Nandroya Falls – Hiking and Waterfall Guide

Nandroya Falls – Hiking and Waterfall Guide

Nandroya Falls is a 50 meter high waterfall in the rainforest valleys of Wooroonooran National Park in Queensland. Read this quick guide to one of the tropical north's most incredible rainforest waterfalls.

Are you looking for one of the most impressive rainforest waterfall hikes in Far North Queensland? Nandroya Falls is up there with one of the best waterfalls and hikes near Cairns, and believe me, I've seen a few!

In this quick guide, I will detail how to get to Nandroya Falls, give you some information about the hike to the waterfall, and include some pictures that will hopefully inspire you to visit.
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How to get to Nandroya Falls?

To get to this incredible waterfall, you need to drive to “Henrietta Creek Campground” in the Palmerston (Doongan) area of ​​Wooroonooran National Park. If you're driving here from Cairns, head south towards Innisfail and take the Palmerston Highway west towards the Tablelands.

Below you will find the pin for Henrietta Camp Ground where you will begin the hike to Nandroya Falls. If you don't have any offline maps downloaded, it's best to set Google Maps or GPS to the location before you go as cell reception can be spotty.

The road to Nandroya Falls and Henrietta Camp Ground is paved, so you shouldn't have any problems getting here in a regular sedan or hatchback.

It's quite a long drive from Cairns, taking at least 1.5 hours. However, take my word for it that the trip will be worth it. There are plenty of highlights in the immediate vicinity of Nandroya, including Crawford’s Lookout, Wallicher & Tchupala Falls and the Mamu Skywalk.

To get to Nandroya Falls you will need your own car or transportation. If you don't have a car and want to spend a day chasing waterfalls and exploring the parks around Cairns then I would recommend using Rentalcars.com or Car Next Door to get a good deal on a car rental in Cairns.

You can also download a map of the area here as an orientation aid for the waterfall hikes.

Once you enter the campsite parking lot, continue through to the left. You must follow this dirt road to the end, where you can park your car near a sign just before a pedestrian bridge.

After crossing the footbridge, you round a bend that runs parallel to the main road. About 50 meters further you will see the signpost for the hike to Nandroya Falls.
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Related: Best waterfalls in Cairns

The Nandroya Falls Walk

This waterfall hike is one of my personal favorites in the entire Wet Tropics Heritage Area. The path is narrow and surrounded on all sides by dense rainforest vines and tropical vegetation. The Wooroonooran is known to be a wetter and, in my opinion, wilder national park than the others in the area.

There are two routes you can take to reach Nandroya Falls. One is about 2 kilometers and the other 3.5 kilometers from the falls. You can also complete the Nandroya Falls trek as a circular route by completing both routes in a loop.

If you take the quicker route, the hike only takes about 40 minutes to reach the main level of Nandroya Falls, but you'll probably want to spend more time exploring once you arrive.

Allow at least 2 hours to drive back to the campground parking lot and allow some time for the waterfalls.

Along the way you will pass some incredible tropical streams and some of the largest fig trees I have ever seen.

Follow the route on: My Strava

• alt=“REGENWALDWANDERUNG IM WOOROONOORAN NATIONALPARK, NANDROYA FALLS BUSHWALK“>Wanderwege im Wooroonooran-Nationalpark
• alt=“WOOROONOORAN NATIONALPARK REGENWALD FEIGENBÄUME“>Riesige Feigenbäume

RELATED: Clamshell Falls in Behana Gorge

Three waterfalls on one hike?

I definitely wasn't expecting this, but the Nandroya Falls Trail actually includes three waterfalls. These include the Silver Falls and the two tiers of Nandroya Falls.

Silver Falls

About 20 minutes into the trail you will pass the first waterfall. Silver Falls is a much smaller waterfall located in a narrow clearing. It flows gently into a shallow blue pool that reminds me of a scene from The Jungle Book.
alt=“SILVER FALLS. SILVER CREEK FALLS AT NANDROYA FALLS, WOOROONOORAN NATIONAL PARK, CAIRNS”>Silver Creek Falls

Featured in: 22 Great Things to Do in the Atherton Tablelands

Nandroya Falls – The lower level

After about 40 minutes of walking, you will undoubtedly hear the power of Nandroya's two main waterfalls. The first lower level immediately to the right of the track is also quickly noticeable.

