The short version
Uncle Brian's is a waterfall day on the Atherton Tablelands for ages 18 to 35. You swim in the volcanic crater lake at Lake Eacham, at Millaa Millaa Falls, on the natural rock slide at Josephine Falls and at Babinda Boulders. A burger lunch and all park fees are included, and it is rated 4.9 out of 5 from 3,687 reviews.
GuestTours Verdict
GuestTours award: Best for Solo Travellers. GuestTours rating: 4.9 / 5.
Uncle Brian's Waterfall & Rainforest Tour
Full Day · Atherton Tablelands · Ages 18 to 35
Ticket Prices
Adult
18 to 35 years only
$187
What's included in your ticket
- Burger lunch at Malanda Falls
- All park fees, no fuel levies
- Return transport on "Gus the Wonder Bus"
- Swim at Lake Eacham (volcanic crater lake)
- Curtain Fig Tree and Malanda Falls rainforest walk
- Swim at Millaa Millaa Falls
- Swim and rock slide at Josephine Falls
- Swim at Babinda Boulders
Best for these travellers
Great fit
Solo travellers
A social, easy-going group, all aged 18 to 35. One of the best solo day-trip options from Cairns.
Great fit
Couples
Swims, scenic drives and lunch together, with the whole day organised for you.
Great fit
Photography lovers
Millaa Millaa Falls and Lake Eacham are two of the most photogenic locations in Far North Queensland.
Great fit
Nature & rainforest fans
World Heritage-listed rainforest, volcanic craters and ancient rainforest ecosystems all in one day.
Not ideal
Families with children
This tour is for ages 18 to 35, so it does not suit families with children.
Not ideal
Reef-focused visitors
This is a 100% inland rainforest and waterfall tour. Book a separate reef tour if the Great Barrier Reef is your priority.
Your day, hour by hour
7:20 AM
Pickup begins
Gus the Wonder Bus begins hotel pickups across Cairns. Pickup times vary 7:20–8:10am depending on your accommodation. Check your confirmation for your exact time.
~8:10 AM
Depart Cairns for the Atherton Tablelands
Scenic drive through tropical Queensland countryside as you climb to the Tablelands.
Morning
Lake Eacham
First swim stop, in a volcanic crater lake. Then on to the 500-year-old Curtain Fig Tree.
Midday
Malanda Falls and lunch
A rainforest walk with your eyes peeled for tree kangaroos and platypus, then a burger lunch. Lunch is included.
Afternoon
Millaa Millaa Falls
"So nice they named it twice." One of Queensland's most photogenic waterfalls. Swim here and try the famous hair-flick photo, then stop at a scenic lookout.
Late afternoon
Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders
Swim and ride the natural rock slide at Josephine Falls, then a last swim at Babinda Boulders before heading back to Cairns.
End of the day
Return to Cairns
Drop-offs at accommodation across Cairns. Times approximate and depend on conditions on the day.
Josephine Falls
Millaa Millaa Falls
Lake Eacham
Gus the Wonder Bus
Swimming in the crater lake
Atherton Tablelands
Four swims and a rainforest walk in one day
The Atherton Tablelands is one of Australia's most biodiverse regions. These are the main stops on the day.
Josephine Falls
Swim stop · Wooroonooran National Park
A multi-tiered waterfall with a natural rock slide and deep swimming pool at its base. One of the most swimmable falls in Far North Queensland. Surrounded by World Heritage-listed rainforest.
Millaa Millaa Falls
Swim stop · Atherton Tablelands
"So nice they named it twice." Queensland's most photographed waterfall, a perfect symmetrical curtain of water falling into a clear pool. Has appeared in countless films and advertisements.
Lake Eacham
Swim stop · Crater Lakes National Park
An ancient volcanic crater lake with extraordinarily clear water. No river flows in or out. The lake is fed entirely by rainfall. Surrounded by rainforest and home to native freshwater turtles.
Lunch at Malanda Falls
Included · After the rainforest walk
A burger lunch, included in your $187 ticket price. Malanda Falls is also where you walk through the rainforest looking for tree kangaroos and platypus.
Before you go
Departure
Hotel pickups begin at 7:20am. Latest pickup approximately 8:10am. Confirm your exact time on your booking confirmation.
Food & Drink
Burger lunch at Malanda Falls included in the ticket price.
The Vehicle
"Gus the Wonder Bus", the tour operates on its own named bus. Comfortable, air-conditioned transport throughout the day.
