Daintree Rainforest Area

With the world's oldest rainforest, very lush indeed, it's on many people's bucket list.

Pristine and in far north Queensland, but don't expect it untouched.

The area may be remote but is quite heavily commercialised, making it very different from the Cape York peninsula.


It is also a lot wetter, located in the 'Wet Tropics', unlike the northern rainforests on the peninsula.

It is located just south of the peninsula in the area between Cairns and Cooktown (even more correctly between Mossman and Wujal Wujal), and the area is actually quite vaguely defined.

Not nearly all is covered in national park, there is also the village and some farms.

Daintree National Park
The National Park has two different sections - the southern - Mossman Gorge area being a lot less remote, and the northern, Cape Tribulation section being the more remote one tucked between the Daintree river in the south and Bloomefield Road and Bloomfield River in the north.

Daintree Rainforest
Daintree rainforest is the most famous tropical rainforest in Australia. It is very beautiful and lush, and it contains a lot of different plant and animal species. But the most special thing is that it is the oldest rainforest in the world. If you take the coastal way you will at least drive through it.

Daintree Village
Daintree Village is a cute little township with a few shops, food outlets and a grocery shop, and a few places to stay. Most famously for the adventurous Cape York travellers, just north of the village  is the start of the fun and adventurous CREB Track.

Daintree River
Daintree River you cross on a ferry (unless you do the CREB Track). The river is one of the best places in Australia to see crocodiles in the wild. There are many river tours so if you didn't spot a crocodile up on the peninsula this is where you can take a crocodile tour.

Daintree Accommodation
Daintree Village accommodation is mostly lodges and bed and breakfast, but there are a lot of lodges, resorts, hotels, motels, backpacker hostels, beach houses, bed and breakfast accommodation and even a farmstay amongst Cape Tribulation accommodation.

Daintree River

Daintree River starts up in the hills not far from Bloomfield and for a big part forms the border of Daintree National Park and Timber Reserve.

It's the river you cross on CREB Track, and later as is passes through Daintree Village it widens before coming out just south of the area of Cape Tribulation.
   

A good way to discover it is by boat, and if you don't have one, there are plenty of tour operators to take you around.
   

There is some Daintree rainforest wildlife to see,
   

... including the deadly saltwater crocodiles.

Daintree River Ferry

There is no bridge across Daintree river so crossing along the main way it still means catching a ferry.



Daintree River Ferry is the only way to get across Daintree River at this spot.
   

That's on the coastal road and not the CREB Track where you drive through it.
   

The crossing is about 50km north of Port Douglas, and north of the river is the Cape Tribulation section of Daintree rainforests.
   

If you continue the coastal road up from there you come via Bloomfield Road and Rossville - Bloomfield Road to Cooktown.
   

Daintree River Facts

* The 140km long Daintree river runs through thick tropical rainforest and is surrounded by features like Daintree Range, Thorton Peak and Black Mountain.

* Closer to the coast it runs through mangrove habitat while farther away from the coast it turns into a freshwater river.

* Its mouth is in Coral Sea, just north of Daintree village and south of Cape Tribulation - about 100km north of Cairns.

* At its mouth is a sandbar that does not only change with every Wet season but every tide - making the entrance very hard for any ships.

* Captain Cook missed the river so it was discovered 100 years later during the days of gold rush.

* The Queensland Gold commissioner Dalrymple who discovered it named the river and the area after Richard Daintree, a geologist. 

* With so much rainforest it is obvious that the area gets a lot of rain, which is when Daintree River can quickly flood.

* The Kuku Yulanji Aboriginal people are believed to have lived on the banks od Daintree river for about nine thousand years.

* The animals that live in or near the river include  the deadly saltwater crocodiles.

* There is an endemic possum restricted to the upper reaches of this river - the Cinereus ringtail possum Pseudochirulus cinereus.

* The plants of the rainforest are many, but an endemic one to the areas near this river is an ancient she-oak from the time of Gondwana continent.

Daintree Rainforest Tours

There are many different Daintree tours.

They often go to Mossman Gorge and Cape Tribulation, and often include a crocodile spotting cruise on Daintree River.

Some include four wheel drives, others guided rainforest walks, and some also take you to Daintree Discovery Centre and the Rainforest Habiat Wildlife Sanctuary.

Some tours are run by local Aboriginal guides and include learning a bit of Aboriginal culture and trying bush tucker.

The full list of all Daintree tours with full details, prices and contact information is in the Destination Guide.

Daintree Rainforest Map

First, there is a HEMA map that covers the area, and in the end of the page there is an interactive Google map.

There are a few boardwalks in this section, which take you through some rainforest, as well as mangrove habitat. But first, the HEMA map:

It is a great map that covers not only Daintree but the whole area between Cairns and Cooktown.

