12 must-do guided tours in Queensland that'll give you the experience of a lifetime

Queensland isn’t just Australia’s holiday hero – it’s a destination that soothes your soul and leaves you awestruck, from its islands and reefs to beaches and outback. But the real magic happens when you go beyond the sights and dive into the stories. The best way? A guided tour.

Skip the crowded buses and cookie-cutter schedules. These small-group tours offer insider access to Queensland’s hidden gems, guided by locals who live and breathe its history, culture, and beauty. You’ll leave not just with memories, but a deeper connection to this incredible place.

Bonus: Every tour you book supports local businesses and guides who pour their hearts into sharing their home with you. What's better than that?

Here are 12 must-do guided tours in Queensland to inspire your next journey.

One of the four national parks that make up World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests of Queensland, Mount Barney's rugged peaks and challenging terrain tend to attract more serious hikers, but it needn’t.

Mount Barney Lodge is more than just a place to stay with a view: the outdoor-loving team here know they have something special to share and make the national park’s beauty accessible to all, with adventure activities for young and old. Teach the kids rock scrambling on the Mt Gillies Family Scramble, learn bush survival skills or take an eco bushtucker tour. Adults and older kids can get out of their comfort zones on a guided hike: tackle challenging Mount Barney, hike to the top of Mount Greville, explore remote rockpools along the Lower Portals Circuit, or set off in the afternoon to summit Mount Maroon by moonrise. You’ll come away with a new appreciation for the outdoors, and a greater bond with your loved ones.

Find more guided tours in the Gondwana Rainforests here. 

Uncover the rich culture of Bourketown with Yagurli Tours

Experience the culture and beauty of Burketown with Yagurli Tours, led by the Gangalidda and Garawa Peoples.

Join the Marrija 4WD Cultural Tour to explore Australia’s largest salt pans and uncover historical and cultural sites with a Gangalidda guide.

On the Malara Fishing Charter, experience traditional fishing practices along the Albert River, known as the Barramundi Capital of Australia, while enjoying stunning waterways and diverse wildlife.

For a breathtaking stargazing adventure, Yaliya’s Stories offers exclusive access to the salt pans, where you’ll gaze at the night sky through state-of-the-art telescopes and hear Dreamtime stories from a local guide.

The Gambumanda Sunset Cruise lets you witness vivid outback sunsets as you cruise the calm waters of the Albert River.

Explore the reef on board Sailaway's catamaran

The glistening waters off Port Douglas are made for sailing – and one of the best ways to experience it is with Sailaway: a family owned business that walks the walk when it comes to eco-operation, earning accreditation from the Advanced Eco-Tourism Association, replanting coral as part of the Coral Nurture Program, and carbon offsetting through sustainable reforestation.

This is one of the most peaceful ways to explore the Great Barrier Reef. Join a small group of guests for sailing and snorkelling on the Mackay and Undine coral cays in the outer reef, teeming with colour and marine life. If you’re short on time or travelling with younger kids, take a half day sailing trip to the idyllic Low Isles, a coral cay island perfect for little swimmers.

Sit back, relax and take it all in – you’re here to just be. But if you want to do a little more, take part in the Eye on the Reef program on your tour where you can help collect valuable information about reef health and marine life.  

Watch baby turtles hatch at Mon Repos

It’s a moonlight walk with a difference. Wait for the cover of darkness and you can witness one of the most magical wildlife encounters of your life. Your destination? Mon Repos Turtle Centre in Bundaberg.

More than half of the Southern Hemisphere’s loggerhead turtle population nests here on the sands of Mon Repos, and you can be a part of this experience on a ranger-guided turtle encounter run by Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.

Home to a world-class education centre, begin by learning about the conservation and long-term research and monitoring conducted on site, then head onto the beach with torches to quietly witness egg laying or turtle hatching (depending on the season) and their first steps toward the lapping waves.

Uncover remote Indigenous rock art with Jarramali

There’s camping – and then there’s rolling out your swag, deep in Quinkan Country, after a day exploring Cape York’s remote landscapes, outback swimming holes, and some of the world’s most significant rock art with Aboriginal-owned Jarramali Rock Art Tours.

Guide Johnny Murison will take you to rock art only accessible on this tour – rated by UNESCO as one of the top 10 rock art sites in the world. Feast around the fire, tell stories under a blanket of stars, and learn the history and traditions of the land’s oldest inhabitants, stretching back over 20,000 years. This is so much more than a camping trip.

Explore K'gari on a 4WD adventure

K’gari demands a little attention to be explored properly: it’s the world’s largest sand island, after all. There’s freshwater lakes to dip in, rugged coastline to tackle by 4WD, a Great Walk, rainforests that rise up from the sand, shipwrecks, swimming holes and more – and that’s before understanding the rich Indigenous culture and unique wildlife that call the island home, too.

