Daintree Rainforest 4WD Tour

from A$239

11 hours 25 mins

Cairns

All Ages (4+)

Free Cancellation (24 hours prior)

Head north from Cairns or Port Douglas in a small group 4WD with Billy Tea Safaris, the locally owned Daintree pioneers running tours since 1983. Cruise the Daintree River for crocs, walk a rainforest boardwalk, cool off in a freshwater creek and stroll Cape Tribulation Beach, with lunch and a Daintree Ice Cream Company cup included.

Quick read before you book.

Run by the Daintree tour pioneers, locally owned since 1983
Small group of up to 20, never a packed coach
Advanced Ecotourism and Respecting Our Culture certified
Scan the riverbanks for saltwater crocodiles and rare birdlife
Keep watch for the elusive southern cassowary
Easy walking, so beginner fitness is all you need

What people say about this operator.

Google Reviews

4.7 Stars|1,071 reviews

What they like?

Guides who know the Daintree inside out, crocs spotted on the river cruise, a creek swim after a hearty lunch and tropical fruit ice cream to finish the day.

What could be better?

Honestly, not much. Days are full on, so grab a front seat if bumpy 4WD tracks bother you, and pack swimmers for the creek.

Summarised by AI, verify on Google Business Profile before booking

Included in this tour.

Hotel pickup and drop off in Cairns City, the Northern Beaches and Port Douglas
Accredited driver guide
Air conditioned, custom built 4WD transport
All National Park fees
Tea or coffee and biscuits at the Daintree River cruise centre
1 hour Daintree River wildlife cruise with light morning tea
Daintree River cable ferry crossing
Alexandra Lookout stop
Guided rainforest boardwalk walk of about 1km
Lunch at a local café
Freshwater swim in a rainforest creek, conditions permitting
Cape Tribulation Beach walk to the photographers' platform
Signature ice cream cup at the Daintree Ice Cream Company

Commonly asked questions.

Pickup is around 7:00am to 7:15am from Cairns City, 7:20am to 7:45am from the Northern Beaches and 8:20am from Port Douglas. You are back around 6:30pm in Cairns or 4:00pm to 4:30pm in Port Douglas, and you should reconfirm your pickup location at least 48 hours before travel.

There are no south side pickups, so make your way to the Billy Tea Safaris office at 287 Draper Street, Parramatta Park to join the tour. Our guide to getting around Cairns without a car covers the easiest ways to get there.

The tour runs in the rain, but your guide may adjust or skip stops for weather, road conditions or safety, especially from December to March. If part of the day is cancelled for weather it is not refunded, but if Billy Tea Safaris cancels the whole day for weather you get a refund.

Cancel more than 24 hours before your tour for a full refund. Late cancellations and missed pickups are not refunded, and if Billy Tea Safaris cancels the tour you are rebooked on the next available departure at no extra cost.

Yes, children aged 4 to 16 are welcome and pay a child price, and a family pass covers 2 adults and 2 children. Children aged 3 and under are not catered for on this tour, though private charters are available for families with infants.

Beginner fitness is fine. The main walk is a boardwalk of about 1km at a slow pace with seating at the entrance, but you need to manage steps unaided or with your own carer, and only small collapsible wheelchairs fit in the vehicle.

Yes, lunch at a local café is included, along with morning tea on the river cruise and an ice cream cup at the Daintree Ice Cream Company. Most dietary requirements can be catered for if you advise them at booking or at least 48 hours before travel.

Pack a hat, sunscreen, a water bottle, a towel, swimmers, insect repellent and some cash or card for extra drinks, and wear flat shoes or sandals rather than thongs. Our guide to what to wear on a Daintree rainforest tour has the full rundown.

Cape Tribulation is about 140km north of Cairns, which is why this is a full day of around 11 hours from the city. Our Cape Tribulation day trip guide explains how the drive and the river crossing work.

Each 4WD carries up to 20 passengers, so you get a small group feel and time to ask your guide questions. On busy days more than one Billy Tea vehicle may be touring the Daintree.

More about this tour.

Billy Tea Safaris has been taking people up to the Daintree since 1983, and this locally owned Cairns crew were the pioneers of Daintree rainforest tours from the city. Instead of a big coach, you ride in a custom built, air conditioned 4WD with a small group of up to 20, guided by a team holding Wet Tropics and Savannah Guide credentials. They are Advanced Ecotourism Certified and Respecting Our Culture certified too, so the day is run with genuine care for this country.Pickups start from 7am in Cairns and 8:20am in Port Douglas, and your guide talks you up the Captain Cook Highway as the coastline rolls by. First up is the Daintree River, with tea or coffee and biscuits at the cruise centre before an hour on the water looking for crocodiles and birdlife over a light morning tea. You cross the river on the cable ferry and climb to Alexandra Lookout for the big panorama, then slow right down on a guided boardwalk of about 1km, with eyes peeled for the elusive southern cassowary.After lunch at a local café, you cool off with a swim in a freshwater rainforest creek when conditions allow, then walk Cape Tribulation Beach out to the photographers' platform. On the way home there is a stop at the Daintree Ice Cream Company for its signature cup, and yes, it is included. You are back in Cairns around 6:30pm, or Port Douglas around 4pm to 4:30pm.Wondering why a small group makes such a difference on a long day like this? Our guide to small group versus coach tours breaks it down. Want the reef as well? The 2 day reef and rainforest package pairs this Daintree day with an outer reef cruise. Explore the day above, then check availability for your date.

Additional info.

Approximate pickup times are 7:00am to 7:15am from Cairns City, 7:20am to 7:45am from the Northern Beaches and 8:20am from Port Douglas. Returns are around 6:30pm to Cairns City, 6:00pm to the Northern Beaches and 4:00pm to 4:30pm to Port Douglas. There are no pickups from Cairns' south side, so join the tour at the Billy Tea Safaris office, 287 Draper Street, Parramatta Park. Reconfirm your pickup location at least 48 hours before travel, and be ready on time, as a missed pickup is treated as a full cancellation.The tour runs daily except on public holidays, including Christmas Day and New Year's Day.Bring a hat, sunscreen, a camera or phone, a water bottle, a towel, swimmers, insect repellent and cash or card for extra drinks. Wear comfortable clothes and flat shoes or sandals, as the rainforest ground is uneven, so leave the thongs and heels at home. From December to March pack a raincoat or umbrella, and in July and August a light jacket comes in handy.Children aged 4 to 16 are welcome, but this tour does not cater for children aged 3 and under; private charters are available for families with infants. Most dietary requirements can be catered for when advised at booking or at least 48 hours before travel.Guests need to manage steps unaided or with their own carer, and only small, compact, collapsible wheelchairs fit in the vehicle. Confirm this at booking and again 48 hours before your tour, as staff cannot lift or assist passengers. Mobile reception is limited in the Daintree and there is no WiFi on board.Itineraries can change at the guide's discretion due to weather, road conditions, closures or safety, particularly in the December to March wet season.