cape tribulation self guided tours

• The Daintree Rainforest
• Mossman Gorge
• Things to Do
• Tourist Info
• Climate & Weather
• Daintree River Ferry
• Self Drive Guide
• Plants & Wildlife

• Great Barrier Reef
• Daintree River Cruises
• Horse Rides
• Guided Walks

DRIVING TO THE DAINTREE

It is around a thirty-minute drive north of Port Douglas to Mossman, a pleasant little town set amongst the lush cane fields. Mossman Gorge is a must stop for all trips heading up to the Daintree and Cape Tribulation. The highway leaves the coast at Wonga Beach for a 15-kilometre drive through the forests of the Dagmar Ranges, and then into Daintree Village.

Public transport is limited throughout the Daintree region, so visitors not having their own transport should consider hiring a vehicle from one of the many car-hire companies in Cairns or Port Douglas.

The Daintree Ferry provides access into the Cape Tribulation area. This is accessible by conventional vehicles except during periods of heavy rain. The road is sealed as far as Cape Tribulation. Crossing the Daintree River via a vehicular ferry is an experience not to be missed. This ferry operates from 6am to midnight each day.

After crossing the Daintree Ferry you travel through lowland and tropical rainforest passing road junctions for Cape Kimberley and Cow Bay.

There are some excellent coastal views and several tourist attractions. The road runs over several high capes and alongside attractive beaches. Camping spots and accommodation are available. A small general store is located at Cow Bay. Limited fuel access is available.

Vehicle users can be assured that a 4WD is not required to drive through the Daintree Rainforest, however the Bloomfield Track which begins at the northern side of the rainforest, is suitable only for 4WDs.

The Bloomfield Track links Cape Tribulation and The Bloomfield River. It is a true 4WD Track as there is very little gravel on parts of the surface, unimproved creek crossings, steep climbs and decents, lots of mud and plenty of opportunity to get stuck if it is wet. The actual condition of the road varies enormously, and it can be anything from an easy drive, to almost or completely impassable.

Precautions Please drive safely and carefully while in the area. If you wish to stop, pull over and park safely, not on the road. Sometimes it is safer to walk back to the attraction. 

It is safe to drive at night, providing you obey the speed limits and keep a sharp lookout for wildlife. Wildlife is usually only killed by speeding drivers. Please respect private property while in the area. 

During heavy rain, water does run over the road. Please be careful and check the depth before crossing. The water usually recedes quite quickly once the rain has stopped.

SELF DRIVE ITINERARY

This self drive itinerary offers a handy guideline to base your day of exploring Cape Tribulation and the Daintree Rainforest.

Depart Cairns 7:30am and Port Douglas at 8:30am approx.

Mossman Gorge 9:00am approx From Cairns, travel north for 80km along the Cook Highway to Mossman. In the centre of Mossman turn left into Johnston Road. This 5km bitumen road leads directly to the Mossman Gorge car park. Crystal clear water cascades over large granite boulders in the Mossman River gorge. There are two circuit tracks. A short, 400m track provides access to lookouts over the Mossman River. Beyond this is a 2.7km loop track through the rainforest. 

Daintree River Cruise 10:00am approx There are many river tours operating frequently throughout the day, some offering a short crocodile and wildlife spotting experiences while other interpretive cruises cater for special interest groups such as birdwatchers, naturalists and photographers. Bookings not required.

Lunch at Cape Tribulation 1:00pm approx Whet is a popular cafe for lunch in Cape Tribulation.  This cafe and bar is a great venue for the busy explorer, a lunchtime salad and sandwich buffet is on offer, as well as a lunch and snack menu for those with a little more time to relax.  

Cape Tribulation Beach 2:30pm approx This is the showcase beach of the area. Protected by the Cape Tribulation headland, the water here is almost always calm and crystal clear. Take the boardwalk up the headland to the view point that provides magnificent views of where the Rainforest meets the Reef.

Daintree Icecream Company 4:00pm approx Don't miss stopping at The Icecream Company on your journey home, it is a must for any daytrip to Cape Tribulation! All the ice creams are made on the premises from tropical fruits grown in the company’s own orchards such as Black Sapote, Soursop, Wattle Seed and Jackfruit. The ice cream is primarily sold as a fixed sample pack - four flavours in a rather large cup for $5. Pretty good value, really!

Return to Port Douglas 5:30pm and Cairns at 6:30pm approx

CAIRNS TO PORT DOUGLAS

The Captain Cook Highway is Cairns’ coastal corridor; and one of the most spectacular ocean drives in Australia.

This scenic ribbon road winds its way along beautiful unspoiled coastline that is set against a spectacular backdrop of lush rainforest mountains.

The beaches of Cairns stretch some 26 kilometres along the coastline and are known at the Northern Beaches. Consisting of eight separate communities: Machans Beach, Holloways Beach, Yorkeys Knob, Trinity Beach, Kewarra Beach, Clifton Beach, Palm Cove and Ellis Beach; each of these has its own distinctive character and flavour.

After 30-40 minutes you will pass through Wangetti and reach Rex Lookout, one of the most spectacular sights on the highway. Not only can you enjoy wonderful views over the ocean, but the area is very popular for hang gliding and other aerial sports. It’s a great spot to relax and watch them soaring on coastal thermals.

Just 5 minutes further is Turtle Cove and past here is Oak Beach a quiet, natural and unspoilt 2 kilometre beach.

Thala Beach Lodge is located on the northernmost headland of a 2km stretch of untouched coastline, and Port Douglas is just 10minutes further.

Port Douglas is nestled at the end of a peninsula, the tranquil waters of a natural harbour on one side of the village embrace a lively marina. Along the other side of the peninsula stretches the breathtaking sandy sweep of beautiful Four Mile Beach.

PORT DOUGLAS TO MOSSMAN

Port Douglas spolis the traveller with 5-star to budget accommodation, art galleries, markets and award-winning dining experiences second to none.

The Port Douglas Sunday Markets are a popular haunt for tourists and locals alike. Here you'll find original arts and crafts, jewellery, pottery, tropical clothing, fruit and vegetables, glassware, books, homemade foods, unique Australian goods, souvenirs and more.

The markets are also a chance to meet the locals, including the artists, street theatre performers and buskers.

Flagstaff Hill is the best place to capture the striking views of the town and its superb Four Mile Beach.

The journey to Mossman takes you through green canefields with  rainforest clad mountains as the backdrop.

Mossman, is a picturesque little township nestled at the foot of the mountains.

The region's sugar capital the Mossman Central Mill throbs and hums its way through the sugar cane crushing season (June – October). Explore the country stores and historic pubs along the wide tree-lined main street.

Five minutes west of Mossman you will discover Mossman Gorge, a very accessible and scenic section of the World Heritage listed Daintree National Park.

Mossman is located 75 km from Cairns and 20 km from Port Douglas.

MOSSMAN TO DAINTREE VILLAGE

Journey through an ever-changing tropical landscape, a patchwork of white sandy palm-fringed beaches, waving cane-fields and jungle clad misty mountains.

Further on is the turnoff to beautiful Whyanbeel Valley, home of Diane Cilento’s famous open-air playhouse. Diane puts on a number of world-class productions every year.

From Rocky Point a vista opens up of the northern rainforested ranges towards Cape Tribulation. Shortly you pass through rich beef-cattle pastures and soon reach the turnoff to idyllic Wonga Beach, miles of unspoilt sands with no major development - just a tropical beachfront caravan park.

Next in view are a commercial fish farm, beach horse rides, wildlife sanctuary and tropical gardens, then the turnoff to the Daintree ferry and Cape Tribulation. But to reach tiny historic Daintree Village drive straight ahead – here the road winds through the rainforest and soon you catch your first glimpse of the awesome Daintree River, with it’s prehistoric inhabitants the salt-water crocodiles.

The final stretch into Daintree Village winds through undulating farmland and luxuriant tropical vegetation with a beautiful mountain backdrop. Daintree was originally a settlement for timber-cutters and, until the road was completed in 1933, only accessible by river.

