Another early start today. Travelling further north with Down Under Tours with a small group 4WD Cape Tribulation Tour including Mosman Gorge, Daintree and the Bloomfield Track. Here’s a map and the itinerary:

• Mossman Gorge
• Daintree River Cruise
• Jindalba Boardwalk
• Alexandra Lookout
• Tropical Lunch, Noah Valley
• Bloomfield Track
• Stingray Bay & Cowie Beach
• Cape Tribulation & Kulki Lookout
• Daintree Ice Cream Company
• Daintree Ferry

Headed straight for Mossman Gorge and we’re ahead of the crowds. 8am. It was raining, misty and overcast but still a lovely spot.  A short walk brings you to a Lookout platform by the Mossman river and the swing bridge over Rex Creek where there’s also a longer 2.7km circuit through the rainforest. Here’s a map. Soon the tours won’t stop here because the new visitors centre will be limiting access to their shuttle bus only. 

After morning tea at Daintree Village it was time for our Daintree River Cruise. Rather overcast still, so the crocodiles weren’t out and about.We only saw a tiny baby croc and a lot of logodiles (logs not crocs) so we were able to enjoy the cruise among the mangroves, lookout for birds and listen to the river. I didn’t mind at all. With precision timing our boat met our bus when the Ferry reached the other side of the river and we were off again.

Now it’s time to explore the Daintree Rainforest. Our next stop was the Jindalba boardwalk which was rather nice in the rain followed by a tasty barbeque lunch at Noah’s Valley. A brief walk by the river led us to a shelter  in the forest where lunch was all ready and waiting for us, once again. The small Bloomfield Track group had the green bus and the larger group the monster bus.

Moving right along now up the 4WD road to Cooktown. We are only going as far as Stingray Bay & Cowie Beach with the solitary mangroves by the beach. At Cape Tribulation it still feels like crocodile country as we make our way from the beach, past the mangroves and up to Kulki lookout with it’s wonderful views across the bay. I wonder if this is how it looked to Captain Cook over 200 years ago, where the rainforest meets the sea.

From here we turn south again for the trip back the same way. Afternoon tea is at the Daintree Ice Cream Company where we get to sample some of their home grown ice cream. The Rasberry, Mango and Wattle Seed were all rather yummy!

Rather a long and tiring day and we weren’t even driving! The friendly driver was informative, helpful and professional the whole time. By staying at Port Douglas you save an hour each way off the trip and don’t have to pay extra to be picked up from Cairns. Now there’s a similar tour without the Bloomfield Track or the same but rather expensive Cape Tribulation Wilderness Safari Tour. Billy Tea Safaris also has a similar tour but it doesn’t stop at Mossman Gorge. Here’s more maps from the Queensland National Parks site too.

Looks like I won’t have time for the Paronella Park and Waterfalls Tour before I leave Cairns. A pity, as they have lunch in a gazebo right on top of Mungalli Falls. Tomorrow its time to head south aboard the Sunlander Train, and perhaps I’ll even find some scones too!