The reason you clicked on this post is because you are looking for an ADVENTURE!
In this post I will share with you how to spend a week exploring the region of Tropical North Queensland, Australia.
Tropical North Queensland is situated in the North East part of Australia. The big appeal to visiting this region is the tropical climate which makes it a great destination to visit all year round. From diving in crystal blue waters to exploring the vast area of the Daintree rainforest! Tropical North Queensland has it all.
The most famous part of this region of Queensland is the Great Barrier Reef. An area the size of Italy which holds so much beauty, history and adventure.
I have recommended a week in this travel guide which is a rough estimate. I have visited this area twice and feel that this is the perfect amount of time to cover the top sights. You may wish to spend more or less time depending on your trip. I hope you find this travel guide useful in planning your trip. I will include a full PDF list at the bottom for your reference. Even if you don't follow this guide I hope it provides you with lots of fun activities and sights to include in your trip to Tropical North Queensland.
You will most likely start your adventure by landing in Cairns airport. Cairns is a small city with a calm, laid back atmosphere. The two main ways to get from the airport to city centre is a $15 bus ride or an Uber which would set you back around $20 for this short ten minute ride.
My biggest recommendation for this trip is to hire a Campervan. This will give you ultimate freedom and flexibility. On my Cairns adventure I used Travellers Autobarn , I only have good things to say about them. Alternatively you could hire a car and stay in hotels.
Day 1 - Exploring Cairns
Cairns city has a lot to offer with all year round warm weather and a laid back lifestyle. The city is full of quirky little cafes and bars by the water. It is likely you will find yourself wanting to explore all the city has to offer before venturing out. On this day I would recommend you book one of the tours listed in day 2.
A few top things to do in Cairns include:
Visit Cairns botanical gardens
Chill by the lagoon
Discover the night markets
Visit the art gallery at Cairns CBD
Take a helicopter ride over the Great Barrier Reef.
Day 2 - The Great Barrier Reef
Now this is when the real adventure starts. The reason you came to Queensland - to visit the Great Barrier Reef. Cairns is the hub to most tours out on the Great Barrier Reef. I would recommend booking a tour the day before. If you are interested in diving in the Great Barrier Reef there are tours that range from introductory scuba diving to more advanced.
Alternatively you could snorkel or book one of the many other tours on offer. There are two other popular day trips to take from Cairns which are:
The Green Island Tour - (pictured left)
- The Green island tour will set you back around $95 for a full day tour which includes transport and snorkel. If you are looking for a more laid back day I would recommend choosing this tour.
The Fitzroy island tour
- This day trip is more adventurous as there are hiking trails you can do around the island. It is also home to the great "Nudey Beach" (not actually a nude beach its just the name) This tour is $86 for the transfer only, you can pay for a snorkel and various add ons.
Whatever tour you choose to do both offer clear ocean views and pristine white sand beaches.
Most tours get you back to Cairns between 4-5pm. I would recommend heading North and staying in the small cosy town of Mossman for the night. I camped in Mossman Pool and Caravan Park.
Day 3 - The Mossman Gorge and Daintree Rainforest.
The top sight to see in Mossman is The Mossman Gorge. I would recommend spending around 2 hours here, entry is $15 and can be booked online or on arrival. At the Mossman Gorge there is a walking trail that takes you around the Daintree rainforest before you can take a refreshing dip in the Gorge.
Daintree River Cruise
After spending the morning in Mossman Gorge it’s time to see a few of Australia's beautiful creatures. Once you start heading north you will see lots of signs for "River Cruises" I can only recommend Bruce Belchers River Cruise. The tours run several times per day and you spend 2 hours going up and down the Daintree River. The guide was incredibly funny. Telling great stories whilst showing you some of Australia's locals including crocodiles, snakes and spiders.
To cross over into the Daintree Forrest you will need to purchase a ferry ticket which is $45 return. The ferry is the gateway to the Daintree Rainforest that runs regularly throughout the day. Be aware you will lose phone service, I barely had any service whilst over the river.
My biggest accommodation recommendation for this trip is spending a night at Daintree Rainforest Village. This was my favourite campsite on the whole trip. It is well equipped with a kitchen, bathroom and most importantly a campfire to spend the evening chatting and roasting marshmallows. If you are lucky you may even spot some cassowaries roaming around. Below is where we woke up in the middle of the peaceful Daintree rainforest.
Day 4 Cape Tribulation
After waking up in the beautiful Daintree rainforest to lush greenery and the sound of silence start your morning by driving north and exploring the area known as Cape Tribulation. This drive is short but there is plenty of points of interest on the journey.
These include:
Madja boardwalk
Mount Alexandra lookout
Masons swimming hole
Myall beach
Cape tribulation beach
If you are on one of the many beaches in this area you should stay away from the water due to crocodiles. The water is also home to snakes, stingers and sharks. There are plenty of signs around but its best to be aware.
