Visiting the magical Daintree rainforest? Here are 10 amazing things to do during your visit.
Nestled in the lush region of Tropical North Queensland, the Daintree is the oldest rainforest in the world. It also happens to be positioned right next to the Great Barrier Reef, making it the only place on earth where two world-heritage areas meet.
In the morning, you can be dipping into turquoise water holes, canopied by one of the most diverse and oldest rainforests on the planet. In the afternoon, you can be snorkelling through a vibrant underwater playground.
10 things to do in the Daintree Rainforest
1. Go croc-spotting along the Daintree River
To kick start your adventures, taking a cruise along the Daintree River is the quickest way of getting up close and personal with the local wildlife. It is one of the most iconic things to do in the Daintree Rainforest!
On the boat ride, you’ll learn about the Daintree eco-system from a local guide, whilst spotting an array of birds, snakes, and of course, crocodiles!
2. Indulge your taste buds at Julaymba Restaurant
Nestled into an idyllic rainforest setting, the Julaymba Restaurant at the Daintree Ecolodge is a treat for the eyes and the taste buds. Julaymba offers a unique outdoor dining experience, surrounded by a canopy of trees and the soothing sound of birds overhead.
The restaurant serves up beautiful dishes inspired by local Australian ingredients, with offerings such as king prawn linguine, coral trout with caramelized pineapple and a delectable wattle seed mousse.
3. Try jungle surfing to see the Daintree from above
It’s one thing walking through the Daintree Rainforest, but you can take the experience to whole new level by zip-lining over the top of it! Jungle Surfing is a guided tour through the Daintree canopy in the form of six different zip lines.
For the thrill-seekers- don’t set your expectations too high, each zip line is fairly tame. Whilst jungle surfing might not fulfill your need for speed, it’s still a cool way to learn about the ecosystem of the rainforest in a unique and slightly thrilling way!
4. Whizz through the forest on electric bikes
Freeride Electric Adventure Tours offer the unique opportunity to explore the Daintree Rainforest on electric bikes. These bikes basically allow you to fly up hills and glide through lush greenery without breaking a real sweat. They are a completely eco-friendly way of exploring the rainforest.
During the tour, our guide took us through a stunning section of the Daintree, filled with birds and wildlife, and showed us to a completely untouched waterhole for a swim.
5. Go horse riding along the beach at Cape Tribulation
Galloping down the beach on a noble steed- could there be a better way to appreciate the beauty of Cape Tribulation? Ride through picturesque paddocks with a wonderful backdrop of mountains then trot along a winding river bed.
Eventually, you’ll emerge at the idyllic Myall Beach, which was named one of the best beaches in Australia. The highlight of the tour was splashing through the crystal clear waters of this stunning part of the ocean on our horses.
6. Jump into a private swimming hole at Heritage Lodge
Nestled in the rainforest but just steps away from the ocean, the Heritage Lodge and Spa was a great base for exploring the beautiful Daintree.
The lodge offers secluded cabins right next to rainforest walks and incredible secret swimming holes. Nothing felt better than jumping into cool, crystal clear water after a long day out in the humidity!
7. Explore the Great Barrier Reef on an Ocean Safari
Hop onboard a zippy little boat from Cape Tribulation with Ocean Safari and within 25 minutes, you’ll be out snorkelling through the pristine Great Barrier Reef.
On the tour, we visited two snorkel spots- Mackay and Undine Reef. Both were filled with a phenomenal array of colourful fish, turtles, sharks, stingrays and some most vibrant coral I’ve ever lay eyes on.
Visiting the reef in a small boat means you virtually get the reefs to yourself. Ocean Safari is also an eco-friendly tour operator, making it a far more sustainable way to explore the reef than the large, commercial cruise boats.
8. Take in the views at the Mount Alexandra Lookout
If you are en-route to Cape Tribulation, make sure you make a quick stop at the Mount Alexandra Lookout. This spot has truly breath-taking views over the Daintree coast and its surroundings!
9. Paddleboard along the Mossman River
Stand up paddle-boarding along the Mossman river is a very cool way to experience the Daintree rainforest from a new perspective.
The best part is, after all the hard work of paddling upstream, you can just lay on your back and stare up at the rainforest canopy as you float back downstream!
10. Sample some exotic fruit
Head to Cape Trib Farm and indulge your taste buds in an interactive fruit-tasting experience. At the farm, a local farmer takes you around and gets you to taste tropical and exotic fruits from around the world, as well as giving you a tour of the orchard at the farm.
It’s a unique opportunity to taste fruits you’ve probably never seen or heard of before, such as the chocolate pudding fruit or the creamy sapote!
Getting to the Daintree Rainforest
Cape Tribulation is a 2 hour 30 minute drive from Cairns or a 1 hour 45 minute drive from Port Douglas. If you are staying in Port Douglas, the Cape Trib Adventure Bus offer day or overnight tours, and can arrange activities around the Daintree to suit your interests.
Where to stay in the Daintree Rainforest
Otherwise, if you choose to stay in the Daintree region itself, there are a range of unique accommodation options on offer, including the Heritage Lodge and Spa (where I stayed during my time there) or the Daintree Ecolodge.
This trip was sponsored by Kayak AU, however, as always, all the opinions are my own.
For more Australia travel, read these next:
- Travel Diary: An Epic Trip Along Australia’s East Coast
- Vegetarian Sausage Rolls Recipe from Australia
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