Virtual Tour of Daintree Rainforest

Explore the lush wilderness of the Daintree Rainforest without getting off your couch with this virtual tour.

Situated north of Cairns, the Daintree Rainforest is a World Heritage Listed region home to lush tropical vegetation, pristine sandy beaches and incredible biodiversity. So climb aboard our virtual tour bus as we take you to explore this magical region via your computer screen.

• Rex Lookout

  Travelling along the Captain Cook Highway northbound out of Cairns, we arrive at our first stop on the virtual tour – Rex Lookout. Get your camera ready to capture the stunning views over the brilliant blue of the Coral Sea, Trinity Bay and the surrounding verdant mountains. The stunning lookout point is a popular stop for travellers on the way to the Daintree Rainforest, and a favoured launching pad for hang gliders to soar down to the sandy Wangetti Beach below.

• Mossman Gorge

  Continuing our journey north, the vegetation thickens as we enter the Daintree Rainforest. We make a stop at the Mossman Gorge to meander the walking trails amongst the lush rainforest and enjoy the peace of the Mossman River as the water rushes over the rocks. Pack your bathers for a refreshing dip in a waterhole or follow the 2.4-kilometre Rainforest Circuit for a delightful wander under the tree canopy.

  Mossman Gorge is a rich habitat for hundreds of plant, bird, reptile and animal species. Keep your eyes peeled for the electric blue wings of the Ulysses butterfly or the vibrant orange neck of the Australian brush turkey as you explore the forest. The traditional custodians of the area are the Kuku Yalanji people, who have lived in unity with the environment for thousands of years. You can learn more about their life on the land at the Mossman Gorge Centre, where you can also view beautiful examples of Aboriginal arts and crafts.

• Crocodile Spotting Cruise

  All aboard our virtual boat to potter down the Daintree River on a wildlife-spotting cruise. Look out for the various birds and reptiles that call the Daintree Rainforest home, including the prehistoric saltwater crocodile. The Daintree River is believed to be home to around 70 adult crocodiles that can be spotted lazing on the riverbanks and disguised in the foliage on shore. Crocodiles are extremely territorial, usually keeping to the same area, and are well known to the local guides who will point any crocs out to you and provide you with fascinating facts abouts the ancient reptiles.

  Crocodiles are one of the oldest animals on the planet, surviving virtually unchanged for over 200 million years. Saltwater crocodile adult males can grow to a massive six metres in length, and while females are smaller, they can still reach up to three metres. The terrifying jaw houses 68 sharp teeth and is capable of a powerful bite that, when coupled with the horrible death roll, is fatal to whatever prey the crocodile has its eyes on.

  Living in mangrove swamps near rivers, crocodiles breed once a year in the hot wet season, laying up to 50 eggs that are buried and incubated for three months. The temperature of the eggs during incubation determines the gender of the eggs with cooler temperatures producing females and warmer more males. They will spend their days lazing about on the riverbanks, often seen with their mouth open to regulate their body temperature, and are active hunters at night. Despite the large number of eggs, only 1% of crocodiles will make it to adulthood, with a maximum lifespan of 70 years.

• Mount Alexandra Lookout

  Crossing to the other side of the Daintree River after the wildlife cruise, we arrive in the heart of the rainforest. For unparalleled views of the surrounding region we climb to the Mount Alexandra Lookout where we can admire the rainforest down to the beach below and the Great Barrier Reef in the waters beyond. This impressive viewpoint, known as Walu Wugirriga to the East Kuku Yalanji people, was named after Alexandra of Denmark, wife of King Edward VII and the Queen consort of Great Britain.

• Cape Tribulation Beach

  Welcome to paradise! With palm lined beaches, stunning blue water, and abundant rainforest it’s hard to imagine a more perfect tropical destination than Cape Tribulation. This is where the rainforest really does meet the reef, as the Daintree Rainforest grows right to the shore and the Great Barrier Reef can be seen just below the surface of the sparkling water. If you are lucky enough to have this beach to yourself on your visit, you could be forgiving for thinking you had washed up on a remote tropical island.

  So why does such a picture perfect have such an ominous name? Well, obviously James Cook couldn’t see the beauty in the area when his boat, the Endeavour, ran aground on reef nearby in 1770. After the ship was damaged, he named the north point Cape Tribulation since “here begun all our troubles”. Later settlers also struggled with the challenging conditions of the area, with attempts to settle the area in 1930s abandoned and access remaining 4WD only until the early 1990s. Eventually though, the area was given the recognition it deserves when it was granted World Heritage Listing in 1988.

• Marrdja Boardwalk

  Enjoy an amazing opportunity to wander through 350 million years of flora evolution in 45 minutes at the Marrdja Boardwalk. The 1.2-kilometre loop walk displays the incredible plant diversity of the Daintree Rainforest through examples of the various stages of plant evolution including ferns, pines, mangroves, palms and spectacular flowering plants. Informative plaques provide you with details about the plants and the variety and changes in vegetation over the short walk is astonishing. Twitchers will enjoy the bird watching opportunities, while crabs can be spotted in the mangrove mud and small fish swim in the creek below the bridge. It’s a fascinating trip through the Daintree Rainforest.

While this virtual tour offers a taste of some of the amazing sites you can visit in the Daintree Rainforest, nothing beats being here in person. We hope to see you soon!

Related article: What’s the difference between our Daintree Rainforest tours?