The short version
This is the one I quietly recommend when someone wants the Daintree without a full-day coach slog. You are kitted out in a wetsuit and mask, walk upstream along the Mossman River, then drift back down on a lightweight river sled past ferns, fig roots and clear pools. It is gentle, ridiculously scenic and easy to slot into a Port Douglas stay.
GuestTours Verdict
GuestTours award: Best Rainforest Float. GuestTours rating: 4.5 / 5.
Photos
Daintree River Drift Adventure
Mossman River float · near Port Douglas
Operated by Back Country Bliss Adventures · booked through GuestTours
Ticket Prices
Adult
16+ years
$155
Child
4–15 years
$115
What's included in your ticket
- Return transfers from Port Douglas & Mossman accommodation
- Guided river drift & float on the Mossman River
- Wetsuit provided
- Mask provided
- River sled / flotation device provided
- Boots & thermal layer provided (in winter)
- Experienced local river guide
- Small-group rainforest experience
Best for these travellers
Great fit
Rainforest lovers
A slow, immersive float through pristine Daintree rainforest on a crystal-clear river.
Great fit
Families
Suitable from age 4 (under-16s with a guardian). Gentle, guided and genuinely fun.
Great fit
Port Douglas stays
Short and close to home, an easy half-morning or afternoon without a long drive.
Not ideal
Snorkel-focused visitors
This is a river drift & float experience, not a dedicated snorkelling tour. Pair it with a reef day for that.
How the drift runs
9:00 AM / 2:00 PM
Pickup & transfer
Return transfers from your Port Douglas or Mossman accommodation out to the Mossman River. Morning (9 AM) and afternoon (2 PM) departures, Monday–Saturday.
On arrival
Gear up & safety brief
Fitted with a wetsuit, mask and a lightweight river sled (plus boots and a thermal layer in winter), followed by a safety briefing from your guide.
Upstream
Walk up the riverbed
Wade and walk upstream along the granite-sand riverbed, towing your sled, with the Daintree rainforest closing in overhead.
Drift back
Drift & float downstream
Let the clear current carry you back down through pools and rainforest while your guide points out the life along the river.
~3.5 hrs
Return transfer
Dry off and transfer back to your accommodation. The whole experience runs about three and a half hours including transfers. Times approximate.
What you'll experience
The Mossman River
Daintree rainforest
A crystal-clear rainforest river running over a granite-sand bed, one of the most pristine stretches in the region.
The river drift
float downstream
The heart of the tour, drifting and floating back down the river on your sled through pools and rainforest.
The upstream walk
granite-sand riverbed
A gentle wade and walk up the riverbed, towing your lightweight sled, surrounded by rainforest.
Pristine rainforest
near Port Douglas
Ferns, fig roots and towering canopy along the banks, with a local guide sharing what lives here.
Before you go
Timing
About 3.5 hours including transfers. Departures at 9:00 AM / 2:00 PM, Monday–Saturday.
Transfers
Return transfers from Port Douglas & Mossman accommodation included.
Swimming
You'll be in the river the whole time. Strong swimmers only when the water is running higher. A river sled provides flotation.
Provided Gear
Wetsuit, mask and river sled provided. Boots and a thermal layer are added in winter.
Age & Children
Minimum age 4. Under-16s must be accompanied by a guardian. Child price covers 4–15 years.
What to Bring
Swimmers to wear under your wetsuit, a towel, a change of clothes and sun protection.
The full review
I've sent a lot of families up to the Mossman River, and this is the one I quietly recommend when someone wants the Daintree without a full-day coach slog. You're kitted out in a wetsuit and mask, handed a lightweight river sled, and walked upstream along a granite-sand riverbed with the rainforest closing in overhead.
Then you turn around and drift back down. That's the magic of it, letting the current carry you past ferns, fig roots and clear pools while your guide points out what lives here. It's gentle, it's ridiculously scenic, and it feels wilder than the distance from Port Douglas suggests.
At $155 adult and $115 child for about three and a half hours with transfers, it's easy to slot into a Port Douglas stay. Calm, guided and genuinely different, our pick for the best rainforest float in the region.
Common questions
You're fitted with a wetsuit, mask and a lightweight river sled, then walk upstream along the granite-sand riverbed of the Mossman River. From there you turn around and drift and float back down, letting the clear current carry you through the rainforest while your guide points things out. It's gentle, guided and very scenic.
Basic water confidence is enough for most conditions, and your river sled provides flotation. When the river is running higher, it's recommended for strong swimmers only. If you're unsure about conditions on your date, let us know and we'll confirm it with you when you book.
The minimum age is 4. Anyone under 16 needs to be accompanied by a guardian on the tour. Child pricing covers ages 4–15.
A wetsuit, a mask and a river sled / flotation device are all provided. In winter you're also given boots and a thermal layer to stay warm. You just need swimmers to wear underneath and a towel.
The Mossman River is fresh and cool, which is why a wetsuit is provided (with a thermal layer and boots in winter). Wear swimmers underneath, and bring a towel and a change of clothes for afterwards.
Yes, it runs on the Mossman River in the Daintree rainforest near Port Douglas, with transfers from Port Douglas and Mossman accommodation. Port Douglas is roughly an hour north of Cairns along the coast, so if you're staying in Cairns, ask us and we'll help you plan the day around it.
There are two departures, 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM, running Monday to Saturday. Choose your date at checkout and we'll confirm your preferred time and pickup.
Yes, it's a family favourite. Children from age 4 can join (under-16s with a guardian), and the gentle, guided nature of the drift makes it a great rainforest experience for younger travellers who are comfortable in water.
A mask is provided, but this is currently a river drift and float experience rather than a dedicated snorkelling tour, the snorkelling component has been reduced while the river recovers. The focus is on drifting and floating down the clear Mossman River through the rainforest.
Around three and a half hours in total, including your return transfers. That makes it easy to slot into a morning or afternoon of a Port Douglas stay without giving up a whole day.
It runs year-round. In the cooler, drier months you're given boots and a thermal layer with your wetsuit. In the wetter, warmer months the river can run higher, so it may be recommended for strong swimmers only, we'll confirm conditions with you when you book.
Yes, return transfers from Port Douglas and Mossman accommodation are included in the price. Tell us your accommodation when you book and we'll arrange your pickup.
Free cancellation up to 48 hours before departure. Within 48 hours the booking is non-refundable.