A little luxury - Cape Tribulation -Downunder by Appointment
Travel Date: 26-2-08
Guide: Ben Host: Brianna
On commencing the tour I was greeted by Brianna & Ben and introduced to the rest of the guests already on the bus. The interior of the vehicle was very luxurious boasting leather seats for extra comfort and timber floors. Air-conditioning could be individually controlled and the windows were exceptionally large for capturing superior views of the surroundings. Our guide Ben was very friendly and was clearly passionate about ecology and rainforest preservation. He understood and explained the demographics of the region clearly as well as the history, including Aboriginal perspectives and beliefs about certain places. He was very informative, confident and educated in tour guiding. Brianna our host kept everyone amused and also provided us with beneficial information she was very friendly and such a pleasure to have on the trip.
The first stop was Mossman Gorge. We went for a short guided walk and learnt about certain rainforest techniques that were used by the Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal tribes. This was very interesting. It was then only 25 minutes to the Daintree River for some morning tea which included tea/coffee, biscuits and fruit cake. Everyone boarded the boat for a 1 hour cruise along the Daintree River. We were each given binoculars and shown how to use them! Within 5 minutes a 3.5 metre female crocodile was spotted basking on the bank. It wasn’t long until 3 were spotted including a baby croc! They disguise very well. The cruise was very informative and the skipper happily answered any questions. The importance of estuarine mangrove habitats and other environmental concerns were also illustrated. After the boat cruise it was time for another guided rainforest walk, this time at Jindalba. This was the best rainforest walk. There were numerous species of wildlife including birds, insects and reptiles. Ben was able to explain the age of particular plants and trees, their significant attributes and uses. We were then off lunch Noah’s Valley. Everyone was hungry and looking forward to it. The lunch spot was very private and situated on an exotic fruit farm. There was steak (cooked to personal satisfaction), sausages, grilled fish, salads, warm damper and red/white wine. It was delicious. A tropical fruit platter with seasonal fruits was brought out to finish it off! Some guests went for a swim and others wondered around discovering its beauty. A truly unique and unforgettable place for lunch! It was then time for some 4-wheel driving. StingrayBay was 30 minutes North. Everyone was very tired by this stage and so a quick nap ensured we would be ready for some exploring by the time we arrived. It started to rain but that didn’t deter anyone from chasing hundreds of crabs along the beach. Stingray Bay was definately a highlight of the trip!
The trip home was very relaxing. Ben and Brianna did a little bit more commentary and worked everyone up for an ice-cream at the Daintree Ice-cream Centre. The flavours of the day were raspberry, sour sop, wattle seed and mango. I’ll be back for more!
A great trip that is personalized, educational and opulent. Definately a cut above the rest, and well worth the $199. I have no recommendations on improvement!
A big thank-you to Brianna & Ben for a great day…..
Ysanne - The Tour Specialists