For those who love nature, Cape Tribulation is the place to be. It’s where the reef meets the rain forest, and it’s hot and humid year-round. There are several tours leaving from Cairns and Port Douglas, but Jungle Tours has the best reputation for being fun and complete.
Rainforest Habitat-Port Douglas
This wildlife sanctuary is a beautiful habitat for animals of the region. It’s comprised of three enclosures over eight acres in Port Douglas. The spaces are recreations of the animals’ natural habitats, and are thus categorised:
The Wetlands house all types of birds, and visitors can even have their meals with the birds in the small restaurant.
The Rainforest houses a variety of local animals, from frogs to cassowaries, dragons and fish.
The Grasslands is the largest, and it is open-air. Here, kangaroos and wallabies jump around, and enormous pelicans sit in the shade.
But there is much more to this habitat… there are koalas and snakes, emus and bats, crocodiles and ducks. It’s a good way to start getting acquainted with the region and a great opportunity to see how these animals behave in the wild.
Mossman Gorge
Then there is a stop at Mossman Gorge, in the Daintree Rainforest, about 80 km north of Cairns. The rainforest is lush and the water is cool and crystal clear. The huge, smooth rocks in and around the water make perfect spots for sun-baking and taking in the sights.
Lunch is part of the package with the tour, and the stop is it at a beautiful house with amazing views. It’s a delicious lunch, too, and there are several options.
Daintree River and Rainforest
After lunch and some tea, there is a boat ride through the rainforest. The Daintree River is wide, its banks covered in mangroves. Crocodiles inhabit this area, but are hard to spot amidst the thick greenery and branches.
All types of birds, insects, reptiles and small mammals and marsupials inhabit this forest, making it a diverse region which still maintains virgin rainforest. Also, certain plants have changed very little since the last ice age, making this is an intricate, unique and delicate ecosystem. It has been a national park since 1988.
There is camping and accommodation in some areas of the national park, as well as day tours, like Jungle Tours. At the end of the tour, visitors can be dropped of at Cape Tribulation, or taken back to Cairns, arriving back in time for dinner.
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