7 Days In Cairns: How to cram it all in!

Hand feed these dudes at Hartley's crocodile adventures!

Last October we spent about a week and a half driving around in far north Queensland (as it's called, even though there's more north than that). Yes, I know, it's been months since I last put anything up. But I had figured no one much was reading it.
As usual, I over planned and had almost every day stuffed with things to do. The weather ended up changing a few plans, because it rained almost every day we were there. Here's a rough run down on what we did, and what you can do too.


Day 1:
After getting into Cairns (waaay too early - we'd been awake since 3am) we collected our hire car and drove South to Josephine Falls. We stopped and picked up some groceries on the way, because the day was going to be full on and we were staying in a caravan park that night. Unfortunately, the weather was pretty miserable, but Josephine Falls were too inviting not to get in. There is a large smooth rock that the falls flow over, and it acts as an awesome slide. The water was freezing, but after a few seconds you go numb, so it's all good.
We jumped back in the car and drove a bit further and did a walk to Nandroya Falls.

Nandroya Falls

Then it was back in the car and on to Paronella Park. I had bought the Entertainment Book on my phone for Cairns, so we got a two for one ticket into the park. They do a year of free entry after you've been anyway. We took the tour of the park, and were the only people on our tour. The guide kept making references to Brandon proposing - awkward (neither of us were wearing rings because we had just been swimming in rocky waterfalls and didn't want to lose them). We then went and sat in the car for a few hours while we waited for their night time tour, where they light up some of the buildings with flood lights. We probably should have gone and had dinner at the local pub instead, but we just ate tiny teddies in the car. I was a bit disappointed in the night tour. Mainly because it was sooo long and we were both sooo tired. There was just too much information if you had already been to the day tour, and we left before they lit up the building I had really wanted to take a photo of. Mainly because I was worried we would drive off the road and kill ourselves if we stayed longer and got more tired.

Paronella Park

Day 2:
We woke up a bit later than we had planned, mainly because the night before was so late (like 10pm, haha!), and set off for the Atherton Tablelands. Our first stop was two short walks to Wallicher and Tchupala Falls.

Tchupala Falls

Then Zillie Falls.

Then Elinjaa Falls.

Then the famous Milla Milla Falls.

Unfortunately it was really too cold to do much swimming, but we did get in at Milla Milla. Brandon swam under the falls and got dunked, and I attempted a tourist photo.

I whip my hair back and forth... and gel water up ma nose...

We got back in the car and drove over to Mount Hypipamee National Park to eat our packed lunch and check out the crater and Dinner Falls.

After waiting about 20mins for a tour group to clear out of the way so we could take a photo... sigh

At this stage we were actually ahead of schedule (yes I had actually scheduled a time frame for this day), so we stopped at Malanda Falls. Which was totally not worth it.

Is that just a drain??

We then drove on the Yungaburra to walk along Peterson's Creek looking for Platypus. After sitting in the car for 15mins while it poured rain, we decided to have some tea and scones and hope the rain stopped. It did manage to mostly stop, and we managed to happen upon a platypus!

Isn't he so cute!

On our way back to our accommodation in Cairns we stopped at Curtain Fig Tree and Cathedral Fig Tree. Cathedral Fig Tree was definitely the more impressive.

Cathedral fig tree - epic

Day 3:
We woke up to another miserable day. By mid morning, it looked to be clearing so wee drove South to Walsh's Pyramid. The highest, natural, free-standing Pyramid. Or some rubbish claim to fame like that. After about 2 hours of hard uphill slog, it started raining. Then it started pouring.... It was kind of welcome though because we were dying in the humidity. They actually do a yearly race up and down the mountain, which it nuts considering the track is pretty rough.

About halfway down we took a soggy photo of the view

We also climbed Glacier Rock lookout on another day, where we got a much better lookout. I am going to include it on the one day though, because I think you can pick between the two walks. Walsh's Pyramid is definitely harder!

Glacier rock lookout

Day 4:
The next 2 days were spent on an overnight dive trip from Cairns. We also did a day dive trip from Port Douglas. I'm going to count them both as 1 day, because most people will only do one day on the reef.

Brandon and our new French mate.

I'd rate both of them as pretty good, from a food, staff and diving point of view. If you do an overnight cruise from Cairns, you can park in a $3 per entry dirt car park opposite the number 3 Cruise liner terminal at the Cairns Harbour. It's a decent walk to the area where the boats leave from though. If you're staying at a hotel, you can always see if you can leave your car there, we weren't.

Our attempt at a smiling selfie - haha

Couldn't get sick of this! Check that vis!

Day 5:
After getting back on land, we headed north to Cape Tribulation, stopping at Hartley's Crocodile adventures on the way.

When you arrive you get a time for your lake cruise to watch croc feeding

We stopped at the Mount Alexandra lookout and the Daintree Ice Cream Company. The ice cream was slightly disappointing, with the only interesting one being wattle seed. We also stopped and did the Dubuji walk (super boring) and another walk that I can't remember the name of (even more boring). When we got to the Daintree, we checked in to our open air hut (saw a wild cassowary just chilling out), and set off on a last minute booking for ocean Kayaking. Which was fantastically fun!

Pretty sure this place meets zero building codes! Haha

Day 6:
After enjoying a lay in, we headed back down to Port Douglas. Cape Tribulation is separated from the South by the Daintree River, which you still cross by ferry. You can just buy your ticket when you get there, and it only slows down the trip a little. When we got to Port Douglas, we went for a swim and did the little headland/lookout walk near the main beach.

Day 7:
The last activity we did while we were in Cairns was a trip to Behana Gorge. It is pretty hard to find, because there's no actual signs. Take Behana Gorge Road all the way to the end and you will find a dirt "car park", from there walk along the 3km track that runs beside the water pipe all the way to the end.

And that is how to pack as much into your trip to the Cairns area as possible!

The stats
Waterfalls seen: 8
Mountains climbed: 2
Native animal wild encounters: 2 (wild platypus + wild cassowary)
Dives done: 9 (not all successful for me)
Kilometers traveled: Lots?? (all driven by me!)