Riverbend Tours
Riverbend Tours
5
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 9:00 PM
About
With 6 consecutive Travellers Choice Awards (formerly Certificate of Excellence) under our belt, Riverbend Tours offers a unique Sunset Cruise experience in crocodile country on the Endeavour River in Cooktown. Board Nautilus late in the day. Bring your own bottle of wine and prepare yourself for a magnificent Cape York sunset. We will explore the harbour in the long afternoon light and then head upstream to watch the sunset over the ranges. While navigating the maze way of creeks we serve a gourmet cheese platter featuring produce from Gallo's, an award winning local dairy. After dark, spotlights add a whole new perspective to the walls of mangrove that line the river. Listen to some stories about Cook’s journey along the Cape, about devastating cyclones, about the glory days of pearling luggers and about the new Cooktown, gateway to the frontier. Affordably priced at $55, this sunset cruise can make for a wonderfully peaceful way to end the day.
Cooktown, Queensland, Australia

Awards
Travellers' Choice
2024

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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

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5.0
5.0 of 5 bubbles231 reviews
Excellent
213
Very good
15
Average
3
Poor
0
Terrible
0

Janda
Kiama, Australia30 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2021
A great evening out on the water with our host Nick. He was entertaining with just the right amount of commentary about the local history and environment. He supplied a generous food platter and plenty of opportunity for everyone to mingle and chat whilst enjoying fantastic scenery. Highly recommend this as an experience whilst in Cooktown.
Written 27 July 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mkbrennan61
Perth, Australia33 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023
Fantastic sunset cruise of the Cooktown harbor and creeks. Nick provided interesting commentary of Cooktown's history and some of its characters without going overboard (bad pun!). The beautiful cheese platter with BYO drinks in the middle of the mangroves as the sun was setting was magical. Definitely the highlight of our trip to Cooktown.
Written 2 August 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

lisa
Geelong, Australia19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2023 • Couples
Sensational, totally exceeded our expectations, nics sunset river bend cruise was fabulous, he was knowledgeable about Cooktown history and was a great host.

This certainly was not a tacky touristy tour.

Cruising up into the river system was a highlight ,where we anchored and enjoyed a plentiful delicious cheese platter watching the sunset , once darkness fell the spotlights in the mangroves against the pitch black backdrop was incredible, an absolute must do when visiting cooktown,

Thankyou for ending our time here on such a high note!

Just disappointed we didn’t do it earlier on in our stay, as we would have done it a second time!!
Written 22 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great review guys, thank you! Might see you again down the track. Cheers.
Written 6 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Teresa C
Mount Hotham, Australia38 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020
Loved this cruise. Very relaxing and pleasant while learning about the river, the history and the present day from Nick (captain/host). The cheese platter was as good as any we've ever had, you would have been happy with it at a good restaurant. The boat is comfortable and roomy. Didn't see any crocodiles (phew!) Recommend it highly. The price is very reasonable. BYO drinks is a wonderful idea.
Written 18 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shiyu
Brisbane, Australia313 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2024 • Couples
Nick had an excellent telephone manner and was able to answer my queries (yes there is an onboard toilet and he does carry insect repellent if the need arises). We joined 2 dozen other passengers, all of whom had ample refreshments on hand. The seating was flexible with real chairs not benches. Sunset was delightful, the commentary was informative but intermittent enabling conversation with fellow passengers to unfold. The mangroves after dark were interesting and the calm weather made for gorgeous reflections. The cheese platter was ample for 2 and a tasty selection.
Written 16 June 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Gavin W
Melbourne, Australia12 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
June 2023 • Couples
This was gentle and interesting sunset cruise in perfect weather. We heard some Cooktown history and enjoyed a landing on the north shore sandbar to see the sunset (photo 1), before cruising into the mangroves where we sampled the delicious cheese platter. Everyone on board on our evening (approximately 24) commented positively on the value and the experience.
Written 3 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It’s always great when we can spend sunset on the North Shore. The tide and wind need to be on side to make it happen. Thanks for taking the time out to write a review. Cheers.
Written 6 September 2023
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Farnorthernexposure
Cairns Region, Australia36 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2020
Nic’s Riverbend tour was a great way to experience Cooktown. The Endeavour River is such an iconic part of Cooktown’s beauty and history, it is wonderful to cruise along at sunset. And the cheese platter was fab too!! Highly recommend
Written 27 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Tom K
Cairns, Australia1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Wow. Nick made everyone feel welcomed and shared his knowledge of Cooktown’s river’s history. The local historical society provided old photos which Nick shared in a photo album with stories. A lot of history, great country and a bloody beautiful sunset. Unforgettable. Thanks Nick
Written 15 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

RMcCallum
Melbourne, Australia15 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
July 2024 • Couples
This was an evening well spent. Somehow seeing a town’s DNA from the water tells a story just as big as seeing it on dry land. This was no exception. Nick via his entertaining commentary left us better informed about Cooktown’s background and reason for being. All this while cruising the Endeavour River estuary and upstream through the never ending mangroves ( croc country). After anchoring for a short time in one of the tributaries, we enjoyed a generous cheese platter (provided) and the peaceful ambiance of Cooktown’s mangroves. We returned to Cooktown in time for dinner. Thanks Nick, great evening.
Written 24 July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

FoodSnobAU
Cairns, Australia191 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2020 • Couples
An awesome sunset cruise around the harbour and down two mile creek, with a great cheese platter included. Absolute bargain, and Nick is the best tour guide, very friendly and knowledgeable. BYO drinks, no problem.
Highly recommend!
Written 4 November 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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