Today tourism and farming are the main industries and the region hosts every type of accommodation option from budget to 5-star resorts, B&B’s and hideaways, wildlife-spotting river cruises, artists’galleries, interpretive walks and restaurants.

THE DAINTREE RIVER FERRY

The Daintree Ferry provides access into the Cape Tribulation area. This is accessible by conventional vehicles except during periods of heavy rain. The road is sealed as far as Cape Tribulation. Crossing the Daintree River via a vehicular ferry is an experience not to be missed. 

Daintree Ferry operates between 7.30am to 10am and 2.30pm to 5pm on Christmas Day.  

The Daintree River Ferry operates from 6am to midnight each day.

For any enquiries please contact Customer Service on (07) 4099 9444.

DAINTREE RIVER TO CAPE TRIBULATION

Cross the Daintree River by ferry and travel north into the best of the Daintree - the Reef and Rainforest Coast.

Allow a minimum of one and a half hours drive time from Cairns to reach the ferry, one hour from Port Douglas.

Looking northwards across the Daintree you can see the rainforested slopes of Thornton Peak. This mountain dominates the skyline and you will see it from several different angles on your journey. Very often there are clouds resting on top.

Check out the model of the Cassowary and the chicks, so that you know what they look like. You must remain in your vehicle while you are travelling on the ferry.

When you come off the ferry, pull over to the left and let the local traffic pass. You will have a more relaxing journey if you let the traffic get away. You may also be able to buy some cheap locally grown fruit from the banana stall which is often on the north side of the river.

A large part of the lowlands you will be travelling though is privately own freehold land. There are about 1000 rateable blocks, the majority between 1-2 hectares. The number of permanent residents is between 600-900 people. Many of these blocks have not been settled, and the rainforest is still intact.

The drive over the Alexander range is a stunning scenic rainforest drive and one of the most spectacular in the world - it has a sympathetic conservation design and its meandering nature enhances the ecotourism experience.

As you descend from the look-out there are several glimpses of views of the Daintree coastline.

The Cow Bay area has been classified as Outstanding Cassowary Habitat Zone by Corme and Moore (1993). In the lowlands and swamps of western Cow Bay the population density is as high as the best habitats in Mission Beach.

In the wet season Cooper Creek can be a barrier to cars, as the causeway may flood in heavy rain. In a small car do not try and cross the causeway until the depth of the water on the causeway drops to 0.2 metres. You need to have lots of patience as it is possible to be held up here for several hours if there are heavy rains in the area.

Noahs Range is the last range before you reach the Cape Tribulation area. Great view of Cape Tribulation and the fringing reef as you descend from Noahs Range into the Cape Trib valley.

Cape Tribulation Beach has toilets and picnic tables. You can walk to the look-out which takes 10 minutes. From here view the rainforest clad mountains which literally meets with the fringing reef. Remember to bring your camera as the view is spectacular! Just north of the Cape Trib Beach House is still some live coral on the edge of the fringing reef, if you have brought your snorkel.

REEF & RAINFOREST

3 NIGHTS SILKY OAKS  3 NIGHTS GREEN ISLAND  FULL BREAKFAST DAILY  OUTER BARRIER REEF TRIP MANY ACTIVITIES 

Every weekend is an adventure

Our daintree day trip self-drive up to cape tribulation.

• Post published: 25 February 2020
• Post category: Australia / Oceania/South Pacific / Queensland

After our  liveaboard on the Outer Great Barrier Reef , we needed one day before flying back to Brisbane . We rented a car and made our own Daintree day trip self-drive and went all the way up to Cape Tribulation. The 140-kilometre drive from Cairns to Cape Tribulation is one of the most scenic drives you’ll find in the world. I wish we had a couple of days so we could have spent the night in this magical place, but a Daintree day trip to Cape Tribulation was still worth it.

The Daintree Forest is the only place in the world where two UNESCO sites meet : a lush tropical rainforest just next to the world’s longest barrier reef. It’s also one of the rare places to tick all four natural criteria on the Criteria for Selection to be a World Heritage Site  (only 12 sites in the world do!).

And the more you look at numbers, the better you understand why this rainforest is so special. First, it is over one hundred and thirty-five million years old . And although it covers only 0.2% of Australia (which represents already around 1200 square kilometres), it is home for 30% of the frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia, 65% of Australia’s bat and butterfly species and 18% of bird species.

Our one-day self-driving itinerary in the Daintree Forest

We came back from our liveaboard at the end of the afternoon and went straight to Cairns airport to hire a car. The airport office was the only one to be open late on a Sunday. We drove for one hour to spend the night in Port Douglas so we’d be a bit closer to the Daintree Forest for our day trip the next day. If you can stay in Port Douglas rather than Cairns before your self-drive trip around the Daintree region, I highly recommend it.

We found a good deal at the Mantra Aqueous on Port *, and we liked having our private spa on the balcony. If we could have arrived earlier at our accommodation, I would have booked one of the amazing options in the region such as the ECO Certified  Thala Beach Nature Reserve *,  Daintree Eco Lodge & Spa *,  Daintree Wilderness Lodge * and  Silky Oaks Lodge *.

If you don’t have time to organise a day trip to Cape Tribulation or don’t want to get tired with the long drive, there are tours going up there from Cairns or Port Douglas:

Our first stop was at Mossman Gorge.

I was a bit afraid of how touristy Mossman Gorge may be. Still, it seemed hard to miss considering all the good reviews we read and heard. We visited early in the morning before all the tours from Cairns arrive, and it was quieter than expected. We had an excellent time there. If we could have stayed longer, we’d have done a guided walk Dreamtime walk. It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn more about the local Indigenous culture.

After visiting Mossman Gorge, we drove north with two objectives in mind:

• spotting a cassowary
• reaching Cape Tribulation

Unfortunately, we never found a cassowary despite all the warning signs on the side of the road. But being in their environment was undoubtedly thrilling. Our friends were at Mission Beach the same weekend and saw a full family with babies.

The ferry to Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation isn’t on an island, but it’s quite remote. You can access it with a 2WD, but you’ll need to catch a ferry to cross the Daintree River.

There’s no need to book and the ferry operates all day, from 5 am to midnight. You may queue a bit during the peak season but the ferry can take about 30 cars though, so it shouldn’t be too long. If you want to avoid the peak hour, don’t cross at the end of the morning to go to Cape Tribulation, and before sunset to go back.

It cost just under $30 return for a normal vehicle for the ten-minute trip to cross the river. They accept card payments from 8 am to 4:30 pm, so bring cash if you’ll be crossing outside these times.

Why Cape Tribulation was a fantastic surprise – even just for a day trip!

There’s a lot to do up there, and you will only have time to scratch the surface on a day trip to the Daintree region. We tried to fit as much as we could.

1. The postcard-perfect beach

We spent time most of our time walking along the postcard-perfect beach. I’ve seen many beaches in Australia. I’m always happy to explore a new one, but it often looks like one I have already seen. Cape Tribulation felt different. I loved the wilderness.

Knowing that we were far away near the top of Queensland made it special. And the rainforest up to the sand looks amazing. As if it wasn’t already perfect, we also spotted dolphins passing by very close to shore. Don’t think about joining them though, it’s a bit too risky with the jellyfish and saltwater crocodiles in the region.

2. Cold drinks with the best views ever

Although you feel far away from everything, there are hotels and small bars a few steps away. Tourism development in Cape Tribulation was clever.

We enjoyed the opportunity for refreshments on this hot day after a long drive and short walks. At the end of Cape Tribulation Beach, the Cape Trib Beach House * has a stunning location next to the beach. You can relax while enjoying the beautiful views with a cold drink before heading back. It’s also where you’ll find the iconic and photogenic heart of the Daintree region.

3. Short walks

Hoping to see cassowaries and ready to stretch our legs after the drive, we explored the two most popular boardwalks in Cape Tribulation: Marrdja Boardwalk (half an hour) and  Dubuji Boardwalk (one hour). Even on a hot day, I found it easy to explore the forest on these boardwalks. From Dubuji Boardwalk, you can reach the magnificent Myall Beach.

