Daintree Activities

If you are planning a holiday to Far North Queensland, Heritage Lodge is the perfect place to stay. This holiday resort is located on Cape Tribulation, where the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef, just across the Daintree River. Heritage Lodge offers accommodation for couples and families alike, with facilities such as a fully licensed restaurant and a day spa.

The Daintree Area has heaps of activities for those wanting to learn about the Daintree Rainforest or the Great Barrier Reef. You can take a crocodile cruise to try to spot a great saltwater crocodile in the Daintree River, take a tour through the rainforest with a 4WD safari, go on a guided walk, or explore the reef and all its marine life while snorkeling or scuba diving.

Horse Riding

Horse riding is another fun way to see the Daintree region. You can take a ride across the pristine beaches of the Daintree Coast or along rainforest trails with freshwater swimming holes. Some horse riding tours will even pick you up from wherever you’re staying. Just let them know what riding experience you have – it is important to be matched to a suitable horse otherwise it can lead to dangerous situations.

The beginner level includes those who have never ridden a horse, those who have ridden a horse less than 30 times, or those who are not confident trotting or controlling a horse. An intermediate rider is one who has a bit of riding experience and is confident controlling the horse. Advanced riders are confident in every aspect of riding, have several years experience and continue to ride frequently. Horse riding lessons are also available for those who like to improve their riding skills.

Just remember to wear comfortable clothing, including long pants and closed in shoes. Most riding tours will provide riders with helmets, and sometimes riding boots as well.

Hotel Accommodation

A hotel is an establishment that provides accommodation for paying guests on a short-term basis. The term ‘hotel’ is derived from the French hôtel meaning ‘host’, and was used to refer to a building that had frequent visitors. Traditionally a hotel would offer basic amenities including a bed, cupboard, bedside table and washstand. These days hotels can provide a whole range of features depending on the quality and rating of the accommodation. Modern hotels will often feature air conditioning, en-suite bathrooms, an alarm clock, television, Internet connectivity, mini-bar with snack foods and drinks, as well as facilities for making tea and coffee. In the actual hotel building there can also be restaurant facilities, a gym, bar, swimming pool and spa, conference rooms and more.

In Australia the STAR rating system is used to show the classification of facilities available at different types of accommodation. To achieve a STAR rating a hotel must be clean and acceptably maintained, have a 24 hour contactable representative, room service 7 days a week, private rooms, bedding and bathroom facilities. Five star hotels will have additional amenities including business facilities, cable TV and DVD player, ensuites to all rooms, heating and cooling, housekeeping, licensed restaurant/cafe, porterage and valet parking, 24 hr reception and room service and a mini bar.

Heritage Lodge

Heritage Lodge offers resort level accommodation at Cape Tribulation, two hours north of Cairns between the Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest and Great Barrier Reef. Heritage Lodge is a resort offering an experience genuinely in the midst of the world’s oldest rainforest. In fact, Sir David Attenborough stayed there, describing his experience as “one of the most magical in my life”.

Heritage Lodge offers air-conditioned cabins, a licensed restaurant and bar, a day spa offering a range of beauty treatments and massages, and private access to beautiful crystal clear swimming holes. With cabins ranging from honeymoon suites to family packages suitable for up to 5 people, Heritage Lodge offers something for everyone.

Kayaking

Kayaking is where you use a paddle-powered boat to move across water. A kayak is different to a canoe is that the paddler faces forward, legs in front, using a double bladed paddle, whereas in a canoe the paddler sits or kneels in the boat and uses a single bladed paddle.

There are different forms of kayaking, from whitewater kayaking, to sea kayaking and river kayaking. There are six main classifications for kayaks depending on their use: polo, slalom, whitewater, touring/expedition, light touring /day tripping, and general recreation. Within these, kayaks can be modified for specific purposes (such as fishing kayak) and can be designed with different levels of performance in mind. They can also be used as a means of transportation for other sports such as snorkeling or diving.

Kayaking Adventures

There is heaps to do in Far North Queensland where the Daintree Rainforest meets the Great Barrier Reef, one of which is to tour the area via a kayak. In fact there are two options when it comes to kayaking around Cape Tribulation, the first is to explore the Daintree River and the second is to explore the coast and surrounding islands with sea kayaking.

The Daintree River runs through the Daintree Rainforest in the Cape Tribulation region of Far North Queensland. It was given a Wet Tropics World Heritage Listing in 1988 in recognition of its outstanding natural universal value as an outstanding example representing the major stages of Earth’s evolutionary history, significant ongoing ecological and biological processes, and containing significant habitats for in situ conservation of biological diversity. The only other way to cross the river is via ferry as there is no bridge. The Daintree River supports an array of tropical life, featuring both saltwater and freshwater marine life. This is because it winds through mangrove swamps where the water remains quite salty, gradually turning fresh as it progresses through the rainforest.