5 Epic Self-Drive Day Trips From Cairns

An East Coast Aussie road trip essential, the city of Cairns makes a wonderful base for exploring Far North Queensland. In this post, I’ve shared five of the best self-drive day trips from Cairns!

We landed in Cairns after weeks of making our way up the east coast of Australia from Sydney – but gave ourselves little time for rest before throwing ourselves into the tropical paradise of Queensland’s northern reaches! Although Cairns is a well-travelled city in itself, it’s really the surrounding areas that elevate it to a must-visit spot. With ancient tropical rainforest to one side and the Great Barrier reef to the other, the whole region is a playground for wildlife and nature enthusiasts.

During our trip, we took quite a few day trips in the surrounding area, uncovering magical trails, secluded beaches and the charming heritage village of Kuranda. You can book guided tours to most attractions, however there’s something very freeing about exploring this wild paradise on your own steam.

If you don’t have your own vehicle, you can rent a car in Cairns. You’ll need a valid driving license for your home country (plus an International Driving Permit for non-English speaking countries). Most of these day trips are completely 2WD friendly, so a rental car is perfectly suitable.

We’re starting off with an absolute highlight of our Aussie road trip – if you only do one day trip from Cairns, make it this one…

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Daintree & Cape Tribulation

Day trip style: Rainforest, coast & wildlife exploration
Total drive time: 3hrs 30min. The Daintree Ferry crossing costs $51 for a return.
Top activities: Rainforest walks, crocodile river cruises, secluded tropical beaches, ice cream tasting

The Daintree Rainforest was hands down one of my favourite parts of our Sydney to Cairns road trip!

We’d originally decided we wanted to take at least an overnight trip to explore the area at our own pace. However, we ended up booking three nights at Daintree Crocodylus for an immersive rainforest experience. After a busy few weeks, it was amazing to have some time relaxing in the world’s oldest rainforest.

The Daintree Rainforest is estimated to be around 180million years old, and is home to ancient plants and a whole host of wildlife, including the prehistoric-looking Cassowary and some seriously badass saltwater crocodiles. Further up the coast, you’ll find Cape Tribulation – the most northern part of the coast we could access on our road trip without a 4WD vehicle!

The beaches in the area are stunning, giving real ‘castaway on an island’ vibes. They’re not for swimming though – avoid the crocs and check out one of the safe local swimming holes instead. To see crocodiles safely, join a wildlife cruise along the Daintree River. There are also two ice cream factories to indulge your sweet tooth, plus plenty of walks through the rainforest canopies

Don’t want to DIY it? Join a day tour to see the very best of the region!

Atherton Tablelands

Day trip style: Nature, walks and waterfalls
Total drive time: 3-4hrs
Top activities: Waterfall trail, Mamu Skywalk, Babinda Boulders

We actually spent the day here on our way out of Cairns before heading down towards Airlie Beach and the Whitsundays. Heading out from Cairns, we made our way up a winding road through mountain landscapes. The Atherton Tablelands is a unique volcanic region, rising to more than 700m above sea level. Lush green scenery, spectacular waterfalls and thick forests await here!

There are plenty of impressive waterfalls in the area to check out – I’d definitely recommend taking the ‘Waterfall Trail’ – a short road circuit that goes past three incredible waterfalls. Plug Millaa Millaa Falls into your satnav to get started, and once you’re there this one’s an easy staircase down from the car park.

Zilla Falls is a bit more complicated to reach the viewpoint for, as it’s a downhill forest trail that was a little muddy when we visited. Finally, keep following the trail to Ellinjaa Falls – probably my favourite of the three! There’s a proper path down to the base of the falls, which makes for a beautiful photo spot!

If you’re hungry by this point, you can enjoy home baked goods at The Falls Teahouse, or a locally sourced lunch at Mungalli Creek Biodynamic Dairy Cafe.

To continue your day out in the Atherton Tablelands, head south and take a stroll on Mamu Tropical Skywalk. Complete the loop and head north via Babinda Boulders and Josephine Falls, both popular natural swimming holes.

Don’t want to DIY it? Join a day tour to see the best of the Atherton Tablelands.

