Backpacking the East Coast of Australia: Was A K’gari Tour Really the Highlight of My Trip?

Everyone says that when you travel the east coast of Australia, a K’gari tour is the highlight. The one thing you’ll look back on and say, that was it.

So when my 3 day, 2 night K’gari tour with Drop Bear Adventures finally came around, it felt like a big moment — the moment I found out whether the hype was actually deserved.

If you’re interested in the practical side of the tour — what’s included, what the accommodation is like, and whether Drop Bear Adventures is actually worth it — I’ve written a full, honest review of the tour here.

Although, I nearly didn’t make the tour at all.

I’d been really unwell with a cold leading up to the tour and seriously considered pulling out at the last minute. But somehow, on the morning of Day 1, I dragged myself up for the early pickup and hoped the island would do its thing.

Day 1: Finding Out If K’gari Lives Up to the Hype

We were picked up early from my hostel and taken straight to the Drop Bear Adventures HQ, where we checked in, stored our luggage and met the rest of the group. This is also where we were introduced to the 4WDs that would be taking us across the island for the next few days.

Our tour guide was Troy, and straight away the energy felt different. He spoke about K’gari like it was his own backyard — because it basically was. He’d grown up coming here as a kid, and you could feel how much the island meant to him. Nothing felt rushed or scripted; it felt like being shown around by someone who genuinely cared.

One thing I noticed almost immediately was the food. As a vegan, I’m used to group tours treating plant-based meals as an inconvenience. Here, it was the opposite. Vegan food was clearly a priority — and not just edible, but actually really good. Most meals were plant-based first and meat was an option because they have a focus on eco-tourism.

Accommodation for the tour was in eco lodges, either cabins or glamping-style tents. They were not just tents on the sand. They were housed within an actual building, up off the ground and felt more like a proper room than a tent.

Because Troy was a local, he constantly adapted the itinerary to avoid crowds and make the most of our time. On the very first day, that meant visiting Lake Birrabeen instead of the more famous Lake McKenzie. Floating in that crystal-clear freshwater, surrounded by nothing but white sand (up there with the whitest sand I’ve ever seen) and trees, was the first moment I really felt it — that quiet magic people talk about when they mention K’gari.

On our drive back to camp the sun was setting pastel pinks, yellows and oranges. When we arrived we jumped out the cars and headed straight to the beach to take it all in. It was here we spotted our first Dingo who was pretty inquisitive and came right over to us. They aer dangerous and wild so it is super important you keep your distance, don’t try and pet or feed them.

By the end of Day 1, even while feeling unwell, I already understood why this island is so special.

Day 2: Beach Drives, Freshwater Creeks & Champagne Pools

We spent the morning driving along K’gari’s endless beaches – specifically 75 Mile Beach – with the ocean stretching out on one side, sand dunes and forest on the other. There’s something surreal about driving on sand that makes you feel small in the best possible way, like the island is in charge and you’re just passing through. As we were driving on the beach we did pass a police check point where the drives of the vehicles had to be breathalysed. I wasn’t quite expecting there to be such a heavy police presence on the island.

We started by stopping to do a hike through the forest – it was about 30 mins – to what was essentially an inland desert. It’s a section of the island where the jungle doesn’t grow through the sand like the rest of the island. The sand is winning the battle, which has created a mini desert. At the bottom of the desert is a freshwater lake. We were able to swim here with the ginormous catfish. I chose not to, I just sat and chilled on the sand, because my cold was kicking my ass. Troy brought out some boomerangs so we were also able to practice throwing them into the dunes.

Our next stop was the Maheno Shipwreck, sitting quietly on 75 Mile Beach as a reminder of how powerful the ocean really is. The ship ran aground here during a cyclone in 1935 and it has sat and sunk into the sand ever since. It was like a piece of living history.