For a visit that will make you feel as though you’ve experienced the true K’gari, rather than tick major sites off a bucket list, link up with K’gari Fraser Island Adventures. They specialise in small group tours ranging three-four days, from eco-adventure and glamping to family getaways, with tag-along 4WD travel perfect for those not used to driving on sand. You’ll learn from knowledgeable guides, and all the details are sorted for you.

Prefer to go your own way? The crew can hook you up with a tailored tour package, including 4WD hire, beachfront accommodation and meals – and you can explore the island at your own pace with the help of audio guides.

Discover the Gold Coast's rich coastal culture

Sunshine, sand and surf might be the Gold Coast’s front page, but delve deeper and you’ll discover there’s much more to this sparkling southern coastline. Before the skyscrapers moved in, this land was the hunting and foraging grounds of the Aboriginal people – and remains sacred country.

Head to Jellurgal Aboriginal Cultural Centre to join one of their daily guided walks of Jellurgal (‘Dreaming’) Mountain in Burleigh Heads National Park and learn a side of the Gold Coast that goes well beyond the best breaks. Hear about traditional life pre-contact, bush tucker, fishing, hunting and the important ecological practices and connection to the land embraced by the Yugambeh speaking people for thousands of years; and end your day with an Aboriginal smoking ceremony. Read more about it here.

Power your way through the Noosa Everglades

Jump into a canoe and paddle gently through the calm waters: you’re in one of just two Everglades in the world. It’s a serene experience to watch the ripples behind you meet the ripples of native birdlife as they land nearby – and given the Noosa Everglades is home to over 40% of Australia’s bird species, there’s a lot to look out for. On this guided tour you’ll have the experienced Kanu Kapers team to show you the water-wilderness on a one day or overnight adventure.

While only 30 minutes from Noosa, this biosphere feels a few worlds away. You’ll be burning calories, but there’s plenty of time for dips in the tea-tree oil infused waters or to just sit and take it all in. After all, these will be memories to last a lifetime. 

Experience the outback, without the hassle

Planning a trip to Outback Queensland can mean juggling a lot of logistics, but it’ll be easy to switch into holiday mode and turn on that country charm with Red Dirt Tours. Based out of Winton, this locally owned and operated group are known for offering some of the best guided tours in Queensland’s outback – no matter what style of adventure you’re after.

Step back 95 million years on a tour that takes you to the top dinosaur sites, including the Dinosaur Stampede National Monument in Lark Quarry and Australian Age of Dinosaurs, an award-winning centre with the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils (they encourage a little digging, too). Those more interested in natural landscapes or the area’s history can take tours to outback stations and national parks. If you want the full experience, sign up for the four night Winton Explorer to get to know the area in detail, or delve further into this land of the giants on a six day dinosaur tour of the outback.

Jet through The Whitsundays to find paradise

For a guided tour in Queensland that’ll leave you mesmerised by natural beauty and hidden sights, jump on board Whitsundays Paradise Explorer for an eco tour. An island tour like no other, you’ll jet through the archipelago on small boat, visiting hidden beaches, snorkelling coral gardens and hiking to sacred Aboriginal sites on remote islands. Or, take a cultural tour that blends island time with learning the traditions of the Ngaro people along the way. It’ll make you appreciate the postcard-perfect destination in a whole new light.

Hike through rugged Carnarvon Gorge

There’s nowhere else quite like Carnarvon Gorge. Its sandstone cliffs dwarf you, pre-historic plants tower toward the sky, the sing-song of native wildlife creates your daily soundtrack, and the Indigenous rock art leaves you speechless. With so much to experience and understand in this national park, it helps to take a guided hiking tour with Australian Nature Guides.

They know this land like the back of their own hand, and can give deeper meaning to sites you might just marvel at and pass. Or they can take you off the beaten track to parts of the park you never see, and out into the night sky to spot nocturnal animals. The adventure you choose? That’s up to you. 

Step into the Daintree with your own naturalist guide

180 million years old and four times the size of Malta, the Daintree Rainforest takes ‘immense’ natural beauty to the next level. And naturally, it can really take some time to really uncover and explore its most beautiful corners and the life that thrives here. But unless you’re a local, you’re probably hoping to experience this World Heritage area in a day or two: which is where eco-certified Billy Tea Safaris comes in.

The Daintree is meant to be felt, not just seen. And led by a naturalist, you can experience a small group day tour that explores some of the most significant spots in the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation and remote Bloomfield Track – with a side of croc-spotting on a river cruise too. If you have a few days up your sleeve, extend to a multi-day adventure that incorporates snorkelling the Great Barrier Reef and a ride above the rainforest canopy on the Skyrail.

You can even head into the outback: explore the limestone caves and Aboriginal rock art galleries of Chillagoe Mungana Caves National Park to appreciate just how diverse this northern Queensland region is.