The short Kulki Boardwalk will take you to a lookout over Cape Tribulation Beach.

If you’ve got time for serious hiking, you may want to check out the views from the top of Mount Sorrow . The hike takes between four to five hours, so it’s hard to fit into a day trip really.

But if it’s too hot, you can drive to a lookout that also offers nice views: Alexandra Lookout .

Consider stopping at Mason’s Cafe for lunch (they close at 3 pm!). It’s one of the best places in Australia to try game meat as they serve burgers made from emu, crocodile, kangaroo and camel meat.

They’ve got an amazing freshwater swimming hole if you feel like having a dip.

Responsible travel tip: In Australia , eating kangaroo meat is more sustainable than beef. On a road trip, the money you spend on food will support the local economy. When possible, avoid shopping at the supermarket and have lunch in a local cafe instead.

Map of this day trip to Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation is in the north of Queensland . The closest airport is in Cairns . The tourist office gave us this map with all the attractions and restaurants in the region.

Have you been to the Daintree Forest and Cape Tribulation? Share your experience in the comments below!

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CAPE TRIBULATION

WHERE THE RAINFOREST MEETS THE REEF

Cape Tribulation is the picturesque headland area within the Daintree National Park, a scenic 2.5hours drive north of Cairns and a 1.5hrs drive north of Port Douglas.

It is one of the most biologically diverse areas in the world and was included in the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in 1988.

The Eastern Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people are the Traditional Owners of Daintree National Park, with their country extending from near Cooktown, south to Mossman. Many natural features of the landscape have spiritual significance for the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people. They welcome you to their country and ask that you respect their special place.

Cape Tribulation is an ecotourism destination, renowned for it’s lush scenery, offering a combination of remote sandy beaches and the world’s oldest rainforest, covering the mountains sweeping down to the coast.

Both rainforest and beaches can be explored by self-guided tours and trails, with options of discovering the area through guided walks, reef trips, or even flying foxes, horse rides and sea kayaks to paddle the coastline. For more information, visit destinationdaintree.com .

MOUNT SORROW

Mount Sorrow is a superb adventure for experienced and fit walkers. Allow six hours, take plenty of water, and expect to be rewarded with rainforest-clad mountains, spectacular views of Cape Tribulation Beach, fringing reef and the stunning Coral Sea.

Always check the weather as paths can be slippery after heavy rains, and only attempt the hike during day time.

STAYING IN CAPE TRIB

Accommodation ranges from camping grounds and budget resorts to bed & breakfasts, farm stays, holiday homes and eco-retreats, built to fit in with the natural surroundings.

Two small supermarkets, cafes, bottle shops, ATMs and restaurants are all located conveniently within walking distance.

The winding road up to Cape Tribulation from the Daintree River ferry is fully sealed; to venture further north, a 4WD is required.

BLOOMFIELD TRACK

The coastal drive to Wujal Wujal on the Bloomfield River and beyond is an unforgettable experience, full of spectacular views, creek crossings, secluded beaches, a rainforest archway, majestic plants, unexpected wildlife and history.

The Bloomfield Track is one of the most scenic short 4WD drives in Queensland and a must-do for 4WD travellers, whether self-driving or experiencing a little extra through a local 4WD tour company.

Images: David Clode / Unsplash

CANOPY TOWER

View the Daintree Rainforest Canopy

AERIAL WALKWAY

Access to mid level Daintree Rainforest

INTERPRETIVE CENTRE

Discover the Interpretive Display Centre

AUDIO TOURS

Daintree Rainforest self-guided tours

Leave your pets at home; take any rubbish out with you; don't feed the wildlife and don't pollute the water. Enjoy yourself and leave nothing but footsteps and take nothing but photographs! 

Wet Tropics Management Authority

The Daintree Rainforest is one of the most fascinating and diverse eco-systems on the Earth and your introduction to this very special place starts at the Discovery Centre.

OPENING HOURS Daily 8.30 am – 5pm *last entry 4 pm CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY

ENTRY FEES Adult: $37 Concession/Student: $34 Child: $18 Family: $90

Includes: Audio Tour (8 languages) 68 Page Interpretive Guide Book 7 Day Re-Entry Pass Children’s Audio Tour (5-9 years)

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Self Drive Tours in the Daintree Rainforest.

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Driving To The Daintree Rainforest

If you have your own vehicle you can drive to meet tours in the Daintree. Allow 2.5 hours from Cairns and 1.5 Hours from Port Douglas to reach Cape Tribulation.

Cairns To Port Douglas | 1 Hour The Cook Highway north of Cairns offers beautiful scenery ranging from secluded palm fringed tropical beaches, hidden coves and rugged headlands to the rich green of lush sugar-cane fields and rainforest covered mountains. This spectacular one and a half hour drive to Daintree Village takes you through the coastal villages of Ellis Beach and Wangetti to Rex Lookout, for a sweeping view south along the coast to Cairns that simply must be photographed.

Port Douglas to Mossman | 30 mins It is around a thirty-minute drive north of Port Douglas to Mossman, a pleasant little town set amongst the lush cane fields.

Mossman to Daintree Village & Ferry | 20 mins The highway leaves the coast at Wonga Beach for a 15-kilometre drive through the forests of the Dagmar Ranges, and then into Daintree Village.

Daintree River Ferry The Daintree Ferry provides access into the Cape Tribulation area. This is accessible by conventional vehicles except during periods of heavy rain. The road is sealed as far as Cape Tribulation. Crossing the Daintree River via a vehicular ferry is an experience not to be missed. This ferry operates from 6am to midnight each day.

Daintree River Ferry to Cape Tribulation | 40 mins After crossing the Daintree Ferry you travel through lowland and tropical rainforest passing road junctions for Cape Kimberley and Cow Bay.

There are some excellent coastal views and several tourist attractions. The road runs over several high capes and alongside attractive beaches. Camping spots and accommodation are available. A small general store is located at Cow Bay.

Daintree Rainforest

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Routes and Trips Travel Guide with Maps and Photos

Self drive trip to the daintree rainforest.

Posted by: Liisa Nygård

Now we will take you on a journey through the tropical north of Australia. To make a self drive trip to Daintree Rainforest we rented a campervan and headed to the oldest surviving tropical rainforest in the world, listed by UNESCO as a Wet Tropics World Heritage Site.

Being such an old rainforest the Daintree contains many ancient plants and rarely seen animals. What also makes holidaymakers happy are the fine tropical beaches almost right in the rainforest.

The Daintree is one of the only existing places where tropical rainforest meets the ocean, one more reason for UNESCO to take it on their list.

Palms on the Jindalba Rainforest Walk, Daintree Rainforest

To explore Australia’s wet tropics we first took the long way from Europe to Australia and then flights to Cairns to get the campervan.

So now we were here, in the Australian wet tropics! Where should we go next, to the Great Barrier Reef, to the white Coral Sea beaches, or should we just dive into the thick rainforest?

We made the coastal village of Cape Tribulation our base. You can see the location of Cape Tribulation on the map, and the green area around it is the Daintree.

As we are nature lovers, getting to a rainforest like this had been our dream, an experience we have to share.

Maybe you are in the process of planning a trip to Daintree – if not now so maybe you will, after reading this post:

Self Drive Trip to the Daintree Rainforest: the Itinerary

Map of our self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest

Here you can see our self drive Daintree itinerary. As Daintree National Park only has roads on the coast, we had to take the only existing main road both ways, there and back.

Nothing wrong with the roadside views

This is the second post about our journey to Daintree. The first post was about the drive from Cairns to Daintree , and this one will be about the Daintree itself.

Read here about the drive from Cairns to Daintree: Queensland, Australia: Driving from Cairns to Daintree

Driving through Daintree Rainforest

Once you have crossed the Daintree River  by ferry you will dive into Daintree Wet Tropics National Park :

Driving in Daintree Wet Tropics National Park

It all looks amazing, knowing that the jungle we dived into is thousands of years old.

Being the oldest surviving rainforest in the world, the Daintree is a gem. There is the highest concentration of rare plants and animals anywhere in the world, just looking forward to see them all!

