Getting to the Daintree Rainforest.

The number of ways to reach the Daintree Rainforest is almost as great as the number of visitors who make the pilgrimage every day.

• Rental car
• Rental motor-home
• Sunpalm Transport
• Bus tour
• Helicopter
• Plane
• Boat

Please note there are no taxis in the Daintree area.

Vehicle users can be assured that a 4WD is not required to drive through the Daintree Rainforest. However the Bloomfield Track, which begins at the northern side of the rainforest, is suitable only for 4WDs. Following heavy rain causeways on the northern side of the Daintree River can be flooded, making travel impossible – even for 4WD vehicles.

Sunpalm Transport operate scheduled coach and bus transfer services between Cairns, Port Douglas, Daintree, Cape Tribulation and Cooktown as well as an airport shuttle service from Cairns Airport to most resorts. Private luxury limousine charter, bus hire and charter and 4WD vehicle charter a specialty. Avoid the disappointment and book your transport now.

An airstrip in Cow Bay Airstrip provides access for planes and helicopters. Of course, the primary reason for taking this method of travel is so you can get a birds eye view of the pristine rainforest.

Road Directions

The total travelling time from Cairns to the Daintree Rainforest is about 2 hours. Simply drive north from Cairns on the Cook Highway past Port Douglas. This section of road offers spectacular views of the Coral Sea and is among the great coastal drives in the world.

Continue through the small township of Mossman until you reach a road that turns off on the right side of the road. There is a small sign indicating this road and it is easily missed, so keep a good lookout. From this turnoff, it takes approximately 20 minutes to reach the Daintree River where the ferry is waiting to take you deep into the rainforest.

After crossing the ferry, speed limits on the bitumen road are slow and speed bumps are frequent. The speed bumps are designed to slow traffic in the Cassowary habitat; don’t be in any hurry.

A few miles north of the Daintree River ferry crossing is the Alexandra Range Lookout where gorgeous views of the Daintree Rover mouth and the Coral Sea are had.

Bus tours servicing the Daintree Rainforest include:

• Reef and Rainforest Connections
• Down Under Tours
• Tropical Horizons
• Cape Tribulation Connections
• Tropic Wings
• Coral Coaches – this is an economical bus line that can take you to the Daintree Rainforest, but doesn’t provide an informative tour. It is ideal for backpackers and people travelling on a tight budget.