Cairns & the Tropical North
Top activities in Cairns & the Tropical North

Cape Tribulation, Mossman Gorge, and Daintree Rainforest Day Trip from Cairns or Port Douglas

Cairns, Australia

From USD 114.33

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Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Cairns & the Tropical North Tours
All Cairns & the Tropical North Tours
Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Private and Luxury
Unique Experiences
  • 10 to 12 hours (approx.)
  • Pickup from select hotels
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

Overview

Immerse yourself in the natural wonders and Aboriginal heritage of Australia’s tropical north on this full-day tour from Cairns. First, head to the Mossman Gorge to take part in a traditional smoke ceremony with the indigenous Kuku Yalanji people. Then, enjoy a close encounter with native wildlife on the Marrdja Botanical Boardwalk and visit Cape Tribulation, the meeting point of the UNESCO-listed Great Barrier Reef and Daintree rainforest. After lunch at Cape Trib Beach House, embark on a scenic cruise along the Daintree River (optional).
  • Take part in a traditional Aboriginal smoke ceremony in the Mossman Gorge
  • See the meeting point of two UNESCO-listed wonders at Cape Tribulation – the Great Barrier Reef and Daintree Rainforest
  • Travel by comfortable, air-conditioned coach
  • Great-value tour includes hotel pick-up, lunch and activities

What's Included

  • Welcome to Country ceremony & Mossman Gorge
  • Daintree River cruise (if option selected when booking)
  • Lunch
  • Live commentary on board
  • Local guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Daintree River Cruise
  • Breakfast (available for purchase at Mossman Gorge)
  • Ice cream (available for purchase at the optional stop Floravilla)

Meeting And Pickup

Pickup points

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Start time

Opening hours

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Pickup details

Please contact us for an accurate pickup time. Approximate pickup times - South Cairns 07.05 Cairns City 07.20 - 07.50 Trinity Beach 08.05 Palm Cove 08.15 ***********************Pickup time in Port Douglas 08.55 - 09.15 am ********************* Please be at your pickup location 5 minutes prior to pickup time and allow upto 10 minutes after pickup time - we will be with you as promptly as possible.

What To Expect

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
  • Children must be accompanied by an adult
  • Child Age 2-11 years old
  • Children under the age of 2 must sit on parents lap whilst travelling in the bus
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Adult is from 12 years and over
  • Most travellers can participate
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 27 travellers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