Self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest: a dip on the road

The road soon narrows to wind its way to Cape Tribulation through the thick jungle. Curves, bends and speed bumps make driving slow.

Then there are many marked dips, bumpy places where you almost have to stop. The dips are there for the rainy season. They let flood water cross the road and run down from the mountains to the ocean! So in the rainy season parts of the road are under flood.

The first cassowary sign!

All this made driving much slower than we had thought. Yet the road is good enough to drive and there is absolutely no problem driving to Cape Tribulation by campervan. But from Cape Tribulation on it will be different.

The Daintree road is sealed up to the Cape Tribulation Beach. But beyond that it’s all clay based and to drive there, you will need a 4WD vehicle. There is clay, sand and even big stones on the road, but worst of all are the super deep creek crossings that make driving a real adventure.

Watch up for Cassowaries!

After the river crossing it didn’t last long until we got the first signs of ancient Daintree wildlife:

Watch up, a cassowary crossing the road!

There were many cassowary warnings on the roadside, in places where cassowaries tend to cross the road. As they normally use the same routes, the places are well known and can be marked.

We had just been wondering if we would see those giant birds at all – and then, in one of these marked cassowary crossings we met a big one.

The cassowary was standing still, only a couple of meters from us. For a long while it kept staring at us, and then suddenly decided to rush back to where it came from. It maybe didn’t like us, and eather did it want to attack. Some facts about the bird:

It was a Southern cassowary, a prehistoric fruit-eating bird that only lives in the wet tropics. The Southern cassowary is the third tallest living bird in the world after ostrich and emu . Cassowary numbers have declined and presently they are endangered animals. As a lot of cassowaries get killed by cars, only 1200 of them are left.

So drive slowly to let them live!

Rainforest Views from Alexandra Lookout

Alexandra Lookout, self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest

After a while the road climbs up the hill, reaching the Alexandra Range Lookout. This is the highest point on the way to Cape Tribulation and therefore needs a stop. Some Alexandra Lookout scenery:

Alexandra Lookout, the gateway to the Daintree Rainforest

The lookout shows you what rainforest hills look like from above and gives you an overview of the region. Rainforest mountains on one side and the Coral Sea on the other.

Jindalba Boardwalk

Daintree as its best: Jindalba boardwalk ferns

Before reaching the coast and the Cow Bay, 10 km north from the ferry crossing comes the Daintree Discovery Centre. The Discovery Centre is a place where to learn about the rainforest. On a self-guided tour on an elevated walkway you cany observe rainforest and its plants from above, and for more views you can even climb a 23 m high tower.

Next to the Daintree Discovery Centre comes the next nature attraction, the Jindalba Boardwalk. 

Walking in the rainforest

The Jindalba Boardwalk is an easy way to see the wet tropics. It’s a 700 m loop through the rainforest, the entrance to which is free.

You walk slowly in your own pace and get information on the Daintree and its plants along the track. Afterwards you can have a picnic in the rainforest, using the picnic tables near the car park.

Learning about cassowaries, ancient birds of Daintree National Park

There are information boards telling about cassowaries and their habits, and a slight chance to meet one on the boardwalk. As they can be aggressive and attack, don’t hope to meet one.

There are signs telling this: if you come across a cassowary in the rainforest, start walking back with a big object like your rucksack or shirt in front of you. That will protect you in case the bird attacks you.

Tasting Tropical Ice Cream

Clas tasting tropical ice cream, self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest

As we rather wanted ice cream at this stage, we skipped the Jindalba picnic area. I had read about ice cream factories by the Cape Tribulation road, and we now wanted to find them.

Tropical ice-cream in tropical surroundings

Soon there was the first ice-cream factory. The cafe was really pretty, surrounded the thick rainforest, and the tropical ice-cream was – just delicious!

This is what they say: they serve locally-made organic ice cream with tropical flavors. The fruits they use for the flavors come from their own orchards.

Thornton Beach

One of the many Daintree beaches: Thornton Beach

After the ice-cream place came the sandy Coral Sea beaches. Many of them, so beautiful, sandy and soft. We had to start stopping.

This is the Thornton Beach 18 km from the river crossing. There is a small roadside cafe with Coral Sea views, closed, however, at the time we were visiting. So no more tropical ice-cream today…

So we only walked alone on the deserted beach, trying go get photos of the tiny crabs rushing in all directions in the sand. But each time we came closer they all went home into their small holes.

Watching crabs and walking back to the car park

At the south end of Thornton Beach is a small river, Cooper Creek, known for its crocodile population.

The next beach to come is the Noah Beach, also pretty. All beaches we saw in the Daintree were like a paradise. With the extra touch of the rainforest these beaches must be among the most beautiful in the world.

Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation was our base in the Daintree, where we stayed for three nights. We had meant to stay two nights only, but extended it as we liked the place so much.

Cape Tribulation is a small coastal Daintree village that hasn’t changed a lot after tourism to the region started to grow when the road was built. Earlier there only was a 4WD road.

There are only one or two grocery stores, a few small restaurants. Also you will find tour organizers arranging jungle and reef tours. Accommodation is only available in eco lodges within the rainforest or on beach-side campsites.

Self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest: coconuts on the white beach

This is the white Myall Beach located on the south side of the cape.

Even when it was winter (winter is the dry season) and the best tourism time, there were no people on the beaches, except for two hours after the noon when all Daintree tour groups from Cairns arrived, all at the same time.

It looked like all tourists take these bus tours, not many of them making self drive trips to Daintree. Yet using your own vehicle lets you stay as long as you like, longer than two hours.

Cape Tribulation Camping

Coral Sea view from our Daintree campsite

Our Daintree base was the Cape Tribulation Camping that gave us an absolute beachfront location.

The camping area is in the rainforest just off the Myall Beach and close to the village. So every time we wanted to the beach, we took the 20 m long sandy path you can see in the picture below:

Camping in Cape Tribulation

Then, every afternoon the camping staff started heating their old pizza oven with wood, to make it hot enough for pizza baking. And every night between 5 and 8 all guests gathered on the porch, waiting for good wood fired pizzas to be served.

The Cape Tribulation Camping pizza place

Almost all camping guests staying here in their tents and campervans came for dinner. Or if they didn’t want pizza every night, they only came for a glass of wine.

Sitting here all together and sharing our Daintree experiences was great fun and we learned a lot from each other. After the dinner almost all lights went off and we could only enjoy the silence, the stars and the Coral Sea.

On the Cape Tribulation Camping website you can learn about the surroundings and the activities offered in Cape Tribulation.

There are activities from reef snorkeling to jungle river cruises that we didn’t take as we already had tried similar activities in other destinations.

Relaxing on the coral sands of Daintree National Park

Instead we took walks in the rainforest and spent time on the beach. This is Myall Beach, only a few meters from the camping.

So where did we go?

Dubiji Rainforest Walk

In the deep Daintree Rainforest

The first morning we walked north along Myall Beach to the 1,2 km Dubiji boardwalk that winds through the rainforest. You can also find the boardwalk from the other side where the main road is.

Fan palms on the  Cape Tribulation Dubiji Walk 

The Dubuji walk was fantastic, one of the most beautiful nature walks I’ve ever seen.

The wooden boardwalk winds its way through a wet mangrove swamp into a deep rainforest. It also takes you into a very special fan palm forest that you can see in these pictures.

The Dubuji boardwalk is meant to be a loop walk, but at the time we were there, the end part was under construction and we had to walk back the same way.

Self-drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest: native rainforest plants

We spent a long while on the boardwalk. Here are more images of the vegetation: above on the left is an elkhorn fern that grows high up in the trees. An elkhorn fern makes me think about elk horns that male elks back home in Finland normally have.

Cape Tribulation Village Centre

The village of Cape Tribulation, Queensland

The Dubiji boardwalk is close to the village centre. Cape Trib is a very small village with only a few tourist shops, a visitor information centre and a small general store.

Mangrove Boardwalk

A typical Daintree mangrove swamp

Behind the store is another camping area, the PK Jungle Village, from where we found another path to the beach. And again there was a boardwalk, and another mangrove swamp.

