Great Barrier Reef Scenic Helicopter Tour and Cruise from Cairns
Overview
- Half-day or full-day guided Great Barrier Reef tour by helicopter and boat
- Snorkel, swim or scuba dive with expert guides at exclusive locations on one of the most famous coral reefs in the world
- Marvel at aerial views of the Great Barrier Reef during a 25-minute helicopter flight
- Learn from informative commentary during your helicopter flight and boat cruise
- Maximum of 6 passengers permitted per helicopter
Eighteen expert guides lead activities, assist with snorkel or scuba diving equipment, and provide instruction to both newcomers and experienced participants. Even non-swimmers can get in the water with flotation devices and see the reef
Optional activities include scuba diving at the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s top dive locations! A complimentary 10-minute SCUBA demonstration is provided before purchase of the introductory dive course. (Available only on the morning boat cruise). The full-day excursion has time for a total of three dives at two different locations for already certified scuba divers. The dives can be booked on the boat, and dive gear and dive computers are provided.
Your guides choose from 12 exclusive moorings at six locations for the best possible experience on the day of your tour. Generally, the boat visits one of the true Outer Great Barrier Reef locations (Saxon Reef or Norman Reef) in the morning. The afternoon features North Hastings Reef for snorkeling and helicopter flight connections.
A tasty Australian barbecue buffet lunch is served on the boat. The spread may include fresh fish, sausages, steak, salads and pastas. At the end of your tour, return to the mainland by boat or helicopter, depending on the tour you choose.
Itinerary
Fly by helicopter to the Outer Great Barrier Reef, have lunch and enjoy two hours at the reef, then cruise by boat back to Cairns. Departs Cairns at 12:40pm and return at approximately 4:45pm. Hotel pick-ups commence between 30-60 minutes prior to this time.
Cruise-Helicopter Reef Tour (6.5 hours) - If you will be scuba diving, you MUST choose this option during the booking process
This option gives you the most time on the Great Barrier Reef! Depart by boat from Cairns and enjoy four hours of snorkeling, scuba diving, and swimming, plus the barbecue lunch. If you take the boat in the morning, when you arrive at the reef you stop at two prime locations to see multi-colored coral gardens and schools of fish. In the afternoon, transfer to the helicopter pad for your return flight to Cairns. Check-in at Cairns Reef Fleet Terminal at 7:30am, then cruise to the Great Barrier Reef and return by helicopter at arrving back to Cairns at approximately 2:15pm. Hotel pick-ups commence between 30-60 minutes prior to this time.
Round-trip Helicopter Reef Tour (3 hours)
Fly by helicopter to the Outer Great Barrier Reef, enjoy one and a half hours for lunch and your snorkeling, swimming then depart by helicopter for Cairns. Departs Cairns at 12:40pm and returns to Cairns at approximately 3pm. Hotel pick-ups commence between 30-60 minutes prior to this time.
Reviews
Viator Traveller's Reviews
It was amazing! The staff were very friendly and helpful! It was the first time for us to go on snokerlying. And it was our first time to travel on a helicoptor. The view of the reef was amazing! My youngest son get to sit on the frong of the helicoptor, it was a wonderful experience for him.
This was one of the highlights of our trip in Cairns while going to the Barrier Reef. The catamaran boat and staff servicing you were all extremely professional and entertaining at the same time. They really helped to make it a special event. Their first objective was to make you feel at home and then they wanted to make sure everyone was safe during this excursion. We visited two excellent snorkeling locations. The snacks and lunch provided were very tasty and good quality. Once again, they stressed how important safety was during this trip. They ensured that you had the right equipment and knew how to use it properly. I took my 85 year old parents on this excursion and they enjoyed snorkeling on the Barrier Reef. One more check mark next to the bucket list. Then the highlight was the exciting helicopter ride back to the Cairns airport. Great way to see the Great Barrier Reef from the air and see various aqua life. Transportation to and from the boat was excellent and prompt. Once again, highly highly recommend this trip to anyone in Cairns, especially looking for a new adventure.