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Cape Tribulation’s rainforest boardwalks are one of the most popular things to do when visiting, for people of all ages and interests. As well as offering respite from the heat of the day, as you wander under the shade of the rainforest canopy the boardwalks provide safe, sustainable and accessible way to explore the forest. They’re also suitable for wheelchairs and strollers. When you travel with Cape Trib Connections, you can be assured we visit some of the best of Cape Tribulation’s rainforest boardwalks. We take the time to stop and explore, with knowledgeable guides pointing out fascinating flora. Every element has a part to play in this ancient ecosystem, from the fungi on the floor, which works to release nutrients for other plants and animals, to the towering trees which stretch high to break through the rainforest canopy to the sunlight. Wherever you look there is a story to be told and Cape Tribulation’s rainforest boardwalks provide the perfect vantage point to see it all.
Marrdja Boardwalk — meaning ‘rainforest’ in local Kuku Yalanji language — is one of the most popular Cape Tribulation Boardwalks. Here, mangrove forests perch over the tidal mud flats, preserving the Cape Tribulation coastline against erosion while in turn filtering water as it enters the precious Great Barrier Reef. This easy rainforest boardwalk covers just over one kilometre, but right before our eyes in the busy, rapidly-changing landscape is evidence of the Wet Tropics’ entire 130+ million-year evolution.
Our experienced rainforest guides take time to share the ancient story of the rainforest’s journey from Gondwana to the modern day, amidst a backdrop of broad-leafed fan palms, heaving basket ferns and neon-coloured fungi adorning fallen rainforest limbs. The largest orchid in Australia, the golden orchid, can also be spotted as you approach pristine Noah Creek. Marrdja Boardwalk is a must-do activity and is one of two Cape Tribulation boardwalks your guides will pick from, during your Cape Trib Connections day tour.
Nestled in the shadows of Mount Alexandra, this Cape Tribulation boardwalk showcases a range of rainforest perspectives, from the forest floor, over rainforest creeks and swamps to within reach of the canopy at four metres above the ground. It is here in Australia’s last remaining lowland tropical rainforests, that we learn of the complex ongoing ecological systems that support life in the Daintree and Cape Tribulation. You may spot a major player in one such rainforest life cycle here — the southern cassowary, which is the only animal to eat and spread larger seeds around the rainforest.
The elevated sections of Jindalba Boardwalk offer memorable views of gnarly fig trees and the broad limbs of the ancient king fern. Keep your eyes peeled for the numerous rainforest reptiles like Boyd’s forest dragon (pictured). Jindalba Boardwalk is the second of two must-do Cape Tribulation boardwalks, that our guides will choose between, to ensure an unforgettable day tour.
Rare lowland tropical rainforests thrive amidst freshwater creeks and swamps, mangroves and coastal sand at Dubuji Boardwalk, in the heart of Cape Tribulation.
Follow this fully wheelchair-accessible Cape Tribulation boardwalk under the cooling shade of fan palms, as thick vine forests and mangroves give way to stunning views of the Coral Sea at Myall Beach, where the rainforest meets the reef.
Allow one hour for this 1.3-kilometre boardwalk, notwithstanding countless photo opportunities of the abundant birds and butterflies along the way!
Kulki Boardwalk is a 600m (return) wheelchair-accessible walk that leads from the Cape Tribulation Beach car park and picnic area, to a scenic lookout. This 10-minute walk is worth it for the views of the Daintree Rainforest’s dramatic journey from cloud-topped mountains to Cape Tribulation Beach and the Coral Sea.
The soundtrack to your wandering on this Cape Tribulation boardwalk can sometimes be the warbling of pied imperial-pigeons, and once you reach the viewing platform, dugongs and dolphins can sometimes be spotted playing in the waves.
For the intrepid hiker, the Jindalba Circuit Track provides a more challenging Cape Tribulation boardwalk. It’s more of a rainforest ramble than a boardwalk, traversing the forest floor on a well-marked track across rainforest creeks and rocky outcrops.
Allow 2-3 hours to tackle this three-kilometre loop, which promises the chance of a southern cassowary encounter, as well as glimpses of the many other tropical bird species that call the Daintree Rainforest home. Look out through the thick tropical growth for the ancient Hopes cycad, thought to be the world’s tallest cycad at more than 20 metres in height.
An extremely challenging — but ultimately rewarding — way to explore the rainforests of Cape Tribulation is the Mount Sorrow Ridge Trail. This is not classified as a Cape Tribulation boardwalk, due to its duration and the rugged terrain and conditions.
It’s a six-hour scramble up steep rainforest tracks lined with thick Daintree Rainforest. The Mount Sorrow Ridge Trail is suitable for only above-average fitness hikers. The rewards for those who reach the lookout, are panoramic views across the Daintree Rainforest, out to Snapper Island and the Great Barrier Reef.
All proceeds from your tour with our family company, go back into the local economy and supporting local business. Now that’s sustainable travel.
For more than 20 years, we’ve been running great tours across this amazing destination. We know where to go and what to see, to ensure you have the best time.
Hand-picked guides will reveal the secrets of this ancient rainforest landscape on guided tours of Cape Tribulation Boardwalks, pointing out rare rainforest plants and animals.
Forget about navigating and negotiating traffic, you can relax in Cape Trib Connections’ air-conditioned tour bus and just enjoy the many things to do in Cape Tribulation!
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