Cockatours - Cape York Tours

After waiting AGES (over two years in layman's terms) for Australian Travel to open up after Covid, I was so excited to finally go on my bucket list trip through Cape York to Pajinka, the tipity top of Australia, and so happy I went with Cockatours. What a trip.Rossy took us to out of the way places only a local bloke would know, and gave us experiences only a true local would have access to. The Welcome to Country was so incredibly special. And the places he took us in the amazing Zeus! The rivers, waterfalls, lookouts, Indigenous Rock Art, oh and the campgrounds, the tracks and trails.This guy is an enigma. Having lived and worked on the Cape for most of his life, he shared his knowledge of its ecology, it's incredible history (that you won't find in many books), and the many, many stories intertwined throughout the trip. Stories of Jackie Jackie and the early explorers, the turtles, Operation Blowdown, growing up in .We ate delicious meals every day courtesy of the gorgeous Sonya - a french chef (!), and there was always plenty to eat. I think we are sworn to secrecy with some of the recipes, but I can be bought, hahahahah! A favorite was Dinner in The Dirt" on Nifold Plains.I got way more than I ever thought possible out of a 4wd bus tour to Cape York. And it's all thanks to the incredible amount of planning and thought behind the scenes

Our tour to the Palmer Goldfield and Cooktown was a great experience and Rossy's determination, good humour and careful planning made it even more memorable for the historians and archaeologists involved. Unseasonal rain in Cooktown added a new dimension to 'dry season travel' on Cape York and some of the Palmer tracks tested driver, vehicle and passengers. REAL 'off road drivin'g', lunching outside a remote cemetery, and convivial evenings around the fire helped make the tour a success. Thank you, Rossy. Great work.

Choosing Cockatours for our Gulf Savannah holiday in 2023 was the best decision ever !! Rossy and Joe (our guides) were exceptional, resulting in each day becoming a unique and wonderful adventure. Ryan (our chef) was masterful in creating delicious meals throughout. Thanks guys for making this camping trip everything we'd hoped it to be ( and more), and look forward to booking with Rossy for another amazing adventure in the future.Jamie and Wendy

GULF SAVANNAH - May 2023First time travellers with Rossy and his crew and must say, one of the best!We have had some excellent guides on trips with other groups over the years, however Rossy is an exceptional owner/ecologist with a wealth of experience from living in FNQ and the Cape. He is an avid environmentalist & exceptional educator.This is a challenging trip, however the trade off is breathtaking sights each day and the wonderful friendships that are forged.We were privileged to also have Joe with us, an ecologist, zoologist and reptile specialist. His enthusiasm for all things that slithered and crawled was infectious!Out 1st class chef Ryan, was nourishing us with the most delicious gourmet meals. We were never hungry.Zeus, the 4wd truck was super comfortable and cool. The tents were of the highest quality along with the mattresses, pillows and bed linen.Lots of inclusions, boat trips, scenic flights and dinners out.It was an immersive insight into the harshness and cultural complexities of our vast country where there is so much beauty in such remoteness.Not to be missed!

I had the most extraordinary adventure with Cockatours! Cape York is a stunning place to explore, and every detail of the Cockatours itinerary is intentional, considered and impactful. From being welcomed like family to the peaceful Coen River by Traditional Owners, to seeing Pajinka at its best at the end of a day, to cruising home on the Bloomfield Track on the last day - there was nothing that Rossy and team hadn't thought about and tested for success. Good tucker is a priority every day, even in some of the remotest places, and I've never eaten such good chicken as on the BBQ at Artemis Station! Minimising environmental impact is also part of the Cockatours philosophy, and I really appreciated the commitment to sorting our recycling, taking our rubbish, and not wasting, no matter where we were. The A-team guides are amazing humans who shepherd a bunch of strangers into a Cockatours family over two weeks. Their knowledge, enthusiasm, professionalism and Good Vibes TM are unending - cannot do them justice in a short review like this. If you head out with Cockatours, be ready for proper remote (read: digital detox), pitching your own tent, and some truly unbelievable moments. My recommendation: buy the fishie, I wore mine every day on tour.Eleven out of ten would travel again!

