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A hike to Alexandra Falls, Daintree National Park (Cape Tribulation)
Alexandra Falls is an incredible Daintree waterfall hidden deep in the Wet Tropics rainforest. The trip to Alexandra Falls was one of my favorite Cape Tribulation adventures. Read this guide to find out how to get here, what to expect, and photos of this jungle giant! The heritage-listed Wet Tropics Region of Daintree National Park is the oldest rainforest in the world. It's also one of Australia's wildest places. If you're up for an off-the-beaten-path adventure that involves wading up a pristine rainforest stream to a megalithic jungle waterfall, then add Alexandra Falls to your Cape...
A hike to Alexandra Falls, Daintree National Park (Cape Tribulation)
Alexandra Falls is an incredible Daintree waterfall hidden deep in the Wet Tropics rainforest. The trip to Alexandra Falls was one of my favorite Cape Tribulation adventures. Read this guide to find out how to get here, what to expect, and photos of this jungle giant!
The heritage-listed Wet Tropics Region of Daintree National Park is the oldest rainforest in the world. It's also one of Australia's wildest places. If you're up for an off-the-beaten-track adventure that involves wading up a pristine rainforest stream to a megalithic jungle waterfall, then add Alexandra Falls to your Cape Tribulation bucket list!
In this blog post I will describe my experience hiking to Alexandra Falls in the Daintree of Cape Tribulation. I will also include photos from my trip so you know what to expect.
Read: 20 things to do in Cape Tribulation
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About Alexandra Falls, Daintree National Park
Alexandra Falls is a 150 meter high waterfall located upstream of Alexandra Creek, deep within the Daintree National Park. Although it is truly one of the most majestic waterfalls in the region, there is no dedicated or maintained path to reach it.
If you really want to see the waterfall, please note that it is technically wilderness terrain. I would not recommend heading to this Cape Tribulation waterfall unless you are confident and experienced in the Australian rainforest. My intention is not to publicize this waterfall, but to share my experiences in a way that I hope will better prepare those who are already determined to try it.
The entire hike follows Alexendra Creek and you will have to wade most of the way to the falls. Therefore, it is important to plan the conditions and be well prepared.
That being said, most people used to adventures in Far North Queensland shouldn't have much of a problem as long as they're prepared.
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RELATED POST: Cape Tribulation Horse Riding
How to get to Alexandra Falls?
When I visited Alexandra Falls, there wasn't much information online about how to actually get here. I knew the waterfall was somewhere upstream on Alexandra Creek, but getting to the creek was a bit confusing.
Access to Alexandra Creek is via Turpentine Road, approximately 20 minutes south of Cape Tribulation or 25 minutes north of the Daintree River crossing. This is just inland from Thornton Beach in “Diwan”.
I took a trip to Heritage Lodge and Spa to ask if I could get access to the creek. However, it was clear that they did not want anyone passing through their resort to come to Alexandra Creek. Instead, there is a gate just 100 meters before Heritage Lodge and Spa with signs for private vehicles only.
This is a private driveway that leads to Alexandra Creek. The journey to Alexandra Falls begins here.
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RELATED POST: (Review) Best Daintree Crocodile Tour
The Blue Pools of Cape Tribulation
Just 50 meters downstream from this creek access are the Cape Tribulation Blue Pools. This is a beautiful place with pristine, clear rainforest waters. However, I was told that swimming in the Blue Pools is discouraged by the traditional owners as this is a culturally significant birthplace for indigenous women.
We took a quick detour to admire this beautiful place from a distance. When we discovered it, we met some other travelers who were already swimming in the pools. In fact, during our visit we saw several groups heading to the pools. I am not one to judge the behavior of others but I personally did not stay long or swim in the water out of respect for the traditional owners of the blue pools and the Daintree.
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The Alexandra Falls “Hike”
The Alexandra Falls route begins at the stream crossing at Alexandra Creek (above). The path to the waterfall follows this stream upstream for about 4 kilometers. You must be aware that much of the hike will involve wading through water. The rocks are quite hard and slippery, so I would definitely recommend wearing trail runners or other closed-toe shoes.
