6 top spots for camping in Cape Tribulation

Sleeping under the stars in the Daintree is an experience you will never forget.

Cape Tribulation is the only place on Earth where two UNESCO World Heritage sites meet. Home to both the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, Cape Tribulation is the perfect base. And the best way to see it? Camping of course!

If you’re not a fan of camping, there are a range of other accommodation options in Cape Tribulation or if you’d rather stay elsewhere in the Daintree.

Whether you’re a camping newbie or a seasoned camper, there’s a campsite for you in Cape Trib. Choose between off-grid, remote sites to campgrounds with all the facilities you could possibly want. Here is a guide to everything you need to know about camping in Cape Trib.

1. Noah Beach camping area

An aerial shot of Noah Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland and Reuben Nutt)

Noah Beach is just 50 metres from the campsite. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland and Reuben Nutt)

There is no camping permitted along the Manjal Jimalji (Devils Thumb) trail, the Mount Sorrow Ridge trail, or anywhere else in Daintree National Park. Camping is only available in the Cape Tribulation section of Daintree National Park at Noah Beach camping area. It costs $7.25 per person to camp here with family rates available.

Located just 50 metres from the iconic Noah Beach, this camping area is a stunning spot to base yourself while exploring the Daintree. Noah Beach camping area can be reachdfed by cars and campervans, but not by caravans, motorhomes or really high (more than 3.2 metres high) campervans, due to overhanging trees and tight turns, so just be wary of this.

The campsite has composting toilets and is also very shady, with limited sun for charging solar panels. Open fires are prohibited to preserve the natural rainforest, so make sure you bring a gas stove to cook on. Also, download offline maps before you go, because Noah Beach is a dead zone for phone service.

Important: Noah Beach camping area is closed throughout the wet season every year from the first Sunday after New Year’s Day until Good Friday.

2. Cape Tribulation Camping

Looking through trees to Cape Tribulation Beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Powered and unpowered sites are available right near the beach. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Cape Tribulation Camping has both powered and unpowered sites available right by the beach. Cape Trib Camping has hot showers, toilets and laundry facilities available, so you don’t have to rough it too much!

You’ll be able to cook up a feast here, as there are two camp kitchens with free gas cookers, free BBQs, fridges, sinks, and ice available to purchase. If you’re heading to the 4WD-only Bloomfield Track after a stay here, it’s a great spot to prepare for the remote trip, with caravan storage available for only $10 per night for a powered spot.

3. Daintree Rainforest Village Camping

A tent in front of the rainforest. (Image: Daintree Rainforest Village)

Not a bad spot to set up camp. (Image: Daintree Rainforest Village)

Also located before the road gets too rough for caravans and 2WDs, Daintree Rainforest Village is the perfect mix of caravan park and campsite to base yourself while in the Daintree. It also has caravan storage so if you venture off into the rougher, deeper Daintree, you can leave your caravan here too.

The village has bathrooms, a laundry, a camp kitchen, fire facilities, an onsite general store and a fuel station, among other things, so it really is a one-stop shop.

4. PK’s Jungle Village

PK’s Jungle Village is right in the heart of Cape Trib. PK’s campground welcomes campers, campervans and caravans, who have full use of all resort facilities and designated camping bays. A couple of powered sites are available on advanced request, but they are mainly unpowered sites.

With PK’s large pool and famous Jungle Bar all on site, you’ll still feel very connected and relaxed here.

5. Safari Lodge

Safari Lodge BBQ area by pool. (Image: Safari Lodge)

The BBQ area and camp kitchen have a pool view. (Image: Safari Lodge)

Safari Lodge offers affordable Cape Tribulation camping sites close to Myall Beach, restaurants and waterholes. There are powered campsites suitable for caravans and motorhomes as well.

Safari Lodge is located onsite at the Ocean Safari check-in office, which is also home to the Turtle Rock Cafe. Ocean Safari is one of the best things to do in Cape Tribulation. The Ecotourism Australia ECO-certified tour starts with a 25-minute exhilarating boat ride that takes you out to two different snorkel spots and a sand cay on the Great Barrier Reef.

6. Yindilli Camping Ground

Yindilli camping ground at night. (Image: Yindilli Camping Ground)

The perfect place to stargaze. (Image: Yindilli Camping Ground)

Yindilli Camping Ground is about an hour-and-a-half drive from Cape Tribulation on the CREB Track or two hours from Daintree Village, the camp has toilet and shower facilities and fireplaces and dry firewood, you will just need to bring your own camping gear, food and supplies.

