This 1 day self guided itinerary provides you with all the best locations in and around the amazing Daintree Rainforest.
Points to note when using this guide:
- All costs are highlighted in blue and are in Australian dollars (AUD).
- Drive times include an estimated delay due to traffic. In addition to traffic the guide allows for 10 extra minutes at each location – we all need a little time to sort ourselves out after all.
- The guide does not account for lunch, dinner or fuel stops so make a picnic and top up with fuel the day before.
Cairns (leave 6:30am) – Mossman Gorge (arrive 8:00am)
♦ Mossman Gorge. You’ll arrive at the Mossman Gorge i–site where you can collect a free map and purchase a shuttle bus return ticket, to the start of the rainforest and gorge. At the drop off point you’ll enter the rainforest to find crystal clear waterfalls running over large boulders in the Mossman River gorge, giant fig trees and maybe even the odd snake. There are two circuit tracks, a short, 400m track provides access to lookouts over the Mossman River and beyond this, a 2.7km loop track through the rainforest. We recommend the longer route.
Cost: Adult $9.10, Child $4.55 (Shuttle bus return ticket)
Distance: 80kms, Travel time: 1 Hour 20 Minutes
Location Address: Mossman Gorge Centre, 212r Mossman Gorge Road, Mossman, Queensland, 4873.
Website: https://www.mossmangorge.com.au/ Phone Number: 07 4099 7000
Time spent at location: 3 Hours
Mossman Gorge (leave 11:00am) – Daintree River Cruise (arrive 11:30am)
♦ Solar Whisper Daintree River Wildlife Cruise. There’s a good reason why this is the number 1 rated tour in Daintree! You will be taken on a small boat, which is solar powered as to not disturb the animals down the river. It is said that 99% of trips will include sights of large salt water crocodiles, birds, frogs, fish and snakes that call this river home. The guides are extremely knowledgeable and personable. You’ll be getting the 11:45am tour and the round trip takes 1 hour.
Cost: Adult $28, Child $14
Distance: 30kms, Travel Time: 20 Minutes
Location Address: Solar Whisper, Cape Tribulation Road, Daintree, Queensland, 4873.
Website: http://www.solarwhisper.com/, Phone Number: 07 4098 7131
Time spent at location: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Daintree River Cruise (leave 1:00pm) – Discovery Centre (arrive 2:00pm)
♦ Discovery Centre. The Discovery Centre is a world class site that is designed to educate you about everything Daintree. Included in the admission cost is: The 23m Daintree Canopy Tower, The 10m High Aerial Walkway, over 900m of elevated rainforest boardwalks, audio visual theatres, self-guided audio tours and a take home colour guide book. To put it simply you get a lot for your money here.
Cost: Adult $32, Child $16
Distance: 10kms*, Travel Time: 1 Hour*
*Note: You must take the Daintree Ferry to cross over the river ($26 return per vehicle). The above timings allow for delay of 30 minutes (usual load time 5 minutes).
Location Address: Daintree Discovery Centre, Corner Cape Tribulation Road & Tulip Oak Road, Cow Bay, Queensland, 4873.
Website: http://discoverthedaintree.com/, Phone Number: 07 4098 9171
Time spent at location: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
Discovery Centre (leave 3:30pm) – Myall Beach (arrive 4:15pm)
♦ Myall Beach Walk. This truly is where the golden sand beaches meet the lush green rainforest and what a place to finish the day trip! The Myall Beach Walk leaves from the carpark, after a small accent you’ll be lead down to the beach through a small, wet, forest. The beach walk is breath-taking, Cape Tribulation behind you and white beaches and coastal mountains ahead. It is a 4km return (carpark to Dubuji), an easy walk and is amazing at this time in the afternoon.
Cost: FREE
Distance: 30kms, Travel Time: 45 Minutes
Location Address: Myall Beach, Cape Tribulation, Queensland, 4873.
Website: http://www.wettropics.gov.au/myall-beach-walk.html
Time spent at location: 2 Hours
Myall Beach (leave 6:15pm) – Cairns (arrive 9:00pm)
♦ Driving Back. With a little light remaining in your back pocket you’ll be sure to enjoy this fantastic drive back to Cairns, the light will remain for approximately half of the drive. The ferry runs until midnight so don’t worry, the road is littered with petrol stations and if your feeling tired there are plenty of rest areas along the way. A great drive home after an amazing day Daintree Rainforest.
Distance: 150kms, Travel Time: 2 Hours 45 Minutes
Total Times, Distance & Cost
Time: 14 Hours 30 Minutes
Driving time: 6 Hours (–40 Minutes Daintree River Ferry)
Distance: 300kms
Cost: Adult $69.10, Child $34.55, Ferry $26 (Vehicle x 1)
Daintree Rainforest is the oldest rainforest in the world and with this guide at hand you can see and do all of the best bits in one day for a reasonable price. Walking along the beach at the end of the day looking around and seeing the forest meet the white sand, truly is an amazing sight that we’d like everyone to see and experience.
