Port Douglas River Drift

Turtles
Over 30 species of fish
Water Dragons
Colourful birds
Electric blue butterflies
Elusive platypus!

What you’ll need to be able to do

River Walk

Lead you through previously unseen parts of the river. Equipped with river sleds, you’ll experience varying river flows—from calm glides under lush canopies to exhilarating navigation through faster currents.

Paddling

Our river sleds are controlled by paddling, similar to how one would paddle while laying on a surfboard. While you don’t need to be a professional athlete, you should have enough upper body strength and endurance to paddle for short periods. If you’ve ever tried to paddle on a surfboard, you’ll have a good idea of the kind of effort required. This is a key part of navigating certain sections of our river, and enjoying the full experience.

Carrying Equipment

Each guest will be responsible for their own river sled, which weighs approximately 3kg. You’ll need to be able to carry this equipment over short distances, and they have convenient handles to make this easier.

Navigating Uneven Terrain

Our tour includes walking through a river with round, loose rocks and a current, as well as a rainforest trail with uneven ground. This requires balance, stability, and the ability to walk on irregular surfaces. If you’ve ever walked along a pebbly beach or walked along the uneven surfaces of a dry creek bed, you’ll understand the kind of mobility required. This ability to adapt to changing and uneven surfaces is crucial for safely navigating our river and rainforest trail.

Exiting the River

At the end of the tour, you’ll need to exit the river by climbing up a few of steps made from strong tree roots, similar to climbing a ladder. This climb is approximately 1-2 feet high. It requires some lower body strength, upper body strength for grip, and the ability to climb without assistance. If you’re comfortable climbing a small ladder or a steep set of stairs, you should be able to handle this part of our adventure.

Water Confidence

Our river tour is an immersive water experience. Therefore, it’s essential that all guests are comfortable in water. This doesn’t mean you need to be an Olympic swimmer, but you should be able to handle yourself confidently in a water environment. If you’re unsure about your water confidence, consider how you feel when you’re in a swimming pool or at the beach. Can you enter the water without fear, move around comfortably, and exit without assistance? If so, you’re likely to be just fine on our tour.

Treading Water

During our river tour, there may be times when you’ll need to tread water. This means staying afloat in one place, using only your own physical ability. You don’t need to be able to do this for hours on end, but you should be able to tread water for at least a minute without assistance. This is a basic safety requirement for participation in our tour.