Outer Reef Odyssey: 40-Minute Scenic Helicopter Flight to the Great Barrier Reef

Embark on a breathtaking 40-minute scenic helicopter flight to the Great Barrier Reef. Extend the flight to explore the outer edge of Arlington Reef and capture stunning images of the reef’s vibrant colors and marine life.

Duration: 40 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Great Barrier Reef - A fabulous scenic helicopter flight. In forty minutes, we’ll go beyond the inner reef, to the outer regions of the Great Barrier Reef where the frequency of coral structures is outstanding. The additional time allows us to explore more widely, watching out for the incredible reef wildlife flourishing in this World Heritage listed icon.
What's Included
  • 40-minute reef scenic flight
  • All fees and taxes included
  • Informative in-flight commentary
What's Not Included
  • Unique, collectable ‘Zoomy’ Merchandise - optional
  • Personalised ‘in-flight’ video - optional
Additional Information

This magnificent 40-minute helicopter tour over the reef is a truly breathtaking experience. By adding an extra 10 minutes to the standard 30-minute flight, you’ll have the opportunity to see all the highlights of our regular tour, while extending the journey eastwards. This takes us past Green Island and to the outer boundaries of Arlington Reef – a…

Location
Zoom Helicopters
Turn off the Captain Cook Highway into the General Aviation entrance to Cairns Airport, turn right and you will find us opposite the Aviation Skills Centre on the left hand side of Bush Pilots Avenue.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(78 Ratings)
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John_c
Mar 1, 2026
Great way to get... - Great way to get introduced to the great barrier reef. It was a beautiful day and only a 45 minute ride we saw an enormous amount from a great perspective.
Review provided by Viator
Richard
Feb 16, 2026
Fabulous trip to the Reef - Great experience, staff very competent and welcoming, trip itself was excellent saw a lot of the reef, one not to miss when you are in Cairns.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gil
Feb 14, 2026
Turquoise Waters at Their Best!🩵 - My husband and I experienced one of our Bucket List trips ( Great Barrier Reef) thanks to Zoom Helicopters , or more accurately stated , because of the outstanding staff at Zoom. We were fortunate to have a picture perfect day at the reef and our incredible photos prove how wonderful this experience was . It was a very hot, humid day and I told Chris, managing the office that morning , that I would mention the fabulous AC we were greeted with !! Our “ cold” welcome was much appreciated ! After Chris gave us a wonderful safety briefing we we took off with Hayley as our outstanding pilot. Her enthusiasm and passion for the reef were delightful. Her professionalism and knowledge were equally outstanding. Our 40 minute flight “ flew” by so quickly but we saw much more than anticipated. The dolphins were spotted almost immediately, the variety of corals were evident as well AND those turquoise waters will be forever imprinted in our minds. Thank you for our priceless memories. This is an amazing company and we highly recommend experiencing the GBR via a Zoom Helicopter. PS Hayley , we so appreciated you giving us a hop back into town during your well deserved break. !! You not only represent this company but Australian people at their best. 🩵 The Fegleys Burke, VA USA
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Raz5253
Feb 5, 2026
Zoom the way on this amazing Heli ride - Fantastic sights and experiences. Totally a must when visiting Cairns. Amazing ride and services. We enjoyed thoroughly. Thank you Zoom
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Spoiledbrat33
Jan 1, 2026
PEAK EXPERIENCE! - In a two week trip to Australia full of peak experiences (feeding kangaroos, climbing the Harbor Bridge, snorkeling the GBR), this might be #1! Btw, I first booked a small plane flight over the reef, but realized that a helicopter would be better, since it can fly lower. I don't know how low, since I can't convert metres to feet, but we had an up-close-and-personal view of the reef. And major shout out to our pilot, Hayley, a very skillful young woman who made the trip so much fun. Also a plus listening to the ATC tower and hearing other pilots and controllers sign off, "G'day."
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Asnowfix
Dec 24, 2025
Extraordinary: not to be missed under any pretext - Not only are the landscapes sumptuous, but pilot note (Haley) was very attentive to my wife, prone to motion sickness: the flight was particularly smooth, and the whole family could enjoy the show. We warmly recommend Zoom Helicopter!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Shaunince
Nov 24, 2025
Great views of the reef, excellent service. - The 40 minute reef Odyssey tour is in a small helicopter, perfect for a couple because it's a private experience with no others in the helicopter with you. The views are excellent and the staff on the ground and the pilot were excellent. Easy to get to from Cairns. Great All round.
Review provided by Viator
Gg117316
Nov 4, 2025
Brilliant OuterReef Helicopter ride in Cairne - Beautiful view of outer reef in sky to get a sense of the magnitude of the varsity of the Great Barrier Reef, which you can not appreciate from the sea. A must do in Cairne. Pilot provided a smooth ride with perfect landing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rainier_y
Nov 2, 2025
The Great Barrier Reef from above - Haley moved our tour in the afternoon and we ended up having the helicopter to ourselves! What a way to see the reef up in the air. We spotted sharks, sting rays, manta ray and turtles. We took this tour because my spouse gets motion sickness on the boat and we had no desire to snorkel (been there, done that in Hawaii). It’s not cheap but you have more time to do other things if you tour the reef by air.
Review provided by Viator
Jean_w
Oct 26, 2025
100% recommend this tour!!! - Thanks to Chris for making our experience so awesome! Great casual narration and knowledgeable discussion!
Review provided by Viator
From $380
up to 6 guests
2 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).