5 Days Cairns, Great Barrier Reef & Daintree Tour

  • Cairns - Great Barrier Reef
  • 5 Days

Overview

🌴

Discover the very best of Tropical North Queensland on an unforgettable journey that brings together the region’s most iconic landscapes, vibrant coastal culture, and two of the world’s most extraordinary natural wonders. Best of Cairns, Great Barrier Reef & Daintree (10 destinations) is designed for travellers who want to experience the full spectrum of Far North Queensland’s beauty—reef, rainforest, and everything in between—through a curated itinerary that blends adventure, relaxation, and immersive storytelling.

Your adventure begins in Cairns, the lively tropical hub that serves as the gateway to both the Great Barrier Reef and the Daintree Rainforest. With its palm‑lined esplanade, bustling markets, and laid‑back coastal atmosphere, Cairns sets the perfect tone for the days ahead. From here, you’ll embark on a full‑day exploration of the Great Barrier Reef, where crystal‑clear waters, vibrant coral gardens, and abundant marine life create one of the most breathtaking environments on Earth. Whether you choose to snorkel, dive, or simply relax on deck, this is your chance to experience the reef’s magic up close.

The journey continues north into the ancient Daintree Rainforest, the oldest tropical rainforest in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage treasure. Here, you’ll wander beneath towering canopies, cruise along the Daintree River in search of wildlife, and stand where the rainforest meets the reef at Cape Tribulation, one of the most unique landscapes in Australia. Along the way, you’ll visit Mossman Gorge, a place of deep cultural significance and extraordinary natural beauty, where clear waters flow through granite boulders surrounded by lush rainforest.

Across ten carefully selected destinations, this tour showcases the full diversity of Far North Queensland—its pristine beaches, dramatic lookouts, rich Indigenous heritage, and unforgettable wildlife encounters. With expert local guides, comfortable transport, and a thoughtfully balanced itinerary, you’ll experience the region’s highlights without feeling rushed, allowing time to appreciate the stories, ecosystems, and landscapes that make this part of Australia so remarkable.

Whether you’re seeking adventure, natural beauty, cultural insight, or simply a chance to unwind in one of the world’s most spectacular environments, the tour delivers a complete and deeply memorable tropical escape.


What’s Included

  • Accommodation
  • Guide
  • Meals
  • Additional Services
  • Transport

Departing

  • Cairns
  • Available: January, February and March

 


Destinations

  • Port Douglas
  • Cairns
  • Daintree
  • Cape Tribulation
  • Mossman Gorge
  • Palm Cove
  • Great Barrier Reef
  • Coral Cays
  • Kuranda

 


Reviews

  • 4.5 Rating
  • Itinerary Excellent 5.0
  • Guide Excellent 5.0
  • Transport Excellent 5.0
  • Accommodation Good
  • Operated By Intrepid Tour

 

Itinerary

1

Day 1

Cairns

You’ll arrive in Cairns and have time before the evening activities start. If you get there early, the Cairns Botanical Gardens are worth a walk through, or you can check out the waterfront promenade to get a feel for the place. At 6 pm head to your hotel for the welcome meeting where you’ll connect with your trip leader and other travelers. After that, you’ll all head out together for an included group dinner.

Meals: Dinner

Included Activities

  • Welcome meeting at hotel
  • Included group dinner

Optional Activities

  • Visit Cairns Botanical Gardens
  • Explore waterfront promenade
  • Visit local bars
Landmarks
Cairns Botanical Gardens
2

Day 2 Cairns to Port Douglas

After breakfast, you’ll take the Skyrail Rainforest Cableway from Cairns to Kuranda, traveling 7.5 km with great views over the ancient rainforest below. Once in Kuranda, spend time at the local markets and shops, or grab a coffee at one of the outdoor cafes. Later, you’ll drive along the scenic coastal route to Port Douglas with ocean views and cliff scenery throughout. In Port Douglas, do an orientation walk that includes Trinity Bay Lookout Point where you can see the crescent-shaped beach. End the day with drinks and dinner at a local restaurant with your group.

Meals
Breakfast, Dinner (Group dinner at local restaurant with drinks)

Included Activities

  • Skyrail Rainforest Cableway from Cairns to Kuranda
  • Kuranda Markets visit
  • Kuranda Village exploration
  • Coastal drive to Port Douglas
  • Leader-led orientation walk around Port Douglas
  • Trinity Bay Lookout Point stop
  • Group dinner at local restaurant

Optional Activities

  • Shopping in Kuranda village
  • Dining at Kuranda restaurants and cafes
Landmarks
Skyrail Rainforest Cableway
Kuranda Markets
Trinity Bay Lookout Point
3

Day 3 Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulation

This morning you’re heading into Daintree Rainforest for a one-hour boat tour on the Solar Whisper electric boat along the Daintree River. Your guide will help you spot crocodiles, birds, snakes, frogs, crabs and fish in their natural environment. From there, you’ll continue north to Cape Tribulation, stopping at the Jindalba Boardwalk and a local ice cream factory along the way.

Included Activities

  • Solar Whisper Daintree River wildlife boat tour (one hour)
  • Jindalba Boardwalk visit
  • Cape Tribulation visit

Optional Activities

  • Ice cream at local ice cream factory
Landmarks
Daintree River
Jindalba Boardwalk
Cape Tribulation
4

Day 4 Great Barrier Reef

You’ll spend the full day on a boat tour from Port Douglas heading out to the Coral Cays on the Great Barrier Reef. Marine biologists on board will give presentations and share insights about the reef environment and how fragile it is. The snorkeling happens at an exclusive wildlife-focused site where you’ll see coral gardens, giant clams, turtles and fish. They provide all the equipment you need. Lunch is a buffet with prawns, and afternoon tea with local Daintree produce gets served on board. There’s also a glass-bottomed boat section so you can see the reef without getting wet. You’ll return to Port Douglas for the evening to relax.

Meals
Lunch (Buffet lunch including prawns), Snack (Afternoon tea including local Daintree produce)

Included Activities

  • Full-day Great Barrier Reef sailing boat tour with marine biologists
  • Exclusive snorkelling site visit with wildlife focus
  • Glass-bottomed boat viewing
  • Buffet lunch with prawns
  • Afternoon tea with local Daintree produce
Landmarks
Great Barrier Reef
Coral Cays
5

Day 5 Mossman Gorge and Palm Cove

You’ll head to Mossman Gorge for a Ngadiku Dreamtime walking tour led by a local Aboriginal guide. The walk takes you along gentle private tracks past culturally significant sites, traditional bark shelters and cool rainforest streams. You’ll participate in a traditional smoking ceremony used to cleanse and ward off bad spirits, then learn about traditional plant use and bush food sources. There’s traditional bush tea and damper bread baked in wood ashes to try. After that, you’ll drive south to Palm Cove to walk around this scenic beachside town and grab lunch. You can choose to end your trip there or continue back to Cairns, arriving around 4 pm.

Included Activities

  • Ngadiku Dreamtime walking tour at Mossman Gorge with Aboriginal guide
  • Traditional smoking ceremony
  • Private track walk through rainforest
  • Traditional bush tea and damper

Optional Activities

  • Lunch in Palm Cove
  • Explore Palm Cove beachside town
Landmarks
Mossman Gorge
Palm Cove Beach

Map

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Be the first to review “5 Days Cairns, Great Barrier Reef & Daintree Tour”

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

From Original price was: $2,950.00.Current price is: $2,213.00.

				
					console.log( 'Code is Poetry' );