Seniors Get Wet in Daintree Rainforest

Senior travelers, did you know that there was a rainforest in Australia?  Yes, Cape Tribulation is home to the oldest surviving rainforest in the world, the 135 million year old Daintree Rainforest in Tropical North Queensland.

It’s a place where the most ancient of wonders meet as the World Heritage listed Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef merge together. You can link the two by foot along the choice of rainforest walks or if you’re after some adventure try jungle surfing or sea kayaking.

Senior visitors will find Daintree is straight north of Cairns on the east coast of Australia where along the coastline north of the Daintree River, a tropical rainforest grows right down to the edge of the sea.

 Seniors Discover Animals Found No Where Else

The Daintree Rainforest is home to a wide range of animals, and like Madagascar, some not found anywhere else on the planet. Mossman Gorge in the Daintree National Park, features fresh mountain water cascading over round granite boulders.

Senior botanists can study unique flora and fauna including the Boyd’s Forest Dragon. A short stroll along walking tracks and swinging cable bridges brings you to panoramic views over the Gorge. It’s neat that one can visit two World Heritage Sites in just one day that includes the Great Barrier Reef.

Stroll along pristine Thornton’s Beach away from the crowds. The Daintree is home to diverse wildlife species including the Cassowary, Kingfishers, Sunbirds, the Ulysses butterfly and Australia’s largest reptile, the Saltwater Crocodile.

Cape Tribulation is where the rainforest meets the reef. Stroll along the Kulki Boardwalk and enjoy the views over magical beaches. There are tours that travel north along the Bloomfield Track to Stingray Bay and Cowie Beach with their unique mangrove systems and tidal pools. Most of the surrounding areas are national parks that feature an array of unique and native plant and wildlife.

 Daintree Discovery Center Welcomes Senior Visitors

Bloomfield Falls is another special place, with indigenous rock art is present near the falls. Easily accessible by short walking tracks, and guides can explain how the local people lived in this area. Check out the tours that leave regularly from Port Douglas, traveling to the Daintree National Park, Cape Tribulation and the Bloomfield Track.

Cape Tribulation was named by legendary explorer Captain Cook when the Endeavour struck a reef to the north of the area. The Cape features some truly stunning scenery with long stretches of pristine beaches set against the picturesque backdrop of Thornton Peak and Mount Sorrow.

The Daintree Rainforest contains 30% of frog, marsupial and reptile species in Australia. The Daintree Discovery Center celebrated its 21st birthday in June 2010 with the arrival of its 1 millionth visitor. So you see, it is not to be missed. An easy drive from Cairns or Port Douglas, visitors will find the Rainforest exhilarating and memorable. It’s going on my travel bucket list.  jeb