This swamp was so thick and wet that there was no way to get anywhere in it, without a built boardwalk. Thanks to those that built this, we so much loved getting to see mangroves this close.

Taking Daintree National Park boardwalks 

Walking along Myall Beach

So we came back to Myall Beach and continued north. Postcard-pretty but hardly anyone in the water. Why?

Tourists walking on Myall Beach, Cape Tribulation

Getting closer you will notice that there are stinger and crocodile warnings, everywhere.

Summer is the main season for stingers but they can survive all year round in these warm waters. So swimming in these fantastic waters is not an option and we only walked in the water.

As the Cape Tribulation beaches are in a remote place, there are no life-guards or stinger nets to protect you either.

Daintree beach life

Following the beach we found a small path ( the Kuliki Rainforest Walk) leading to the last car park before the sealed road ends. That was near the cape between the different Cape Tribulation beaches.

Self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest: walking amoung tropical plants

From the car park you can walk to a lookout from where you get a view of the beach on the north side of the cape, the Cape Tribulation Beach . The lookout walk is short and easy, only about 600 meters.

The Cape Tribulation Coral Sea viewpoint

Cape Tribulation Beach

So Cape Tribulation has two beaches. The beach on the north side was full of day-trippers from Cairns. This is the destination of bus tours and they stay here for one or two hours.

Seeing that we felt so happy to be able to stay days in Cape Tribultation instead of hours.

Tourists on Cape Tribulation Beach

On this beach you can see a huge network of mangrove roots between the beach and the headland. Mangrove needs those big roots to take in oxygen so it can live in a wetland like this.

Huge mangrove roots and beach walking in the Daintree Rainforest

Meeting a Goanna

On the way back from the beach we stopped at a picnic table to get beach sand off our feet – and saw a big goanna!

A Daintree goanna next to the Cape Tribulation beach

The goanna was staring at us from the bush. So now we have seen a cassowary and a goanna in the wild!

Daintree Rainforest Swimming Holes

A tropical Daintree swimhole 

If you don’t like swimming with stingers and crocodiles, there’s another way to enjoy Daintree’s tropical waters. Just try some of the fresh water swimming holes that exist in Daintree creeks and rivers.

What is a swimming hole? A wider place in a tropical river where the water stands still. In these places the water often is crystal clear, getting a green color from the jungle. Daintree river waters are a bit cool, at least in winter, which makes you feel refreshed on a hot day.

Yet, for your own safety, you will have to know where to go. Around the village of Cape Tribulation there are only two crocodile free swimming holes:

Masons Swimming Hole

The park next to the Masons swimming hole, Cape Tribulation

The first one is the Masons swimming hole, a secret swimming hole right behind Mason’s General Store located where you enter Cape Tribulation village from the south.

The second one is the Emmagen Creek swimming hole 7 km north along a dirt road.

To get to the Masons swimming hole, park your car in front of Mason’s store and walk to the river through the gate and the park shown in this picture. And don’t forget to leave a small donation in the box.

This is a what the fresh water swimming hole behind Mason’s store looks like.

A green Cape Tribulation swimhole

The top thing with the Masons swimming hole is that you can hang and swing on a liana and then jump into the water, and there were lots of lianas hanging from the trees.

Emmagen Swimming Hole

Driving on the Bloomfield Track

The other crocodile-free swimming hole is the Emmagen Creek further north.

Driving north from Cape Tribulation the road is the Bloomfield Track to Cooktown. On the Bloomfield Track it’s only possible to drive on a two-wheel driven car for about the first 7 km to Emmagen, where the first river crossing comes (see the photo above).

Leave your car on the small car park and on the left hand side you will find a small path into the rainforest. There is no sign or anything, just the path.

On the way to the Emmagen swimhole

Follow that path for about 400 meters and you’ll reach the Emmagen Creek. At the end turn either left of right, both places you come to are good to swim at.

We tried both river bends and some other people too had found this remote place. Below some pictures of the two Emmagen swimming holes:

Emmagen, a Platypus River

And guess what we saw at Emmagen:  a platypus! Yes, we really saw one, looking exactly the same as in the Sydney Aquarium. Never before have we seen a platypus in the wild, even when we so much tried.

The platypus was diving near the bottom, swimming fast and turning all the time as if it was looking for something. Then it heard us talking (too loud of course…) and disappeared in the mud.

End of the Self Drive Trip to the Daintree Rainforest

So in the Daintree we met wildlife: a cassowary, goanna and platypus.

Time for one more look at the Coral Sea before driving back:

End of the self drive trip to the Daintree Rainforest

More on Daintree and Queensland

• On the same trip we went to see the Great Barrier Reef: What is a Great Barrier Reef Cruise Like?
• Our drive to the Daintree: Driving from Cairns to Daintree

More information on Daintree Rainforest and visitor maps:

• the Daintree Tourism Website  and
• the Daintree Marketing Cooperative website

The Daintree Rainforest is truely one of the most amazing place in the world, where else do you have access to 2 world heritage sites!

Great photos and very helpful for planning our trip. Thankyou

This is very useful block. We had got good information through this and did one day trip to Daintree from Cairns utilising the details provided here.

Thanks you!!

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• Rainforest, Reef, Rivers and Beaches
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• / Cape Tribulation

Cape Tribulation

• Renowned for it's scenic landscape, remote beaches and the world heritage rainforest of Daintree National Park
• Kulki (Cape Tribulation) Beach is on the northern side of Cape Tribulation headland
• This beach is the most sheltered location when the south-east trade winds are blowing
• The fringing reef is a great place to explore at low tide
• A range of accommodation and activities is available

Cape Tribulation   is towards the end of the sealed road, 35 kilometres north of the Daintree River Ferry .   The bitumen road ends at The Beach House, 1.5 km north of the Kulki turnoff.  North of Cape Tribulation the Bloomfield Track continues to Cooktown. It is suitable for 4WD only.   

Activities, tours and attractions - The rainforest can be explored by self-guided trails, guided walks and horse rides. The reef can be visited for a half day.

Cape Tribulation is also home to 2 interpretive walks - Dubuji Boardwalk (a 1.8 km boardwalk through the forest and mangroves) and Madja Botanical Walk (a boardwalk and pathway through the high value Daintree coastal rainforest). Madja is 10 minutes south of town while Dubuji is off the main street and exits onto Myall Beach .  

Accommodation - A good range of accommodation styles exists in the valley from eco-retreats, mid range and budget resorts, bed and breakfasts, holiday houses, farmstays and camping grounds. Accommodation houses offer rooms, set in natural surroundings, with something to suit everyone. 

Services - most conveniences are available at Cape Tribulation. There are two small supermarkets, bottleshops, cafes, ATMs and several restaurants all within walking distance. 

History - The name Cape Tribulation can be traced back to Lieutenant James Cook who was trying to find a way through, what he described as ‘the insane labyrinth’. His ship ran into Endeavour Reef, north-northeast of Cape Tribulation. He wrote: “I name this point Cape Tribulation, because here began all my troubles.”

Driving north to Cape Tribulation there are great views to the east, over the Great Barrier Reef, and north to the Cape itself. The road was only put through to Cape Tribulation in 1962.

The first person to drive to Cape Tribulation was Marion Swenson in an old, ex army, Bren gun carrier. She drove along Coconut Beach, across Myall Creek mouth (at low tide) and up into Mason’s property via the existing track to the wharf in Myall Creek. Later, the last section of road was completed, eliminating the need to drive on the beach.  

Equatorial climate - Cape Tribulation valley resembles a giant amphitheatre, with a semicircle of hills dominated by Mt Sorrow (850m) and Mt Hemmant (1000m). The southeastern rain, trapped by this valley, results in a tropical climate with high temperatures, humidity and rainfall - ideal for growing rare tropical fruit. Two farms at Cape Tribulation grow fruit normally found only in equatorial areas - tropical fruit tasting is at Cape Trib Farm.  

