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The Daintree Rainforest is a major tourist draw in Queensland Australia, and rightly so. It is the oldest rainforest in the world, over 135 million years old, maybe older. It is located to the north of Port Douglas, Palm Cove, and Cairns and you can visit from any of these holiday locations. There are two ways to visit, self-drive and enter by yourself, or book a tour, both are good options. We’ll go into your options for visiting The Daintree, 2 separate parts of it, from these 3 locations, or indeed, on your way north from The Atherton Tablelands, to “The Tip” of The Cape York Peninsula. The Mossman Gorge is considered to be part of The Daintree Rainforest, but it’s separate from the main body of The Daintree, the gorge is much easier to visit and you’ll only need half a day. Allow at least one full day to see The Daintree north of the river. As we are locals, we’ve never needed to stay overnight in The Daintree, but you can do that too. Full details are in our post.
Just to clarify, you do not have to drive through The Daintree Rainforest if you’d rather take the highway on your drive north. We go into the two routes for heading north in our post on how to get to Cooktown, plus things to see and do there.
During Cyclone Jasper (December 2023) roads in the Daintree Rainforest were damaged by landslides. Today (2025) the Daintree Rainforest still has some access issues and lane closures, but it’s open and most rainforest tours are operating. We recommend you check here to see what’s available. The Captain Cook Highway from Cairns to Port Douglas is open, but there are road works and repairs causing some delays.
We can also share photos of the Daintree, taken by us, on the ground and by drone. Could you save this one to Pinterest for us? Thanks.
The Daintree Rainforest
This incredible ecological wonder covers an area of almost 1,200 square kilometres (120,000 hectares, 460 square miles) between the town of Mossman and Cape Tribulation. The western border of the Daintree is at the Great Dividing Range, its eastern border is The Coral Sea.
In the north, the Daintree Rainforest goes as far as Bloomfield.
It is the largest block of rainforest in Australia, and the oldest.
In the Daintree we can see relicts of the Gondwanan forest that covered Australia and part of Antarctica 50 to 100 million years ago
As such, the Daintree Rainforest is on both the south and north sides of the Daintree River and Daintree Village.
The Wet Tropics of Queensland is a UNESCO World Heritage area of 8,940 square kilometers approx. It stretches for 840 km along Australia’s northeastern coast and is entirely in the Australian state of Queensland.
This heritage area comprised 894,420 hectares of mostly tropical rainforests. (source UNESCO)
The Wet Tropics of Queensland were given World Heritage listing by UNESCO in 1988.
The Daintree Rainforest or Daintree National Park, was formally returned to its Aboriginal owners, The Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, in 2021. (source)
Visiting The Daintree Rainforest (Driving & Admission)
The Daintree Rainforest is open to the public and there is no admission fee for the Daintree National Park. However, to drive into the main body of The Daintree, you will need to use The Daintree River Ferry, and this is quite expensive for a vehicle.
You can drive your vehicle into the Daintree Rainforest along the public highway from Port Douglas (Mossman-Daintree Rd and Cape Tribulation Rd.). From Cairns or Palm Cove head north along the coast road, The Captain Cook Highway. Alternatively, you can take a guided tour.
We list available tours and activities below.
You can opt to visit the Mossman Gorge, or take a full guided tour of The Daintree Rainforest. Some tours will take you to both in one day. Some tours refer to “The Southern Daintree” these are normally tours of Mossman Gorge and the Daintree River, avoiding the costly ferry ride into The Daintree “Proper”.
Day trips from Port Douglas or Cairns will take you to the Daintree.
If you’re approaching the Daintree National Park from the south, via Cairns, Port Douglas and Mossman, you will need to pay to use the vehicle ferry which crosses the Daintree River.
The Daintree can sometimes be closed due to flooding in the wet season. The wet season falls in the summer months, with adverse weather being most common from December to March.
Best Time To Visit The Daintree Rainforest
The winter months are the best time to visit. June and July. In the wet season (summer, December to February) there is a chance of storms or even cyclones. Severe weather can stop The Daintree ferry from operating or make roads within the Daintree unpassable.
Between Easter and November you should be OK, but the weather can be very unpredictable in the Wet Tropics Heritage Area. The region does draw tourists over the Christmas period through to Australia Day, and if you’re lucky with the weather you may be able to visit the Daintree.
Remember that most places inside The Daintree, north of the river, rely on solar power so you’re unlikely to find air conditioning.
Tours To The Daintree Rainforest (Book Online)
From Cairns, book a full-day tour to Mossman Gorge and Daintree, including an optional river cruise and indigenous experience. Book here.
Daintree Discovery Tours are a good choice as they take you to Mossman Gorge, for a cruise on the river, and to the Daintree north of the river on a day tour. This tour is only available from Port Douglas, people staying in Cairns or Palm Cove can drive up and join the tour in Port. This is a great tour, including an Aboriginal “welcome to country” with the Kuku Yalangi. Book here.
From Palm Cove, book a full-day tour to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree here.