Cape Tribulation is a small region and I found it to be extremely relaxing, its a great place to spend your day beach hopping, exploring the trails and viewpoints.
A great spot for lunch is WHET cafe which has a rustic outdoor area perfect for eating amongst the rainforest.
There is limited accommodation in Cape Tribulation so make sure you book your accommodation before you arrive. I stayed at Ocean Safari Lodge which had lodge cabins as well as camping spaces.
Day 5 - Mackay Reef
This was the number 1 activity that I would recommend on my Tropical North Queensland travel guide.
The tour was booked with Ocean Safari, Cape Tribulation. The tour runs twice per day giving you the option to go out in the
morning or afternoon. The guys on this tour share so much knowledge of the reef whilst making sure you have a great time.
The cool thing about this tour is that you can spend your time right in the middle of two world heritage sites. The Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. The tour lasts between 4-5 hours, you get to snorkel on two isolated parts of the reef before relaxing out on a stunning sand cay. (pictured left)
During the ocean safari tour you visit two snorkelling spots with no other boats in sight. This gives you the rare opportunity to enjoy the reef all to yourself. It was an absolute dream. I mean just check out this photo below it speaks for itself.
If you did want to drive any further north towards Cape York, (which a lot of people do) you would 100% need a 4x4. After the tour Ocean Safari drop you off at their cafe where you can refuel before the next stop: PORT DOUGLAS.
Port Douglas is south of the Daintree Rainforest. Port Douglas is a relaxed seaside village known for its beautiful resorts and palm trees. It’s a great place to chill out and enjoy the beach. The most popular beach in port Douglas is 4 mile beach. There is a short walk you can do which takes you to the most scenic point in the city.
There are plenty of campsites and resorts you can check into and relax for the afternoon/evening.
Day 6 - An action packed day
Grab a coffee and go for a morning beach walk before leaving Port Douglas. The first stop of the day is Thala Nature Reserve, this is a resort you can stay at however I think it makes a great photo spot. It’s a small detour off the Captain Cook Highway that you won’t want to miss.
There is signage that says to be respectful when taking photos and walking around the grounds. What you will come across is a field lined with beautiful palm trees. (pictured below)
Next stop: Kuranda village
Kuranda village is situated just a 20 minute drive out of Cairns city. Kuranda Village is home to the beautiful and colourful Kuranda village markets which are only open at the weekends. You can grab food, funky clothes and just bask in the ambience of a market in the worlds oldest rainforest. If you wanted to ride to Kuranda in style check out the Scenic railway.
You could easily spend a full day in Kuranda village and do the following:
Pamagirri experience
Kuranda markets
Scenic railway from cairns
Barron falls
One of my favourite things to do when travelling is understand and learn new cultures. The Aboriginal culture is rooted deep in Australian history and something you can learn about at The Rainforestation Nature Park.
With lots of activities on offer the one we choose was the Pamagirri experience which included: Aboriginal dancing, didgeridoo and boomerang throwing.
You could either spent your final night in Cairns or drive down to mission beach which is what we choose to do.
I had heard really good things about mission beach however when we visited it was very quiet and there wasn’t much atmosphere. (this was based on a visit in July 2022)
Day 7 Waterfalls day
Tropical North Queensland is known for having luscious waterfalls nestled in the rainforest. You couldn't visit without spending a day checking out some of the natural wonders of this region.
My best advice for this final day: Start at Milla Milla falls.
Possibly the most famous waterfalls in Australia! (I only know it because of Peter Andre’s Mysterious girl music video)
We got here at 8am and had the whole waterfalls to ourselves. This was my second visit to Milla Milla falls. If you go later in the day there are regular tour buses that visit this site making it hard to great photos and have it all to yourself.
The water was very cold but such a good way to freshen up. If you're up for the challenge swim under the waterfall and feel the power of the water. This is not for the faint hearted as the water is FREEZING but a great way to start your day.
After Milla Milla falls follow the waterfalls circuit round to Elinje falls and Zillie falls.
Then head to Innisfail for a spot of lunch. Innisfail is a small town which we only stopped at for lunch but it’s a good way to see a different side to Australian towns. At the time of writing this blog I live in Sydney so it was a cool experience to visit a small town in Australia.
To cool off after the whole adventure of Tropical North Queensland the final stop of the trip is Josephine falls. Josephine falls has a natural water slide which leads to the swimming hole. You could spend an hour or even longer taking a dip in the refreshing clear water after using natures very own waterslide.
That concludes our 7 day Tropical North Queensland trip. I really hope you have found this blog useful. If you want to see more please considering subscribing to my YouTube channel where all the fun goes down!
You can watch the full series here:
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
Part 4:
FULL PDF LIST:
I’m Dain, a travel content creator from England who has traveled through 40+ countries before moving to Australia on a working holiday visa. If you want the full story on how this happened click here: About me.
Take care and peace out!
Dain.
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