Traveller Photos

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Traveller Tips

While it is a 12 hour day on a bus, there are plenty of stop points to allow for a stretch of the legs and a bathroom break.
Carlos was great!so knowledgable, We had a great time all the time.. Its a long trip I highly recommend not to bring little kids!
It is a 12 hour day from pick-up to drop off but what you experience on this tour will stay with you for a long time.
Reviews
4.5
1,097 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travellers.
Showing 1-10 of 1,097 reviews
Part fun, part frightening adventure to Daintree
Michelle_M, Mar 2023
Our day trip started out fantastic with our guide Stu being super fun and entertaining. We had a great time in Mossman Gorge going for a swim, and the cruise along the river was pleasant, although we only saw 3 tiny baby crocodiles. We then took off to Cape Tribulation for lunch. When crossing the creeks on the way there, it was amazing how close to the road the water level was at the bridges. It was pouring, and in my opinion, we should have headed back to Cairns then and skipped lunch. The lunch was fine, but nothing special and no views to make this a “destination stop”. We ended up hanging out and watching the downpour (which I guess was part of the rainforest experience). Then, when we tried to drive back, the road was flooded and we were trapped! We had to drive back to Cape Trib and we sat at covered outdoor picnic tables outside of the lunch cafe for 3-4 hours not knowing if we would be stuck overnight. Again the guides Stu and Esther were awesome and tried to keep everyone calm and cheerful, but it was stressful. Many of us on the trip had flights or other expensive tours the next day that we would miss. Eventually, the rain slowed and brave Stu went out with a 4WD and determined the creek crossings were safe (even with some water still flowing over the bridges on the overflowing creeks). We ended up making it back to our hotel 13 hours after our departure and doing only half the activities planned for the tour. It was an adventure and I realize that the tour operator does not control nature. However, they should warn people that there is a small chance that you may not make it back to Cairns that day and should cancel if there is this much rain. It would be amazing if they would refund some of the tour price since we were a family of 4 so the frightening “experience” cost us over $540 USD.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Michelle, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review. Weather can be very unpredictable and rain this time of year is common as we are in our wet season 😊 I understand the day took a turn as heavy rain hit Cape Tribulation and delayed the departure but our guide’s number one priority was to keep everyone safe and get them home without any overnight delays. Every tour (tours,flights,transport) has unforeseen circumstances as we experienced on that day, and we did our best for what we can control 😊 As you pointed out we can not control nature. Our guides did an excellent job getting everyone home safely.
The best tour guide Stewart (Stu)
Kim_K, Mar 2023
Stewart (Stu) was the best tour guide, driver, logger (he had to cut and clear a fallen tree off the road). His personality is so very suited to being a tour guide. A real character and knowledgable too. Thoroughly enjoy our trip even when we got delayed due to heavy rain. Our safety and comfort was his priority.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review 😊 Stu is such a valuable tour guide hear at Cairns Adventure group and feedback like this is so fantastic! Will definitely be sharing with him!
Awesome day
Nora_V, Mar 2023
Our driver/ guide Chris was very professional and knowledgable. He made sure we experience and see as much as possible - it was a great day!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thank you for your review 😊 Great feedback to pass over to Chris!
Poor communication and a rushed tour
Harriet_F, Mar 2023
They were 40 mins late to pick me up with no contact which I was told was due to me not having an Australian number which seems ridiculous seems as I called them to confirm the tour from a UK number and these tours are catered for international travellers as much as domestic. The tour was rushed and we spent hardly anytime places because we were behind schedule. Communication was atrocious and overall the company weren’t helpful in resolving any issues. The mossman gorge was lovely but I wish we had more than 40 mins to race round before getting back on the bus. The welcome ceremony is short but lovely and nice to learn about the aboriginal culture. The crocodile cruise was good and we did see a crocodile despite it being the wrong time of year for them and the croc guide was great. Just the overall organisation of the tour was poor and after waiting 40 mins in the hot sun I was already annoyed and the day didn’t get much better.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi Harriet, Thanks for your feedback. I can understand your frustration with waiting for a bus pick up and I’m sorry to hear you weren’t happy with the itinerary and felt the day was rushed. We always strive to give everyone an amazing experience and never like to hear that someone was left dissatisfied. Thank you for travelling with us and we hope you enjoy the rest of your time in FNQ.
Thanks Damian
Fabio_R, Mar 2023
Damian was the best!.. really skilled and knowledgeable!.. thanks so much for being our guide!.. you are a Star mate!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to leave us and Damien such a great review 😊
Great timez
Alvin_Y, Mar 2023
Jordan was an excellent guide. Very knowledgeable and offered a lot of insight into each part of the trip.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review 😊 Jordan is very passionate and reviews like this show 😊
Our tour guide Damian was...
Helena_H, Mar 2023
Our tour guide Damian was the best! Friendly, interesting as well as interested in what his guest had to tell. There was a bit of everything in that day trip. Food, rainforest, walks and a swim. Great day! The bushwalk could have been a bit longer though in my opinion.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Such great feedback so thank you for taking the time to leave us a review 😊 Reviews like this are so fantastic to share with Damien and the rest of our team 😊
Awesome day!
James_H, Mar 2023
Our guide Jordan made the day wonderful. Enjoyed swimming in mossman gourge and the river cruise. The ice cream stop was delicious.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi James, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review 😊 Sounds like you had a great day out with Jordan!
Fab day out.
vnythwgvrp, Mar 2023
Great day out! It is very long day though and you are on the bus a good chunk of the day- Australia is a big country so don’t be surprised! Our tour guide was lovely and you could see he was genuinely excited when he talked about the rainforest. I would recommend to do the boat cruise as you’ll be sitting on the bus while the rest of the group is doing that activity. All in all a great day out just be prepared to be sitting a lot! 😂
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to tell us about your trip 😊 So glad you enjoyed it and can appreciate the beauty even with a bit of bus time between stops 😊 Our guides are very passionate about the rainforest and definitely shows when we read reviews like this 😊
Visiting Port Douglas was...
garypurvis47, Mar 2023
Visiting Port Douglas was very good but visiting Mosman and the Aboriginal Centre was the highlight.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to leave us a review and share your highlights with us 😊
Not a good tour in the summer if you do not tolerate heat and humidity well