Pioneers - The Mason family were the first white people to settle in the valley having previously had an unsuccessful farming venture at Cow Bay. They arrived in 1932 and tried many things, including farming fruit and vegetables, timber cutting and cattle. For many years Hayles’ boat was the only real transport in and out of the area, passing Cape Tribulation on the way to Cooktown, and then returning, later in the week, on the way back to Cairns. All produce was shipped out by boat: Masons had their own boats during the timber cutting era. 

Early tourism - Backpackers ‘discovered’ Cape Tribulation in the early 1980s and it became a part of the India-Goa-Bali trail. Its status as an icon was reinforced during the 1982 - 84 Bloomfield Road protests that led to World Heritage listing in 1988. The first accommodation, ‘Pilgrim Sands’ (1977) was located on the site that is now Cape Trib Beach House. The first local tours were Mason’s Tours in 1981.

Daintree Visitors' Map  

Your free guide to beaches, boardwalks, tours, attractions, accommodation, camping, restaurants, shops, walking trails, lookout points, tourist information and essential services in the Daintree and Cape Tribulation.  

Click to download

The Destination Daintree website is a project of the Daintree Marketing Co-Operative Ltd.

Contact with one of the local members of Destination Daintree! There are details below.

The Daintree Marketing Co-Operative acknowledges the custodianship of the Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef by the local Kuku Yalanji people whose rich cultures, heritage values, enduring connections and shared efforts protect our natural assets for future generations, and we pay our respect to elders past, present and emerging.

The Destination Daintree website is a project of the Daintree Marketing Co-Operative Ltd. Site credits...

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©2014 The copyright for all the text and images on this site remains with the original authors and creators. Daintree Marketing Cooperative has been granted permission to reproduce said text and images.

• Telephone (07) 4032 0500
• Email [email protected]
• Address PO Box 4869, Cairns QLD 4870

THE ROAD TO CAPE TRIBULATION IS OPEN! Whilst we still need to manage the tour day to day, we are confident that we are able to get to Cape Tribulation. We look forward to taking you there!!

Amazing natural beauty, ancient rainforest plants & animals

Cape tribulation day tour.

PLEASE NOTE: The road to Cape Tribulation is open and we are running our Cape Tribulation Day Tour with usual itinerary. However, we are unable to stop at Alexandra Lookout until dual lanes are reinstated over Alexandra Range.

A Cape Tribulation day tour is something you must add to your Tropical North Queensland holiday. Amazing natural beauty and destinations, ancient rainforest flora and fauna, wide rivers and sandy beaches, are just the beginning. Our full, fun adventure day tour departs from Cairns or Port Douglas. Travel is in a comfortable, air-conditioned coach and commentary is provided by friendly, knowledgeable guides who are committed to your satisfaction. Whether you’re a youth traveler, flying solo or visiting with your spouse and/or friends, with or without children, this destination and tour has something for everyone. Our Cape Tribulation day tour takes a maximum of 21 guests, no minimum number for departure.

• Scenic Coastal Drive

From Cairns it’s a stunning coastal drive, hugging the mountains and overlooking the Coral Sea. This road is also known as the Great Barrier Reef Drive.

Alexandra Lookout

Panoramic views over the Daintree River and rainforest delta. There’s tree ferns and 50 shades of green. Photo opportunity.

Guided Rainforest Walk

At Marrdja or Jindalba Boardwalk, in the Daintree Rainforest. Be surrounded by ancient trees, climbing vines and learn more about this amazing environment.

Cape Tribulation Beach

An iconic destination. A wide sandy beach, bordering reef and rainforest. It’s peaceful, beautiful and a truly special part of the planet. We’re the only tour to have lunch here.

Wildlife Cruise

Wildlife cruise on the Daintree River which is home to crocodiles, numerous species of fish, lizards and snakes, birds and butterflies.

Saltwater Crocodiles

Many saltwater crocodiles live in the Daintree River system, while seeing them is not guaranteed, it is likely.

• Mossman Gorge

A magical location in the rainforest. A deep gorge which is scattered with giant granite boulders, flows with fresh, cold clear water and is abundant with life.

Ancient Flora & Fauna

The Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation area are World Heritage listed. They are home to many unique plants and animals.

Your Cape Tribulation day tour commences with complimentary pickups from your Cairns, Northern Beaches or Port Douglas accommodation. If departing from Cairns or a Northern Beach, it’s a scenic coastal drive up to Port Douglas. From there, we head north amongst the sugar cane fields to the Mossman area and then north to the Daintree River.

It’s croc spotting time!

Morning refreshment with coffee, tea (Daintree Tea), iced tea or cordial and some biscuits is served, before you go onto the boat. There are rest rooms on site.

Your Crocodile/Wildlife spotting cruise on the Daintree River takes us through the domain of the large saltwater crocodiles. Egrets wade near mangroves in the murky water of the river, as the crocodiles wait patiently for a meal. We look for pythons, tree snakes, butterflies and lots of other animal and plant life on this cruise. We also get a better understanding of the unique mangrove systems and their importance not only to the rainforest but to the Great Barrier Reef system as well.

Continuing our journey north, we access the Cape Tribulation section of the World Heritage listed Daintree National Park,

Once we’re on the northern side of the Daintree River, things really begin to change as we step into the wilderness. The road narrows and the rainforest towers over us as we enjoy the ever-increasing beauty of this 135-million-year-old ancient Gondwana Rainforest.

The next stop is the Alexandra Range Lookout (Walu Wugirriga) . Enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the Daintree River, Port Douglas, Snapper Island, Cape Kimberly and, on a clear day, landmarks as far south as Cairns. This makes for some amazing photos over the top of the low laying rainforest canopy.

After the lookout, we experience the Marrdja or Jindalba Boardwalk . Here we see trees that have been caught in a time capsule; they haven’t changed in millions of years and, we hope, don’t change in millions of years more. The Marrdja Boardwalk (which means Rainforest or Jungle in the local Aboriginal language) leads us through both rainforest (fresh water forest) and over a complex mangrove swamp system (salt water forest). The root systems of mangrove trees are quite striking and the mechanisms which they employ provide an ingenious solution to the problems which living in salt water presents. These plants have evolved over many, many millions of years living on the tidal edge. There are many points to stop and learn about the local flora and fauna on these walks and our experienced guide will give you an insight to both the Daintree Rainforest and the mangrove systems, that will make you appreciate all the more for the amazing and unique experience that it is. You are also more than welcome to walk ahead and enjoy some private time by yourselves.

After the guided walk, we head straight to the Kulki Day use area (Kulki is an Indigenous word that describes what we call Cape Tribulation Beach ). Here we have a picnic lunch. (You can pre-purchase it when booking or bring your own.) Lunch can be enjoyed on the beach or at the picnic tables. This is a unique feature of our Cape Tribulation Day Tour, as we are the only company which dines on this stretch of coastline. Lunch is at approximately 1pm. (Please note: when you opt for BYO lunch, it’s important to have it ready before you are picked up. There is no shop or restaurant at where you can buy lunch on the tour.)

After lunch, take a walk on the stunning Cape Tribulation Beach which is where the ‘rainforest meets the reef’ and is the only place on the planet at where two World Heritage listed National Parks sit side by side, with the Daintree National Park on one side and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park on the other. You will have time to walk on the beach and also access the walk to the lookout on the Cape Tribulation headland. We then head back towards the Daintree River. Keep an eye out for the local cassowaries.

Then we are off to the famous Mossman Gorge which is the other section of Daintree National Park. Here, the clear mountain river cuts through thick rainforest and tumbles over boulders on its journey toward the sea. Please make sure you bring your swimwear and towel, as you can go for a swim, provided it is safe to do so. (Our guide will assess conditions on the day and also supervise those of you who decide to swim.) Alternatively, you can relax to the soothing sound of running water and calling birds. The landscape is a combination of giant granite boulders and mossy rocks, with dragonflies and butterflies flitting in the light. There’s plenty of fish and the occasional fresh water turtle and, if you’re super lucky, you might see a platypus.

Our last stop for the day is Rex Lookout. Here, we stop to get some amazing pictures of our beautiful stretch of coastline known as Great Barrier Reef Drive.

