2-The Daintree Rainforest Tours & Cape Tribulation Beaches From Port Douglas
The Daintree Rainforest, located north of Port Douglas in tropical North Queensland is one of the world's oldest surviving rainforests, and it's teeming with unique flora and fauna and unique rainforest experiences. Discover the world heritage Rainforests with a Daintree Rainforest Tour from Port Douglas or explore further with an extended multi-day tour including the Daintree Rainforest.
Here are some top things to see and do in the Daintree Rainforest from Port Douglas, which some are included with your tour, or can be booked as an addional rainforest tour from Port Douglas.
- Daintree National Park Walks: This world heritage-listed park offers many walking trails, where you can observe a wide range of plant and animal life - including the popular Marrdja Botanical Walk, Jindalba Boardwalk and Dubuji Boardwalk.
- Take a river cruise: A trip to the Daintree wouldn't be complete without a wildlife spotting cruise down the Daintree River. Look out for saltwater crocodiles, turtles, and various bird species in their natural habitat.
- Visit Cape Tribulation: This picturesque beach and headland is where the rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef, making it an incredibly unique spot.
- Experience Mossman Gorge: A spectacular gorge with crystal-clear waters, rainforest walking trails, spectacular rock formation and home to Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre that offers a unique insight into the Aboriginal cuture and connection to the land.
- Visit the Daintree Discovery Centre: The Centre offers an educational experience about the rainforest and has a canopy tower, where you can observe the treetops and spot various bird species. From the main tower you can climb up and see across the Daintree Rainforest Canopy. With interactive tape recordings as you walk round the Daintree Discover Centre is just that – a journey of Discovery.
- Visit the Daintree Ice Cream Company: What better way to cool down after a day exploring the rainforest than on a delicious home-made and local orchard grown tropical fruit ice cream. With flavours like coconut ginger, black sapote, mango lime and coffee wattle seed your tastebuds will just be tanging with the explosion of these natural flavours hand made in the rainforest environment from the farm.
- Go on a night walk: The Daintree Rainforest is home to many nocturnal animals such as possums, bandicoots, and tree kangaroos. A guided night walk through the forest is an amazing experience to observe these animals. Indulge the inner Attenborough in you as you discover a whole new wildlife world that comes alive under the cover of dark. With just a torch and a knowledgeable guide it will be literally a highly illuminating tour.
- Try Drift Snorkelling: Why not get wet in the Rainforest and try some River Drift Snorkelling. This Eco immersion adventure is located where Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg filmed ‘The Pacific’ so it truly is a camera perfect setting. Picture the most crystal clear rainforest river imaginable, and then imagine what it would feel like to drift slowly (or faster, depending on conditions) down with the current as you see all the flitting Gobies, Perchlets and Rainbowfish.
- Take a scenic flight: Enjoy spectacular views with a Scenic Flight over the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef - an unforgettable experience!
- Go Zipling: An adventure activity where you soar up to 15m above the ground through the canopy using ziplines for a whole new way to experience the Daintree Rainforest.
- Horseriding on the Beach: For the equestrian explorer whether beginner or experienced use the advantage of four feet rather than two and take a horse out. With only the breath of your horse and the swish of tail you will be riding in the oldest rainforest in the world, across crystal mountain streams and along river beds. Once you reach Myall Beach the rainforest drops away to a golden palm fringed beach. Just stunning.
- Bloomfield 4WD Track: For a true North Queensland rainforest experience, jump on a 4WD Daintree tour so you can explore the more secret and hard to get to places in the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation, and perhaps a swim at Emmagen Creek. The vehicles are comfortable in the bumpy terrain and with small numbers. Visit the local Indigenous people and discover cascading waterfalls as you tour in the back of the rainforest wilderness.
What makes the Daintree Rainforest Unique?
The Daintree Rainforest contains scientifically acclaimed examples of flora and fauna representing eight major stages in the earth’s evolutionary history and is home to rare and unique pre-historic wildlife found only in this particular area. From 6 foot tall prehistoric Cassowary birds to kangaroos that actually live high up in trees. The animal diversity will astound you as it did Sir David Attenborough and many a scientist and university researcher. A third of Australia’s mammals and frogs, half of Australia’s birds and a quarter of its reptiles, including over 12000 insects have been catalogued so far, and they are still finding more.
If you are a bird watcher, twitcher or ornithologist or just ‘bird mad’, this is indeed a haven for getting out the binoculars and zoom camera lenses. You might even cross the path of one of the remaining 1200 Cassowaries that wander around the Daintree Rainforest floor propagating new growth as they pass ancient tree seeds thru their system deep in the rainforest.
If your love is insects you might see the flashing electric blue flutter of a passing Ulysses butterfly or a stick supporting a camouflaged resting Stick Insect (and it’s not a selfie stick). If you are a herpetologist or a reptile lover you might see a scuttling Boyd’s Rainforest Dragon as it speeds for cover running on its back legs like an athlete hurtling towards a finish line.
If you have a specific area of interest in the Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation there are many day tours and night tours on offer. Should you wish for a private charter Daintree rainforest tour for your special interest then speak to the Cairns Holiday Specialists Tour Specialists team and we will be pleased to tailor a bespoke tour to your specific interests.
If you are not an ‘ologist’ there are so many activities and things to see and things to do in the rainforest to excite children as well as adults. All the rainforest day tours and night tours are highly educational and enjoyable as they bring to life the beauty of this World Heritage listed rare rainforest jewel. Who says education isn’t fun!
