The Daintree Rainforest is the world's oldest tropical rainforest, thought to be about 135 million years old, and the largest in Australia, home to plants and animals not found anywhere else on earth. It is located on the northeastern side of the country in Tropical North Queensland next to the Great Barrier Reef.
We're currently living full-time in our campervan, a 2018 Mercedes Sprinter, and exploring Australia, with a plan of "driving the lap" (completing the entire perimeter of the country). I first visited Australia in 2019, following the classic backpacker route, mostly visiting big cities, staying in hostels and traveling by public transport. This time, with the freedom of our campervan, we're trying to hit the lesser known spots and go slower.
For over 50,000 years, the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people lived on this land, long before any Europeans arrived.
The first Europeans to spot this area were those on board Lieutenant James Cook's Endeavour which struck a reef nearby in 1770. He named the coast Cape Tribulation. For the next 200 years, the area was settled by timber cutters and farmers. In 1988, the Wet Tropics - including Daintree - was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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Useful Information for the Daintree Rainforest
Below is some useful information for preparing for your trip to the Daintree Rainforest. In all cases, please be sure to check with the relevant local authorities for the latest and accurate information.
Language: The official language of Australia is English. In the Daintree Rainforest, the traditional language of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people is Kuku-Yalanji.
→ Learn more about the language of the Eastern Kuku Yalanji people.
Currency: The currency used in Australia is the Australian dollar, denoted as AUD $. I use a Wise account when I travel which allows me to have a single, free account with multiple currencies. I only have to pay once to convert my money in the app and then I can pay in AUD $!
→ Check the latest currency conversion between AUD $ and your local currency.
Data: Before you arrive, I recommend purchasing an eSim on your phone so that you can access data the moment you land. eSims are much more convenient as it means you don't have to put a separate physical Sim into your phone. AirAlo offers great deals for eSims of various data sizes and time lengths with Optus.
→ Load an international eSim on your phone with AirAlo.
If you are visiting Australia long term, you might wish to put a physical Sim in your phone as AirAlo is geared more towards short term visitors on holiday. This way you can access a local phone plan. There are three main mobile phone network providers in Australia: Telstra, Optus and Vodafone. Telstra has the best coverage across the country whereas Optus and Vodafone are good within cities. I recommend Telstra as it means you have the best coverage while you travel around the country, especially in rural areas.
We travel with a Starlink in our campervan which enables us to have unlimited WiFi wherever we are, even in places without coverage.
Visa: All passport holders except New Zealand require a visa to visit Australia. All arrivals must fill out an Australian arrival card before landing.
→ Check which visa you need for Australia.
Time of year to visit: Australia can be visited all year-round. The Daintree Rainforest is located in Tropical North Queensland which gets a pretty intense rainy season from November to April which can often see floods and many tourism infrastructure closed. The best time to visit is during winter and early spring from May to October for pleasant, warm, sunny, dry days.
If you are in the ocean between October and May, it is recommended to wear a protective stinger suit against fatal stings from poisonous jellyfish. Never go into a river, creek or estuary due to the presence of crocodiles.
Length of stay: We spent two days in the Daintree Rainforest. It is a popular day trip from Cairns or Port Douglas. I think two days is the perfect amount to see all the main highlights of the region but you can stay longer if you want to spend more time hiking and exploring.
How to Get to the Daintree Rainforest
By flight: The closest airport to the Daintree Rainforest is in Cairns, connecting nationally across Australia as well as to multiple international destinations.
It takes about two hours to drive from Cairns up to the Daintree Rainforest on the Captain Cook Highway.
→ Rent a car at Cairns Airport.
By car: If you're driving around the country as we are in our campervan, then the easiest way to get to the Daintree Rainforest is with your own wheels. This gives you the freedom to explore the national park at your own pace, stopping whenever and wherever you like.
You might want to start in Cairns as your base for renting a campervan to explore Australia.
→ Rent a campervan in Cairns with Apollo, Camplify, Indie or Juicy.
By guided tour: There are a number of day or multi-day trips to the Daintree Rainforest from either Cairns or Port Douglas.
→ Book a guided day or multi-day tour of the Daintree Rainforest from either Cairns or Port Douglas!