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We were pretty sure crocodiles didn't migrate that far upriver. However, I certainly cannot guarantee that this stream is completely crocodile-free.
There was some rain when we visited in the shoulder season, but it was relatively dry. The stream was manageable the entire way, with the deepest section only being about waist height. However, given the erosion on the sides of the banks, it is clear that this stream can flow heavily, especially in the rainy season.
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The goal is to follow Alexandra Creek all the way to the waterfall. However, the stream forks in several sections, which can make finding the route a little difficult. The best way to approach it is to simply follow the main stream and avoid detours or smaller tributaries.
The hike is relatively flat for most of the hike. However, the last few kilometers require a gentle scree climb to reach the waterfall. This is not steep but it can be slippery. At one point near the end it appeared as if the stream had completely dried up. However, as we passed this section it was obvious that the stream must have flowed under the boulders.
Route: Strava
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RELATED POST: 7 Best Cape Tribulation Tours
What to expect
The route up to Alexandra Falls in the Daintree was one of my absolute favorite adventures in Cape Tribulation. This was a real taste of the Daintree, at least for me.
Alexandra Creek is full of beautiful stretches of deep, aquatic blue water holes. We pass many on the way to the waterfall and I can confidently say that they are much nicer and quieter than even the popular Mason’s Waterhole and Emmagen Waterhole at Cape Tribulation.
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There were sections where we had to walk along the creek bank to avoid deeper water. There was evidence of a warning trail to follow on these sections, but no markings or tapes. Overall, the path to the waterfall is fairly clear as you wade through the stream, but it is full of wild vines and waits for a while once you enter the brush.
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We also noticed that there were hoses and pipes leading to the creek. This was unfortunate as I'm pretty sure diverting freshwater streams in a national park is illegal. Of course I can't guess who might be responsible, but it was disappointing to see.
Alexandra Falls – An epic hidden gem in the Daintree Rainforest
After approximately 4 kilometers you slowly approach Alexandra Falls in the Daintree Rainforest. This huge waterfall has a lovely lower level with a deep swimming pool and stacked logs. However, the main event is at the top of a small scree climb behind it.
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It's difficult to say exactly how high Alexandra Falls is, but I would say the cumulative fall of all three top tiers is more than 150 meters - truly an impressive Cape Tribulation waterfall!
Alexandra Falls sits in an exposed clearing and has its own shallow pool below where you can cool off. The waterfall is also perfectly framed by two towering palm trees that almost look as if they were planted there!
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After almost an hour of relaxing at the waterfall and taking photos, we turned around and headed back to the car. We managed to complete the hike in just under 4 hours, which I thought was at a pretty leisurely pace.
Don’t miss: Where to Stay in Cape Tribulation – 16 Best Accommodation Options
More photos from my trip
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More Cape Tribulation and Far North Adventure inspiration
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about my experience at Alexandra Falls, Daintree National Park (Cape Tribulation). If you're looking for more adventure ideas and travel inspiration from the Cape and Far North Queensland, be sure to check out some of my other posts below!
For more waterfalls and hikes, check out: Best Waterfalls in FNQ and my list of epic hikes in FNQ.
MY CAMERA AND PHOTO EQUIPMENT
- Spiegellose Kamera: Canon R5
- Drohne: DJI Mavic Pro 2
- 360-Grad-Action-Kamera: Insta360 One X2
- Landschaftsobjektiv: Canon RF 15-35 mm f/2.8L
- Allround-Objektiv: Canon RF 24–105 mm f/4L
- Teleobjektiv: Canon RF 100–500 mm f/f/4,5–7,1 L
- Lange Aktionsstange: Insta360 Invisible Pole (BulletTime)
- Landschaftslinsenfilter: Hoya Circular Polarizer
- Kamerarucksack: F-Stop Tilopa
- Lieblingsfotozubehör: Peak Design Capture Clip
For a list of my recommended photography gear (including what I use and why), check out my Travel Camera Gear Guide.
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