Cockatours Gulf-Savannah trip (May 2022) was packed with wonderful experiences, stunning landscapes, wildlife and rare plants, learning about Indigenous Australian culture and the natural environment of northern Australia. I loved all the opportunities for hiking, swimming and kayaking in fabulous places. Even boat trips and scenic flights were included, truly exceptional value. Each night was down-to-earth camping under the stars, close to nature, well organised with good food and friendly companionship among like-minded travellers. Huge thanks to Rossy, Joe and Kerrie for the BEST EVER camping-exploring holiday!

I travelled on the 19 seater 4WD MAN and we made it to the tip and beyond (to Thursday Island and Horn Island). It was a great trip, Cairns to Cairns, over 3,000kms in total with around 2,000kms of those on dirt roads. The MAN (Herc) was well prepared, well maintained and never missed a beat. We all chipped in and worked together to make the trip the success that it was.Our young driver, Joe, drove with a maturity beyond his years, never hitting a bump too hard or going into a curve too fast. Joe and Kody were the glue that held the tour together.The pace was relaxed, with plenty of stops with well researched and well rehearsed commentary to complement all the places of interest. A special bonus was the wildlife spotting, particularly after dark.We were self-sufficient, with all the gear on board. This meant we could stop anywhere and within minutes kettle was on, the tents and bedding unloaded and out on the ground sheets ready for collection and erection. Being self-sufficient also meant that we could stop at any beautiful vista for lunch or dinner.However the downside of having everything on board meant that everything was tight, too tight in my opinion. 21 people on board (19 travellers and our two crew), bags, tents, mattresses, bedding, food, drinks, gas, cookers, fridges, tables, chairs. Everything had a place, everything fitted, but only just. Even just one less seat (so 4 seats across the back instead of the tight 5) would have eased the travelling and packing and provided just that little bit more breathing space all round.Anthony

At last I have managed to get around to writing a review about the tour I did last June with Cockatours to Cape York.I am a woman of 81 & I travelled with my friend Barb who is 71.This is something I have wanted to do for many years & didn't think it would happen. How wrong I was. I've travelled the world & am also a camper, so this trip seemed just up my alley.I didn't want any TOO touristy, run of the mill trip, so chose instead an adventure. This is exactly what I got with Cockatours. Rossy, the owner, is very knowledgeable regarding this particular area & imparts this knowledge in a fantastic, easy going & very enjoyable way. We also had Joe, another guide with us & Kody, who was the cook. Both Rossy & Joe are ecogolists, passionate about nature, as am I, & Kody was a great cook. The meals were fabulous, very tasty, plenty of it, and there was a good variety.If you want to have an amazing holiday & great experiences, this is the company to go with. I can compare this holiday with many I've had overseas. So get out there & Spread your Wings" with Cockatours.Di Lowe & (ditto) from Barb Lewis."

A trip to The Tip with the amazing Joe and Kody was definitely a life changing and very memorable experience. They were fun, knowledgeable guys who made every day exciting and different to all the other days. Joe handled the 12-ton truck admirably, so that, coupled with his knowledge of the tricky road conditions and the comfort of the truck, made our travel something we could eagerly anticipate each time we boarded. Kody’s main role was to cook our meals, which he did superbly. Each meal was delicious, different every day, and served hot and plentifully. But he also took great care of us in many other ways, and had a fantastic sense of humour. Nothing was too much trouble for these chaps and they made every day a true delight. The trip itself was superb. I’m sure we saw many sights, and heard much information that other travellers might not, especially if they did the trip on their own. I can’t recommend Cockatours highly enough and have put my name on the wait list for next year’s Gulf Savannah trip. There were too many exceptional experiences and places visited to pick a favourite, so I’d prefer to leave that for future travellers to discover for themselves.