Day trips · Cairns · Australia

5 best day trips from Cairns

Where to go when you want a day away from Cairns, and how long it really takes.

Updated 23 October 2026By the AMZBooking editorial team

Quick answer

The classic day trip from Cairns is Daintree and Cape Tribulation (About 2.5 hours each way by car). The closest option is Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls, about 60 km away.

Day trips in this guide: 5
Closest: Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls (60 km)
Most popular: Daintree and Cape Tribulation

Day trips compared

Day trips from Cairns: distance, time and transport
Destination	Distance	Travel time	How	Best for
Daintree and Cape Tribulation	140 km	About 2.5 hours each way by car	Car (with the Daintree River cable ferry) or organised tour	First-timers, Couples, Families
Mossman Gorge	75 km	About 1 hour 15 minutes by car	Car or tour, then shuttle bus from the Mossman Gorge Centre	Families, Culture, Couples
Port Douglas	65 km	About 1 hour by car	Car or shuttle bus along the Captain Cook Highway	Couples, Beach, Food lovers
Atherton Tablelands	65 km	About 1–1.5 hours by car	Car or tour	Families, Couples, Quiet stays
Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls	60 km	About 1 hour by car	Car	Families, Quiet stays

The day trips

140 km · About 2.5 hours each way by car

1.Daintree and Cape Tribulation

North of the Daintree River, ancient rainforest runs down to beaches at Cape Tribulation, where two World Heritage areas meet. Stop for a Daintree River crocodile-spotting cruise, the Marrdja and Dubuji boardwalks and a swim only at safe, signposted spots — saltwater crocodiles live here.

Getting there: Car (with the Daintree River cable ferry) or organised tour
Best for: First-timers, Couples, Families

75 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car

2.Mossman Gorge

Clear water tumbles over granite boulders in the southern Daintree. A shuttle runs from the Kuku Yalanji-operated Mossman Gorge Centre to the gorge, where a rainforest circuit and guided Ngadiku Dreamtime Walks led by Kuku Yalanji guides explain the forest's culture.

Getting there: Car or tour, then shuttle bus from the Mossman Gorge Centre
Best for: Families, Culture, Couples

65 km · About 1 hour by car

3.Port Douglas

The coastal drive north is one of Queensland's most scenic, and Port Douglas rewards it with Four Mile Beach, Macrossan Street's cafés and a Sunday market in Anzac Park.

Getting there: Car or shuttle bus along the Captain Cook Highway
Best for: Couples, Beach, Food lovers

65 km · About 1–1.5 hours by car

4.Atherton Tablelands

The cooler upland plateau has the Curtain Fig Tree near Yungaburra, crater lakes such as Lake Eacham for swimming, the Millaa Millaa waterfall circuit and platypus-viewing spots along Peterson Creek.

Getting there: Car or tour
Best for: Families, Couples, Quiet stays

60 km · About 1 hour by car

5.Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls

South of Cairns, clear rainforest creeks run through smooth granite boulders at Babinda, with a designated swimming hole, while Josephine Falls at the foot of Queensland's highest mountain, Bartle Frere, has natural rock slides.

Getting there: Car
Best for: Families, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
Services are less frequent in the evenings and on Sundays; check the timetable before relying on them.
For trips over about 180 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask

+What is the best day trip from Cairns?

Daintree and Cape Tribulation. North of the Daintree River, ancient rainforest runs down to beaches at Cape Tribulation, where two World Heritage areas meet.

+How long does it take to get from Cairns to Daintree and Cape Tribulation?

About 2.5 hours each way by car — Car (with the Daintree River cable ferry) or organised tour, about 140 km.

+How long does it take to get from Cairns to Mossman Gorge?

About 1 hour 15 minutes by car — Car or tour, then shuttle bus from the Mossman Gorge Centre, about 75 km.