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(189)
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 👍
We were super happy with Murray's boat tour. I researched many different boat companies and was happy to find Murray's. It was a small group - 8 people! It was a beautiful night on the Daintree river. We enjoyed beautiful weather, beautiful scenery, and a calm relaxed group. We saw many birds and 2 crocodiles and learned a lot about the area and river. It felt like a friend taking us for a boat ride on the river! I highly recommend.
Ha! Love this review! 👍 Your suggestion that this cruise "felt like a friend taking us on the river" is extraordinarily kind and also motivational - something that I should aim for in all cruises! Thanks for having a positive impact on my thinking 😀
I recently took an evening cruise with the “Daintree Boatman” and it was an awesome experience! Our small group saw a multitude of birds, an amythystine python and a salt water crocodile. Murray’s obvious love of and extensive knowledge of the river and its creatures shone through as he guided us up and down the river. To cap it off we experienced a beautiful sunset on the Daintree river. I would not hesitate to take this cruise again!
Great! 👍 Thank you for kind review. Now due to ‘summer’ heat, we’re getting to that difficult time of year to find much wildlife, particularly reptiles in the afternoon so I’m particularly pleased you enjoyed your experience.
Murray was an excellent resource and guide . We followed Barrett the crocodile ,saw egrets, swiftlets, swallows, sacred and azure kingfishers, Black bitterns, Papuan frogmouth, white ibis, Radjah shelducks, shining flycatcher, little pied comorant and sulphur crested cockatoo.
Great. Thank you for visiting. Thank you for going to the effort of posting a review. I’m pleased you enjoyed your cruise 😀
Really enjoyed this boat trip with a small group of nature enthusiasts and a very knowledgeable guide with a bit of humour chucked in for good measure.
Great! 😊 must have been a good relaxed tour if I was able to shine enough for a few jokes. Glad you enjoyed 👍
