Two tours of the Daintree rainforest with Far North Escapes We took two tours of the Daintree rainforest with Far North Escapes, that were packaged together with our two-night lodging at the Ferntree Rainforest Hotel. Our guide for both tours was Kane, a local resident who is incredibly knowledgeable about the area and passionately devoted to the rainforest ecosystem. Last night we took a night walk, mostly in the rain, that lasted about 2-1/2 hours. There were about 14 participants, and we all got thoroughly wet. We saw a great diversity of nocturnal wildlife: several kinds of spiders, a walking stick, peppermint stick insects, scorpions, bioluminescent fungi, fireflies, a kangaroo rat, and several white-lipped green tree frogs, among others. We also saw two sleepy diurnal animals: a large dragonfly and a beautiful blue kingfisher. This afternoon we took a half-day 4x4 tour northward from Cape Tribulation. Despite predictions of rain all day, we remained dry. We looked for wildlife, but we didn't see much: some nice butterflies and some cassowary poop, for example. We saw many interesting trees and other plants, and ended our northward drive at a fabulous waterfall on the Bloomfield River. These tours gave us a great experience in the Daintree rainforest and complemented our urban and marine experiences farther south in northern Queensland.

Worth the rainy walk We went in the rainy session and had a shower. Raincoats provided. However you meget get cooked inside. Many chose to get a little wet. Our guide made it a succes i the rain and made everyone enjoy his knowledge. We were very happy with the tour. For us it was insects to be spotted at night but worthwhile. A little too many People, and we would have loved to watch more animals.

We did the Daintree Rainforest Night Walk Tour. Amazing experience! We enjoyed the sounds, trees, plants, and animals of the rainforest at night. We did the walk as a family, with our 4 year old in a baby carrier. All the walking trails were easy to walk en we felt safe.

We would never have explored it that way on our own, so it was fantastic to have a guide and learn more about the wildlife and the forest. It was also very special to see the plants and insects under UV light. Beautiful!

We are so glad we did this tour! Our guide, Jason, was amazing! We didn't stay another night, otherwise we would definitely have gone again. With a guide like Jason every walk will be amazing!

Kane made our night rainforest walk unforgettable.
I have never met a guide who treats his place with such passion, love and gentleness. He showed us plants that change colour, trees and mushrooms glowing in the dark, insects and animals that seemed to appear from another world. The entire walk felt magical.

Kane walked barefoot the whole time, and it added something I didn’t expect. It made the forest feel alive and safe. It made our group feel protected, as if we were following someone who truly belongs to this land.

I enjoyed every minute. At moments it felt like stepping into Avatar, as if I had suddenly found myself on another planet. At other times it was like walking through Ray Bradbury’s “A Sound of Thunder”, and I could almost feel myself travelling a hundred million years into the past.
Thank you, Kane. This night will stay with me for a long time.

Inessa

Great rainforest adventure. The nightwalk in the Daintree yesterday evening (Nov 28th.) was exceptionally good. We started from Ferntree Lodge and walked for the best part of two hours. It was fascinating. Kane, the guide, was very knowledgeable and he shared his knowledge and enthusiasm in a genial and amiable way.

We went on the night walk with Kane as our guide and it was absolutely fabulous! He was incredibly knowledgeable about and familiar with the plants ,birds, animals, and insects in the rainforest. .It was just excellent- educational interesting and fun throughout! We highly recommended it! to anyone interested in learning more about the rainforest and its nocturnal creatures.

A fabulous night walk in the rainforest. We went on the night walk with Kane as our guide and it was absolutely fabulous! He was incredibly knowledgeable about and familiar with the plants ,birds, animals, and insects in the rainforest. .It was just excellent- educational interesting and fun throughout! We highly recommended it! to anyone interested in learning more about the rainforest and its nocturnal creatures.

Rainforest night walk with an expert Shane, Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the flora and fauna. He highlighted things eg lichen spider that we would not have seen without his guidance. His use of an ultraviolet torch to slow us bioluminescence in some plants and fungi was one of the highlights. The tour was not rushed and there was plenty of time for each person to view highlighted plants and animals and all questions.