Departing Port Douglas, book the shuttle to Mossman Gorge (return) here and enjoy the walkways and freshwater stream independently.
From Port Douglas, book a half-day (morning or afternoon) tour to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree River. This is a cheaper option and great if you’re short of time. Book here.
To book a crocodile and wildlife cruise on the Daintree River, you need this link.
To take a night walking tour in the Daintree Rainforest, spotting wildlife in the dark, go here. This particular tour is for families with young kids, there is also an adult tour.
It’s also possible to go trekking in the Daintree National Park, look here.
Can You Visit The Reef from the Daintree or Cape Tribulation?
Yes, there is one snorkelling tour that goes out to the Great Barrier Reef from North of The Daintree River. You can book Ocean Safari here on Viator, or here on GetYourGuide, both are great companies for booking activities with best price guarantees.
We use these companies ourselves and recommend them as the best way to book.
Remember there are crocodiles in The Daintree and on the beaches, you must not swim, at all, north of The Daintree River. I have seen tourists attempting to swim from the beaches up there, there have been deaths, rarely.
Can You Stay in the Daintree Rainforest? (Accommodation)
Yes, you can stay in the Daintree Rainforest, there are several options, including hotels, B&Bs and apartments, including the award-winning Daintree Eco Lodge (click through to check it out, but this one is expensive!). The Daintree Ecolodge is south of the Daintree River, making it convenient for Port Douglas if you plan to take a reef trip.
A cheaper place to stay in the Daintree is Daintree Heritage Lodge, this place has rainforest cabins at a moderate price point. It gets rave reviews. See it here. This rainforest lodge also has family rooms.
There are various backpacker-type places, hostel style, and campsites in the Daintree too, great for budget travellers. Take a look at Daintree Crocodylus, at Cow Bay. This place has tented safari-style accommodation and regular visits from cassowaries.
Things To Do in the Daintree Rainforest
Here’s a list of things to do in The Daintree Rainforest.
- Visit The Daintree Discovery Centre
- Take a hike on one or the boardwalks or walking tracks.
- See tea being grown at Daintree Tea
- Visit the Entomological Museum within The Daintree
- Enjoy ice cream and see tropical fruits being grow at The Daintree Ice Cream Company
- Visit the beaches, but stay Croc-Smart!
- Go zip lining
- Take a wildlife and crocodile cruise on The Daintree River
- Go fishing for barramundi at Hook-a-Barra or in The Daintree River
- Visit waterfalls and swimming holes
- Checkout The Daintree Lookout at Mount Alexandra
The Daintree Rainforest and Daintree National Park are “where the reef meets the rainforest.” As such, the number 1 thing to do in The Daintree, is to take in the scenery, stunning beaches, and unspoiled tropical forest environment.
The coastal scenery is at its best between the Daintree River and Cedar Bay. Views here combine tropical rainforest and white sandy beaches with patches of fringing coral reefs.
Cape Tribulation is both a village and a headland located within the Daintree National Park and Daintree Rainforest.
Cape Tribulation gets its name from the troubles it caused Lieutenant James Cook in 1770 when his ship, the Endeavour, struck a reef just off the cape, causing much damage to the ship’s hull.
Further north you will find Cooktown and the Endeavour River, where he made repairs. This is an incredibly historic part of Australia. If you drove from Cairns to Port Douglas, it was along the Captain Cook highway.
The area is very sparsely populated, not many people live in the rainforest and most are more or less off-grid relying on generators, solar power and rainwater collection.
There are a few places to stay in the Daintree, there is a cafe at Thornton Beach, and some tourist facilities.
There are camp sites, jungle lodges and the very nice Daintree Eco Lodge. You can reserve this hotel using our link.
If you want to stay near the Daintree Rainforest, south of the river, Cassowary Falls is popular, check it out here. Or Silky Oaks Lodge near Mossman is a beautiful hotel, this one is on Expedia here.
We highly recommend the Daintree ice cream farm featuring our local tropical fruit flavours. You can also see tropical fruits growing here.
The Daintree Discovery Centre is a good place to learn more about the history of this area. Visitors can climb to viewing platforms high in the canopy and take curated rainforest walks in the understory.
Rainforest canopy zip lining is also available through the rainforest canopy,
You can take a take a croc tour of the Daintree River from Daintree Village and various jetties along the Daintree River.
See Daintree Village and its “Big Barra” or enjoy the drive through Cape Tribulation and north to Cooktown.
Snorkelling tours are available from Cape Tribulation too. Many snorkelling tours to The Great Barrier Reef depart from Port Douglas and Cairns, but one operator departs north of the river.
There are also swimming holes, waterfalls and freshwater streams which are considered safe for swimming, including Mason’s Swimming Hole and The Blue Hole. The latter is a sacred Aboriginal women’s spot, forbidden to men and non-indiginous people.
The absence of crocodiles is never guaranteed and it’s not safe to swim at the beaches north of the river.
The best place to swim in The Coral Sea near the Daintree is Port Douglas’s Four Mile Beach, but there are some stunning unspoiled beaches on Cape Tribulation.
