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Rainforest River Bliss. Tubing down rainforest rivers is a magical way to spend half a day in Cairns. Lovely light, gentle flow and some fun, bouncy rapids. These fully guided tours take you south of Cairns, to the Goldsborough area at the foot of the Gilles Range. Here you’ll splash along clear rainforest rivers, be surrounded by a canopy of trees and feel a world away from everything. The bright red tubes are comfortable, providing spins and turns, with the guides in the water the whole way to assist if needed. This tour is run by the Cairns Adventure Group, a locally owned and family operated company that are committed to providing outstanding adventures in nature, connecting people with place. There’s no prior tubing experience necessary and everything you need, including inflatable tubes, life jackets and helmets, is provided and included. These half-day tours operate in the morning and afternoon, with around 1.5 hours of tubing. Times: 7am – 11.30am | 1.15pm – 5.45pm. The minimum age to participate is 5 years old. Escape from the every day and float your cares away.
Our whole family loved river tubing. It’s an easy and accessible way to explore rainforest rivers. The pace is gentle, you can spin and turn your way around, with some small bouncy rapids adding that bit of excitement.
There are a few options on how to start your Rainforest River Tubing adventure. You can self-drive and meet the river guides at either their inner-city depot on O’Keefe Street, or at McDonalds at Gordonvale, alternatively you can book return transfers from your Cairns accommodation. As locals we chose the self-drive option, meeting with the river guides and some other guests at the city depot at 7am. Once we were all aboard the bus and pick-ups were completed, we head south to Goldsborough. On arrival at the river, the guides inflate the tubes and distribute life jackets and helmets. They also provide safety and tubing information, before it’s time for everyone to jump in and get the adventure underway.
“Everyone was excited for river tubing. The guests were a mixture of families and couples, of varying ages and nationalities. The vibe was high and the guides made everyone feel comfortable. Once the demonstrations were completed, we grabbed our tubes and entered the water. The rainforest river had shallow banks, making this nice and easy. The current was relatively gentle, so we could get used to the movement of the tube, and the backdrop was an ever-changing array of rainforest trees, river banks and grasslands. There’s something magical about gently floating down a rainforest river, you feel a million miles away from the city. The soundtrack of the experience is splashing, shared stories and laughter as you navigate the awesome little rapids. For adults, it’s like being a little kid again. Sitting in the tube, splashing about, trying to navigate the currents and stay on course. For kids, well there’s always a race, a splash, a few falls into the water, then some more racing, splashing and running around to the do rapids just one more time. Our son and his mate had awesome time! This tour is accessible for everyone and guarantees happy hearts.” – Julie Johnston
This tour operates in the Little Mulgrave section of the Goldsborough Valley, which is at the foothills of the Gilles Range. It’s about a 30 minute drive from Cairns. Along the way you’ll leave the city, pass through the farming township of Gordonvale, pass by the mighty Pyramid and enter a patchwork of sugar cane fields, turf farms and agricultural properties. The setting is peaceful and the backdrop is rainforest mountains. The actual location of where the river tubing happens can vary, pending weather and river conditions. The Cairns Adventure Group team will always pick the best location, to maximise your safety and experience on the water. On our day of river tubing – 25 April 2026 – we went in the Little Mulgrave River. We got into the water at Piccolo’s Bridge, tubed down the river, bouncing over rapids, traveling under Ways Bridge and exited the water a little bit after that.
The vibe of this tour was chilled and relaxed. We were all there for an immersive rainforest experience, with the river setting the pace. The guides were in inflatable kayaks in the water with us throughout the whole tour, ensuring everyone felt safe and comfortable. If you got ‘stuck’ on the river bank or went the wrong way down the rapids, they were there to help. The emphasis of this tour is the river experience; providing the space and pace for people to connect with their rainforest surroundings. The highlights for me, if I’m honest, was doing 360 spins down the river and the rapids. It was controlled by the river not me and I haven’t done anything like since I was a child. Speaking of children, our 13 year old son and his mate had a great time splashing around. They may or may not have found a rope swing, got dunked off their tubes by the guide and participated in some very energetic river races. Water entry and exit was easy at both of ends of the tour. The water depth varied throughout the tour; in some places it was easy to stand up if you wanted to.
