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.

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.