packed with laughs, adventure, and the most unrushed, relaxing tour I’ve ever been on. You ever go on a tour and you would just love to stay in a certain place just a bit longer, but you can’t? Well, Barefoot tours emphasizes a laid back nature and the tour is what you want it to be. We did not have time restrictions or a strict schedule so the tour was really what we made of it.
After enjoying a tropical morning tea we swam a vast lake in a volcanic crater, took in some magnificent views from the various lookout points, and adventured under some of the most breathtaking waterfalls. After afternoon tea at a local pub in the middle of nowhere (with free beer, score!) we headed towards Josephine Falls to slide down the natural water slide.
The day ended with some Aussie treats and the satisfaction of an awesome day. This is a great tour at a great price! It is only $85 for a whole day with a rockin’ tour guide, good memories, and lots of laughs. I highly recommend this tour to anyone who is visiting Australia.
