Everything you need to know about the famous Cape Tribulation horse riding tour in Far North Queensland.
If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to ride a horse through the rainforest and pristine, reef-lined beaches, then you’re in luck at Cape Tribulation.
The only Cape Tribulation horse riding experience is run by Cape Tribulation Horse Rides, who cater to beginner and experienced riders. In this blog post, I’ll outline my experience on a beach and rainforest horse ride in Cape Tribulation and give you tips and information you’ll want to know for yours with photos to help you plan what to expect!
About Cape Tribulation Horse Riding
The Cape Tribulation horse riding experience departs from Cape Tribulation Road, right across the road from Myall Beach and just a few hundred metres from the main restaurants and cafes in Cape Tribulation.
The most famous horse riding experience in Cape Tribulation with Cape Trib Horse Rides is a beach ride featuring a short meander through the tropical rainforest towards the golden sands of Myall Beach. Here, visitors have the opportunity to walk their horses through the shallow, turquoise waters.
The Cape Tribulation horse riding experience runs for approximately 90 minutes, and is easily one of the best things to do in Cape Trib! This is a guided group tour, with excellent, informative guides who will teach you about the native flora and fauna along the way.
Good to know: this Daintree horse riding experience is quite a distance from Cairns and Port Douglas. You'll need to drive the scenic Great Barrier Reef Drive to get here. So, remember to leave plenty of time for the Daintree Ferry!
How to Book A Horse Riding Tour At Cape Tribulation
You might be surprised to find out that this Far North Queensland bucket-list experience is super affordable! Horse riding trips run twice a day and only cost $129 per person for a 90-minute guided horse ride through the rainforest and on the beach.
This experience is one of the best-rated in Cape Tribulation and you can either book an 11 am, mid-morning ride, or a 2:30 pm afternoon ride online using the links below.
Book a spot in advance: Morning Ride
Book a spot in advance: Afternoon Ride
Tips for a Great Cape Tribulation Horse Riding Experience
Below I've included some quick tips and information to help you make the most of your trip.
- Wear appropriate clothing including sealed shoes. The crew recommended long pants but I wore shorts which was fine.
- Helmets are mandatory and supplied at the horse stables.
- Picking the weather is difficult in the tropics! Don't be discouraged if it's raining, see it as a part of the rainforest experience. Cape Tribulation Horse Rides provide a rain jacket in the event of rain, as well as a dry bag and water bottle holders.
- Arrive at least 15 minutes before your horse ride to get ready.
- This experience is beginner-friendly, the staff are very professional and will teach you how to mount and ride a horse.
- This is a walking-only horse-riding experience. The team asks riders not to encourage the horses to trot or gallop.
My Experience on the Cape Tribulation Horse Riding Tour
If you'd like to keep the experience a surprise, I suggest booking a trip and skipping this section. However, for those of you who are interested in finding out what to expect on your Cape Tribulation horse riding experience, I've included this section about my trip with photos.
Saddling Up
We chose the 2:30 pm afternoon ride. The timing lined up nicely with low tide, meaning we had plenty of beach to walk our horses on, and plenty of shallow water too.
We arrived at the Cape Tribulation Horse Rides Stables approximately 15 minutes early, where we were greeted by Steve, the owner and his many dedicated staff. Most of the animals are ex-racehorses who have had a tough life in the industry. Steve adopts them for their new home, where they have the opportunity to wind down with a much less stressful job on a vast, beautiful rainforest property.
After filling in some quick paperwork, our guides gave us a helmet, optional riding shoes and instructions on how to mount our assigned horses. The stable crew was really helpful in explaining to us how to mount, dismount and control our horses with the reins.
The Property & Trail
After a quick briefing, we set off on the trail ride to Myall Beach. The first leg of the ride covers a stretch of the beautiful property. This is a mix of grassland fields and rainforests, with a small creek crossing.
I was really blown away by just how magnificent the property was. The trail winded elegantly through the field with spectacular mountain backdrops until we entered the forest.
