Daintree Area Activities?
 

After a week in Sydney at the end of March, we plan to spend four nights/three full days in the Daintree area. Following advice learned from numerous messages on this Travel Talk site, we are staying at Silky Oaks Lodge and plan to spend one day on the Quicksilver trip to the GBR and one day at Kuranda. For the remaining day, we must choose between the Australian Wilderness Experience Daintree/ Cape Tribulation National Park Safari and David Armbrust's Natural History Safari. Are these tours really similar or are they so different that we should forgo our plans for one of the other days and do both?<BR><BR>What kind of weather might we expect there around the 1st of April?<BR><BR>Another question on our stay in Sydney. Is the "SeeSydneyCard" recommended for doing Sydney?<BR><BR>Thanks to many of you over the last couple of months for a very informative and entertaining way to plan out trip to Australia!<BR><BR>Gordon

Although it has been several years, we took the tour of Cape Tribulation. I thought it was really interesting. I believe we went as far north as Cooktown (but don't quote me on this.) <BR><BR>I don't remember that name of tour we were on. It was definately an eco-tour and the driver/guide really made it a point to explain the history and ecology of the area. <BR><BR>I would say to make sure that you are on a smaller tour that goes by Jeep or and not on a tour bus. (The roads can be pretty rough as you head into Cape Trib.) <BR><BR>FYI, we saw one group that rode by tour bus and then took a river cruise on the Daintree on some asinine looking "river train". I kid you not. It was a long boat that was made to look like a train. <BR><BR>I would ask for the route map of both and a short description of each tour and their qualifications of their guides. If they are reputable company's that are focused on eco-tours, they are probably similar. <BR><BR>P.S. The Daintree Lodge is great. Make sure you plan on feeding the Kangaroos!

We did both tours last September and enjoyed them both. The Daintree tour from Silky Oaks is in 10 people vans and includes a boat trip on the Daintree as well as an excursion into Cape Tribulation. We had an excellent guide. David Armbrust's tour is completely different. He takes you to see his wallabies and then drives you around to see various interesting things. We stayed an extra day at Silky Oaks to do David's tour and we're glad we did.

Kuranda itself is very overrated (imho). The skyrail and the train are worthwhile but I would not give too much time to Kuranda itself - very touristy.

Affirmative vote for David Armbrust's tour. Didn't do the other, but David's can't be beat! However, he can only take 4 people on a tour. Check out his website at www.anhs.com

101 interesting and mostly free things to do in Daintree can be found at http://members.dodo.net.au/~chrisld

I would recommend Trek North's Daintree/Cape Tribulation tour.

(http://www.treknorth.com.au/cape-tribulation-tour.htm)

You can read a review of their tour in our trip report, which is here:

(http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34455339)

When you get to Kuranda, don't spend too long in the town itself, make sure you get down to the river bank beneath the railway line - it's by far the best thing there - tranquil and picturesque.