Mossman Gorge Day Trip, Tropical Queensland

Mossman Gorge is one of the most popular day trips from Port Douglas or Cairns and is the perfect family day out with kids too. Located in the World Heritage Listed Daintree National Park, it has a whopping 56,000 hectares of tropical beauty.

Mossman Gorge

Mossman Gorge makes a fantastic day out in the Daintree National Park, the world’s oldest surviving rainforest.

Just 20 minutes from Port Douglas and about 70 minutes from Cairns it makes a great day trip from either destination.

You can take a dream time walk, head out on a self guided walk, swim in the crystal clear waters, or just enjoy the beauty and tranquillity of the magical surroundings.

Make sure to bring a picnic as there are so many beautiful waterholes where you can sit and have lunch and soak up the surroundings.

How to get to Mossman Gorge

Mosman Gorge is close to both Port Douglas and Cairns. If you have a car, driving is the easiest way, otherwise there are lots of day tours from each place that you can take. Visit the local Visitor Information Centre or Hotel Tour Desk.

You will need to arrive at the Mossman Gorge Information Centre where there is a café, gift shop and toilets.

From there you get the shuttle bus service which departs every 15 minutes between 8am – 6pm 7 days a week. You can find prices for the shuttle bus here.

Things to do at Mossman Gorge

There are plenty of things to do at Mossman Gorge:

Mossman Gorge Welcome to Country & Dreamtime Walks

There are plenty of walks to do in Mossman Gorge. If you are looking for something organised then take a look at the Dreamtime Walks which are hosted by the local Indigenous people who take you on a private guided walk through the beautiful rainforest showing you various sites of significance.

You will learn about traditional plant use, bush food sources, and about traditional experiences, before being treated to a traditional bush tea and damper at the end of the tour.

Self Guided Walks

If you want to explore on your own you can take a self guided walk. There are plenty that kind of wind and overlap. You can get a map from the visitor centre and the tracks are easy to follow.

From the gorge entrance there is an easy 10 minute walk along the elevated boardwalk. You stroll along through the lush forest checking out all of the small lookouts along the way. This is an easy walk in the gorge if you are going with kids.

If you want to keep going, you can cross the Rex Creek suspension bridge and follow the 2.4km rainforest circuit track which is the longest walking track in Mossman Gorge. It is an easy walk and will take around an hour and a half.

Mossman Gorge Swimming

The area is known for its heat and humidity so swimming in the gorge is popular, even if the water is quite cool. In fact it is one of the most popular swimming spots in the area.

There are some gorgeous crystal clear rockpools where you can take a dip to cool off, it is so relaxing with the beautiful surroundings.

Take care though if you actually go swimming, as it can sometimes be dangerous. The conditions can change quite quickly, especially if it has rained recently. There are no lifeguards.

Tips for Visiting Mossman Gorge

Arrive early to beat the crowds
Bring a picnic lunch, lots of beautiful places to eat by the swimming holes
Bring bathers and a towel if you want to take a dip.
Insect repellent is handy as it is humid.
Don’t forget your water bottle, it will be hot.
The walks aren’t pram or wheelchair friendly, but the picnic area and rainforest board walks are.