MaryAnn_S, Mar 2023
Too much travel time in an uncomfortable bus. Participants should be required to report to one or two central locations for pickup. We spent close to an hour picking up all the participants and the same amount of time returning everyone to their location. Fine if you are last to be picked up and first to be dropped off, Otherwise it is miserable. Not a good tour to do in the summer months if you do not function well in extreme heat and humidity. Also during this time you will not see many if any crocs on the river Cruise. Mossman Gorge is lovely and the rainforest is interesting. Lunch was just ok. Tour guide was just ok. I was always wondering what we were doing. Not enough explanation of what was happening at the moment. Too laid back for me.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to write us a review! We are sorry to hear the heat and humidity of the FNQ weather dampened your day. We have started a bus pick-up consolidation and hoping this will filter out a long time on the bus while we complete our pick-up and drop-off list. Glad to hear you enjoyed Mossman Gorge 😊 We certainly are lucky to be surrounded by such a beautiful place!
Scenic but long drive
Veronica_G, Mar 2023
Was happy to experience everything on this tour but it was a very long day of driving from stop to stop for a quick visit to get back in the bus. The driver also helps make the trip more exciting in our case they could have used a bit more knowledge and few less stories of how crocs have injured humans. The cruise is worth paying more otherwise you sit on the bus and wait for an hour. Mossman Gorge is beautiful and gives you some bit of time to jump in.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi, Thank you for taking the time to share your day with us! Sorry to hear you felt driving to each location was too long, I can understand you may have been disappointed by this. But glad to hear your overall experience was a happy one and that you enjoyed the beautiful Mossman Gorge 😊
Super fun day!
john_f, Mar 2023
Tom, the tour guide was great. It was his last day. Might be the best tour guide we have been with in our travels all over the world.
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Hi John, We miss Tom already ☹ thank you so much for the exceptional review and will definitely pass this over to Tom!
Absolutely outstanding day trip!
ALISHA_K, Mar 2023
Absolutely outstanding trip today! We were so lucky to have had Carlos as our guide! He has SO MUCH knowledge and was able to share so many important details about everything, along with his amazing sense of humor and laser focus on our safety! We left feeling as though we had learned so much about the ecosystem, animals, plants and some of the history of the area and country. On top of all of that we saw crocodiles, cassowary and so much more! This is by far the best tour my family and I have ever had anywhere, and we left RAVING about it! We are so glad we booked it. 1000000% worth it!
Response from Host, Mar 2023
Thanks for taking the time to tell us about how outstanding your day was with our amazing guide Carlos! We are thrilled to hear that it was the best tour your family has done. Thanks for traveling with us and we hope you all enjoy the rest of your trip!
Cape tribulation was...
TalAya_S, Feb 2023
Cape tribulation was nice, the ceremony was short but good. The Mossman gorge was self walk with zero guidance.. Croc tour was great, but different guide and can be done individually . The lunch was basic, small portions, most people complained they are still hungry. The Daintree Rainforest was slightly better, first time the guide really started to talk, which was great. Very informative and we wish we could have heard more. Summing up, we came to hear aboriginal culture, nature, and wildlife. We got maybe 40% of what we expected. We can’t really blame the guide which did his best but he lacked information, and the trip need improvements. Was too expansive compare to what we received
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hi TalAya Thanks for taking the time to write a review and for passing on your feedback. Our guides have a vast knowledge of the region’s wildlife, rainforest and world heritage areas and are passionate about sharing this, so I am surprised to read that you found they lacked information. On the day you travelled the roads at Mossman Gorge were closed due to flooding and this meant that the shuttle bus was cancelled and therefore our guide was unable to take you on a guided rainforest walk. I can understand your disappointment as we were just as disappointed as you. We apologise that the tour didn’t meet all your expectations and you were left feeling dissatisfied as this is never how we want our guests to feel. Thank you for traveling with us we hope you enjoy the rest of your time in the region.
Amazing Experience
Sangeetha_P, Feb 2023
Amazing rain forest experience. Despite the rainy weather, we got to see the rain forest, crossed a fast flowing river, cruised up and down Daintree river, walking in the rain forest etc. Activist tours and guide Carlos made it a great trip.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
We are so pleased to hear you had an amazing experience and appreciate you sharing this with us! Carlos will be very happy when he hears about your wonderful review!
More time on bus than outside, boring!
Luke_o, Feb 2023
Not a great trip, I felt like we spent more time on the bus going from place to place than actually seeing anything exciting or worth paying the money for. You only spend about an hour in the Mossman gorge and after that about half an hour everywhere else, I wouldn’t say it was worth the money in the slightest.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thanks for taking the time to tell us about your day! It's disappointing to read that you felt you didn't see anything exciting whilst visiting the world's oldest living rainforest and the only place where two World Heritage sites live side by side. Thanks for traveling with us and we hope you enjoy the rest of your time in TNQ!
Day out not to be missed
Peter_G, Feb 2023
Fantastic day john our guide was amazing so full of knowledge had an amazing day out great value for money.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thanks for traveling with us Peter_G! It's great to hear how much you enjoyed the day visiting the gorgeous Cape Tribulation, Daintree and Mossman Gorge! We will pass on your lovely feedback to John!
Daintree Forrest
Ansatasia_J, Feb 2023
Such a great experience! Guide was very knowledgeable. The aboriginal smoking ceremony was such an unique experience.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Thanks for leaving us a review Ansata it's fantastic to hear you had a great experience and enjoyed the traditional smoke ceremony and welcome to country! Thank you for traveling with us!
An average excursion to the rainforest
Daniel_H, Feb 2023
Our trip to the rainforest itself was good. I thought we were going to see more wildlife, all we did was walk on a path through the rainforest. That part was interesting but not amazing. Our tour guide provided a lot of information but without any emotion. He was very dull and very drab. He also did not provide a lot of direction or timeframes. We left to our own idea of where to go and how much time to use at stops.
Response from Host, Feb 2023
Hi Daniel_H thanks for taking the time to write a review! I'm surprised to read your feedback regarding your guide on the day, as this the complete opposite to feedback we receive consistently. Sorry the tour left you disappointed as this is never our aim! Thanks for choosing to travel with us and we hope you enjoy the rest of your time in FNQ!
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