Don’t miss these life-changing experiences when travelling alone in Queensland

Soaking up the sights and sounds of Queensland’s best offerings can easily be done solo. Exploring on your own is popular here, and as a result the Sunshine State boasts a bounty of tours and offerings designed to showcase the best of the state, both near and far. Don’t miss out on the best experiences when travelling alone in Queensland - use the following list to guide you.

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Indigenous experiences

One of the best experiences for travelling alone in Queensland has to be Indigenous experience, the Jarramali Rock Art Tours in remote Cape York. Hosted in the top tip of the state, these intimate wilderness experiences will guide you via 4WD and helicopter through places overflowing with hidden rock art and the ancient stories of the local Kuku-yalanji people. We suggest you embrace the overnight tour if you can - there’s nothing quite like sunrise over red sandstone.

Closer to the coastline, the Gold Coast offers Jellurgal in Burleigh for a walking tour of local (and beloved) ancient landmarks. Or visit the magnificent Daintree, where you can join Walkabout Cultural Adventures on a half or full day tour in and around Port Douglas, learning about the Indigenous community’s relationship with the environment, as well as about different bush foods and medicines.

Outback experiences

Exploring the outback by foot is one of the best experiences for travelling alone in Queensland. Trek West boasts an array of hiking tours which will see you work up a sweat as you walk your way through the iconic Queensland desert. The Stock Camp Hike is their most popular offering, a five-day tour that promises a welcome respite from busy city lifestyles thanks to a combination of limited phone coverage and plenty of exploring to do. Days are spent meandering Herbertvale Station, one of Australia’s largest cattle stations, as well as the iconic Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park (currently closed). But nights are to be enjoyed alongside the campfire, before slumber takes place in a twin-share spacious bell-style camping tent.

Nature experiences

In the Scenic Rim sits one of the best experiences for travelling alone Queensland - the Spicers Scenic Rim Trail. This is what the revered resort calls the ‘jewel in the crown’ of its nature-based eco offerings, a 50-kilometre journey through the Great Dividing Range, taking in World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests. Not to mention it’s the only Queensland Great Walk of Australia and within easy reach of Brisbane. While there are shorter journeys available, embrace the seven-day guided walk if you can - a combination of the two and five-day journeys, with the addition of a final evening of luxury spent at Spicers Peak Lodge.

Sunrover's 5-day foray from Brisbane to Carnarvon Gorge is a fellow nature lover’s fantasy, an all-inclusive camping safari that showcases the beauty of the 20,000-year-old Carnarvon Gorge and the surrounding 217,000 hectare Carnarvon National Park.

Feel a rush unlike any other along the Atherton Tableland’s Waterfall Circuit. Proving the Cairns region is so much more than just the reef, you can experience these hidden wonders in a day trip from the city – and the crown jewel is Millaa Millaa Falls. More than just a pretty picture – jump in and be soothed by the cool waters, surrounded by World Heritage rainforest.

Island experiences

Though the Whitsundays are one of the most popular places to explore solo, a visit made all the more easy with the likes of Whitsundays Paradise Explorer who host the N’garo tour. Considered the must-do Indigenous tour of this region, this experience will partner you with your own N’garo guide, who will introduce you to the history of the ancient sea people, their customs, and hunting and gathering techniques. In intimate tour groups you’ll be given the chance to explore a duo of islands, visiting rock paintings, and rainforests along the way.

If you’re strapped for time you may prefer to give the Moreton Island Day Tour a whirl, courtesy of Adventure Moreton Island. You’ll enjoy one of the experiences for those travelling alone in Queensland - a jam-packed itinerary that integrates sandboarding, snorkelling shipwrecks, 4WDing, and kayaking among more.

Culture experiences

Stick within the city of Brisbane’s borders for an array of expeditions that promise to satisfy your cravings for a cultural fix. In the inner suburbs sit a collection of guided tours that will get you better acquainted with the Queensland capital. Like Brisbane by Bicycle, a two-wheeled foray for 3.5 hours that will take you to a handful of the city’s most famous sites. Or indulge your inner artist at QAGOMA, where 30-40 minute guided tours take place daily.

Indigenous culture can also be embraced with the Blackcard Cultural Tours, which will see a traditional owner introduce you to the ancient landmarks of Meeanjin (or Brisbane). There are also self-guided tour options of course, like the street art-focused offering Fortitude Valley which can be followed by downloading the GPSMyCity app - it’s around here you’ll find some of the best hotels to relax at post-explore, like Hotel X.

Food experiences

Feasting up a storm in a produce-rich region is one of the best experiences you can have when travelling alone in Queensland. Join Sunshine Coast Craft Beer Tours for a day’s drinking adventure through the luscious Sunshine Coast Hinterland aboard the Hinterland Farm Experience. You’ll greet a selection of local producers spanning coffee, beef, and beer industries, before you make your way to Maleny brewery Brouhaha for a decadent lunch and a few drinks.

Wine more your forte? Make your way to the Granite Belt, where you can craft your own expedition through some of the region’s famous wine producers, or join the likes of Filippo’s Tours for a guided adventure sipping your way through local creations.

Beach experiences

Home to some of the world’s most beautiful sandy patches, a visit to some of Queensland’s beaches is non-negotiable. The Gold Coast is one of the state’s most famous stretches of coastline, a precinct popular for its reliable swell, bustling nightlife, and growing population of eateries. Base yourself in Coolangatta at local institution The Pink Hotel, a completely revamped motel complete with a number of separate bars. It’s from here you can rent a bike and ride your way between the region’s beaches, from Rainbow Bay to Snapper Rocks, and up north to Kirra. There’s no better place to learn to surf while you’re here - Go Ride a Wave at Kirra is a popular local surf school.

Great Barrier Reef experiences

True adventurers will be tempted to join Coral Expeditions on their Outer Great Barrier Reef Experience. The immersive 7-day adventure will see you jump aboard vessel Coral Discoverer to embark on a journey to the more remote and often untouched northern reefs of this region, led by an experienced team of guides, marine biologists included. A maximum of 72 others will be with you on this trip, seeking hidden sand cays and reef systems, like the Osprey and Ribbon Reefs. Coral Expeditions is in fact so welcoming of solo explorers that they boast their own solo traveller program, with options like single occupancy fare among more..

For a totally unique experience, dive beneath the surface in Townsville. The Museum of Underwater Art adds a new dimension to Great Barrier Reef exploration, where man meets nature as art installations dot the ocean floor. But it’s more than art – it’s a habitat for marine creatures, a marine laboratory, and conservation site with coral planting and more.