You should stay well away from the water’s edge in areas where estuarine crocodiles are present, but there are boardwalks open to the public through the rainforest and mangroves.
Map of Attractions in the Daintree Rainforest
We’ve marked all of these places on the map for you. Take a look here.
Wildlife in The Daintree Rainforest
The Daintree Rainforest is home to a stunning array of Australian wildlife including many endemic species of mammal, reptile, amphibians and birds.
Species present include Southern Cassowaries, Boyd’s Rainforest Dragon, tree kangaroos, and the Daintree River Ringtail Possum.
Both saltwater (estuarine) and freshwater crocodiles can be found in the Daintree Area. The Daintree River has a lot of crocodiles and you may see one on the river bank as you board the ferry.
Bird life is phenomenal in this part of Australia with 11 endemic species of bird present. You stand a good chance of seeing a cassowary from the road. Get off the main road if you can, you’ll have a better chance of seeing a cassowary. On our last visit we saw 2 by heading inland onto smaller residential roads.
If you happen upon a cassowary on a walking track, stay away, these giant birds are dangerous!
You are very likely to see huge golden orb spiders in the Daintree and there is a possibility of snakes and spiders in and around your lodging. Some venomous or deadly snakes can be found in FNQ, along with huge pythons. This is much less likely in Port Douglas! I’ve only ever seen one snake in The Daintree, at Mossman Gorge.
Vegetation in the Daintree
Queensland’s most infamous plant, the stinging tree, is present in the Daintree and in much of this region. This alone is a good reason to stick to marked paths and boardwalks. Never stray off into the vegetation. Read more about this and other dangers of Queensland here.
The vegetation you are likely to enjoy includes huge fan palms and mangrove forests, cone-bearing cycads and southern conifers (gymnosperms). The Daintree is the closest you will get to a Gondwanan forest today.
Indigenous Daintree Tours
Walkabout Cultural Adventures offers full or half day tours with local Aboriginal guides explaining bush tucker and medicine in the rainforest environment.
This company is 100% Aboriginal owned and run. You can book a full-day cultural adventure with this company here.
Visitors can learn to throw haunting spear, gather food, and can swim in freshwater swimming holes.
How To Get To the Daintree Rainforest
What people normally consider to be “The Daintree Rainforest” lies to the north of the Daintree River, 68km north of Port Douglas.
In order to cross the river, drivers must use a ferry, there is no bridge currently.
Tickets are purchased before embarking on the ferry at the manned booth or you can now buy ferry tickets online, in advance.
If the booth isn’t occupied, attendants on the ferry will collect fares. You must stay inside your vehicle during crossing.
It only takes about 10 minutes to cross the river on the ferry but you may need to queue for some time before boarding. Locals can use a priority lane.
The Daintree Ferry operates daily from 5 am to midnight with no closures for public holidays, Price for cars is currently $49 return. (Au). The cost for a return ticket in a typical car is $30 US approximately.
Foot passengers can also cross on the Daintree Ferry, as can bicycles, motorbikes and buses. The cost depends on the type of vehicle. Check prices here.
Flooding and exceptionally low tides can sometimes mean the ferry is closed.
What to Wear to Visit The Daintree
The Daintree is hot and humid year round so you should wear clothing that covers you, but that keeps you cool.
Loose-fitting pants and shirts are best and they protect you from the sun and biting insects. There will be plenty of mosquitos, especially in the wet season.
Wear comfortable shoes that you can walk in.
We suggest visitors don’t bring Birkenstocks or other leather shoes to the wet tropics, we know from personal experience that our wet and humid climate causes soles to fall off fast.
You should always have a hat handy in the intense UV of Queensland, but in much of the Daintree you will be in the shade.
While it will be cooler in the Daintree in winter, it will still be pretty hot by most people’s standards.
Creek Crossings and Off-Roading in the Daintree Rainforest
There is more and more sealed road through the Daintree and Cape Tribulation as time passes. You probably don’t need a 4 wheel drive vehicle to drive this coastal road in the dry season.
However, in the wet, there still are a couple of creek crossings on this drive.
We hope you have a fantastic time in Far North Queensland.
We think the best Great Barrier Reef tour from Port Douglas, is this one.
From Cairns, book a full-day tour to Mossman Gorge and Daintree, including an optional river cruise and indigenous experience. Book here.
If you’re staying in Palm Cove, book a full-day tour to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree here.
From Port Douglas, book the shuttle to Mossman Gorge (return) here and enjoy the walkways and freshwater stream independently.
From Port Douglas, book a half-day (morning or afternoon) tour to Mossman Gorge and the Daintree River. This is a cheaper option and great if you’re short of time. Book here.
To book a crocodile and wildlife cruise on the Daintree River, you need this link.
To take a night walking tour in the Daintree Rainforest, spotting wildlife in the dark, go here. This particular tour is for families with young kids, there is also an adult tour.
It’s also possible to go trekking in the Daintree National Park, look here.