The CREB Track is only suitable for well-equipped 4WD vehicles and those with vehicle recovery experience. It’s also not suitable for trailers. The track is very steep and very rough, so if you attempt it in a 2WD or with a trailer on, you will get stuck!

The CREB Track also closes temporarily from time to time depending on the conditions, so make sure you check before you go to avoid disappointment.

4WDs on the CREB track. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

The CREB track is strictly for 4WDs. (Image: Tourism Tropical North Queensland)

Shake off your tech and reconnect to earth with the most grounding Daintree walks.

Tapping into your inner vine-swinging Mowgli is unavoidable upon entering Tropical North Queensland’s Daintree Rainforest. Crammed with flowing streams, cascading waterfalls, secret swimming spots and jaw-dropping mountain ranges, the Daintree Rainforest is the oldest rainforest on the entire planet. While action-packed Daintree tours round up serious highlights, nothing compares to strapping on your boots and getting (strategically) lost amongst its immensity.

Before you go, it’s worth noting that safe trails are contained to Daintree National Park, which works to preserve a huge portion of the wider rainforest. Split into the rocky Mossman Gorge area and coastal Cape Tribulation section, the park is a nature lover’s playground. Here, we unveil the best Daintree walks to get you exploring with ease.

1. Rainforest Circuit Track in Mossman Gorge

a guided Dreamtime Walk experience, Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre

Join the 1.5-hour Dreamtime Walk in Mossman Gorge. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Distance: 3.4 kilometres

Time: Roughly 2 hours

Difficulty: Grade 3, which means there’s some obstacles. Walking experience is required and Grade 3 also indicates steep hills and more than a few stairs.

Easily one of the most popular walks in the Daintree, the Rainforest Circuit Track in Mossman Gorge offers ridiculous views of Mount Demi, a spiritually significant rock formation of the local Kuku Yalanji people. Visitors will delight in the array of flora and fauna this Daintree walk covers, including strangler figs and various butterfly species, while the circular nature of the trip equals straightforward exploration — who doesn’t love that?

To get there, seek out the shuttle bus stop car park in Mossman Gorge and take the Baral Marrjanga track to the Rex Creek bridge track (more on both of those trails, below). The circuit starts on the far side of the bridge.

2. Dubuji Boardwalk in Cape Tribulation

Take the scenic Dubuji Boardwalk through the foothills of Mount Alexandra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Distance: 1.2 kilometres

Time: About 45 minutes

Difficulty: Grade 1, which means the track is flat, stair-free, clearly signposted and well-formed. Wheelchairs are also welcome, though some assistance is required.

If the Daintree walk of your dreams involves gazing into lush mangrove swamps to uncover what lies beneath, the Dubuji Boardwalk in Cape Tribulation has your name on it. Extremely simple to navigate due to its flat terrain, this pick is known to throw up the odd cassowary, too. Bird life thrives here, in fact, with kingfishers and orange-footed scrubfowls roaming the joint — and then there’s the payoff for all your hard work, Myall Beach, accessible from the boardwalk.

3. Manjal Jimalji (Devils Thumb) Trail

Distance: 10.6 kilometres, return

Time: 8 hours

Difficulty: Grade 4, which means the trail’s rough and steep with minimal signposts. You’ll need bushwalking experience and be extra careful if it’s been raining as the track will get slippery.

Full-day explorers who know how to navigate uneven and hilly terrain should consider the incredible Manjal Jimalji (Devils Thumb) Trail, which uncovers one of the most culturally significant sites in the region. A word of warning from Queensland National Parks: experienced walkers should only attempt this Daintree walk between May and November when rain is minimal and the track isn’t slippery. The team advises visitors to steer clear of it any other time.

If you do find an opportunity to strike it off your bucket list, however, you’ll be rewarded with spectacular plant life, spanning ancient bloodwoods and giant wattles, the upper reaches of the Daintree, breathtaking views out to Port Douglas and Thornton Peak, and the dramatic Split Rock boulder.

4. Lower River Track in Mossman Gorge

Spy the Mossman River gushing over granite boulders. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Distance: 640 metres, return

Time: About 40 minutes in total

Difficulty: Grade 2, which means the trail is formed but you’ll likely encounter hills and steps. Be careful if it’s been raining as things get slippery.