A great day out with lots of history and events to cover Wanted to experience a bit more than a basic Daintree tour so booked, for partner and myself, the 1 day private tour to Cooktown out of Port Douglas. It was a great day with so much to see we couldn’t fit all the expected stops in. We gave Jason guidance to show us the highlights and were not let down. He’s a very knowledgeable and personable guide who really enjoys his work and gives honest non sugar coated views about events and life in the area. The trip included the Daintree ferry, Bloomfield track, Wujal falls, Lions Den hotel (for a coldie) and a pub lunch and look around Cooktown. I’d would certainly consider FNE again if planning tour on the Cape or around Cairns. Jason gave us a great insight on what to expect on some of the longer tours up to Cape York.

Only a half day tour, but we had a great time going up the Bloomfield track. Kane was a super friendly and knowledgeable guide with a clear passion for the nature, lifestyle, and peoples of the area. No hesitation in recommending. We would have liked to do the night tour too, but fully booked! Next time.

Wildlife to see that you’d just normally walk past Interesting tour and saw lots I never would’ve seen on my own, including peppermint stick insects, forest frog, and a huge golden orb weaving spider. The uv light showed fluorescent fungi, scorpions, and burgundy red leaves that were green in normal light. Unfortunately it was too dry for a lot of the more popular wildlife to be seen. The tour guide is a character though and takes a bit of getting used to. He is definitely dedicated to saving the unique and biodiverse wet tropics forest ecosystem.

Disappointing Tour Needs Improvement We are always a little reluctant to give poor reviews, but think it’s necessary in this case in the hopes of giving useful advice to other travelers. This tour was disappointing and needs improvement in two respects. First, the group size is too big. Most of this tour is a night-time walk on the Dubuji Boardwalk. There were 14 people on our tour (plus the guide), so the group had to spread out in a loose line to stay on the boardwalk. The result was that the people in the back couldn’t hear the guide at times, and vice versa. This also meant that some people didn’t see some interesting animals (eels, crocs) that were scared away by the tourists at the front of the group. This then sets up a somewhat unpleasant dynamic among the tourists in the group, with some people pressing past others on the boardwalk in an effort not to miss a glimpse of something interesting. We recognize that the description of the tour clearly states that the group size is capped at 15, and we don’t feel misled. We just were disappointed with the quality that results from that size. The second aspect of the tour that needs improvement is the training for the guides. Our guide was fine, but we were not particularly impressed with his knowledge of the ecosystem. He didn’t provide information much beyond the basic facts from the plaques along the boardwalk (which we had read during the day). We would have loved to hear more about the different ways that the plants and animals in the rainforest interact with each other. Perhaps it was just our particular guide, as we note that our guide was not one mentioned in other reviews.

A personal experience of the gems and spirit of the rainforest We went into the national park, on boardwalk, with our guide Ken at night. The night time experience is a must, it allows one to spotlight the different flora and fauna which is easily missed during the day. I appreciated the passion of our guide to sharing his genuine love of the forest and his commitment to preserving this for the future. Cyclone Jasper did result in a reduction in the animal life, but it is making a comeback. I would recommend this experience. We drove back to Cairns that night which is possible but a very long and tiring day!

Awesome Night Walk in the Rainforest Thank you Kane for the beautiful guided walk through the rainforest. It is heart touching to meet someone so passionate and connected to the forest and all her creatures, insects and trees and willing to share all. My 10 year old boy had the time of his life, he just loved it! An Awesome Memory that will stay with us all our life. Thank you so much

Night tour is great to watch wildlife. For tourists it’s close to impossible to spot animals in the rainforest. But with the help of an experienced guide we managed to find flying foxes, snakes, geckos, scorpions, spiders, peppermints, crabs and even a 1.5m+ female crocodile. The group size is small so everyone has their chance to see those animals.
I would highly recommend all visitors to the Daintree to go for a night tour!

Rain forest at night It was a great experience. Our tour was fantastic, so enthusiastic and passionate about the rain forest at night that he was guiding us through. Wonderful.

Glowing in the dark! Exzellent Guide with feeling for Daintree ! Thank you for sharing your wisdom on the forest plants, fungi and animals! I will Never forget the glowing tree! Go and dive into the experience!
Feel it, do not read it!

Be part of the rain forest at night, physically and emotionally! Great and insightful guided tour by a local tree lover! We immersed into the rain forest. Please participate in this wonderful tour yourself!

