Daintree Forest Tour: A Natural Wonder of Queensland

By Jenna Jolie | Update on: Sep 23, 2023

Welcome to International Parks: Adventures in the Global Outdoors, where we transport you to the world’s most incredible protected lands, nature reserves, and marine sanctuaries.

Everybody thought the Amazon was the largest rainforest in the world.

Yes, but fewer people know that the Daintree in Queensland is David Attenborough's favorite rainforest and also the largest and oldest rainforest in the world. Blessed be the 96-year-old naturalist who once called this untamed region of northeast Oz "the most extraordinary place on Earth."

Daintree National Park is similarly amazing with its huge tangle of towering palms, ancient ferns, moss-covered boulders, and trickling creeks going all the way to the Coral Sea while being continually eclipsed by its better famous conjoined twin, the Great Barrier Reef.

Imagine walking along a boardwalk in a 180 million-year-old jungle and coming across a remote bathing hole that is croc-free and stunningly clear. Even better, the pool is partially covered by a lavish canopy beneath a roaring waterfall. The Daintree originally housed dinosaurs and predates the Amazon by an incredible 160 million years. If you're fortunate enough to run into any of its current residents, you'll find that not much has changed over the millennia.

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Crocs And Ancient Wonders Of The Daintree Rainforest Tours

Crocs And Ancient Wonders Of The Daintree Rainforest Tours

Wonders of the Daintree Rainforest tours

Wonders of the Daintree Rainforest tours

On the surface of the Daintree River, crocs can be seen taking breathers, while giant, prehistoric-looking cassowaries sit in the dense undergrowth while chowing down on mushrooms and fruit. If you can believe it, there's more to see than remote waterfalls and exotic animals. Here's how to have an incredibly "extraordinary" experience on the Daintree Forest tour.

The Best Time to Visit Daintree National Park

The Daintree only recognizes two seasons; it does not follow the Gregorian tradition of four. Its peak season is from April to November during the dry season. As Australians are on winter break, July and August are the busiest travel months. December through April mark the beginning of the wet season. The ideal time to travel is between the busiest season and the rainiest season, which is perhaps late April through early December or late April through June. Fewer visitors translate into more wildlife sightings, calmer trails, and off-season tour and lodging prices.

Take in Jaw-Dropping Scenery along Great Barrier Reef Drive

The Daintree and the Great Barrier Reef are only found together in a section of far north Queensland where the rainforest meets the ocean. The Captain Cook Highway, often known as Great Barrier Reef Drive, travels a breathtakingly beautiful route between the two sides.

For the best possible first impression, begin in Cairns, where rental cars are widely available, then travel north into the rainforest. It takes around an hour and fifteen minutes to travel one way, but you will want to stop frequently during the day to explore hiking paths and stomp your toes in the pristine sand.

Scenery along Great Barrier Reef drive

Scenery along Great Barrier Reef drive

Spot Crocodiles on the Daintree River

The crocodile is a notable animal of the Daintree—of both the saltwater and freshwater varieties. There are thought to be about 70 adults in the Daintree River, and you're liable to see at least one deadly snoot protruding from the water on a river cruise with the area's best croc spotters. The ECO-certified Daintree River Cruise Centre is one of the most popular operators, offering 60- to 90-minute tours from Mossman.

October to mid-March is crocodile breeding season in the Daintree. While the chance of a sighting is less likely this time of year than in the cooler months, the probability of seeing them fighting, courting, mating, or their hatchlings is far higher. Come during low tide to increase your chance of a sighting.

Spot crocodiles on the Daintree River

Spot crocodiles on the Daintree River

Swim at Mossman Gorge

The stunning rainforest-lined beaches of north Queensland may seem inviting, but the plethora of signage and vinegar stations warn of what lingers in the azure waters: Stingers. Jellyfish inhabit Australia's tropics from November to May and will not hesitate to inject a human swimmer with their potentially lethal venom. A lot of beaches in the area have net enclosures for this reason, but the whole ordeal can be avoided by swimming instead at Mossman Gorge, which is arguably even prettier.

Mossman Gorge includes a stinger- and crocodile-free sheltered swimming hole with calm, clean water and big boulders perfect for basking. From the Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre, you can take a shuttle to the start of a boardwalk. This is, by far, the most popular walk in Daintree National Park, its main draw being the gorge overlook. The swimming hole is about a third of a mile in.

The Cultural Centre doesn't recommend swimming in the river, because water conditions can change quickly and there's no supervision. Keep in mind that December to April is the rainy season, and flooding is more likely. If the heat of the Wet Tropics on a summer day makes it impossible for you to resist a dip, then just remember your common sense. Please, no swimming in monsoons.

Discover Aboriginal Art and Culture at Janbal Gallery

The Aboriginal Eastern Kuku Yalanji people, Australia's earliest human occupants, and carriers of what's thought to be the world's oldest living culture, have lived in the Wet Tropics for 50,000 years. And since the Daintree was handed back to its original inhabitants in 2021, they and the state government have jointly managed the national park, under the designation Cape York Peninsula Aboriginal Land (CYPAL).

Souvenir shops in Australia

Souvenir shops in Australia

Visitors can learn all about the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people's culture and customs at Janbal Gallery, a fully Aboriginal-owned and -operated art gallery and cultural center right off Great Barrier Reef Drive, three minutes from the Mossman Gorge car park. The hand-painted canvases and boomerangs (an Aboriginal symbol of endurance) you'll find here tell ancient stories and make the most unique and meaningful souvenirs. You can even sit down and paint your own at one of Janbal Gallery's workshops.

Where to Stay in and around Daintree National Park?

Cairns is the biggest city in far north Queensland and the gateway to both the Daintree and Great Barrier Reef. There are 150-plus hotels and more than 1,000 Airbnbs to choose from. If you don't have the cash to splash out on luxury accommodation along the lively esplanade—like at Crystalbrook Riley or Waters Edge Apartments—you can find a fun and cozy budget option in Travellers Oasis, a colorful hostel with a swimming pool and hammock-dotted sundeck.

More immersive rainforest experiences can be found at Cairns Rainforest Retreat, a collection of treehouses 15 minutes from the city center, or at the higher-end Daintree Ecolodge, perhaps the most popular place to stay in the rainforest (equipped with a spa and private waterfall). Located between Mossman and Cape Tribulation, the Ecolodge is perfectly convenient for multi-day adventures in the Daintree.

Daintree Rainforest offers a journey into an ancient world

Daintree Rainforest offers a journey into an ancient world

For those seeking a truly unforgettable encounter with nature, the Daintree Rainforest offers a journey into an ancient world where history, biodiversity, and stunning landscapes converge. With its unique boardwalks, crocodile sightings, refreshing swimming holes, and opportunities to engage with Aboriginal culture, the Daintree promises an extraordinary adventure that resonates with the essence of David Attenborough's endorsement. Whether you're a seasoned traveler or a nature enthusiast embarking on your first expedition, the Daintree Rainforest beckons with its timeless allure and unmatched splendor.

Ready to embark on your Daintree adventure? Pack your sense of wonder, a spirit of exploration, and a dash of Attenborough-inspired curiosity, and let the ancient rainforest work its magic on your soul.

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