Flowing streams, birdsong harmonies and multicoloured butterflies? The Lower River Track in Mossman Gorge is a short but insanely sweet stretch of prime Daintree real estate. Keep your eyes peeled for several lookouts to help you spy the Mossman River gushing over granite boulders and into the ocean, and don’t be surprised to spot a turtle amid your awe. You’ll find this Daintree walk’s entry at the shuttle bus stop in the Mossman Gorge day-use area.

5. Rex Creek Bridge Track in Mossman Gorge

Distance: 1.4 kilometres, return

Time: Roughly 1 hour

Difficulty: Grade 2, which means the trail is formed but you’ll likely encounter hills and steps.

If you’re wary of unstable heights, look away. Adventure seekers will, however, love the Rex Creek Bridge Track in Mossman Gorge, which takes visitors onto a suspension bridge across the flowing Rex Creek. You’ll trawl lush rainforest to get to the star of the show, which also provides an epic vantage point to spot turtles and fish that call the creek home. To find the walk’s entry, leave from the Mossman Gorge car park along the Baral Marrjanga track, which leads to the bridge track.

6. Mount Sorrow Ridge Trail in Cape Tribulation

Distance: 7 kilometres, return

Time: About 6 hours

Difficulty: Grade 4, which means the trail’s rough and steep, with minimal signposts. You’ll need bushwalking experience for this one.

For a sweeping view of the Daintree’s spectacular coastline, the Mount Sorrow Ridge Trail is the ultimate pick. Ascending the ridge of Mount Sorrow, this Daintree walk soars you 680 metres above ground level and once you do reach that summit, you’ll spy the Great Barrier Reef if conditions are clear. Queensland National Parks recommends you leave the peak’s lookout by 2pm, even on a sunny day, to allow enough time to return before dark.

7. Kulki Boardwalk in Cape Tribulation

This Daintree walk leads you to Cape Tribulation’s golden beaches. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Distance: 600 metres, return

Time: Just 10 minutes

Difficulty: Grade 1, which means the track is flat, stair-free, clearly signposted and well-formed.

An all-too-convenient stretch of timber makes strolling the Kulki Boardwalk an easy choice, as do the legendary Cape Tribulation views you’ll score along the way. From dramatic headlands to golden beaches, delightful eyefuls run rife on this Daintree walk, which can be reached by driving along Cape Tribulation Road and turning into its well-signalled car park.

8. Madja Boardwalk in Cape Tribulation

Distance: 1.2 kilometre circuit

Time: About 45 minutes

Difficulty: Grade 1, which means the track is flat, stair-free, clearly signposted and well-formed.

It’s mangrove country again on the Madja Boardwalk, a loop that explores the Daintree’s lowland tranquillity. You’ll trail a sturdy path dotted with educational signage to offer insight into the Daintree’s incredible plant life as the odd eel and crabs plus other crustaceans shuffle down low.

9. Jindalba Circuit Track in Cape Tribulation

friends exploring Jindalba Circuit Track in Cape Tribulation

Wander through the 650-metre Jindalba Circuit Track surrounded by unique flora and fauna. (Image: Tourism and Events Queensland)

Distance: 3-kilometre circuit

Time: About 1.5 hours

Difficulty: Grade 4, which means the trail’s rough and steep with minimal signposts. You’ll need bushwalking experience.

Find your grippiest shoes as the Jindalba Circuit Track takes visitors across multiple trickling creeks, so the conditions are inevitably wet. Your effort will be worth it, however, as this Daintree walk scales the base of Mount Alexandria, taking in loads of native wildlife including an extensive collection of birds, like giant cassowaries, and multiple kangaroo types.

10. Baral Marrjanga Track in Mossman Gorge

Distance: 660 metres, return

Time: Roughly 30 minutes

Difficulty: Grade 1, which means the track is flat, stair-free, clearly signposted and well-formed. Wheelchairs and prams are welcome.

Navigate the Mossman Gorge from above with the elevated Baral Marrjanga Track. One of the simplest Daintree walks, the trek runs through the lower canopy and is littered with bright butterflies. There’s also a lookout to hang at where vistas across the Mossman River dazzle and turtles have been spotted below. Access the track from the Mossman Gorge day-use area car park.

Discover the best accommodation in the Daintree