Age Restriction
Ages 18 to 35. Uncle Brian's lists a minimum age of 18 and a maximum age of 35 for this tour.
Meeting Point
Hotel pickup across Cairns. No need to make your own way to a terminal. Exact pickup location confirmed with your booking.
Cancellation Policy
Free cancellation 48+ hours before departure. Non-refundable within 48 hours. Weather cancellations receive a full refund or reschedule.
The full review
Most waterfall tours from Cairns are forgettable, a minibus, a few lookouts, a quick lunch. Uncle Brian's is not that. We boarded "Gus the Wonder Bus" with a group of new friends and, by the time we rode the rock slide at Josephine Falls, the difference was obvious: this tour is built around the experience.
The Atherton Tablelands sit about an hour inland, a completely different Queensland from the coast. The day takes in Lake Eacham, a volcanic crater lake; the Curtain Fig Tree; a rainforest walk at Malanda Falls; Millaa Millaa Falls, one of the most photographed waterfalls in Queensland; the rock slide at Josephine Falls; and a last swim at Babinda Boulders.
Tying it together: a burger lunch and all park fees, included. Rated 4.9 out of 5 from 3,687 reviews and ranked #1 of 262 tours and activities in Cairns. At $187 for a full day with lunch, it's good value.
Common questions
Uncle Brian's lists this tour for ages 18 to 35, so the minimum age is 18 and the maximum age is 35.
Your ticket includes: return hotel pickup and drop-off on "Gus the Wonder Bus", a burger lunch at Malanda Falls, all park fees with no fuel levies, and every stop: Lake Eacham, the Curtain Fig Tree, Malanda Falls, Millaa Millaa Falls, a scenic lookout, Josephine Falls and Babinda Boulders.
Hotel pickups begin at approximately 7:20am and run until around 8:10am depending on your accommodation location. Your exact pickup time is confirmed with your booking. The tour returns to Cairns in the late afternoon, typically around 4:30–5:00pm. Times are approximate and can vary with conditions.
There are four swim stops: Lake Eacham, Millaa Millaa Falls, Josephine Falls with its natural rock slide, and Babinda Boulders. Bring your swimwear and a towel.
Bring: swimwear and a towel for the swim stops, comfortable walking shoes suitable for short rainforest walks, sunscreen, a hat, sunglasses, a camera, and a small backpack. Lunch is included. Cash or card for any personal purchases at stops.
Yes. Millaa Millaa Falls is a swim stop on this tour, and it is where Uncle Brian's does its famous hair-flick photo.
Uncle Brian's holds a 4.9/5 rating from 3,687 reviews and ranks #1 of 262 tours and activities in Cairns, the highest-rated tour company in Cairns by volume and score combined. Note: this covers the Uncle Brian's brand overall, not exclusively the waterfall tour.
Lake Eacham is an ancient volcanic crater lake formed by volcanic activity thousands of years ago. Unlike most lakes, no rivers flow in or out. It's fed entirely by rainfall and filtered through volcanic rock, which gives it extraordinarily clear water. It sits within Crater Lakes National Park and is surrounded by World Heritage-listed rainforest. Native freshwater turtles are often visible from the shoreline.
Yes, and it's genuinely different from a reef tour. The Tablelands sit at altitude, cooler, greener, and dramatically different from coastal Cairns. The waterfalls and crater lakes are among the most scenic natural environments in Far North Queensland. If you have more than two days in Cairns, the Tablelands deserves a full day.
Uncle Brian's Tours is a long-established Cairns-based operator known for its personality-led format for ages 18 to 35. "Gus the Wonder Bus" is the name of the tour's bus, a detail that signals the informal, good-humoured character of the experience. The operator has built its reputation on guides who know the region and make the day genuinely enjoyable rather than just educational.
Free cancellation applies if you cancel 48 hours or more before your departure. Within 48 hours, the booking is non-refundable. If the tour is cancelled due to weather or operator circumstances, you will receive a full refund or the option to reschedule.
They're very different experiences. Reef tours focus on snorkelling and marine life at the Great Barrier Reef, 60–70 km offshore. Uncle Brian's is entirely inland, waterfalls, rainforest and crater lakes. Both are worth doing. Most visitors to Cairns who have 3+ days do one reef day and one Tablelands day. At $187 with lunch and hotel pickup, Uncle Brian's is a good-value full day.
Uncle Brian's Waterfall & Rainforest Tour
Full Day · Atherton Tablelands · Ages 18 to 35
Ticket Prices
Adult
18 to 35 years only
$187