A truly amazing experience ! We had the chance to have Kane as our guide for the night tour trough the Daintree Forest. Passionated and knowing everything about anything, the tour was phenomenal. We had the chance to see multiple animals but also learnt about the history of the forest, insects, plants living there and aboriginal history.

If you’re coming at Cape Trib, do not even miss this tour, it’s a must-do !

Not what I expected and not worth it. Could have done the same tour from the back of my tent in the caravan park just up the road. All I needed was a good torch.
Our guide tried hard and got a second star, she was very enthusiastic and helpful and good at making spiders and crickets sound interesting.
Three young kids under 10 from one family didn’t make the experience any better the youngest got very tired about 1/2 way through.
If you like looking at spiders and crickets and the odd bit of glowing fungi then this is the trip for you.

Did manage to glimpse the eyes of a small croc near the end but all in all a very disappointing noisy boardwalk night walk.

Not worth the $110 per couple

I think the best tour of my life, for real! Words can’t begin to describe how magic and enriching this experience was. Our guide, Kane, was super knowledgeable, entertaining and kind. You have to try to believe it, also because the tour will be different night to night, according to nature’s conditions.
I can just tell you that by the end of it, I was comfortable walking in the forest in the dark (right, it was full moon) and just feeling and observing the wonders of this forest. Thank you Kane!

Wonderful Trip We enjoyed this experience. Paul, our driver, was fantastic. He was knowledgeable about the area and was a great driver. When things didn't quite go to plan, he was usually able to sort most things. There are some things that could be improved such as having some snacks and water on board, especially when the itinerary is changed and travel times change. Overall, the accommodation was satisfactory and the places we stopped for meals were generally very good. We also had a lovely group of people to travel with which made our trip even more enjoyable.

Nightwalk on Dubuji Boardwalk Magical evening walking through the forest, guided by the singular Cain. His passion for nature and the native peoples who first inhabited the area is infectious. We saw many creatures with both a flashlight and ultraviolet lights -- very cool.

The 5 Day Dash down Cape York was an action packed adventure from the flight to Horn Island .A tour of Thursday Island and a night there was packed with history and present day life on this gem of a spot. A ferry trip to Seisia, on the mainland we met our host ,tour guide Paul. With an amazing bunch of Aussies we were off to the Tip .Getting used to Red dust , and rutted corrugated dirt roads. Weipa was a highlight as were the Roadhouse stops on our journey down the famous Telegraph track ! The remote country, distances gives an appreciation of wild unspoiled Cape York. Loved every day, if you like adventure and getting off the beaten track away from the hordes, this is the trip for you..even the more in depth 12 day option would be amazing!
Thanks Far North Escapes AMAZING!!

Bushwalking I've never experienced before! The forest night walk was great! I learnt so much about our amazing spiders, insects and plants. It was fun wandering along with my own torch and seeing the forest through the eyes of an experienced guide. Doing this activity on the first night raised my expectation for the rest of the tour.t

Great trip. Simple basic accommodation but excellent driving and commentary from Jason. Thank you and we will be recommending the trip to our friends.

The 7-late night walk was a magical and awe-inspiring experience. The guide (Kane) exuded a passion for the forest and everything in and around it (including the people, culture, history, animals, plants etc etc). Our family, including 2 young kids, all had a pretty amazing experience which has lingered with us days after the walk. Thanks so much.

Best experience ever! We didn’t manage to spot all the ‘big’ animals, but Kane opened up a whole new world of tiny creatures and flora. He also taught us all about the history of the area and the interconnection of the rainforest’s species. What a fantastic guide and human being! Thanks again Kane.

We had a great night tour with Kane, his enthusiasm was palpable and we were completely fascinated by all the amazing things we saw. We also learnt a lot about the rainforest and local area’s history in general, that really helped us appreciate everything around us for the rest of our stay.

Absolutely one of the most amazing tours I’ve ever experienced! The night walking tour was far more exciting than I could have imagined. Our guide was incredibly passionate and brought everything to life with stories and insights drawn from his own experience. He pointed out incredible details in nature I had never noticed before — things that made the forest feel magical. His enthusiasm was infectious, and I walked away feeling inspired and deeply connected to the natural world. A truly unforgettable evening. I would highly recommend this tour to anyone!