Our Cape Tribulation Day Tour arrives back into Cairns at about 6.30pm. This is where we say goodbye and hope that you will come back and visit us again soon!

Please note: The exact sequence of events may vary, depending on season and capacity; however, all of the above is included in the day tour.

To make a booking please visit our Online Booking page .

The Cape Tribulation day tour departs daily from Cairns, Northern Beaches and Port Douglas. The first pick-ups commence in Cairns at around 6.45am and return to Cairns around 6.30pm. Our catered picnic lunch is gluten free and we can cater for Vegans, Vegetarians and most food intolerances, just let us know at the time of booking. For bookings call (07) 4032 0500 (till late) or freecall 1800 838 757 or complete and submit our online Booking Form .

Important Info

Cape Tribulation and the areas we visit are remote and special. Unique road and weather conditions may be encountered. Due to this, Cape Trib Connections reserves the right to alter or change any tour itinerary as it sees fit. DECEMBER – APRIL is the ‘wet season’ in the north. It can become difficult to complete the full itinerary if there are delays brought about by environmental factors, such as flooding rivers and challenging terrain. We are not responsible for changes brought about as a result of these influences. Cape Trib Connections recommends that passengers take out their own travel insurance as we cannot be held responsible for damaged, lost or stolen belongings. Cape Trib Connections cannot be held responsible for any personal injury. Cape Trib Connections maintains its modern vehicle fleet and machinery to very high standards and cannot be held responsible if events occur such as breakdowns. No refunds will be given for any of the above circumstances. Cape Trib Connections reserves the right to change prices at any time, without notice, as it sees fit.

Cancellation Policy

• If cancelled within 48 hours of travel, a 100% fee applies.

For more information please email [email protected]

What's Included

• Morning refreshments
• Wildlife crocodile spotting cruise
• Stop at Alexandra Range lookout
• Guided walk on Rainforest Boardwalk
• Cape Tribulation Beach (location for lunch)
• Rex Look out

What to Bring

• Comfortable Shoes
• Water Bottle
• Sunglasses & Hat
• Lunch (if self-catering)
• Sunscreen & Insect Repellent
• Your Ticket or Voucher
• Towel & Swimmers
• A Sense of Adventure

To make a booking please visit our Online Booking page...

© Cape Trib Connections 2024

• The Tour Specialists
• Things To Do

Cape Tribulation Aboriginal Tour | Indigenous Guide | Half & Full Day | NGANA KULKINGA DUNGAY

Tour Code: 399

Departing: Port Douglas

Pickup: Port Douglas

Tour Highlights

• The magical fusion of discovering the oldest rainforest in existence, the Daintree Rainforest, while hearing riveting tales of its indigenous Aboriginal inhabitant legends, customs and survival tips!
• Cool off in a crystal-clear freshwater stream befire returning to your accommodation, and find a boulder to laze near; your photo props are a 150 million year old rainforest, and 400 million year old rocks!
• Choose from a full day Aboriginal guided tour of the Daintree and Cape Tribulation Rainforests or join a half day morning or half day afternoon tour.
• This is one of those genuine authentic Australian immersive Aborignal tours that you will remember for a lifetime. See the Daintree and Cape Tribulation Rainforest in a very unique and different way.

Description & Tour Inclusions

Included in price.

• Pick up and drop off from Port Douglas, Mossman or Daintree Village
• Small group tour: minimum 2, maximum 11 guests
• Comfortable & modern air-conditioned vehicles
• Interpretative Aboriginal guided tour
• Fully escorted professional Aboriginal guide
• Lunch (Full day tour ONLY)
• Morning or afternoon tea (Half day tour)

NGANA KULKINGA DUNGAY: We All Going Cape Tribulation. Spend the morning, afternoon or full day touring the Cape Tribulation with a local Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal guide.

Spend the morning, afternoon or full day touring the Cape Tribulation with a local Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal guide.

The Kuku Yalanji people have lived in the region for tens of thousands of years and this is your opportunity to see this beautiful and wild area through their eyes.

See magnificent natural attractions, gain an insight into the relationship between the land and the local Aboriginal people, sample some bush tucker .

Perfect for guests who want an authentic Aboriginal tour experience, this tour is well suited for adventurous travellers, families, groups and even locals who want to gain a renewed appreciation for the beauty and special ecological and cultural significance of Tropical Far North Queensland.

Travelling through Kuku Yalanji country, led by a local Aboriginal guide and learning about the culturally significant sights and local attractions between Port Douglas and Cape Tribulation including World Heritage Daintree rainforest.

Learn the amazing relationships the Kuku Yalanji still have with their land and experience these diverse environments.

Get an insight into the history, culture and traditions of the local Aboriginal people and the area.

Walk through the world’s oldest living rainforest, see natural wonders, the majestic Daintree river, and where the rainforest meets the reef, explore coastal habitats learning about the environment, different foods and medicines utilized from nature, sample some bush tucker, swim at one of the pristine freshwater streams in the area before returning to your accommodation.

NGANA KULKINGA DUNGAY: We All Go Cape Tribulation tour travels  north  of the Daintree river and explores the Daintree rainforest and environment around Cape Tribulation, where the rainforest meets the reef.

Learn about how these unique environments come together and how the local Kuku Yalanji utilised and managed the natural resources.

Sample some seasonal bush tucker, learn bush medicines, take a guided rainforest walk, while appreciating the history, culture and traditions of our Australian Aboriginal people.

Pick ups from Port Douglas, Mossman and Daintree Village are included.

Kulkinga Tour explores the region further north, crossing the Daintree River by ferry and reaching Cape Tribulation – renowned as “where the rainforest meets the reef”, stopping for guided walks and a swim in a freshwater creek.

HALF DAY: A shortened version, touring either the morning or afternoon.

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Tour Details

Tour languages offered.

Departs From

• Port Douglas

Departure Time

• Half Day Tour - Morning: Pick up for Morning Tour: 8:00am - 9:00am, Drop off for Morning Tour: 1.00pm
• Half Day Tour - Afternoon: Pick up for Afternoon Tour: 12:30pm - 1:30pm, Drop off for Afternoon Tour: 4:30pm - 5.30pm
• Full Day Tour: Pick up: 8:00am - 9:00am, Drop off: 4:30pm - 5:30pm

Departure Instructions

Exact pick up time will be advised at the time of booking

Pickup Locations

• Can also pick up from Mossman and Daintree villages - Please check with reservations as it doesn’t suit all tours

Destinations

• Cape Tribulation
• Daintree Rainforest
• Kulkinga Tour explores the region further north, crossing the Daintree River by ferry and travelling to Cape Tribulation – renowned as “where the rainforest meets the reef”, stopping for guided walks in different environments including beaches, rainforest, mangrove boardwalks and freshwater creeks.

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Monday - Saturday

This tour operates with a minimum of 2 passengers and a maximum of 11 passengers Unavailable: Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day and any culturally significant days

Half or Full Day

Fitness Level Required

Low, Medium

Additional Information

• Dietary/allergies: please advise at time of booking of any dietary requirements or allergies.
• ***Tour booking for 1 guest, please contact us***

What to Bring

• Insect repellent
• Comfortable shoes

Child Policy

• Children are welcome to participate under supervision of a Parent/Guardian. WCA accepts no responsibility for the supervision of children. Children are charged at Adult prices.
• Parents must accept all responsibilities for their child(ren). The tours are conducted in the fragile rainforest and coastal environment and children do need to be supervised.

Cancellation Policy

All cancellations must be in writing.

Please note that all cancellations will incur an administration fee.

Please see our  terms and conditions  for details prior to booking.

Tour Operator's cancellation policy:

Shared Charter: any bookings cancelled four (4) days of booking date, will incur a 50% cancellation fee.

Any bookings cancelled within two (2) day of booking date, and including any no shows will incur a 100% cancellation fee.

Private Charter: any bookings cancelled within seven (7) days of booking date, will incur a 50% cancellation fee.

Any bookings cancelled within four (4) days of booking date, and including any no shows will incur a 100% cancellation fee.

No refund can be given for any unused services or early departures.

All bookings made by an agent must be cancelled by your booking agent.