On the next drive we headed to the Champagne Pools, and we got breathalysed again. You are not allowed to swim in the sea here as between the rough swell and the sharks (Troy said he was bitten by a shark here) it is just too dangerous. It does feel criminal looking out to the stretches of glistening blue water and not being able to swim in it. The Champagne pools are where waves crash over volcanic rock to create natural spa-like pools. They are protected so they are really the only places on the island you can safely get a taste of the sea here. Here we stopped and had lunch on the sand with the most incredible outlook of the sea.

On our drive over to Eli Creek, we did a quick stop at a little shop where we could pick up a postcard and any snacks. Once we made it to Eli Creek I realised why people rave about this place. We pulled up and there were a few other cars lining the end of the creek. People playing with a football and others swimming in the pure water. The water runs so clear and cold it barely feels real. Troy had brought some inflatables so we pumped them up and too them to the top of the creek. We floated downstream, surrounded by sky, sand and forest. It was one of those moments where time completely disappears. We chilled and enjoyed the late afternoon, before heading back to camp. Troy wanted us to get back a bit earlier so we could grab dinner, because this evening was a red moon. It’s not often this phenomena occurs so Troy bless him was pretty pumped for us to see it. I’m so glad he went the extra mile to make sure we did. It was the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. Not to get too scientific but to save you a google search a red moon, or “blood moon,” is the nickname for the Moon during a total lunar eclipse, when it takes on a reddish-copper hue. This occurs because Earth passes directly between the Sun and Moon, blocking direct sunlight and filtering it through Earth’s atmosphere, which scatters blue light and bends red light onto the lunar surface. In other words it’s like watching a sunrise in darkness. Sitting on the sand dune in the dark watching the moon rise a deep red was so incredibly surreal.

That evening, back at camp, I realised I’d stopped thinking about how unwell I felt. K’gari has a way of slowing everything down and grounding you — reminding you why you travel in the first place.

Emily Victoria travels doing the 3 day 2 night k'gari tour with drop bear adventures

Day 3: The Part No One Really Talks About

On our final morning we headed over to Lake McKenzie. It was super quiet because we beat all the other tours. Troy got the paddle boards out which was so much fun paddling about on the lake.

My final day on K’gari left me feeling unexpectedly sad — and not because the island disappointed me.

I’d been feeling horrible for most of the tour, so when it came to driving, I was upfront from the beginning. I said I did want to drive, but I was happy for others to go first whilst I subtly tried to conserve my energy. I just didn’t feel well enough in myself to jump straight behind the wheel.

By the last day, though, I finally felt like I had enough in me. I said clearly that I wanted to do some beach driving, because I hadn’t driven at all during the entire trip.

When it came to the final leg — driving from Rainbow Beach back to Noosa — I mentioned it again to the remaining people in the group. The response honestly caught me off guard.

People who were already sitting in the driver’s seat said things like, “Oh well, I haven’t driven in ages,” or “I’ve only driven in the jungle.” And all I could think was… yeah, but I haven’t driven at all.

In the end, I had to speak to Troy to help split the journey so everyone got more turns. He handled it fairly, as he always did — but the moment stayed with me. It was like I had to go speak to a teacher because the other kids weren’t playing fair.

It wasn’t really about the driving. It was about the fact that if the situation were reversed, it wouldn’t even be a question for me. If someone told me they hadn’t had a single turn the whole trip, I’d be the first to say, “Of course — you should drive.”

Travel has a funny way of revealing people. Sometimes it brings out generosity and kindness. Other times, it quietly shows you who puts themselves first — even in small moments that matter more than you expect.

So… Was My K’gari Tour the Highlight?

Despite that final-day disappointment, K’gari really is a special place. The landscapes are unreal, the island feels alive in a way that’s hard to explain, and being shown around by someone who genuinely loves it makes all the difference.

Did I see any huntsmen spiders? Not a single one. Definitely don’t let the social media hype around this put you off.

The magic of K’gari isn’t just the beaches or the lakes — it’s how the island makes you feel. Slower. Smaller. More present.

And maybe that’s the real reason people remember it so vividly.

Enjoy your Travels!

Em x