How to Get Around the Daintree Rainforest
By car: There are two sections of the Daintree Rainforest: the area around Cape Tribulation and the area around Mossman Gorge.
To reach the Cape Tribulation part, you'll need to cross the Daintree River by ferry. The ferry runs multiple times a day and is just a short crossing. You do not need to pre-book and can pay per vehicle once you arrive; just be prepared that there might be a longer line up during peak season, especially school holidays. At the time of writing, we paid AUD $57 for a return trip (we think that's really pricey, but it's the only way to get across the river at this time!).
→ Check the current operating hours and vehicle fares for the Daintree Ferry.
We spent one day in each and the easiest way to explore is with your own wheels. We are traveling around the entire country in our campervan for a year and it gives so much freedom to get around. All roads in the Daintree Rainforest are paved unless you head north of Cape Tribulation on the Bloomfield Track, in which case you'll need a 4WD.
→ If you don't have your own car, you can rent one in Cairns.
The Daintree Ferry across the Daintree River
By guided tour: There are a number of day or multi-day trips to the Daintree Rainforest from either Cairns or Port Douglas.
→ Book a guided day or multi-day tour of the Daintree Rainforest from either Cairns or Port Douglas!
Best Things to Do in the Daintree Rainforest
The Daintree Rainforest is located in Tropical North Queensland, accessible from either Cairns or Port Douglas.
Entry to the Daintree Rainforest itself is free, however there are different activities within the region which have an entry fee. I've indicated these below where relevant.
Take in the view from Mount Alexandra Lookout
This viewpoint is just off the main road leading from the Daintree Ferry towards Cape Tribulation with stunning views looking down towards the Daintree River and estuaries.
Find the rope swings on Cow Bay Beach
Cow Bay Beach is a gorgeous, vast sandy beach in Cow Bay, one of the first regions you reach after you cross the Daintree River. It's not considered safe to swim in the water here due to crocodiles but instead you can find the rope swings hanging from the palm trees to enjoy instead as you look out over the ocean.
Drive across Cooper Creek
This isn't really a proper stop in itself but we crossed over Cooper Creek as we drove along Cape Tribulation Road just inland from Thornton Beach and it was the perfect snapshot of the lusciousness of the Daintree Rainforest.
Go for a walk on Myall Beach
Myall Beach is one of the best beaches in Cape Tribulation with long stretches of sand overlooking the ocean. It's not considered safe to swim in the water here due to crocodiles but instead you can have a picnic or a long walk on the beach enjoying the remote wilderness.
Watch the sunset from Kulki Lookout
Overlooking Kulki Beach, the Kulki Lookout is just a short walk up from the parking lot along a well-maintained boardwalk. You can come at any time of day to take in the view of the waves rolling in across the beach but we came for sunset and the sky was so beautiful over the ocean.
Spend the day in Mossman Gorge
Mossman Gorge makes up the other half of the Daintree Rainforest. It's located just west of the town of Mossman, on the northern end of the Captain Cook Highway from Cairns.
COMING SOON → Check out my guide to roadtripping the Captain Cook Highway from Cairns to Mossman!
At Mossman Gorge, you must park your car at the Cultural Centre where there is an art gallery and restaurant. From there, you take the shuttle bus (AUD $15.50 per person at the time of writing) along the narrow road into the gorge. It departs the Cultural Centre every 15 minutes during opening hours.
In Mossman Gorge, there are two main activities: hiking and swimming. I highly recommend taking on the entire Rainforest Circuit Track which goes from the shuttle bus stop through the lush rainforest and over the Rex Creek Bridge. The total loop is about 5km which took us about and hour and a half.
After your hike through the muggy rainforest, cool off by swimming in the water hole near the shuttle bus stop. Bring a picnic and your swimming clothes; you can really spend a whole day enjoying the gorge! Just don't miss the last bus back.
The shuttle bus from the Cultural Centre
Rex Creek Bridge
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Hi! I’m Jana, a Dutch-German-British-Canadian with a dream of seeing every country in the world. I am a storyteller, photographer and adventurer passionate about documenting and sharing my travels.
