© Cairns Backpackers Guide 2013
If you have the time it is much
better to do an overnight trip to
Cape Trib. The only extra cost is
your accommodation ($25-$30),
and it gives you much more time in
Cape Trib itself. Typically the
overnight tours include everything
the day trips include except your
lunch. On the way up you might do
your croc cruise and Mossman
Gorge. They will then drop you off at
your backpackers at lunchtime and
pick you up after lunch the following
day, giving you a whole day to enjoy
the beaches, do some rainforest
walks by yourself and so on. On the
way back to Cairns you do the
remaining included tour activities.
If
you
come
to
Cairns
you
absolutely
must
go
to
see
the
rainforest
(that
is
unless
you
only
have
1
day
in
which
case
you
should
go
to
the
reef!).
There
are
3
easily
accessible
rainforest
areas
near
Cairns
for
a
backpacker.
The
most
popular
is
Cape
Tribulation.
The
2nd
is
the
Atherton
Tableands
and
the
3rd
one
is
the
Mt
Whitfield
range/botanic
gardens
area
in
Cairns
City.
So
which
one
is
best
for
you?
Cape
Trib.
is
the
most
jungle-like
and
is
the
most
pristine,
but
in
the
wet
season
it
is
VERY
wet
and
you
cannot
swim
in
the
ocean
due
to
the
jelly
fish.
During
this
season
the
Atherton
Tablelands
may
be
a
better
choice
as
there
are
lakes
and
waterfalls
to
swim
in
and
it
is
not
as
wet.
If
you
have
time
do
both.
The
Mt
Whitfield
area
is
good
if
you
only
have
half
a
day
but
the
rainforest
is
not
as
lush
as
Cape
Trib nor are there any swimming areas like the Tablelands.
Cape
Tribulation
is
the
lushest
rainforest
in
Australia,
and
the
most
ancient
in
the
world.
It
has
more
plant
and
animal
species
than
anywhere
in
Australia.
It
has
fantastic
beaches
and
boardwalks
that
make
it
easy
to
experience
the
rainforest.
Once
you
cross
over
the
Daintree
River
you
drive
for
about
an
hour
through
the
rainforest
which
just
seems
to
go
on
forever
just
to
get
to
Cape
Trib.
You
arrive
and
then
there
is
nothing
but
rainforest,
amazing
beaches
and
a
few
accommodations
and
backpacker
hostels.
You
can
either
do
a
day
trip
there
or
an
overnight
tour
where
you
stay
at
a
Backpackers.
The
overnight
tours
are
the
best
if
you
have
the
time
because
the
only
extra
cost
is
your
accommodation,
and
you
get
more time to really appreciate the rainforest setting.
A green tree frog in the Cape
Tribulation rainforest
This is what is typically included in a
day trip to Cape Trib:
•
Croc spotting boat tour
•
Guided rainforest walk
•
Free time at Mossman Gorge
•
Time at Cape Trib Beach
•
Your lunch
A day trip costs between $99 and
$160
Atherton Tablelands
The Curtain Fig Tree on the Atherton
Tablelands will be every backpackers
favourite photo object
The
A
therton
Tablelands
is
about
an
hour
drive
west
of
Cairns
and
is
a
great
place
to
not
just
see
some
rainforest,
but
also
cool
off
in
the
lakes
or
waterfalls,
something
not
easily
accessible
in
Cape
Trib.
In
fact,
it
makes
sense
to
do
the
Tablelands
rather
than
Cape
Trib
if
you
are
here
during
the
wet
season
not
just
so
that
you
can
take
a
dip,
but
also
because
Cape
Trib
gets
so
much
rain
in
the
wet
season
it’s
not
funny.
On
the
tablelands
there
are
lakes,
waterfalls,
giant
trees,
enchanted
castles
and
lots
of
wildlife.
You
can
drive
there
or
there
are
cheap tours as well.
Mt Whitfield Ranges
The Red Arrow walk
near the Cairns
Botanic Gardens.
Mt
Whitfield
is
a
rainforest
clad
hill
in
the
suburbs
of
Cairns,
just
a
10
minute
bus
trip
away.
In
this
single
area
there
are
2
rainforest
walks
you
can
do;
the
Red
Arrow
walk
or
the
Centenary
Lakes
Boardwalk.
The
Red
Arrow
Walk
is
a
steep
hour
loop
walk
through
rainforest
next
to
the
Botanic
Gardens,
or
you
can
add
on
the
Blue
Arrow
section
and
turn
it
into
a
3
hour
walk.
The
Centenary
Lakes
Boardwalk
is
an
easy
30
minute
stroll
through
swampy
palm
rainforest
that
leads
to
the
Botanic
Gardens.
The
Botanic
Gardens
themsevles
are
free
and
are
worth
seeing
and
there
is
a
cafe
here
as
well.
Many
people
do
the
Red
Arrow
followed
by
a
visit
to
the
Botanic
Gardens.
To
get
here
catch
any
bus
heading
north
along
Sheridan
Street,
ask
the
drive
to
let
you
off
on
the
corner
of
Collins
Avenue,
then
it’s
a
10
minute
walk
along
Collins
Avenue to the Gardens/Red Arrow.