Cairns to Cape Tribulation road trip: Driving distance, time & stops
The 142km drive from Cairns to Cape Tribulation throws up several great road trip stops. These include the Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat, Mossman Gorge, Daintree River Crocodile Cruises and the Jindalba Boardwalk.
The Queensland jungle settlement of Cape Tribulation has that secret discovery factor. It’s off the grid, surrounded by rainforest and only accessible after a ferry crossing of the Daintree River.
Trip-booster! 8 great day trips from Cairns to power-up your holiday
- Kuranda combo package – take the Kuranda Scenic Railway up and the Skyrail cable car down.
- Green Island tours with beach time, glass bottom boat and snorkelling. (Or pick a Fitzroy Island trip instead).
- Moore Reef day tour – with underwater observatory, snorkelling gear, glass bottom boat & semi-submersible cruises.
- Great Barrier Reef snorkelling cruise – with snorkelling stops at two excellent spots on the Reef.
- Cape Tribulation rainforest day tour – with Mossman Gorge Aboriginal cultural experience and Daintree River crocodile-watching cruise.
- Atherton Tableland waterfalls and rainforest tour – including wildlife-spotting and a swim in a volcanic lake.
- Outback 4WD tour – visiting Chillagoe Caves, Aboriginal rock art and Granite Gorge.
Cairns to Cape Tribulation distance & driving time
The driving distance from Cairns to Cape Tribulation is 142km – meaning a Cairns to Cape Tribulation driving time of around two hours and 37 minutes. The journey is sometimes branded as the Great Barrier Reef Drive, although that’s very much marketing-speak. It’s still one of the most fun drives in Australia to tackle, however, and you can do it in a conventional vehicle.
7 Cape Tribulation experiences you should book in advance
- ▶️ An attraction-packed Cape Tribulation day tour from Cairns or Port Douglas.
- ▶️ (Highly recommended ✅) Small group reef snorkelling – on the Ocean Safari Great Barrier Reef tour.
- ▶️ See the Daintree come to life – on a guided rainforest night walk.
- ▶️ Uncover jungle secrets – on a small group rainforest trekking adventure.
- ▶️ Whizz through the trees – on a thrill-a-minute zipline adventure course.
- ▶️ Saddle up, and go horse-riding along the beach.
- ▶️ Stretch those legs on a full day waterfall hike.
After picking up a hire car in Cairns, the drive north passes Cairns’ northern beaches, including Kewarra Beach and Trinity Beach. Some are patrolled and netted for relatively safe swimming. But beware that the unpatrolled beaches are the sort where people get killed by crocodiles. The crocs are safer seen at Hartley’s Crocodile Farm en route, on the Cairns to Port Douglas leg of the drive.
The green foothills of the Great Dividing Range and winding coastal road provide marvellous scenery on the way up to Port Douglas. If you want to see native Australian animals, and maybe hold a koala, then the Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat is just off the Captain Cook Highway.
9 Port Douglas experiences to boost your holiday
- Great Barrier Reef snorkelling tour – visiting three amazing snorkelling sites on the Outer Reef. This is the one for seeing the very best of the Reef.
- Visit Agincourt Reef – with a cruise, underwater observatory and coral viewing in a semi-submersible. This is the best Port Douglas Reef tour for less confident swimmers.
- Half-day Low Isles snorkelling tour – ideal for those with less time.
- Daintree River wildlife cruise combo – see lots of crocs, then visit the cascades of Mossman Gorge.
- Sunset sailing cruise – with welcome drinks and appetisers aboard a luxury catamaran.
- Scenic helicopter flight – see the Great Barrier Reef from above.
- Go fishing at a barramundi farm – with lunch included.
- Aboriginal cultural walk – including bush tucker tasting and traditional hunting techniques.
- Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas – meet all manner of native Australian animals.
Click through for next section: Mossman Gorge and Daintree River.