This is not that high but is wide and can get quite heavy after heavy rain, especially in the rainy season. As you go down you can catch a glimpse of the higher upper level bubbling in the distance.
alt=“NANDROYA FALLS, WOOROONOORAN NATIONAL PARK, AUSTRALIA”>Lower levels of Nandroya Falls

alt=“NANDROYA FALLS LEVEL CAIRNS”>Both Nandroya Falls Tiers

Nandroya Falls – The upper level

A little further you reach the upper level of Nandroya Falls. This is the main waterfall and the main attraction of this rainforest hike.

Nandroya Falls is a 50 meter high waterfall that flows vertically down a high cliff into a deep blue pool. There are palm trees and tropical vines covering almost all sides of the valley's large clearing.

The entire scene creates a natural amphitheater of lush rainforest greenery that perfectly frames the waterfall.
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Although it is a spectacular waterfall, it is not as popular as some of the other waterfalls such as Millaa Millaa. However, I would probably rate it as a much better waterfall as it is more remote and quiet.

ALSO NEARBY: WINDIN FALLS WATERFALL AND HIKING GUIDE

Swimming at Nandroya Waterfall

The pool of the main waterfall is deep enough for swimming. It is a great place to cool down after the strenuous hike and enjoy the tranquility of the Wooroonooran Rainforest. I would say the pool is about 6 feet deep at the deepest section. However, there is a sandbar on the left side of the waterfall that you can easily stand on (picture below).
alt=“NANDROYA FALLS, WOOROONOORAN NATIONAL PARK, AUSTRALIA”>

More waterfalls in Wooroonooran National Park

While you're here, why not check out two more epic waterfalls that are just a 5-minute drive from Henrietta Camp Ground?

Tchupala and Wallicher Falls are two incredible waterfalls with a much shorter hike that I would highly recommend.

• alt=“TCHUPALA FALLS, WASSERFÄLLE IN CAIRNS, DIE BESTEN CAIRNS FALLS, CAIRNS ATTRAKTIONEN, ZU TUN“>TCHUPALA-FÄLLE
• alt=“WALLICHER FALLS, WALLICHER WASSERFALL IN DER NÄHE VON CAIRNS, CAIRNS WASSERFÄLLE, CAIRNS ATTRAKTIONEN, DINGE ZU TUN“>WALLICHER FÄLLE

READ THE FULL BLOG POST: Tchupala Falls and Wallicher Falls

Cairns Accommodation Guide – Where to Stay

Are you planning a trip to Cairns and wondering where to base yourself? Below I have listed some of the best options near Cairns Esplanade. I have also written a comprehensive accommodation guide for Cairns as well as a comprehensive accommodation guide for Port Douglas.

Crystalbrook Riley – If you’re looking for luxury and location, Crystalrbook Riley can’t be beat. This is the best 5 star resort in Cairns and offers absolutely everything you would expect from a Crystalbrook resort.

Tip: Be sure to head to Rocco’s Bar at the top of Crystalbrook Riley for great views over Cairns!
alt=”Girls sunbathing at Crystalbrook Riley Resort in Cairns”>
Rydges Resort – This hotel offers great value for an epic stay at a decent price! The location is perfect, close to the Esplanade and has three swimming pools, two tennis courts, a hot tub, a fitness center and even an award-winning restaurant.
alt=“RYDGES ESPLANADE RESORT IN CAIRNS, WHERE TO STAY”>
Fitzroy Island Resort – If you prefer to stay on one of the picturesque islands of the Great Barrier Reef, look no further than Fitzroy Island Resort. While you can do a day trip here, I highly recommend spending the night so you have more time to explore the reef, coral beaches, and rainforest hiking trails.
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Gilligan’s Backpackers – The best backpacker option for a great atmosphere in Cairns is Gilligan’s Backpackers. That's because this one has a swimming pool, air conditioning, a full kitchen and a great common area to meet other travelers.

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PHOTOS OF NANDROYA FALLS

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alt=“LOWER LEVEL OF NANDROYA WATERFALL”>

More Cairns hikes, waterfalls and travel guides

I hope I've inspired you to make your way to this incredible waterfall in the ancient Wooroonooran National Park. If you enjoyed Nandroya Falls, be sure to check out some other waterfall recommendations in the list below.

For a quick round-up of some of the best waterfalls and hikes in the region, don't miss these guides to the best waterfalls or best hikes in Cairns and surrounding areas. For more hikes, sights and activities, check out this comprehensive guide to Cairns.

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