Daintree Rainforest

At around 130 million years old, the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland is considered the oldest rainforest in the world (for comparison, the Amazon rainforest is around 55 million years old) and begins north of Cairns. The Daintree Rainforest extends from the area around Mossman and the Daintree River up to Cape Tribulation. These coastal sections – the so-called ‘Wet Tropics of Queensland’ – are a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The ideal time to visit the Daintree Rainforest

The ideal time to visit the Daintree National Park and the tropical north of Queensland is around the Australian winter. On average, the months from April to October see the least rainfall.

In the Australian summer, from around November to May, the hazardous cube jellyfish can be found in the waters of northern Queensland. During this time, you should only swim on beaches protected by stinger nets – contact with the jellyfish is excruciating and can even lead to death. However, as the Daintree Rainforest is also home to groin crocodiles, which are considered aggressive, we recommend avoiding swimming on the beaches there.

We spent a week in the Daintree National Park – north of the Daintree River – at the end of August. Despite being the ideal time to travel, it rained continuously for six days at around 20 – 25 degrees. It was confirmed to us several times that we were simply unlucky. Usually, it wouldn’t rain so that it wouldn’t be the dry season. However, the boardwalks through the rainforest are accessible even when it rains, as the dense forest canopy absorbs the rain well.

Sights in the Daintree Rainforest

Many tourists visit the Daintree Rainforest in Queensland on a day trip from Cairns. A full day in the Daintree National Park is actually enough time to walk along the beach and over the various boardwalks. The distances between the individual attractions are short, and the boardwalks are not long. For a relaxed visit to the Daintree Rainforest, we recommend at least two nights for the attractions.

Alexandra Lookout

The Alexandra Lookout offers a great view of Port Douglas and the sea in good weather. The car park is manageable but provides two large parking spaces for motorhomes. As many day trippers stop here for a quick view, it can be completed at the wrong time. However, the rush usually only lasts a few minutes.

Daintree Rainforest Discovery Centre

The ticket price for the Daintree Rainforest Discovery Centre includes detailed audio guides, an information booklet and an exploration of the entire facility, including the 23-metre-high observation tower. You can also return as often as you like within seven days (you must collect a signature at the ticket office).

In total, we spent about 2 hours at the Discovery Centre. As you can explore the rainforest on different levels – on the ground, on the raised boardwalk, and the observation tower – you get a great impression of the various levels and the creatures represented at each height.

In the Interpretive Centre, you can learn about the formation of the world and the different geological eras with the respective dinosaurs, flora and other fauna. Dinosaurs are exhibited along the Jurassic Trail, and on the Bush Tucker Trail, you can learn about the traditional diet of the Kuku Yulanji.

We recommend visiting the Discovery Centre if you travel with children with children to Daintree National Park in Australia. You can spend a lot more time here than we did.

Daintree Ice Cream Company

The fruit for the delicious ice cream at the Daintree Ice Cream Factory is grown right on the premises. You can walk around the grounds and find information about the fruit on the signs. We tried the sundae with the four current flavours, which vary depending on the season. Be sure to make a short stop here while visiting the Daintree Rainforest on the east coast of Australia!

Jindalba Boardwalk

If you drive past the Discovery Centre, you will come to the car park on the Jindalba Trail. There are also public toilets there. Unfortunately, it was raining incessantly during our visit, so we only decided to take the 700-metre-long boardwalk. The scenery is stunning. You can also find lots of information about the rainforest on several information boards. The 2.7-kilometre walk leads around the boardwalk. Due to all the rain, this path was too muddy for us.

Marrdja Boardwalk

The Marrdja Boardwalk takes you through an impressive marshland landscape. On the approximately 45-minute Maardja Trail, you can see a unique mangrove landscape and get the necessary background knowledge from the information boards.

Dubuji Boardwalk

The Dubuji Boardwalk also takes around 45 minutes and leads you from the car park through a fantastic mangrove swamp, past gigantic ferns. You can then walk directly to Myall Beach via the picnic area. If you stay at the Cape Trib campsite, you can walk from the campsite to the Dubuji Boardwalk across the beach.

Kulki Cape Tribulation Lookout and Walk

The short boardwalk from the car park to the lookout is worthwhile, even in rainy weather. From the Cape Tribulation Lookout, we had a magnificent view of the waves crashing against the mangroves in the direction of the misty rainforests and the endless – in this case, grey – sea.

The beach at Cape Tribulation is rugged and wild and evokes an absolute Robinson Crusoe feeling. However, the amenities are much more comfortable – picnic tables and a toilet block in the car park.

Cassowaries in the Daintree National Park

Cassowaries are considered the most dangerous birds in the world, as they can kick quite a bit. They jump into the air and kick with both powerful legs at once. If you encounter a cassowary, you must remain calm and back away slowly. If you encounter an aggressive Cassowary, make sure you have a tree between you and the animal or hold your rucksack before you.