Riding Through the Daintree Rainforest
Cape Tribulation, it's truly the place where the rainforest meets the reef! After exiting the property, we crossed the road and entered a short stretch of the Daintree adjacent to Myall Beach.
Our horses were well-behaved and our guides were very friendly and informative. They taught us about native plants and their traditional uses in cooking, medicine and crafts.
In my opinion, the short rainforest ride was just as epic as the beach ride! Apparently, there's even a section on this trail where riders can spot a large 3-metre crocodile just across the bank!
Unfortunately, we weren't that lucky on our ride. But, if you spot one on yours, please let me know below. I'd love to share your photos on this blog!
Riding a Horse on Cape Tribulation Beach
The last leg of the Cape Tribulation horse riding tour was a stroll on Myall Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Cape Tribulation. Here, you can see the famous Cape Headland and get a good glimpse of the reef on a clear day.
Even though it was low tide, our guides led us and our horses into the shallow waters off the beach. This was a clear highlight for me! It's also a stand-out reason why Cape Tribulation is one of the best places to go horse riding!
In review, I'd say that a 90-minute beach ride is just the perfect amount of time. This time frame allowed us to get the most out of the experience and it certainly didn't feel rushed. Our guides even hopped off on the beach to help us get some photos of us together on our horses!
Tip: Looking for a place to cool off after your horse ride? Check out Mason's Swimming Hole and Emmagen Creek Swimming Hole in Cape Tribulation.
More photos from My Horse Riding Experience
Where to Say at Cape Tribulation
Below I've included some tips on the best places to stay on your trip to Cape Tribulation. If you'd like more suggestions with photos, read my comprehensive accommodation guide to Cape Tribulation.
1. Wildwood Rainforest Cottages Luxury
Wildwood offers luxury rainforest cottages set on a rare exotic fruit orchard. Freely explore the 800+ trees on the property, picking & sampling any of the fruits in season
2. Daintree Crocodylus Hostel Budget
Located in Cow Bay, this hostel offers safari-tent style rooms that are built from wood and canvas, with high ceilings, fans and mosquito net.
3. Cape Tribulation Holiday House Family
The highest-rated holiday house in Cape Tribulation set on 5 acres of rainforest & includes a huge balcony, 2 bedrooms and a fully equipped kitchen!
The Ultimate Cape Tribulation Travel Resource
Looking for more Cape Trib travel guides & adventure inspiration? Below are my most comprehensive blog posts that will serve as a great free resource for your trip.
More Far North Queensland Travel and Adventure Inspiration
That wraps up this quick travel guide to the Cape Tribulation horse riding tour in Far North Queensland. I hope it has inspired you to tick this epic bucket list item off your list!
- 60+ Things to do in Cairns - my ultimate Cairns and FNQ travel resource covering the best activities, hidden gems, and unmissable experiences.
- Cairns Hiking Guide - a huge list of epic rainforest, waterfall, and lookout hikes in Cairns.
- Cairns Waterfalls - a huge list of epic waterfalls that I've visited in Cairns and the surrounding tropics.
- Cairns Islands - discover my favorite Great Barrier Reef islands near Cairns and Port Douglas.
- Cairns Tours - my roundup of the best tours you can book in Cairns and FNQ, from the Great Barrier Reef to the Daintree Rainforest.
- Cairns Packing List - tips on what to pack for a trip to Far North Queensland.
- Top Things to Do in Port Douglas - a comprehensive guide to the sleepy Far North Queensland town of Port Douglas.
- Epic 5-Day Cairns Itinerary - my suggested adventure itinerary if you only have 5 days to spend in Cairns.
- Cape Tribulation Travel Guide - discover where the rainforest meets the reef at one of my favourite places in Australia.
- Best Things to do in the Atherton Tablelands - my guide to one of Far North Queensland's most underrated adventure destinations.
- Accommodation Resources: Discover where to stay in Cairns, the best hotels in Port Douglas and my Cape Tribulation accommodation guide.