Getting into the jungle in Australia… Many people don’t even know there is a jungle in Australia and to be honest, I really had no idea what to expect. The jungle of Cape Tribulation is not any jungle though; it is the oldest continuous growing rainforest in the WORLD! Listed a World Heritage Site and one of the few places where the jungle meets the ocean, this must something special…and it was.

Active Tropics arranged a two day Cape Tribulation trip for me with a sleepover at the Beach House. It was truly amazing to sleep in the middle of the rainforest and even better: I got my own private room! It was my first night alone in Australia, so I really got to be with myself and drown me in the wonders of the forest.

On our way in the bus to the Daintree river, the guide told us everything about the history of the Cape and the Aboriginal stories about the forming of this place. The road is scenic with beach on your side almost the whole drive. At the Daintree River we got to do a wildlife River Cruise and we spotted some crocodiles. We were actually really lucky to spot both the babies and the mother, an unique experience! The Daintree River is a real rainforest river and actually made me think about the Amazone.

After one hour on the boat, we drove into Cape Tribulation and did a boardwalk. The guide told us everything about the trees and the animals in the forest. Unfortunately we didn’t spot a Cassowary, but walking in this forest is really special already.

At 1.00 I was dropped off at the Beach House and was spoiled with the private room, lovely to have my own bathroom and fridge without sharing it with 100 other people! I quickly changed, because at 1.30 was my pick-up for the horseriding. YES, I seriously got to do horseriding on the beach and in the rainforest, I couldn’t be more excited! And it was absolutely amazing. We ride for about three hours and got to trot and gallop on the beach, I wished I could stay on the back of my horse forever. It is incredible to discover the rainforest in this way and for the people who know me, I’ve loved horseriding since I was about 8 years old, so I had a wonderful time out there!

I came back in the evening and cooked some dinner for myself and read a book on my veranda with the sounds of the rainforest all around me. The Beach House is pretty hidden in the forest and all the rooms are separated so you can really enjoy the jungle. I remember walking to the restaurant and realised I was all by myself. I stood still, looked around me, listened to every detail and felt completely connected to nature and to myself.

The next day I had to wake up quite early because I got to do Jungle Surfing! Jungle Surfing is a rope course high in the trees of the rainforest, an unique experience because you get to see the jungle from above. It took about an hour to finish the course and then I was back at my hotel. I had some relaxing time at the swimmingpool and then the bus picked me up again.

We drove to Mossman Gorge and Alexandra’s lookout and again, the (another) guide told us everything about the Aboriginal stories, really interesting! We went to Port Douglas to pick some people up and then it was time to head back to Cairns.

If you are doing a Cape Tribulation trip I really recommend you stay over for at least one night. This way you can really explore the rainforest by yourself and immerse yourself in this wonderful area. I had an awesome time here and I’m really happy I got the chance to explore this amazing part of Australia!

Book your Cape Tribulation Tour at www.peterpans.com