Cape Tribulation: Day Trips and Tours from Cairns

Finding a remote hub that brings you peace and composure is a tough thing to do, regardless of where one may be situated across the globe. However, when hovering around the serene glory of the Great Barrier Reef and its surrounding destinations, it soon becomes easier.

There are many spots that take priority as being the home to real tranquillity, but one that stands out to us above the rest is Cape Tribulation.

This tropical wonderland is so diverse and so calming that we’re surprised isn’t the annual company retreat spot for every single business in a 1,000-mile radius. There’s so much to be uncovered from here, and we’re going to show you why that’s the case with a look at some Cape Tribulation tours from Cairns.

How long does it take to reach Cape Tribulation from Cairns?

There could be an argument for going down the holiday laziness route with travel plans between the two destinations, perhaps via a short-haul flight or maybe even a helicopter tour. Alas, the quickest and most natural way to get here is by hopping on a bus or car before hitting the open road.

The distance between Cairns and Cape Tribulation is roughly a 140km trek up north. In a good way with favorable conditions, it’s possible to complete the journey in around 2 hours and 30 minutes.

What is the typical itinerary of a day tour to Cape Tribulation?

With it being a close neighbor of the Daintree Rainforest, Cape Tribulation tours from Cairns have a tendency to resemble Daintree in the itinerary department. The fact that it’s 16km further north means there’s slightly more of a build-up, so if your plan is to hit up Cape Tribulation as the primary destination, the pick-up tour may arrive a little bit earlier on in the day.

Small-group tours are usually prioritized when you head this deep into Queensland which means travelers are likely to get a far more intimate experience. In addition to being treated to lunch and tea, the expert guides will be there to explain everything about your surroundings and why there’s so much history lying beneath your feet.

This is often a full-day experience unless a multi-day selection is chosen, so you can expect to be gone from the city early in the morning until at least the early evening.

What are the most popular tours at Cape Tribulation?

Cape Tribulation tours from Cairns can focus on the key differences between the city and the country, or they could try to educate tourists in a way that they’ve never seen before. After all, this truly is one of the most unique destinations you’re likely to see down under, and it’s important to get every possible appreciation of that.

Crocodile Cruise Tour

Between Daintree, Mossman and Cape Tribulation there are a lot of bucket list places to tick off the list around these parts - which is probably why so many choose to opt for the cruise option. If you really want to add some intensity in the mix, though, pick a cruise that picks out some gorgeous crocodiles basking in their natural habitat.

Birdwatching Tour

Cassowaries, Honeyeaters, Orange-footed scrubfowl - you name them and Cape Tribulation has them. Bird-watching tours are really popular features of this place but you’ll need to take on a really skilled guide to get the perfect view of these spectacular creatures. Still, even without a world-class camera, just listening to them up in the trees makes for quite the memory.

Rainforest Walk Tour

The rainforest walk is the definition of a crossover as you overlap into the mysterious Daintree Rainforest. It’s near-enough impossible to appreciate Cape Tribulation without the rainforest coming into play, and a classic rainforest walk is just what the doctor ordered for a change of scenery.

Are there any combo tours including other places to visit?

Piecing together the beauty of Cape Tribulation with other spots isn’t hard to do, whether you’re up in the sticks or not. There are plenty of special locations to be discovered and a few will be listed below, but the main source of combo tours joy with regards to Cape Tribulation is in the Daintree Rainforest and Mossman Gorge. The close proximity of them means it’s super easy to visit all three on the same tour, which is a luxury many places offer.

Outside of that, here are a few other thoroughly entertaining suggestions.

Mount Sorrow

The tall peak of Mt Sorrow looms large over Cape Tribulation, and despite what the name would suggest, this is actually a fairly happy place. If you’re willing to get a little bit sweaty and accomplish a fitness goal en-route to holiday relaxation, making the effort to see what the view is like from the top of this place is well worth the effort.

Mackay Reef

The Mackay Reef is absolutely pristine and with the right tour, can be visited as part of a Reef Hopping experience. Undine is right next door and holds the distinction of being beautiful in its own right, but Mackay is the kind of underdog reef that flies under the radar - and we want to help it see the light of day.

Bloomfield Track

The controversial Bloomfield Track stretches between Cape Tribulation and Cookstown, being pinpointed as something of a challenge by those who love a drive that doesn’t feature your average roads. It’ll lead you up to Wujal Wujal, a historic Aboriginal community with several Indigenous languages being spoken here.

Travel tips

• Packing for all weather conditions is always important in a country like Australia, but that’s especially the case when venturing up the Captain Cook Highway. The windy conditions are always quite turbulent and the roads get more comfortable the further you go, so think logically about outfit choices.
• Regardless of how well one country handles their health system compared to another, always respect and appreciate how sensitive others may be about cleanliness. Australians pride themselves on having a good time but in equal measure, their organization includes protocols that are in place for a reason - so make sure to thank them for their efforts.
• The Cape Tribulation beach is renowned for being regularly visited by crocs, so make sure to stay vigilant and don’t be the guy or girl that jumps into the water without the permission of those orchestrating the trip.