Awesome Night Walk in Daintree Rainforest! This ranks up there with one of the best rainforest walks we have taken. The host was extremely well informed, knowledgeable about the forests of Australia, and engaging. He shared his strong passion for the animals, bugs, and snakes of the local area. Besides all of this, he has a sense of humor! Our 1.5 hour scheduled tour turned out to last well past the 2 hr mark, which was fine with us since we had a small group of enthusiasts. If we return to Australia, we will definitely take this tour again.

A memorable day on Bloomfield Track What an amazing day travelling with Cain. A lifetime spent in the Daintree has provided him with the skills to see things that most others do not, and be able to explain them in his own unique manner.

Rainforest at night was EPIC I couldn’t imagine our trip without this experience. We were only in Cape Trip for a couple days and we experienced so much in just this one night. Incredible tour.

Loads of small cool stuff to see at night Had a great tour with Kane. He is very passionate about the rainforest and his excitement draws you in. It was a big group which makes it hard sometimes to see what he's talking about but he did his best to include everyone

Best activity in Daintree! We had a fantastic night guided tour with Kane at Daintree, Cape Tribulation. We were extra lucky to have a private tour as the other participants had canceled. Kane has an admirable perspective on life in nature, and we were fully immersed in it. Kane, you are an inspiration; thank you for sharing your exceptional knowledge about all the flora and fauna we encountered during our extended (!) walk. Absolutely favorite activity in Daintree. Warm regards, Joy and Laurens.

Fab night walk Our Daintree Rainforest Night Walk Tour was great! The tourguide gave us heaps of info about the rainforest and its amazing secrets and showed us many insects and mamals. An absolute must do!!!

Not the best night walk we have experienced. This was 2 hours on a boardwalk with a self trained guide who harangued the group repeatedly with his own opinions. Sightings of scorpion, spiders, katydid, other insects and pademelon and its joey. The guide did not take care to include the whole group in the viewings.

My mom and I went on the Cooktown tour and had Kane as our guide. I can’t say enough good things about him. His passion for doing good for the earth and love for nature are evident and frankly inspiring. I am a nature/ animal scientist and learned so much. Kane was also more than respectful when talking about the aboriginal history of the areas we passed through; he had asked permission to travel where he did and acknowledged each and every nuance related to aboriginal culture. We only wish we could’ve had another day to soak up more of his knowledge. We learned so much and it was my favorite part of all of my travels.

Fabulous and informative experience! I've come away understanding so much more of this beautiful rainforest, the creatures in it, it's strengths and vulnerabilities, and nature itself! Kane, our tour guide is a rare gem that has changed the way I view and rrspect the complex interconnectedness of this wonderful place.

Kane was a brilliant guide on my Daintree Rainforest Guided Night Tour. His knowledge and understanding of the Daintree was superb.

We had a wonderful time on our night walk. We were taken on the walk by Kane, who showed us so many animals including green tree frogs, scorpions and spiders that we wouldn't have spotted without his eagle eyes. The walk was wonderful in the rain, as the rainforest really came alive. We were out for about two hours, and Kane was great with us and our 3-year-old son who hasn't stopped pretending to be a tour guide since! Highly recommend.

July 3rd, we joined the 12 day tour to the Tip with guides Jason & Paul and 7 others; the perfect, intimate size group. Despite the huge damage caused by Cyclone Jasper earlier this year, our trip progressed according to plan. Accommodation was varied; we loved the Ferntree Rainforest cabins and The Temple 💗 The food & drink was excellent and plentiful. Many thanks to our guides, Jason & Paul, who showed care, kindness and respect to us all.
Jan & Mike

Very interesting tour, cannot recommend enough Did the night tour with Kayne. He is a fabulous tour guide, full of knowledge and so passionate about the Daintree rainforest.
Although we didn’t see many larger animals, we were very intrigued by all the smaller insects and fungi! Definitely recommend this tour, would love to do it again after some rain.

A memorable experience. The Daintree Night Walk was really good. Our guide was wonderful and very knowledgeable with great stories and information. It was very special to be out at night in the rain forest.