Little Mulgrave River tubing tours provide a fantastic introduction to river tubing and are suitable for people with no prior tubing experience. The minimum age to participate is 5 years old, with no maximum age. Cairns Adventure Group say that no swimming experience or ability is required for this tour. I’d say if you are an adventurous adult who can’t swim, but is confident at staying on the tube, you’d be fine. Life jackets are provided, the river is relatively shallow and the current is not strong. If you were the parent of young child who couldn’t swim, then it’s your call of course, but personally I would find that stressful. The river guides are on hand, in the water for the duration of the tour, to provide additional support if needed.
If you are looking for something with a little more adrenaline, then we certainly suggest Barron River Rafting. This is another Cairns Adventure Group tour and epic way to experience the Barron Gorge, with its towering rainforest walls and the beautiful Barron River. The minimum age to participate in this is 12 years old. For more information, check out our Barron River Rafting review.
Yes. Cairns River Tubing is suitable for beginners and people with no prior tubing experience. The river flow is generally gentle, with small rapids adding some excitement along the way. Guides are in the water throughout the tour to assist guests if needed.
The minimum age for Cairns River Tubing is 5 years old. The tour is family friendly and suitable for both kids and adults looking for a relaxed rainforest adventure.
Cairns Adventure Group states that swimming ability is not required. Life jackets and safety equipment are provided, and the river is relatively shallow in many areas. However, parents should consider their child’s confidence level around water before booking.
The overall experience runs for around 4.5 hours including transfers, safety briefings and river time. Guests spend approximately 1.5 hours tubing on the rainforest river itself.
Wear swimmers or lightweight clothing you don’t mind getting wet. Reef shoes, crocs, sandals with straps or old sneakers are ideal for walking on river stones. Avoid thongs, as they can easily come off in the water.
The tour includes inflatable river tubes, helmets, life jackets, experienced river guides and optional return transfers from Cairns accommodation. Safety briefings are also included before entering the water.
River tubing takes place south of Cairns in the Goldsborough Valley area, near the foothills of the Gillies Range. The exact river location can vary depending on weather and river conditions.
Yes. Safety is a major focus of the tour. Guides remain on the river throughout the experience in inflatable kayaks, helping guests navigate rapids and assisting anyone who gets stuck or needs support.
You can, but it’s recommended that phones and cameras are waterproof or stored in a waterproof pouch. There is always a chance of getting splashed or falling into the water during the rapids.
River tubing is a gentler and more relaxed experience focused on floating through rainforest scenery with small rapids along the way. White water rafting is faster paced, more physically demanding and designed for bigger adrenaline thrills.
Tours operate in both the morning and afternoon.
If you enjoy nature, rainforest scenery and relaxed outdoor adventures, then absolutely. It’s one of the easiest and most accessible ways to experience tropical rainforest rivers near Cairns.
The river tubing was lots of fun! There were lots of rapids and the water was so clear that we could see fish as we floated along, we saw jungle perch and sootys. The guides were heaps of fun, they helped you when you got stuck and spun us around down the rapids. They also flipped us into the water – I did not see that coming! I definitely recommend this to other kids and families because it’s a great experience, with lots of different elements to the tour. From floating to rapids, racing and splashing.
Cairns River Tubing is a half day tour, with morning and afternoon departures from Cairns. The tour itself is around 4.5 hours long, with around 1.5 – 2 hours of river tubing. They are experienced river guides with you the whole time. Life jackets and helmets are provided, for safety and comfort in the water. All equipment and instruction is included in the tour price. This is an awesome rainforest adventure letting you experience this unique environment, from a completely different perspective.
© I Love Cairns 2026
