Behana Gorge, Cairns: Canyoning & Clamshell Falls walk

Behana Gorge near Cairns, Queensland, offers a gorgeous 6.6km return rainforest walk to Clamshell Falls. But the most fun way to explore is on a canyoning tour.

What is Behana Gorge?

Behana Gorge is a granite gorge, approximately half an hour’s drive south of Cairns. You’ll pass by on the drive from Innisfail to Cairns, or Cairns to Mission Beach.

This gorge near Cairns is something of an adventure hotspot, with canyoning tours and river tubing trips operating here.

Save time queuing – Book these Cairns attractions in advance

From the air: Outer Reef helicopter flight | Sunrise hot air balloon ride | Skyrail Rainforest Cableway.
At night: Sunset dinner cruise | Pub and club tour | Aquarium by Twilight experience.
For wildlife: Birdworld Kuranda | Kuranda Koala Gardens | Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Dome | Cairns Aquarium | Rainforestation Nature Park
For culture: Cairns Museum tickets | Street art walking tour | City and surrounds highlights bus tour.
For thrills: AJ Hackett giant jungle swing | High speed jet boat tour | Barron Gorge white water rafting | Mulgrave River tubing.

Where is Behana Gorge?

Heading south from Cairns, the turn-off for Behana Gorge is just south of Gordonvale on the Bruce Highway.

The nearest village is Aloomba, and you’ll come to the turning just after passing the highly distinctive Walshs Pyramid.

Clamshell Falls

Clamshell Falls is at the southern end of Behana Gorge, and to get there, you’re going to have to walk.

It is not the tallest waterfall in Australia, but Clamshell Falls is about style rather than height. The creek cascades along what may as well be a giant bumpy slide carved from granite.

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.

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Behana Gorge walking trail

From the Behana Gorge car park, the walk to Clamshell Falls is 6.6km return. It is a moderately difficult walk along a track running parallel to the creek, with a few relatively steep sections.

On the way to Clamshell Falls is a series of swimming holes, rapids and waterfalls. These are pretty to look at, but they’re more fun to clamber through. Hence the popularity of Behana Gorge as a canyoning destination.

Canyoning at Behana Gorge

The Behana Gorge canyoning tours include full tuition on how to use the kit, plus a succession of jumps, slides and abseils. The key advantage of having the walking trail alongside the creek is that if you don’t fancy doing a section, you can opt to skip it.

The 30 metre zipwire into a pool is great fun, however.

At time of writing, these five hour Behana Gorge canyoning tours cost $224 and can be booked online.

Canyoning at Behana Gorge near Cairns, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland/ Tourism Tropical North Queensland.

Other underrated natural attractions around Cairns include Isabella Falls, plus Copperlode Dam, the Crystal Cascades and Fairy Falls in the Lamb Range.