A must do! I did the guided night walk and it was brilliant. It lasted 2-2.5hr. My guide, Kane, was exceptionally knowledgable on not just the local flora and fauna, but the wider area and its history.
Despite the fact the area had only recently opened up to the public after Cyclone Jasper devastated the area, the group got to see a whole host of fungi, plants, insects, and even mammals. Each that we saw was met with engaging facts and exploration of the symbiosis of the rainforest.
A well crafted story from start to finish. Thoroughly recommend! (Bring a better than a phone camera if you want to photograph the coolest stuff)

11/10 Experience Incredible experience. Kane our guide was so knowledgeable and so enthusiastic. Don't shy away from going on a rainy night, as that is when it all comes to life. Came out knowing so much more about the Daintree.

Best Australia tours by far! I cannot say enough good about the tours we took with Far North Escapes and suggest you don't miss out on booking your tour with them as well.

We ran across them while looking for a tour through the Daintree Rainforest, but we also wanted a tour up through the middle of the country and were unable to find any offerings. So, after booking a 3-day Daintree tour, we asked if they had any suggestions for the outback tour we wanted. Instead of a recommendation, they created a custom tour for us.

Both of these tours greatly exceeded our expectations.

Had we done our own outback tour, we’d have missed the wine country north of Adelaide, the incredible Brachina Gorge with it’s hundreds of millions of years of geologic history, a tour of the opal mines of Coober Pedy, the iconic Uluru and it’s nearby (and arguably better) Kata Tjuṯa, and the awesome Kings Canyon.

Similarly, I doubt most Daintree tours would have exposed us to its unexpected treasures, from its intertwined symbiotic plant/animal relationships and ecologic ties to the adjacent Great Barrier Reef, to quiet forest trails, beaches, and waterholes. And the night tour’s spiders, opossums, walking sticks, sporing fungi and bioluminescent flora were out of this world!

By the time we were done, our heads crammed with experiences and information we never expected, the owner and staff, especially Mark, Kane, and Jackie, felt more like friends than tour guides.

Over promised Under delivered Accomodation not what was offered, meals at truckstops and then some of those were closed.1 day we didn't eat till 4.30pm. Not a great Oz experience. Choose another provider.

Great Experience We did the night walk and 1/2 day 4WD tour with Kane and had an amazing experience. We loved that he customized his tours based on what we were interested in. He was also willing to answer any and all questions and his passion was unbelievable.

Day tour to Cooktown from Cape Tribulation Amazing day tour from Cape trib to Cooktown with a very knowledgeable guide who kept teaching me soooo many things about nature, culture, history and so on
Driving on Bloomfield track was a great experience and arriving at Cooktown you feel reaching almost the tip of Australia!
Thank you for the experience!
Highly recommend !

A Great Private Tour of the Rainforest! Our guide, Des, was incredibly entertaining and knowledgeable, and made the entire family comfortable from the start. As a CapeTrib local, Des knows the ins and outs of the Rainforest, and was able to give us some local flavor, along with the standard sights. We learned a ton, and had a blast doing it. Our 21 and 19 year old kids were not even tempted to get on their phones, which is high praise for Des! We would highly recommend this tour.

Not as expected, interesting walk with lots to see but not guided. Group too big Tough to review this one, guide was lovely and enthusiastic but didn't lead the tour effectively and I felt unsafe at times.

My expectations from tour may have been wrong to start with? I had hoped to learn more about the forest rather than just take a walk.
I wouldn't have gone into the forest at night without a guide so that was useful as interesting to see it at night and saw some things I wouldn't have seen otherwise. However, I was expecting to be able to talk to the guide and learn information.

Met at reception, disorganised as late start and more people than she was expecting. Had to fill in electronic waiver but I never even saw it as had no internet access and you had to use your own phone.

In terms of knowing who was with us there was a count at the beginning of the evening and a count at the end of the evening on return, she had no idea whether people were missing during the tour and the group got quite separated at times.
At times I felt unsafe due to the strange behaviour of one individual on the tour and also due to the fact we were so far behind and couldn't hear anything that we had no idea what was dangerous and what wasn't.
I had really looked forward to learning and understanding our environment but that didn't happen. I'm reasonably adventurous but completely new to the rainforest environment and therefore cautious which is why I'd booked the tour.