An administration fee may apply to cancellations.

Should a booking include any external operator inclusions, cancellation fees are in line with the external operators’ cancellations policy and an administration fee may be applicable to components that WCA is liable for.

We encourage our customers to purchase travel insurance to cover any unforeseen circumstances.

Weather Policy: 

No responsibility will be accepted for adverse weather conditions.

Due to weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances, the operator reserves the right to alter the itinerary or cancel the tour.

Prices are AUD, per adult and include all levies fees and taxes.

Child: au $190.00 Family: au $760.00

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1 Day Cape Tribulation & Daintree Rainforest Tour with Mossman Gorge $175

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Cape Tribulation and Daintree Tour Itinerary

This 1 Day Daintree and Cape Tribulation Tour is one of Tropical Queensland’s most popular tours. On the spectacular Cape Tribulation Tour, you will have the chance to explore one of the worlds ancient tropical rainforests, dating as far back as 180 million years! Check out some Australian wildlife native to the area, including crocodiles on a wildlife spotting River Cruise, and the breathtaking Cape Tribulation.

Leaving Cairns we head straight into the Daintree National Park  to meet our 1 hour guided crocodile and wildlife spotting river cruise. Fully guided by a local biologist and run by an Eco Accredited River Cruise Company, you will be provided expert knowledge about the region and its native  inhabitants . The river is abundant with wildlife so be on the lookout for Salt Water Crocodiles , reptiles , pythons , butterflies and native birds .

Back on the safety of land, we go further into the Daintree Rainforest , the deeper we venture the more we can discover, your guide will show you some intriguing features of the jungle, including the endangered  Cassowary . Arriving at the Marrdja Boardwalk , we begin a 1 hour guided rainforest walk. Your guide will have you fascinated as you explore the peculiar but beautiful ancient plant life and the freshwater streams

We then head to Cape Tribulation where you will be treated to a delicious picnic lunch (additional $20 per person). After lunch, you’ll have time to explore the Cape Tribulation Beach and surrounds. From Cape Tribulation it’s onto the top of the Alexandra Range for a breath-taking view over the Daintree Rainforest, Coastal Hinterland and Daintree River . It is then off to explore Mossman Gorge and have some and afternoon tea.

Heading back to Cairns we visit  Rex Lookout , where we can see views over  Trinity Bay , Coral Bay and the world-famous Great Barrier Reef.

This is the best value 1 Day Daintree and Cape Tribulation Tour on offer!

Cairns Tours Package

Planning on exploring the Great Barrier Reef as well? Check out the Cairns Tours Package to join the Great Barrier Reef Deluxe Tour and 1 Day Cape Tribulation & Daintree Tour with Mossman Gorge for $395.

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Daintree Tours

Daintree Tour Information

Enjoy interpretive rainforest walks, lush lunch site, estuarine crocodile and wildlife spotting on Cooper Creek and, of course, friendly and knowledgeable local guides with Daintree Tours.

Explore the ancient rainforests of the Daintree with a premium tour from Daintree Tours. Our mission is to showcase some of the highlights of this incredible natural wonder, with visits into the Daintree National Park, Mossman Gorge and a river cruise exploring the waterways rich in flora and fauna.

The northern section of the Daintree National Park is where the rainforest meets the reef and guests will have the opportunity to stroll along the magical beaches.

• Visit the Daintree National Park including Mossman Gorge, Alexandra Lookout & Cape Tribulation
• Daintree River ferry
• Stunning beaches
• Guided rainforest walks
• 1-hour crocodile & wildlife spotting
• Insect repellent, umbrella & onboard library
• FREE return transfers from Port Douglas accommodation (Cairns or Northern Beaches transfers currently unavailable)

**Please be advised this tour is not suitable for passengers using walking frames, sticks or with poor mobility**

• Gourmet lunch at Heritage Lodge
• Morning tea provided
• Guided expert commentary
• Small personalised groups (max 11 guests)
• Crocodile spotting river cruise
• Air-conditioned luxury vehicles

Ages 7 - 14

Above prices based on Off Peak Rates

• Pick up from local Port Douglas accommodation, meet your friendly guide for the day! Commentary starts right away!
• Explore the ancient forest and see crystal clear waters over giant boulders. Great photo opportunity! 
• Entering the rich and diverse ecosystems of the wet tropics.
• The only places where two World Heritage destinations meet. Enjoy a short stroll onto Cape Tribulation beach where the rainforest meets the reef.
• Morning tea with fresh tropical fruit, cakes, Daintree Tea or freshly plunged coffee. 
• Enjoy personalised guided walks in the Marrdja or Dubuji or Jindalba. Embrace the rich diversity of this unique area with our local, knowledgeable guides and learn about the wonderful flora & fauna of the Daintree rainforest. 
• Join the only tour boat permitted in the Cape Tribulation Section of Daintree National Park on a mangrove discovery tour in search of the estuarine   crocodile . 
• Relax and enjoy a delicious, gourmet lunch at Heritage Lodge, a hidden rainforest retreat overlooking the sparkling blue Cooper Creek. Please advise on dietary requirements
• Visit the Daintree Ice-cream Company, a delightful tropical fruit orchard and tropical garden. Watch the butterflies enjoy the tropical garden and perhaps you may even be lucky enough to see a Cassowary. 
• Enjoy panoramic views from the ‘top of the Daintree’. Sweeping views across the Daintree River, Snapper Island and Port Douglas.
• Return to Port Douglas approximately 4.30 pm

What do I bring?

• Comfortable clothing and a light raincoat if it is raining
• Flat shoes that you can walk in. Does not have to be walking shoes.
• We supply filtered water so recommend bringing your own water bottle for refills
• We supply morning tea and lunch. You are welcome to bring additional snacks and drinks. Please ensure you leave no rubbish behind
• Your camera! Plenty of great photo opportunities
• Cash for ice cream and additional drinks

What are the lunch options?

Relax in air conditioned comfort with a delicious Gourmet lunch at Heritage Lodge. Please let us know when you book of any dietary requirements. Contact us on 07) 4099 6999

How long are the walks? Are they easy?

All the walks are under 1km, with well maintained boardwalks or pathways, all classed as easy.

Can I bring infants or children under 7 years old?

This tour is unavailable for children and infants under the age of 7 unless you arrange a Private Charter Tour  to tailor make the day. It is a big day in a vehicle and in the rainforest so they may get restless nor will understand the in depth commentary from the guide.

What time will I return?

Do you do free return transfers.

“ Sandra Mclaren “ We had an amazing day, our guide Ben is fantastic, so knowledgeable, lots of talking and laughing. Food was great, very comfortable tour bus couldn’t ask for any better. Highly recommend this service if you want to know about this beautiful part of our country. ”

“ Lisa Bakker “ We just had a fantastic time yesterday with Ben, our tour guide. We learnt so much, laughed a lot, soaked up the beauty of the Daintree, met local characters, one who showed us crocs from his boat. It was like visiting an old friend who’s showing you around the local area. The best tourism is when you feel like you’re an interim part of the community and Ben did just that! It was the best way to start our holiday and we highly recommend this tour! ”

“ Ross Beamish “ We just had a fantastic time yesterday with Ben, our tour guide. We learnt so much, laughed a lot, soaked up the beauty of the Daintree, met local characters, one who showed us crocs from his boat. It was like visiting an old friend who’s showing you around the local area. The best tourism is when you feel like you’re an interim part of the community and Ben did just that! It was the best way to start our holiday and we highly recommend this tour! Thank you Daintree Tours and in particular Ben for putting together a great tour. ”

“ Eloise Barker-Re “ We had the best day out today with Ben our extremely informative and knowledgable tour guide! and a lovely guy. We highly recommend this trip, it’s suitable for all ages and ticks all the boxes. We had a lovely lunch followed by a dip in the creek which was bliss! Then locally made ice-cream what more could you want. Thanks so much! ”

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Daintree Tours 1/11-17 Macrossan Street Port Douglas Queensland 4877 Australia

Phone: +61 7 4231 8012

Daintree Tours Email: [email protected]

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