Daintree is a large part of it in the middle.

The map is very detailed and also has the local tourist information and photos.

It is a great map that I use myself and always recommend.

HEMA maps are the best maps you can get.

Daintree Village

Daintree Village is a small rainforest village south of Daintree River.

Like many other rainforest villages, it is often rainy.

It is a nice little community with a grocery shop and a restaurant,



.. a tourist information centre, a Timber Gallery, a Community Hall, and ..



.. a few different accommodation and tour operators (including some popular crocodile spotting cruises). 



There are about four streets all together; and fuel is available.
 


Not far is Daintree River Ferry that takes you to Cape Tribulation.



This is also where the famous CREB Track starts.

Daintree Accommodation

Many of the places are bed and breakfast accommodation, others are luxury lodges and spas.

The places on this page are in or around Daintree Village (except the last one which is near Mossman), you may also want to have a look at Cape Tribulation Accommodation.

Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa
Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa is just outside Daintree Village.
It has villas with mini bars, tea and coffee makers, satellite TVs, inhouse movies, CD players and screened bathrooms scattered through the rainforest.
There is a small lobby, an on site restaurant, a spa, a sundeck and an undercover swimming pool.
 

Daintree Escape B & B
Daintree Escape B & B is located centrally in Daintree Village.

It has private bungalows with timber floors, TVs, CD and DVD players, and coffee and tea making facilities.

In the tropical gardens there is a swimming pool and a poolside bar and lounge.
 

Daintree Valley Haven
Daintree Valley Haven is 8km south of Daintree Village.

Bungalows on a 30 acre property with tropical gardens, BBQs, jacuzzi and walking tracks.

Cabins have queen sized beds, kitchen facilities, insect screens and verandas overlooking a wetlands dam.

Daintree Riverview Lodge
This lodge is located next to the river in Daintree Village.

It has self contained cabins with an extensive deck, and tea and coffee making facilities. There are also camping grounds with unpowered and powered (on request) sites, BBQs, picnic tables and shower and toilet amenities.

Red Mill House
This is a great bed and breakfast place to stay and it is located in the main street in Daintree Village.
 
There is one two-bedroom family unit, two double rooms and two twin rooms. Great large balconies with dining area and a nice swimming pool.
It gets excellent reviews, and lots of them.

Silky Oaks Lodge
Silky Oaks Lodge is just 2km north of Mossman.
It is a luxury retreat with an outdoors swimming pool, spa, massage, beauty centre, tennis courts, golf course, fitness room, a bar and a restaurant.
Rooms have mini bars, coffee and tea making facilities, TVs, CD players, in-house movies, direct dial phones and room service.

Silky Oaks Lodge - Daintree Rainforest Area

Silky Oaks Lodge is north of Mossman.

There is a sign showing where to turn in near the turnoff to Newell Beach.

You turn west - not to the beach but the rainforest side of the road, and the lodge is deep in some very beautiful and lush tropical rainforest.
   

It consists of 50 beautiful and private Tree Houses and River Houses with spa baths and large balconies with rainforest views.
   

The rooms have mini bars, fridges and tea and coffee making facilities as well as CD players, TVs and in-room movies.
   

In the complex there is a swimming pool, a massage and beauty centre, a golf course, tennis courts, a fitness room and a bar and the Treehouse Restaurant with some beautiful views over Mossman River.
   

Other facilities and services include 24 hour reception, room service, laundry service, direct dial phone, internet, safe deposit boxes and currency exchange.
   

There is also a tour desk that helps you discover the area.
   

Plan Your Trip... the FREE Cape York Travel Pocket Guide

Get this 50 pages guide totally for FREE. It contains information that helps you getting started with planning of your trip. You get to make early-stages desicions such as when to go, how long time you should take, how to get there and get around, where to stay (general info), what will it cost.. and a short insight to what is there to see and do in Cape York.

Plan and Bring to the Trip... the full Destination Cape York Travel Guide

This complete 300 pages travel guide is all you need before and during your trip. Besides the background chapters on the peninsula's history and wildlife; and the comprehensive detail about all the places (down to prices, opening hours and full contact detail), it has invaluable information on at least 10 four wheel drive tracks, at least 30 guaranteed FREE camping spots on the Cape (and at least 150 on your way to the Cape), at least 40 best swimming holes, all mapped; as well as practical things - from fuel, roads, wireless internet and mobile phone reception, how to deal with the national parks booking rules; and Aboriginal land entrance and camping permits and alcohol restrictions - to vehicle preparation and accessories and necessary recovery gear by my vehicle-recovery-guy partner). Not to mention locals' tips on how to spot that croc and palm cockatoo ;-)

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