Airport meet-and-greet & departure assistance
A familiar face on arrival and calm, practical support at departure — helping you settle in or send you off with everything sorted, without the guesswork of a new city.
Cairns, Far North Queensland
Local guiding, given with care, for over 25 years
I'm Maria — I guide and support travellers around Cairns and Far North Queensland, from a quiet airport welcome to a full day exploring the reef or rainforest. Every itinerary is created in consultation with you.
No bookings are taken through this page — every enquiry is answered personally, so we can talk through exactly what you need.
25+ years in Cairns
Local knowledge built over decades, not seasons.
Private & group guiding
From a couple travelling quietly to larger incentive groups.
Spanish · Catalan · Portuguese
Guiding available in these languages, alongside English.
Ways to explore
Guiding shaped around how you like to travel
Every itinerary starts as a conversation. Below are the kinds of guiding I offer most often — a starting point, not a fixed menu.
Half-day guiding
A focused morning or afternoon suited to your pace and interests.
Full-day guiding
A complete day exploring further afield, with time built in to slow down where something catches your attention.
Multi-day & cross-country guiding
For clients travelling beyond Cairns, I've also flown with guests to other parts of Australia — happy to discuss what that could look like for your trip.
Bespoke & group guiding
Guiding created around who's travelling
Each group has a different rhythm. Here's who I most often guide — and the care each one tends to need.
01
Incentive & corporate groups
Guiding that keeps a group moving comfortably together, with itineraries built around the time and interests the group actually has.
02
Private & VIP guests
Unhurried, discreet guiding for guests who want a personal itinerary rather than a set route.
03
Embassy & official visitors
Careful, well-prepared guiding for diplomatic and official visits, arranged in close consultation with the visiting party.
04
Couples & small groups of friends
Relaxed, flexible days exploring Cairns and the surrounding region at a pace that suits you.
05
General travellers & families
Straightforward, friendly guiding for anyone wanting a local perspective on the region, whatever the size of your group.
A local's perspective
Places guiding often leads to
These are examples of where journeys tend to go — not a fixed list. Wherever you're drawn to in Far North Queensland, we can talk through what fits your time and interests.
Example destination
Great Barrier Reef
Reef days are guided in consultation with you and coordinated with the relevant reef operators — a full day best suited to those keen to be on the water.
Example destination
Kuranda & the rainforest
A half or full day among rainforest villages and lookouts, paced around what you'd like to see and how much walking suits you.
Example destination
The Daintree
Full-day guiding into one of the world's oldest rainforests, shaped around your interests — wildlife, culture, or simply the scenery.
These examples reflect where Maria's guiding most often takes travellers. They are illustrative, not fixed packages, fares, or availability — every itinerary is discussed and confirmed directly with you.
About Maria
Twenty-five years of showing this coast to people I've never met before
I started guiding in Cairns more than 25 years ago, and the region has been my life's work ever since. What keeps me doing this is simple — I like people, and I like this part of the world enough to want to share it well.
Every guest is different, so every itinerary is built around a conversation, not a script. Whether it's a quiet airport pickup, a day on the reef, or weeks of guiding for a visiting delegation, I bring the same local knowledge and attention to detail.
I speak Spanish and Catalan as my native languages, along with Portuguese, in addition to English — and I'm always glad to talk through exactly what your trip needs before we begin.
Spanish — native
Catalan — native
Portuguese
Get in touch
Let's talk about your time in Cairns
Email me with your travel dates, group size, and what you would like to experience. I will reply personally so we can talk through what suits your trip.
Based in Cairns, Queensland, Australia
Email Maria directly maria@tropicguides.com