Daintree River 'Sunset' Cruise with the Daintree Boatman
Description
A late afternoon cruise finishing at sunset is the perfect way to finish your Daintree experience. Floating on the water, enjoying the late afternoon light, watching wildlife foraging before sunset, often with a multitude of egrets flying home to roost for the night, there are few better places to be than out on the Daintree River. Highly sought-after birds (kingfishers, herons, frogmouth among others) as well as saltwater crocodiles & snakes are seen on most cruises. Cruises cater for a maximum of 10 passengers (with a minimum age of 6 yrs old. Cruises are customised to the interests of the passengers. The boat used is a unique ‘hybrid’ utilising both a regular outboard & an incredible electric motor which creates less disturbance enabling outstanding views of wildlife. Cruises start & finish at the public boat ramp in Daintree Village. Transfers are NOT possible. Daintree Village is 45 mins from Port Douglas, 75 mins to Cape Trib. There is NO public transport to this location.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Finish your day aboard a small comfortable vessel catering for just 10 passengers. From the Daintree Village boat ramp and jetty you will be welcomed aboard by the professional guide for a 2 hour guided sunset cruise taking you along the mighty Daintree river and its adjoining tributaries, to where the big boats don't go. You will explore the rivers unique ecology from its freshwater origins to the saline mangroves gliding along the river in the late afternoons rays. The cruise provides excellent wildlife viewing and photographic opportunities getting up close to the iconic wildlife. Cruises are a special experience, with highly sought-after birds, crocodiles and snakes seen on most cruises. The smaller vessel enables a quiet intimate exploration of the river. The tour concludes back at the Daintree Village boat ramp where it is just a short stroll up to the village to the hotel for a beverage or dinner.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Recommended to bring a hat and jacket for weather protection
- Vessel is roofless but has a dual Bimini roof that can be erected in inclement conditions
Reviews(193)
We saw interesting animals including crocodiles, snakes, and birds and heard some interesting information about the river, however the guide was not friendly ,did not try to make conversation with us or even ask our names and we did not feel comfortable asking him questions.
Thank you for your review. This one is a little disappointing but it is appreciated anyway as it provides a timely reminder that no matter how busy I am or what concerns I have about a cruise I need to remember to be on and provide a great experience each and every time. My apologies that you feel that I did not on this occasion.
Spotting the various birds, particularly the well camouflaged ones was fun. The Boatman was very knowledgeable, with a small vessel to get up close to the wildlife. With less than 10 people it was a quiet and relaxing experience with like minded travellers. The 2hr cruise was a good amount of time to see and experience the river and adjoining forest.
Great! Thank you for your thoughtful review. I’m pleased you enjoyed your experience 😀
Excellent trip. Great birds, frogmouth, kingfishers and flycatchers. Crocs and snakes. Murray’s sharp eyes ensured we saw more than expected.
Excellent 😀 thank you for attending. Thank you for posting a review 👍
We’ve done this cruise several times before and always enjoyed it. Murray has great local knowledge of the wildlife and where to spot it.
Great! 😊 Multiple re-visitation is a very great compliment indeed. Thank you for your support! 👍
Great host and trip - highly recommended
Great. Pleased you enjoyed your experience 😀
Murray was brilliant! He introduced our group to the scaley denizens of the Daintree River- Barrett, Scarface and Hook as well as giant egrets and explained the diversity of the vegetation around the river. Highly recommended and enjoyable
Great! It is a very unusual day to be able to see all three of these three ‘boss’ crocs. You’ve been lucky! Thank you for your kind review! 😀
My spouse and I wanted to see more than just saltwater crocodiles on the Daintree River, so we booked a private tour with Murray for early morning. When a large tree fell and blocked both lanes of Cape Tribulation Road, we need to reschedule our boat ride. It was doubtless inconvenient for Murray, but he accommodated us, and we instead had a lovely midafternoon to early evening ride. Murray was knowledgeable and dedicated to finding as much wildlife as possible- such as frogmouths, three species of kingfishers, and other delights. Murray was informative about the local environment, and was willing to say when he wasn’t sure about something, and would then look it up. He was a great guide for us.
Great. Thank you for your thoughtful review. Just pleased that there was indeed availability later in the late afternoon and were able to reschedule and have a nice cruise on the river.
Beautiful scenery, friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. A fun and relaxing evening in the rain forest.
Thank you. I’m pleased you enjoyed your cruise 👍
We had a great time at Daintree the only issue was when we had booked Uber to return back they canceled 15 minutes after pickup and we couldn't find transportation back so we ended up having to talk an employee to drive us
Good to hear you had a good time on the Daintree River itself. Disappointing though to hear that someone else let you down regarding transportation.
At the start of the trip Murray ensured he understood what we wanted from it. He carefully positions the boat to reach perfect photographic angles, ensuring clear access to the birds. We were able to capture beautiful shots of little and azure kingfishers, the great billed heron, Papuan frogmouth, and the shining flycatcher, among many others. Murray is very knowledgeable of the river and the habitats of the birds and other creatures. The trip was magical and educational. We had a wonderful time. Fully recommended.
Great! Thank you. I’m rapt that you enjoyed your experience and were able to go home with good pictures of several of the key birds of the river 👍
