An Australian adventure by 4 wheel drive

Peregrine Adventures is offering a special deal on its 12-day classic 4WD overland journey traversing the Cape York Peninsula to Australia’s most northerly point, one of the continent’s last great wilderness regions, departing Cairns 9th October 2008. When two people book this departure, the second person receives 25% off the tour cost – so take your partner or find a friend quick, because you need to have booked by 9 September 2008 to receive the discount!

Starting in Cairns, travellers head via Daintree Rainforest and Bloomfield Falls, to Cooktown, a small frontier town located in tropical northern Queensland which was discovered and settled by Captain Cook and his crew in 1770. The roads to Cooktown are still mainly dirt track, so only off-roaders tend to venture this far north. From Cooktown, a visit to Hopevale Aboriginal Centre for a special guided tour with a famous local storyteller offers a spiritual experience. Next, a full day is spent touring the expansive wetlands, river systems, estuaries, grasslands and woodlands of Lakefield National Park.

Covering over 537,000 hectares, this is the second largest national park in Queensland and in addition to being a refuge for several endangered species, it also contains important Aboriginal cultural heritage sites. A restful night follows, at Lotusbird Lodge, sleeping in comfortable timber cabins set amongst eucalyptus trees along the banks of a tranquil billabong. Driving what is known as the Peninsula Developmental Road, definitely 4WD terrain, travellers get a taste of true Cape York country hospitality at Merluna Station, a genuine ‘far north’ Queensland cattle station. There is a chance to go bushwalking, fishing, swimming in a lagoon and even mustering cattle (seasonal).

There is also an abundance of wildlife on the station including kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, brumbies and reptiles of all sizes, such as skinks, frilled-neck lizards and saltwater crocodiles. Later, at the Cape York Turtle Rescue Project at Mapoon, there’s an opportunity to get ‘hands-on’ by participating in a number of turtle-related activities, including clearing ghost nets and debris. Continuing north on historic Telegraph Road - a challenging track and one of the world’s foremost 4WD journeys - ford croc-filled rivers and creeks to arrive at Punsand Bay.

With 10 kilometres of beach facing the north, watch the sun rise over the Coral Sea in the Pacific Ocean and set over the Arafura Sea in the Indian Ocean. Start the following day with a three-hour trek to Cape York - the northernmost tip of the continent of Australia, then catch a ferry for the scenic ride across to Thursday Island, the unofficial 'capital' of the group of over 70 islands scattered across the Torres Straits. See more of the island during a guided tour, before transferring to Horn Island for a flight back to Cairns.

The tour costs £2,190 + £184 (conservation contribution) for 1st traveller and £1,643 + £184 for 2nd traveller (saving £547) including Peregrine’s local tour leader/driver, local guides, all transportation, accommodation, most meals and entrance fees to parks/reserves/sights as per itinerary. Flights are not included, conditions apply.

For more information, log on to Peregrineadventures.co.uk.