The initial walking pace was to fast for some, I suspect a nervousness from the guide (who seemed more comfortable with insects than people) and just too many people in the group. We couldn't hear what she was saying on the walk as the footsteps drowned out her voice she talked as she walked and she faced forward at the front of the group. The photo is the closest we got to the guide during the evening.

When the tour started I was aware we had no idea what was going on as we couldn't hear at the back and after hearing something about scorpions I felt the need to speak up and explain the difficulties we were having ( no point in complaining later if you don't speak up at time). I asked if it were possible for her to point things out to the front of the group, then go past but her stay with the point of interest until we'd all seen it and heard about it. She did this once or twice but that was it. Most of the time we knew the front of the group had stopped to see something then by the time we got to it we had to try and figure out what we were looking for. Didn't get to speak to the guide once throughout the tour.
I tried getting to the front of the group but just kept getting barged backwards which felt unsafe in the night forest. Eventually the back group of about 6 of us just followed everyone for the walk.
Things were made harder as the torches weren't great, mine was particularly poor and my partner kindly swapped. The guides torch was significantly better but no use to the back party of the group as she'd moved the torch by the time we got there.

Guide clearly had a passion for the subject. I'm not sure if she was out of her depth with the numbers or just generally people.

Tour could be improved by either smaller group, max 10, a second guide at the back of the group or better group management making sure the whole group was gathered and stationary before talking and then ensuring everyone had a chance to see.

Disappointed in tour but interesting to have a walk at night. Lots to see if you know what you're looking for.

Cooktown scenic route We enjoyed a very informative and scenic rip with Kane. He showed us some beautiful spots, views, birds, beaches and swimming spots. Enjoyed the day thoroughly..

A must do tour! We did the 2 day trip from Port Douglas to Cooktown, visiting Mossman Gorge, Cape Tribulation, Daintree Rainforest Walks & a Crocodile cruise. Our guide Kel was excellent - friendly, safe confident driver, very knowledgeable and great company for the 2 days. This tour had so much and we were very busy, yet not rushed. Amazing views from lookouts across the Mossman Gorge, Cape Tribulation, Wujal Wujal Falls and Cooktown, as well views around every corner. It is difficult to say just one or two highlights. The Daintree icecream on the way home is also worth mentioning though! Made from fruit on their orchards, black sapote was a favouite!
This tour is suitable for all ages and all fitness levels.

Don't miss this night walk! Kane is a passionate and knowledgeable guide, who made this tour very interesting. There were many highlights including (but not limited to) scorpions, peppermint bugs, trapdoor spider homes, bandicoots, plants like wait a while and fluorescent lichen. However watching the mushrooms sporing was just amazing.
We were quite exhausted after a great day with Kel, but we still managed to enjoy and learn from Kane. Be aware though - 1.5 hours easily turns into 2.5 hours with so much to see! Thanks Kane!
Thanks to Kel too for a FUNtastic 2 day tour to Cooktown! :)

Very enjoyable and interesting tour. The guide was very enthusiastic and gave a lot of interesting information. We had a very enjoyable evening and learned a lot.

Amazing sites! Cassawary and kangaroo sights Our experience with Far North Escapes was great.
Shania took care of our transfer from Cairns to the Daintree Lodge. Immediately she made us feel at ease and welcome, taking time to explain the history and the importance of the Daintree National Park. The two hours ride felt like we were visiting with a good friend.

Kane took care of our night walk and the full day 4WD tour to Cooktown and Daintree tour. Kane’s knowledge and passion for the Daintree all encompassing life is amazing. During the night walk he showed us plants and animals to our amazement and the delight of the children present in our group. During the 4WD day tour we were treated to beautiful sights complemented with history, interesting facts and stories.

1 Day Cooktown & Daintree Tour Great day venturing from the Ferntree Rainforest Hotel to Cooktown and back. Des our tour guide had great knowledge of the whole area and was a true gentleman. Would recommend going on this tour to anyone.

Cape tripulation The trip was great! I splitted the tour and stayed in the daintree rainforest overnight, so I had two differnt tour guides. Both (Orian and Carlos) were amazing and explained a lot!

Interesting and educational The guide (dz) is a great guide.
The view was amazing, the rainforests are a basis for knowledge in botany and geology fields the compeny gave us a very interesting day.