Kuranda Village

Day trip style: Heritage, markets and scenery
Total drive time: 1hr 30mins
Top activities: Barron Gorge Falls trail, Heritage Markets, river boat cruise, animal sanctuaries

Most Cairns visitors will take the Kuranda Scenic Railway and SkyRail to get to this picturesque mountain village – but for a budget-friendly visit, self-driving is another option.

The rural mountain village offers the perfect day trip less than an hour from Cairns. Surrounded by tropical Queensland rainforest, there are numerous walking trails to explore. We took a stroll along the River Walk, and there’s also a Jungle Walk and some town walks – look out for the big maps around town.

You can also take the 4.2 km return unpaved trail to Barron Falls Gorge, a spectacular waterfall that we saw on the way in on the Scenic Railway.

For wildlife lovers, Kuranda is also home to Birdworld Kuranda, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary and Kuranda Koala Sanctuary. (Be aware with the latter that they do offer koala holding experiences.) On a wildlife cruise along the River Barron, keep a lookout for the freshwater crocodiles that inhabit the river.

Don’t forget to allow yourself some time to explore the town’s markets and boutiques! The Heritage Markets are open Wednesday to Sunday 10am to 3.30pm. You can also find plenty of local souvenirs and delicious things to eat and drink (I LOVED the truffles at the Not Just Chocolate shop!)

Mission Beach and Dunk Island

Day trip style: Beach
Total drive time: 4hrs
Top activities: Beach chilling, Dunk Island, Kennedy Walking Track, Mission Beach Markets

Escape to a laid-back tropical paradise with a day trip from Cairns to Mission Beach!

Located on the ‘Cassowary Coast’, Mission Beach is the ideal spot to look out for one of Australia’s most fascinating (if a little terrifying) birds. The Southern Cassowary is a flightless, prehistoric-looking bird that makes the Queensland rainforest its home. Just be careful not to get too close, as they’re considered Australia’s most dangerous bird, with a brutal kick and sharp claws.

If lazing around on a stretch of beautiful Queensland beach isn’t enough for you, you can also take the ferry or a boat trip to Dunk Island and explore the hiking trails and snorkelling spots. Back on the mainland, stretch your legs on the Kennedy Walking Track, go shopping at the Mission Beach Markets (mornings on the first and third Sunday of every month) or take a sweet tour of Charley’s Chocolate Factory.

Chillagoe Caves and Outback Queensland

Day trip style: Adventurous exploring
Total drive time: 6hrs
Top activities: Chillagoe Caves guided tours, Chillagoe Smelters, Balancing Rock

For a bit of a change-up in vibe, head inland from Cairns to visit the North Queensland outback! We spent some time driving around the Southern areas, and the contrast between coast and countryside is striking.

The highlight of this day trip is the Chillagoe-Mungana Caves National Park. Over 400 million years, the limestone here has been weathered and re-formed to create a fascinating cave system that can be explored self-guided or on a ranger guided tour. The caves are home to several species of bat, alongside pythons, insects and spiders.

The Chillagoe Smelters is a historic industrial site which can be observed from designated walking trails. There’s also a lookout point to observe the surrounding geology, and you can also make a stop-off at the fascinating Balancing Rock.

This day trip is a more challenging option, Most of the roads are sealed, except for around 4km of graded dirt road. You don’t necessarily need a 4WD to make the journey if the weather has been dry, but we opted not to do one in our very old van! If you’re planning this as a self-drive, check the road conditions before you head out.

If you’re not sure about driving, you can also book a guided day tour to Chillagoe from Cairns.

More Queensland Travel Guides:

• 3 Day Cairns Itinerary: Exploring Tropical North Queensland
• Glamping in the World’s Oldest Rainforest at Daintree Crocodylus
• 11 Of The Best Things To Do in Daintree & Cape Tribulation
• How to Spend A Perfect Day In Noosa Heads, Queensland
• The 6 Best K’gari Tours From Hervey Bay & Rainbow Beach
• K’gari Explorer Review: Cheapest Fraser Island Day Tour
• How Much Does a 1 Month East Coast Australia Road Trip Cost?